Ocean Breeze

On clear spring evenings, we wander down to the sea. If we're lucky the air is calm, only a gentle ocean breeze blows wayward strands of my auburn hair. Cool salty air bristles the bare skin of my neck as I pull the sleeves of my sweater down over my fingers. I smile to myself as I recall this is a habit my mother used to disapprove of when I was a teenager.

Days pass and we return to the shore. This time we try in vain to teach Coco to 'stay'. Sometimes I think she is so clever that it is she who is training us. We persist for fifteen minutes, rewarding her with liver treats before we turn to walk towards the jagged point of Witches Reef.

The next morning, an offshore land breeze blasts cool air across the breaking waves. Sea water sprays off the crest of the waves in impressive arcs and further out to sea, the familiar triangular shape of a sailboat can be seen racing along at an alarming speed.

A cheeky seagull parades infront of me as I stare in disbelief. Surely he can see Coco fix her gaze upon his plump, feathered breast. Hours later, onshore afternoon winds increase in intensity from the southeast, whipping the shore, and howling with wild stories of distant storms.

We jog along the shore together, taking turns to run in front of the other. Coco splashes in the tiny breakers as I focus on my breathing. We pause at the end of the beach to stretch with yoga and play before returning home for a warm shower.

Coastal trees bow, their leaves rustling with the wind. I close my eyes and listen to the steady rhythm of the waves as they gently roll ashore. When I open my eyes, I gaze along the beach and marvel at how the top layer of sand is magically picked up and blown in fluid, moving shapes across the beach.

Suddenly, as if a giant switch is turned off, the wind stops. The air is clear, and the sound of the ocean is somehow amplified.

As the sun dips, it casts golden orange, pink and pale violet hues across the sky. I turn to watch Byron walk beside me, in the soft light his skin takes on a peachy glow.

My heart grows with happiness. This is my seaside life. This is home. Sometimes all I can do is stare at the expansive ocean and breathe deeply.

Bella xx

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Educating Ourselves About the Sea

When I think about the wonders to be encountered in the incredibly beautiful rock pools along the headlands of our seaside village, I sometimes lose myself in the beauty. To witness the rapid motion of a school of tiny fish or the weightless appearance of ghostlike seaweed, floating in the gentle currents is incredible to view from above... But what lies beneath the surface?

These vibrant sea pools are just the beginning. When I think about what it must be like to observe alien-like creatures that we crassly label 'fish', 'starfish', or 'shells', I begin to wonder more about the beauty to be encountered in a marine environment. How can life be sustained in an ever-changing ocean? The temperatures fluctuate with the seasons, one only has to look out towards the Pacific during the winter time to sea the majestic humpbacks make their treacherous, long journey north from the freezing Antarctic waters.

How can such a fragile ecosystem, or more accurately, series of marine ecosystems be sustained? In order to preserve our marine life, we need to learn more about these fragile communities and take better care of our oceans and coastlines. From the polar regions to the coral reefs we are surrounded by an incredible, complex and powerful series of marine systems that include dense kelp forests, salt marshes and mudflats, open oceans, hydrothermal vents, mangroves, rocky headlands, sandy shores, and the very sea pools that I explore with my family.

To continue my informal education of our local Marine Park, Byron and I have started to paddle around the nearby rocky point in Byron's sea kayak. With nothing but pure muscle power, we will explore deeper waters than we could ever reach on our surfboards. We will snorkel and photograph creatures and come home to search for their names from an online encyclopaedia of marine organisms. We will document our finds and share with you our images from time to time. We will continue to collect rubbish from our beaches and recycle whatever materials we can.

In order to more accurately record the local marine life, we have just ordered a Go Pro HD underwater camera. I cannot wait to share with you the sea creatures from the marine park at our front door (and perhaps the odd video of us surfing or diving to give you a decent, side-splitting belly laugh)... Conservation is as fun and educational as it is important.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on conservation and how you teach your children the importance of protecting our oceans and coastlines.

Bella xx

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