« random thoughts: of sand dollars and seines »
An experiment for the book. It's not going to work, but it's still sort of pretty. Photographed with Nikon D300, 60mm lens.
I spent my childhood living in a house on the southeastern corner of Trinidad, about 1 block from Mayaro beach. The village we lived in was very small, and I remember at a very young age walking about the 1/4 mile distance to and from school every moning, usually taking the beach, since it was the most direct route.
I remember that sometimes, on pretty days, the American schoolmaster of that very small school would sometimes cancel class, and take the entire student body -- all 50 of us -- for long walks on the beach.
I remember sometimes being on the beach at the same time the fishermen were pulling in their seines filled with silver, flopping fish -- and sometimes a shark or a stingray or two. I remember sometimes joining the men and helping them pull the nets.
I remember sometimes digging for chip-chip, and bringing them home so that we could cook them and eat them with cocktail sauce that my dad would make.
I remember racing live sand dollars on the beach with my friends.
As it happens, Marcus also grew up in a small village near the beach -- his village just happened to be in England. And even though we love our house here in Houston, and we live in a great neighbourhood in a really good school district, I think sometimes both of us wish that Alex could experience a childhood near the sea, like we did.
Song: Pass the dutchie by Musical Youth
Sunday, June 14, 2009 at 10:26PM
Reader Comments (15)
Love your "experiment"...it's really beautiful. I love spending time at the beach...measuring time by the tides & the sun (not by some crazy, busy calendar of appointments, school activites & sports schedules). Where the "to-do" list consists of riding bikes, sitting out on the deck reading a good book, flying kites on the beach or watching a glorious sunset. Life flies by so fast that it's nice to be able to slow down a little and spend some time with the kids (while they still want to spend time with their mom & dad)!
I can agree: When you've lived near an ocean, it's difficult to live away from one. It always tugs at you.
Almost a year ago, we uprooted our life and moved from Washington, DC to a small town on Florida's Gulf Coast. Our son was five when we moved, and over the last year he has transformed into a complete beach boy. He never looks happier than when he is diving through the waves.
He has no idea how lucky he is to grow up on the beach.
Love the light rippling through the water here. I've been missing the beach lately, myself.
I don't know what you were trying to achieve, but I like what you got. I love the random thoughts. I grew up on the Oregon coast (more like Marcus's home than yours). I have a deep longing to live on a tropical beach--at least for a time.
How do you race live sand dollars? Is it like skipping stones?
Would your dad share his cocktail sauce recipe?
talk about taking me back!! I have not thought of this song or heard it in years!!!
I lived on the beach on Isle of Palms, SC right outside of Charleston and I've never forgotten the call of the water especially during a storm. Thanks for taking me back.
I live across the street from the Pacific Ocean here in San Francisco and smelling the salt air and seeing the birds soar above makes me remember my island childhood as well...we may not be here when the babes come but I too will wish for my child to grow up near the ocean...because there is a kind of freedom that comes from running your toes in the sand....and running into the surf with childlike abandon!!
I love that shot. My Grandparents went to Sanibel Island a whole bunch of years ago and they came home with BAGS of seashells, sand dollars, sea glass etc.... Gram bought a set of clear table lamp & they filled both of the lamps with these shells.
She made me a collage on black velvet with a postcard that tells the story of the sand dollar. She had glued tiny shells all around the frame and even broke open one of the sand dollars so she could glue the "doves" on the collage also. I still have it. It hangs in kitchen at our trailer down the beach.
hmmm, sounds so lovely.
Funny, over the weekend I was trying wrap my brain around the prospect of living in a state that is not near the ocean (I've lived in Cali all my life). It was hard to imagine!