Author Archives: words and signs

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About words and signs

I am an Artist and Writer, living and working in London. I am grateful for all the things I have been able to do in my life and for what I am doing now. I serve Christ and seek to share Him with others…

Stanley beach Hong Kong island

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Idyllic, peaceloving and beautiful. Stanley beach is carefully kept and protected from dangers of the sea. The sand is clean and soft and the water, sweet, salty and a glorious colour mixture of blue hues.

The waves ripple gently to the shore, beginning their journey from the deep South China Sea, as molten saphirre and cerulean from the depths of Neptune’s halls. To swim here is easy and pleasant, but the feeling in the water is as the skin itself, and little refeshment from the scintilating heat of the air around.

The water gets deep quickly and it is easy to swim out deep, with the shark net in place and no apparent seaweed at all. Movement is free and unrestricted in this great vat of fruitful water, and swimming islands are provided to help the swimmer, with a distant purpose to aim for.

The colours are amazing…

Tung Wan beach Cheung Chau Hong Kong

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Cheung Chau is one of the many beautiful island around Hong Kong and holds so much attraction to visitors. The beach at Tung Wan is truly special, with the jewel of the South China Sea right there for all.

The small by-roads in the narrow winding streets of the interior of the town, show a close community and lifestyles that are less concerned with wealth and more taken up with quality of life and family.

Home made snacks are sold outside small shops and dwellings, unfamiliar and fearful.

Entering the water is like a warm bath, which barely refreshes from the oppressive heat and humidity. Swimming is easy and safe because of the shark net that cordons off one part of the beach.

The popping of the crustaceans under the surface reminds you that it is the open sea and not a manmade pool.

The beach and water are kept pristine and all types of people come here to enjoy the fresh air, sun and water.

Fairy pools Cuillin hills Skye

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Beautiful natural sculptures by the running and sometimes raging waters, that filter down from the mighty Black Cuillian mountains into the Lough. The Allt Coir a’ Mhadaidh river flows down from the hills into Glen Brittle. The waters are deep and clear and breathtakingly cold, like a dip in the river Jordan, as the Christian faces the final obstacle to the heavenly home.

To dip the foot into the first pool is painful and yet pulls the body in the Pan-like mystery of the sacred fountain, to cross the river and gain the prize.

We struggle to summon up the courage to engage with the dream before us, a dream we have followed of many hundreds of miles, and for many days. This is what we came for and what has bound us together, Mother and daughter, in our planning and progress.

We submitted to the water, but the shock was too great to linger.

We could not quite bear the icy fingers that grabbed and scrapped at our feet and legs. We will return, and use our wetsuits to help us cope with the chill and stay in the water longer…

Glenbrittle Isle of Skye

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Like the end of the world, Glenbrittle is sky, water, earth and rock. It seems that nothing is there, an empty wild place where few humans venture. There is no place to sleep, or eat, and life becomes a thin line.

The thrill of just being there and managing to keep yourself alive, gives an edge of sheer enjoyable panic and reminds you what life is like in the raw.

Living is everywhere. Dying is not that far away. There are no bonds of time or duty, and the things we take for granted become astonishingly precious.

Walking down to the edge of the Lough, felt desolate and with no sign of the 21st Century. All was grey, sky, sand, water, even the air, as the brooding mist waited for it’s moment. As I reached the water’s edge the sheet of moisture descended and hit the body with a powerful blow.

I didn’t even need to get into Lough Brittle…

Brockwell Lido Herne Hill

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Much easier to get in with one go. Much warmer than the Irish sea…

Beautiful sunshine and water blue. Sheer delight to swim in the blesséd waters. Idyllic light on sparkling, shimmering liquid. Nothing stays the same for a second.

The water acts as a slip medium to bear away aches and pains and free the mind from troubles. The effect of the blue on our psyche is one of peacefulness and stillness, and the temperature brings us down to earth.

See, here, there is a pool of water- let me enter in, that in it’s deeper depths I way wash away my sin.

Deep water swirls in blue hues…

White rock sands Portrush Ireland

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An amazing summer day, wispy clouds and warm golden sands, clean and silky.

The sea also was a deep, rich blue with white waves cascading on the smooth beach. Behind us were towering white columns of chalk, which shields the bathers and surfers from the eyes of the road.

Swimming in a costume was like coming back from the dead and the rush of adrenalin as the breakers hit the warm flesh, was therapeutic. Standing with the back to the oncoming waves and allowing them to crash against the back was good for acclimatization. Swimming was then easy and pleasurable.

Later, the wetsuits enabled us to stay in the water longer and enjoy the salty water and surfing waves. Waves crashed unexpectedly when not looking.

Floating is easy, as the salt water bears the body upwards and the wet suit made it quite difficult to find your feet after swimming.

The colours were like the Bahamas and so beautiful to look at and enjoy.

The motion of the waves is so powerful…

Bloody bridge river Newcastle Ireland

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The first wet suit swim, and had a quite a job getting into the rubbery smelling suit and boots. Felt very tight and hot to wear and walk in, when not in the water. Set off from the first bridge, up the river bed and over the massive boulders, following the line of the river, as it came down from the mountain.

Such an exciting experience and thoughts of joy and thankfulness rose up to the blue sky above, and beyond.

The first boulder was the hardest and my experienced sister, talked us over the top. The other obstacles were manageable and confidence grew as we became more accomplished.

Fabulous rock pools regularly and some very deep, but not as scary as I had thought. The company was good and everyone helped each other to keep going. Hands got very cold in the freezing water and turned bright red, like lobsters.

A waterfall brought another unexpected surprise, as it chilled the body, when the water was forced down the suit and replaced the pre-warmed layer that had already been in place.

Jumped in from a two foot ledge into a deep green pool, like a denizen of the deep…

Newcastle beach Ireland

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The was quite a long way out and squelched over the bladder wreck onto a sandy patch, nearer the sea. Windy and exposed as I got into my costume, and walked down to the edge with some trepidation and excitement. This is my home territory and it felt good. The wind was not that cold, but I was concerned about people watching me.

On reaching the sea, the first steps into the brine were very cold and my feet had pains, which crept upwards to my body. Sea temperature dictated that I acclimatize slowly, so got in and out a few times to try to get used to the low temperature. The water was invigorating, and in the end, not too big a shock, after all, I had learned to swim here as a child.

Immersed the body in water and turned around in the shallows, not exactly a swim, but concerned about getting too far out in the water and taking too long to get back in.

The salty air, so familiar, and the huge mass of Slieve Donard, loomed over like an all-encompassing protector.

Psalm 121

River Usk@Llangynidr

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Rolling river ever on with neither stopping nor hesitating, carries me down over the stones as flotsam on the tide. Shallow yet still breathing energy over each bank of rocks.

Wallowing in the water without the basket Moses knew and no guide or watchful eye to save.

Under the bridge the deeper pools draw me in, and the force of the water washes me against the rocks. Swimming against the current takes all my energy and progress is only six feet.

Let go…

The power of the river can be felt, but the large rocks catch me again, as if a harbour from the danger.

River Usk@Crickhowell

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Surprisingly warm clear water with brown, slippery stones and rocks. Very shallow and deceptively calm, but just enough depth to swim in a rather flattened way. Strong undercurrents threaten a sweep down-river and swimming is slow against the stream.

The water looks dark and foreboding, but this is merely the reflection of the light and the dark stones. Once you get into the river, it is less threatening and the soft fresh water welcomes the body and it is easy to launch out and submerge into the clean liquid.

Wonderful to swim amongst nature’s goodness, freedom and beauty.

Fish and bugs abound.