Oh captain, my captain…
Oh Captain, my captain…
After a rough journey, into a safe harbour. (Chinamen’s Beach on Maria Island)
Relaxing with a cup of tea and debating a long walk to settle the balance down.
Wading at Riedles’, the east side of Maria Island.
Not a soul in sight and when we got back to the boat after 45 minutes, we were the only people around. Delicious. We swam off the boat and then had a picnic lunch: olive bread, pepper cheese, brie and quince paste, fresh fruit and ginger ale. It’s our standard picnic fare and we are real picnicaholics, the captain and I.
Another swim together and then sitting on the gunwales drying off before the captain decides 4 hours might be enough for me and we beat once again out into The Passage and home.
It was horrid. A cruel little nor-east blow off the port bow but with an horrendous confused swell. I have no photos because all I could do was hang on and try and find a fixed line to watch (yeah, right!) to maintain the balance I have left.
And I am moved to quote the below lines by Walt Whitman…
O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done,
The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won,
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring…
So we reached terra firma in time to wash the boat,
wash the hair,
wash the boating clothes,
play with the dog and order fish and chips for dinner.
Life sure is better at the beach…
Reads like a mini adventure. Looks so beautiful! And I wholeheartedly agree about life being better at the beach. There’s something about just looking at the sea that I find incredibly calming and therapeutic. I had a two minute glimpse a couple of weeks ago but won’t see it again for months 🙁
Every day on the water here is a mini-adventure, Kathryn. I love it.
And yes, the sound of waves, the water stretching to infinity, the odour of ozone and weed – therapeutic. Scientists say the smell of the sea can reduce anxiety by 17% apparently! 🙂
Sounds perfect apart from the journey back, picnicking is fun too 🙂
Love picnicking – there’s something very old-world about it which is fine by us. We always have our picnic basket ready to go. The day on the island was perfect. I don’t think I have ever had a bad day there. The on-water trip there and back was a stretch for me. Normally it would have just annoyed me – bumpy and a nuisance – but with loss of balance, the whole rock, roll and bang is tough. I feel as if I have done two days of Physio!