A glorious day. Sunshine, silver sand, dark rocky outcrops and deep azure water. Toasting seaweed and dusty grey peddles lie in rows across the sandy beach.

Swimming has been on hold for a while. Sorrow has gotten the better of me and I have not felt like stretching out in the comfort of the deep sea.

Today was a good day and it was easy to get into the water and slowly swim across the beach line. The clear depths showed up the rock underneath and the banks of seaweed, mainly wrack, that gets gently washed ashore. Bladder wrack, Flat wrack, Horned wrack, Knotted wrack, Channelled wrack, Toothed wrack, Thong weed, Sea beads. Brushes against the skin from time to time- not something I like..!

As my feet pussyfooted around on the sea bed, something ran over my foot..! I realised it must be a crab. I could see it on the sandy floor- dark brown and the size of half of my foot. It was quite thrilling actually. Then I noticed another one across the sandy sea bottom. The crab seemed to like my warm foot, and even though I had moved away, it tried to walk on it again. Maybe my foot was just where it wanted to stand…

The swimming was beautiful. Further out, the seaweed thinned out and the water was so clear, with pale green dappled reflecting up from the sea floor. The surface was all deep colours of blue, smooth and rippling ever onto the beach.

The water breaks almost silent against the shore and invites the swimmer to trust in its crystal embrace and lay down the troubles of shore life and forget. A gentle swim and just lolling about in the shallows, gently skulling with hands, is freedom…