Changing Ocean and Beach

I can’t help but notice that the ocean is both intimidating and comforting at the same time.  It is dynamic and ever changing. It’s size and power is unimaginable and sometimes overwhelming while its rhythms and tempos are soothing and uplifting.  The ocean is a force of nature powered by the sun and the wind, moon and the stars.  It has a personality and purpose to be respected, revered and relished.

The changes in illumination where the sea meets the sand are a picture of rolling rainbow colors and moods.  The happy-clear, reflected blue-brightness of midday is contrasted by the mystery and menace of midnight, even when punctuated by a full moon or the Milky Way.  The contrasting clouds and storms can paint this impressionistic picture a melancholic grey or dramatic black and white, to suit the mood.

The waves add a schizophrenic face to the surface of the sea. This face is at times calm, smooth and peaceful, other times choppy, confused and random while occasionally it is incomprehensibly huge, thundering and powerful.  This face is painted by the wind and tides, seashore and continental shelf but is shifting constantly with the caprice and whims of Mother Nature under the universal laws of Father Physics.

This ocean power is what forms and changes the beach.  Four times a day with the tides.  Four times a year with the seasons and several times a year with the big storms.  Sand and slope come and go, kelp and seaweed lines rise and fall while random deposits of debris and detritus constantly surprise us with their variety and unpredictability.   You can never step on the same beach twice.

The waves and tides, winds and skies make the beach different every day, which excites us with our anticipation of its variations and fascinates us in its diversity yet reassures us in its consistency of change .  The only thing you can count on is change.