Human beings love to leave their mark on the world. Perhaps it's our longing for immortality, to be remembered, to be seen. Sometimes we do it at the expense of leaving things well alone - carving hearts on trees, building cairns out of rocks. In some places, cairns have been banned because of the damage they do to natural ecosystems. If I see one on the beach, I usually knock it over. Putting aside any concerns for insects and other creatures that use the rocks as their habitat, leaving such reminders of human presence can spoil it for the next person. It's nice to at least be under an illusion that you're alone in the wild.
But even I leave footprints.
On our beautiful Surfcoast beaches, footprints travel up and down the sands. It's rare to find a beach without them. Gone are the days without crowds in Winter - even on a windy, cold morning, there's people and dogs walking up and down the beach. When I walk up to the other end of Point Roadnight, a place I frequently surf, I look at big more closely at the wooden pylons that stand for a seawall to protect the cliffs. They've been there ever since I can recall - bleached white by the sun, the huge iron bolts bleeding sanguinous rust down their bones.
To be honest the reason I've stopped to look closely at the pylons is because I desperately need a pee. In the old days there would be no one to see you - now I have to wait for two sets of couples and six dogs to pass and make their way up the stairs to the cliffs. Meanwhile, jiggling, I notice hand prints adorning six of the pylons - clearly kids, as who else would want sticky ochre mud on their hands? The hands make the pylons into something else entirely, beyond their function. They become totem poles, artworks. I remember being a child wild on this coast, using the ochre as warpaint.
Inspired by someone here on HIVE that was trying to take more artistic, well composed shots with their phone, I play around with some angles. They are so photogenic, providing a stark contrast against sand, sea and sky. The sharp lines of grain are infilled in places with lichen, dark green streaks that break up the cold white.
The rocks along this coast are all different, but on certain beaches like this one and Lorne, are reminders of rock's volcanic origins, big bubbles that have burst and left hollows and craters on their grey surface. A few smaller ones we've brought home for garden landscaping - you aren't allowed, but don't tell anyone. One day in a thousand years time they'll wonder how these rocks travelled so far inland. 'What kind of human takes rocks from one place to another for no reason but garden vanity?' they'll wonder, shaking their heads, and hoving over the earth so as not to leave footprints.
The surf is small, but it's breaking - just. I keep looking in case it's worth going out, but know I have a while for the tide to drop. Still, I'm enjoying this gentle observation of the beach and doing relatively nothing. Part of me didn't want to come down as I had so much to do, but once I got there, it's delightfully pleasant. Especially after I get to pee. It's then that I notice what I think is a dog tag, nailed to a pylon. How long has it been there without me noticing, all the hundreds of times I've walked up this beach thinking of other things? Clearly it's not an actual dog tag - no dog lives for over sixty years - but I do wonder why the tag. I like it. I like the idea of a tiny tag hidden somewhere in plain sight when I die. Somewhere you wouldn't notice unless you glanced in a particular direction. Perhaps I want a kind of immortality, too. Vale, Mad Dog Fitz.
Walking back to the carpark I take a few snaps of the cliffs, as they look so spectacular against the blue sky. I count at least six signs for people to stay away from them - still, people don't, and every few years people lose their lives sitting under cliffs when they collapse. I've seen a huge landslip from out in the water once, huge billows of dirt clouding the sky. Luckily no one was under that one. But erosion happens. We forget about it because we're not immortal - we have little concept of long time as our lives are so painfully short. A cliff, we imagine, stays the same way for centuries. But it doesn't - it erodes, collapses, shifts, reveals fossils, lands huge rocks onto the sand below. Last year a 27 year old died when the cliff collapsed not far from here. HIm and his friends were sheltering in the shade on a blistering hot day. I can't even imagine his parents pain.
By the time I get to the carpark, the tide is going out a little. It's a high low, so not a lot is happening. I stand there with a few mates chatting before getting into my wetsuit.
Despite the freezing weather, there are a group of older woman going swimming in their bathers, like they do every day here. They say it takes a good 90 seconds for your body to acclimatise, although I can't imagine it getting much better than omfg it's freezing. They also say it adds years to your life, boosting immune function and the body's inflammatory response.
