THIS is what I came to Adelaide seeking and, luckily, have found.... summer by the sea. Hugh lives near the beach... a wide, white gently curving beach in suburban Adelaide. I think I was a mermaid in a previous life because I live the sea..... sun, sand, dazzling light, curling waves, old, wooden jetties, diving into the water and coming up refreshed and free.
Young families find the shade of the jetty a cool and pleasant place to build sandcastles, stretch out on towels or frolic in the shady shallows, away from the heat of the early afternoon..... An Indian woman, dressed in colourful regalia, watches her husband and children splashing and playing nearby.... a talented young boy rides his skim board back and forth as the incoming tide sends blankets of shallow water onto the shore.... a little girl in pink, frilly bathers, splashes her dad in fits of giggles ...... a group of teenagers throw a variety of balls amongst each other, standing up to their waists in the sea, their voices happy and playful. An elderly woman in a smart pair of bathers wades out through the small waves, a delightful look of pleasure on her face.
Everywhere people are smiling, relaxed and happy. The sea, the beach, the warm sunshine do this to people the world over. I splash through the water as I go for a walk, the sand firm and flat and easy to walk on without watching where you are going. A light sea breeze skims across the water and flutters umbrellas and tents, as well as t-shirts and dresses. The silver light dances and sparkles on the surface, almost glassy, between the breezes.
On a day like today the temperature is perfect for walking in the lightest clothes, wet or dry and I hold my hat in my hand to feel the breeze blow through my damp hair. Glorious is the word that springs to mind, an absolutely glorious day to be alive and at the beach, at this beach, before the Adelaide summer gets too hot but far away from the still cold waters of Tasmania.
Back at Hugh's, we make a mango smoothie. Mangoes..... 3 for $5 at the market yesterday. There are some things that just cannot be beaten for sheer joy.
2 comments:
Kate your description is wonderful. We go for a walk on the beach every afternoon and there is nothing quite like it. They must be sending all our mangoes down south - they are still 2.50 each here!
I love your description of summer by the sea. Whenever I go to the sea I have to put my feet in it, all through the year, even though the Mediterranean isn't too warm in winter, but there's nothing like the beach in summer! Enjoy it!
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