Geometric swirls of a carved gateway to a Maori marae ( meeting place) reimagined in blue, and mirrored.
Not as the carver intended, but how it was in my mind’s eye, on a day where the mood was blue, little was calm in my head and mental waves churned like the sea below the marae.
And, after a little reflection (so to speak), I’m okay with that.
North Sea waves piledrive into the breakwater of the harbour at Pittenweem, Scotland yesterday.
The title of this post has an exclamation mark to bear witness to the velocity of wind and waves that roared and smashed during my stroll along the breakwater at dusk.Spectacular!
Powerful and unrelenting forces of nature versus man’s cunning engineering.
The breakwater protects fishing and other vessels in the harbour, where it is artificially calm.
Of course ,there are a lot less boats owing to the decline in the fisheries.
One day there may be no more haddock, crabs, lobster and prawns.
And,maybe no more breakwater if the sea has its revenge…
Auckland’s narrow Okahu Bay Wharf (seen from a different angle in the previous post Above The Wharf, Over The Sea ) tapers to a point in the distance.
Where it ends,the sea begins.
An end is always a beginning of something.
“You only grow by coming to the end of something and by beginning something else.” – John Irving, ‘The World According To Garp’
(Questions tossed up by the tide: So we know the pier ends, but does the sea have an end?… and if it does, what begins after the sea?)
This was one view I had today.
Above a wharf stretching out over the sea.
Elsewhere on this blog is a series of pictures entitled “Under The Wharf, Above The Waves”. About being between worlds; neither/nor; other.
Not today. Things must be better and my outlook more optimistic for me to take this photo, make this picture.
Progress.
A different perspective from before.
Stretching out, and over…
What a match up! The Pacific Ocean against Sentinel Rock in Northland, New Zealand.
Continual surf crashes upon,and tidal motion swirls around and over, the rocks.
Pummeled.
24/7.
Every day and every night.
It’s epic, and relentless.
But still the Sentinel holds its ground, and stands guard.
Life is just as relentless as the ocean waves and tides.
It is hard to be rocklike in the face of attrition, I know. It’s easy to let your guard down when it feels there is no respite.
And there are times when I feel submerged but still manage to pull through,somehow.
And at those times I am grateful to people who are my “rocks”, shining concepts I cling to, and whatever higher power there is that guards me against destruction…
Shot of a freighter approaching port, laden with containers of anticipated goodies.
Often we are the person on the dock, waiting for our ship to come in.
Some great upturn in our fortunes, the perfect significant other, a better job or perhaps winning the lottery!
Waiting, waiting…
You know what? That ship may be on the horizon, but the beautiful, ever changing sea is right before you, and breaking on your shore.
You don’t even need to wait.
Your future is with you, now.
The unblinking stare of a pouwhenua ( carved wooden figurine ) of Hoturoa.
Hoturoa was an an ancestral Maori naval commander of centuries ago.
His image stands upon an Auckland headland, high above the sea.
Gazing out over the ocean and almost, it seems,across time…
“The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.”
– Joseph Campbell
Mighty sea cave on New Zealand’s west coast at Muriwai Beach.
I would be more than a little afraid to explore beyond the cave’s entrance – the power of the sea ,the damp rock walls and general darkness puts me off. Plus, a tiny fear of drowning…
The uncovering of the mystery of the cave’s depths and discovery of its ‘treasure’ will fall to someone else braver than me…..
Fear holds us back from discovery so often. Even when we know that at the times we have been most brave, we have learned and gained much.
As an aside, sea caves are products of erosive wave action – it is amazing that the destruction of the softish cliff rock over time actually creates something ‘other’ and new!
And so, to the ever-shifting seas, the endless skies, we shall return, at journey’s end.
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!
Carved statue at Orakei Marae and Rangitoto Island are twin guardians, as a sea fog rests on the waters of Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour during the week.
A shot of a boat house sitting serenely over water near my Auckland home.
I am not a boatie or sailor by any stretch of the imagination ,but I admire those who cast off from shore,voyaging ,for adventure on the sea.
So this place appeals to me.
It is by appearance a simple,linear design,with utilitarian function.Boats are stored inside and launched from it.
But it is also the departing place for courage and dreams and happiness, and that makes it magical.
Three views as a massive sea fog hits this morning…
” We had the experiences but missed the meaning “
– T.S Eliot , ‘The Dry Salvages’
I went down to the water’s edge earlier this morning, the sun penetrating the sea fog, the light quietly spectacular. There was a fleeting moment of soul connection and calm.
Then, as is my wont, my mind ticked over to what I needed to do today, tomorrow and into the near future.
The moment was gone and the experience had lost its meaning.
The sun and the water had not changed, or maybe imperceptibly.
But I had moved on.
How many little moments or experiences are lost just like that, as I am “elsewhere” even though physically present?
And then the best I can hope for is that the meaning of the experience will come to me in hindsight.
Just a reminder to myself to be mindful and soulful, even in the smallest experience, for it may not occur again.
” There are no signposts in the sea.”
– Vita Sackville-West
When we hit our own uncharted waters or new territory,we have to listen to the tales of who have been there before and depend on our inner strength and sense of direction for the rest. Nobody else can chart our course or sail our ship for us once we leave a safe harbour.
And we will have to leave…
ebb then flood 