Just Dive In!

“I must go down to the seas again for the lonely sea and the sky, and all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by.”
John Masefield, Poet laureate of England
1878 - 1967

With August and the beach season upon us,  I'd like to take a little dive into royal blue waters from the Mediterranean and the Atlantic to the Pacific Choosing to revisit in early August this small photo collection from various “seascapes” is without any doubt rooted in nostalgia. For years, at the peak of summer, full of anticipation our kids would hop into the car as we’d head from the hilly, bucolic Berkshires to the coast. Not too far away this included Martha’s Vineyard, MA or Marion, MA. where the waters are warmer and the crowds thin. Unlike Marion however, crossing by ferry to the Vineyard made our excursion to the beach all the more real and palpable. How could it not when the salty scent of the sea was upon us? (Sadly, I’d have to scan photos from those days so will instead now resort to more recent, digital images.)

Below are a few from the Mediterranean where, on the island of Malta, we embarked on the Sea Cloud II and sailed around Sicily. In sharp contrast to the brilliant blue sea is one of Malta’s fortresses which protected it (to some degree) from invaders.

Having made it back to Malta, we traversed the sea with Lufthansa (via Munich to Marseille!) where the small port town of Cassis awaited. Timing the visit with out anniversary made it for a pilgrimage. In our early days of courting over 40 years ago, David and I had spent a night on a beach below the Calanques cliffs near Cassis. This time, however, we wouldn’t be hiking down for an overnight stay on the sand. This was much simpler: we boarded a small “touring” boat and witnessed the spectacular limestone cliffs cascading into the water — something we couldn’t do when on land.

Below: the Calanques and possibly the beach where we spent the night in 1978. Nothing much has changed - except us.

Of course, the islands of Hawaii are renowned for their jaw-dropping ocean vistas, beaches, volcanoes and, of course, impressive waves. Many moons ago, David and I took a two day hike on the gorgeous Napali Coast trail along Kaua’i’s northern coast not accessible by motor vehicle. This also proved to make for a little adventure. Call it bravado. Like our stay on a beach in the Calanques, we had decided to camp out on the beach and chose a large cave. While it first appeared protected from any intruding water, in the middle of the night we were suddenly awakened by the high tide flowing towards us. In total darkness, and during a downpour no less, we scrambled back up to the trail and awaited the emergence of the morning sun. Not much sleep that night.

Below,: the Napali coast in December, 2022. (Don’t miss seeing the rainbow, one of the many treats Hawaii has to offer.)

Sunsets also beckon near the sea as you face west. Impressive cumulus clouds capturing the sun’s rays on the horizon or the peach-colored sky reflected in the shallow water by the sand make it all magical.

Ultimately, it’s people that contribute to the landscape — call it seascape, offering an enticing bonus be they legs or horses.

Let’s not forget that coasts also reveal seasons. Below: a carpet of yellow wildflowers blooming in the spring in Southern California:

You can find my last oiece on Sicily: https://www.honeysharp.com/at-a-crossroads.