To The Sea

Happy Birthday Ruth-a-licious !

We mulched around in the shelter of The Mothership* enjoying sharing a birthday brekkie with Lish-Bish, trying to ignore the fact that it was cascading with heavy rain outside. Making endless rounds of coffee and cream teas, we excitedly yet sluggishly made plans to hit the surf ..

The waves were fierce and choppy; despite a keen effort on the glaringly beginner revealing bright yellow foam surf boards for a good while, Dan and I sheepishly returned to the hire shop and exchanged them for much more instantly gratifying body boards. And then, we were finally able to urge the waves to increase in size and hit us with all their force - but still be able to cheer on our surfing pals who were managing to take on the wave riding like real Californian crusaders of the sea.

After a few après-surf rounds and hot chips, Mike came up with another good idea. He decided that he would like to surf the canal all the way back to the campsite. He persevered with his plan, even though there was a harmony of doubtful scoffing amongst all of us and by the time we'd come back with longboards to cruise the sea front on, they'd inflated the boat, hooked Mike up with a rope and attracted the attention of every single person that passed us by, all with equally blissful facial displays of wonderment and bafflement. The motor kicked in and so, Mike successfully embarked on his freshly invented and preferred mode of transport.

And then we spent hours cooking dinner, drinking left over wedding cider, having freezing solar showers and playing games by candlelight until our aching sea bodies couldn't sit up anymore, muttering exhausted plans to one another for what wonder we could rustle up for tomorrow. Mike put his thinking face on and I could tell he was already conjuring up all sorts of lose-canon antics.

* Our amazing 12 person tent, tenderly referred to as The Mothership