The Call of the Sea

 

The picture above is of our lovely Crosby beach, within walking distance of my home. It is a beautiful place to visit and a wonderful place to think. 

There is an old saying by Martin Buxbaum:

“I have seen the sea when it is stormy and wild; when it is quiet and serene; when it is dark and moody. And in all its moods, I see myself”

I love that saying and sometimes wonder whether that is why I love the sea so much, because it has all the same moods as I do. If I am happy I go down to our beach and appreciate its beauty. If  I am sad I take myself down there, sit and have a cry then walk and walk along the sands to work it out. If I am cross I visit the beach and walk and walk and listen to the rhythm of the waves and it calms me down, as though it's saying 'Hush, how is this anger helping, calm down, think reasonably'. The beach and sea  is my friend and my counsellor. In all times of my life it's been there to listen, to calm and to smile with me.

A few years ago my husband and I were considering moving when he retires. We were looking at a variety of places and I suddenly said 'Unless it's by the coast or a river I'm not going, I couldn't settle'. Up to that point I hadn't realised how much I need the flow of water around me. I told this to my daughter and she said that she fully understood, that she couldn't settle fully inland either. We are coastal girls and always will be.

I take walks along our beach throughout the year. I especially like it early morning or outside of summer when it is quiet and I can walk with just my thoughts, the gulls and the waves lapping along the sands. Just walking along there grounds me, settles me and assures me that all is okay. You'll often find a walk along the beach on my 'feelgood activities list'. The beach is in my blood. I remember visiting it as a little girl with my Dad who would tell me to listen to those waves talking - maybe that's why I find them comforting. He would also point out the ships on the Mersey and tell me all the far away countries they were sailing to and that one day I could sail and explore anywhere in the world if I wanted to. As a small child this seemed amazing, I could be an explorer, an adventurer, because my Dad told me so. I often wonder what he would think if he knew how unadventurous I actually am.

My favourite holidays have always been at the seaside. Much as I love my Brontës and their moors, a few days is long enough away from the coast. Every summer my Dad would take our family to the Isle of Man for our summer holidays. We would stay in Laxey, exploring the island but always returning to the reassurance of that pebble beach and those lapping waves. My Dad passed away when I was still very young and, though we didn't go back to the Isle of Man, my Mum would always take me for a seaside holiday and I always loved it. Give me sand, rock pools and shells and I am happy.

When we married my husband booked us a wonderful honeymoon on the Isle of Lewis. We had two weeks of glorious weather and our cottage was right on a beach. We didn't see another soul on our beach for the two weeks just us, the sands and the waves. We explored the coast too and watched the seals around the island, it was heaven.

One of my favourite day trips when up north is out to the Farne Islands to watch the birds there, puffins if you go in May. I love it there and never want to leave. I feel like I'm making my own wildlife documentary, or as the kids will tell you "Mum, that's a lot of photos of birds and seals!"

Last year was our silver wedding anniversary and my husband asked me where I would like to go to celebrate for a week. Just the two of us. I immediately replied 'Anglesey'. We had the most wonderful week and we explored many beaches there. I just relaxed and smiled the whole week because we were by the sea and I so love the sea. 

My son sometimes asks me whether I would like to go to space one day. The reply is "Not until they find a planet with a nice beach with the waves lapping up".

I do have other interests, I love museums and art galleries and I really enjoy exploring stately homes but, at some point, I must return to my lovely beach and answer the call of the sea.