I haven't been surfing in months really - COVID, winter, and the third season of El Nina looming has changed the weather patterns enough to really effect the waves. A mate of mine bought an E-foil just because it meant he could get out on the ocean - with a battery and motor, he could get out and ride the swell bumps at least. Another guy I know there was telling me he took his to ride the wake of the boats in Port Phillip bay. Anything to get wet. I get out and ride three waves before the wind picks up like a mofo - it was a real struggle to paddle in despite being pretty close to shore.
Still, as they say, it was good to get wet, and feel grounded being by the sea.
I hope someone nails a tag on a pylon for me when I go.
With Love,
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Excellent post👏👏👏👏👏, very nice, congratulation, Greetings 🙋🙋🙋🙋🙋🙋
What did you like about it?
Such a beautiful beach @riverflows 😊😎
Great captures, I like the more creative ones 😉
The hand prints are cool as is the tag…
We, people, want to be remembered. And we leave traces all over the world in nature. I think that won’t change soon.
Have a wonderful Thursday 👋🏻😊
It's funny isn't it? We can only live as long as the last person alive remembers us... Unless we leave a big mark! But we won't care... We will be dead and gone!
It is indeed funny and you are so right. The average person only will be remembered as long as the last person alive remembers.
Maybe we need to make our mark a bit bigger than hehehe 🤭 or shouldn’t we…
But who cares… maybe the ones that have kids and a large family… which I don’t have.
It does make you think 🤔 🤓
Let’s hope my art on walls and paintings survive 😎
Have a wonderful day @riverflows 👋🏻☀️
Yes I don't have a large family. I don't really care to be honest - I'll be dust. I try to see it in a buddhist way. as long as I feed worms and fungi, I would have fulfilled my purpose on earth..
That’s a good way to look at it 😊😉
A great purpose.
such an interesting read and great photos you did well looking for different viewpoints and perspectives
I have been caught in situations like that needing a pee and waiting for no people to be around
Thanks for joining Wednesday Walk :), I truly enjoy exploring the world virtually each Wednesday seeing walks from all around the globe and feeling I am there and experiencing it all myself, such as I did in your post just now :)
Thanks @tattoodjay -i swear I only need to pee when people are around 😂
Lol I know what you mean
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I love walking in the beach barefooted which leaves my footprints. I am intentionally doing that then would stare until it fades due to flashes of waves.Perhaps a childish routine.
Not only rocks are taken of tourist in every beach but even the sand. I know a lot of people doing that.😆
Not so childish... It's a peaceful thing to do. Where do you live?
Philippines! I grew up in an island to be specific ( but don't know how to swim)😂.
I'd LOVE TO GO TO THE PHILIPPINES. So strange you can't swim though!!
Sights and sounds always draw us back to frolic along a beachfront, love the photography and expressive finds along the walk, too many people does spoil the peace and solitude we normally seek.
@riverflows
19-- to 20--
:))
Isn't it often this way? It seems like half the time (or more) I have this nagging voice telling me it's a waste of time, I should be working, etc, but then when I get on the hiking trail or where ever, I have the time of my life. How did Vonnegut put it... Something like "We are here for farting around and don't let anyone say otherwise".
I think for me its legacy. Leaving behind one that's impactful, that's my goal!
Searching for the perfect pee spot is definitely a great motivation for exploring!
It looks like we have some very inspiring individuals here on hive :)
Jokes aside, I do love your shots and your eye for detail! I wonder what's the actual story of "MAD DOG".
This is a very beautiful post @riverflows! Beautiful thoughts (pee talk included) and pictures! I got amazed by how great they are!
Aw, thanks lovely! I miss you, haven't seen you here in ages! Hope your summer has been good!
Good so far! I got a bit absorbed in doing some things and I got lost in my own bubble this summer (in a quite creative and nice way) without definitely expecting to take me that long to come back!
Truth is that I have missed you too, so I really enjoyed it :)
As for the pee talk, I like to throw in random things to see if anyone's really listening.
:))