This time of the year we're bombarded by the media with 'look backs' at the past year. Luminaries and loved ones laid to rest; weather events; tragedies and triumphs, upheavels and the like. To put it in nautical terms, we're forced to look back over the transom at the wake of our lives and reflect.
Some of you may recall the goofy 70's era movie,
Cannon Ball Run
, a sort of modernized version of the 60's film classic
It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World
 where a group of disparite and desperate people race cars cross-country in search of a hidden treasure. To be perfectly honest I don't remember exactly why the gang in
Cannon Ball Run
 were racing but they were just the same.
But I do remember a great line from the movie.
One of the race participants had a red Ferrari and hired some hotshot Italian race car driver to do the driving.
The driver swaggers towards the car, pulling on his black racing gloves and settles into the drivers seat, at one point reaching up to adjust the rear view mirror mounted in the middle of the windshield.
As he's doing so he looks over to the passenger and says, 'The first rule of Italian race driving is....' then in one brisk motion tears off the mirror, tosses it over his shoulder out the back of the car and proclaims '....who cares what's behind you!'
And that's sort of how I feel about looking back at the nautical year.
What's done is done. I don't need to be reminded of the bad memories and I hardly need be reminded of the good ones. With that in mind I look to the future along the waterfront and ponder what the next year might bring and admittedly, I'm not entirely optimistic.
First is, will yet another year pass before the town owned docks of Shem Creek will finally get refurbished and opened to the public? Let's hope so, it's been long enough. And whilst I'm on the subject of Shem Creek, for several years now there's been a stewing controversy on the other side of the creek which the vast majority of you are totally unaware of.
I've held off offering information or comment, but the time may soon be at hand when I can share with you a tale of nearly ridiculous proportions, bad business, frivolous litigations, greed and egos.
Next, I'm hopeful that the trend of less named storms continues in 2010.
As I started warning some years ago, access to Crab Bank has continually been restricted (people are only allowed to step foot on the sand in the winter months and dogs are banned year around, even though not one bird is nesting during half the year) and I'm sure that the bird-hugging folks won't be satisfied until a total and complete ban is imposed to save seabirds who's numbers have actually increased, the brown pelican being an example.
The commercial shrimping and fishing fleet has been pared down to next to nothing but those that do remain should be able to hold on, barring another massive increase in fuel prices or the sale and re-development of more of the commercial docks and fish houses. If that does occur, commercial boats on the creek will literally disappear for good.
We learned this year is that the party scene out on Morris Island had gotten almost totally out of hand. Law enforcement finally stepped in and put an end to it, but the property is now controlled by the City of Charleston Parks Department and it'll be interesting to see how they start tinkering with it as we know King Joe and his minions just can't help doing.
The economic situation the past year has reeked havoc on boating business and we've lost a few tackle shops and boat dealerships, while many others are teetering on failure.
So by all means, if you have the means to remain or get into boating, fishing and the like, please do so.
Despite inconsistent, incomplete or data directly to the contrary, the Feds are poised to close massive offshore areas off our coasts to fishing. Many of the areas are not much frequented by recreational anglers but it'll be just one more nail in the coffin for the commercial guys.
There's been a lot of talk lately about offshore windfarms. It would seem that due to meteorological conditions we'll not likely see windmills off our beaches but places like the Grand Strand may.
As opposed to those who say the structures would mar the view seaward, I for one would enjoy seeing those towering symbols of a beginning of alternative energy independence for our nation, so if the Lowcountry coast is to play host to offshore windmills you can count me in.
And lastly, just how many mariners next year will attempt to enter Charleston Harbor in the dark and end up on the rocks?