‘A Little Bay Scene’
… taken on 31/12/22, an idyllic end to what was a tough year for me as I recovered from cancer…there are probably thousands of little bays like this, but the scene resonated peace and tranquility at the time and still does. I wish you that kind of peace…
‘Solitude’
…an empty beach, the endless sea, me…
‘Seaside Scene VII’
…a ball in motion, caught mid-air flotation…
‘Seaside Scene VI’
…spring time in Auckland and beach frolics begin!..
‘Beach House, Late Arvo’
‘Seaside Scene V’
‘Sun Falls On The Bay Of Plenty’
…and it was plenty to take in…
‘Seaside Scene IV’
…sit, swim, sail…
‘Lazing’
I shot this photo a month ago whilst on holiday at Mangawhai Heads,an hour and a half north of Auckland.
Sun, sand, surf, salt air.
Bliss.
The gentleman in the folding seat is lazing in the sun, tools of play – plastic buckets, a tiny inflatable boat -spread around on the sand.
A (hopefully!)temporary Covid-19 lockdown has non-essential travel out of town suspended, so I could not go to this beach, even if I wanted to, right now.
Which got me thinking -is lazing non-essential? It is probably the opposite in fact. We all need to unwind from time to time, right?
‘Beachcombers’
‘Beach Hut’
…shelter in the sand…
‘Boardwalk And Beach’ St.Heliers Bay, Auckland 7/20
…promenade and play, on a sunlit winter’s day…
‘On The Beach’
“Now I’m livin’
out here on the beach,
but those seagulls are
still out of reach
… I follow the road,
though I don’t know
where it ends.
Get out of town, get out of town,
think I’ll get out of town.”
‘On The Beach’, Neil Young (1974)
Listen here:
Wooden groyne at a small beach on Auckland’s Tamaki River.
Groynes are structures that are supposed to prevent shoreline erosion by trapping sand and sediment moved by sea tides.
Pretty evidently,this specimen has seen better days.
Years of protecting the shore against wind and waves have taken a toll. Bits of the structure are gone but it still protects the coast.
Parallel with humans exist – worn down,carers and protectors amongst us can eventually suffer from “compassion fatigue” ,and worse.
If that sounds like you, please remember to shore up your own timbers before fighting the tide -take care of yourself as a priority!
Shot of a deserted Northland beach, with just the footprints between the rocks to remind you that you are not the only one around. The incoming tide will take care of that…
There is something alluring and reassuring about walking along a beach. Time stands almost still amidst the motion of waves and wind and the heat of the sun and sand. And, in this case, there are ancient , bleached rock formations that have been sculpted by the elements and will continue so, long after the walkers have departed and the holidaymakers returned home.
Ebb Then Flood 