Views from the Dock - Thoughts and Pictures by UseppaGin - There’s only one way to get to Useppa, and it’s by boat. When we arrive on the island, we tie up at a dock. It’s where we unload groceries, supplies, and ourselves. It’s where we leave from at the end of a visit, for a trip over to the mainland to shop, go to a doctor. For employees it’s how they come and go to work. But how often do any of us appreciate the personality of each dock, the different views toward Pine Island or Cabbage Key, Cayo Costa, Boca Grande? There are flags on some docks. Lowered to half-mast in honor of Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a reminder they fly in honor of our country and the men and women who serve it. The flags stand for the United States of America. Birds assuming ownership of a dock do not leave quietly if one of us has the audacity to walk down their way. They leave visible signs of their displeasure. A sunset, a sunrise from a dock is another gift that reminds us how lucky we are to be Useppans.