Coast to Coast | Breaking free to the sea

Breaking free to the sea

With 12 hours to go until we could legally travel a little more than five miles, we rebelled.

The weather forecast last Friday was for high winds and heavy rain, but this was an early morning mission in the name of art, but mostly in the name of wellbeing. As since beginning this coast-to-coast project in December, there has only been one realtime visit to the sea. So experiencing all the elements the weather can offer in such a short space of time, I made those first few moments one of stillness and deep breathing. Inhaling the rain and blustering winds, life outside this did not matter.

I looked over at him with his eyes scrutinising the rocks, my seasoned amateur-palaeontologist, forever searching for more dinosaur bones and fossils to fill our home with.

This was a little part of the coastline we walked around, during our first date which was nearly 20 years ago.

Thinking now how funny, the only thought was that this would be the closest beach to get to. Not realising the significance until we arrived.

Much has changed, with more of that 400-million-year cliff falling away, us becoming parents and surviving a global pandemic so far. Yet little has changed in how we fell automatically into the rhythm of this place, each lost in what we needed from it at that moment.

Then the sun came out.

“The sea does not reward those who are too anxious, too greedy, or too impatient. To dig for treasures shows not only impatience and greed, but lack of faith. Patience, patience, patience, is what the sea teaches. Patience and faith. One should lie empty, open, choiceless as a beach—waiting for a gift from the sea.” Anne Morrow Lindbergh, from A Gift from the Sea.