The Bay
“Come on Sam”, the man called as his faithful companion continued to sniff at the odd patch of water at the top of the old steps.
“Sammy, come on boy!” He turned back into the wind and felt the chill enter his body to search out his bones.
Sammy gave a strange empathic shiver of his own and was quickly in step with his leader’s stride. A swift glance back and then he edged closer to almost become a furry extension to the man’s leg.
She felt the warm blood in her fingers congeal from the cold of the rusted metal handrail. The sensation seemed subtle compared to the all encompassing sense of pain as she quickly lowered herself into the dark water. The blackness seemed to swallow her whole, as if grateful for the slightest heat for it to engulf.
After the initial surrender she wrestled back her ability to breathe. Short, sharp breaths that she consciously slowed and deepened. Then the familiar moment when she knows it is safe to submerge completely, push off and begin that special journey. That fusion of the body and mind. Of complete isolation and infinite connection. The deafening roar of the waves and the ultimate tranquility of her mind. The daily ritual that took her to the edge of death and yet gave her so much life.
Tyres gripped and crunched to a stop just before the entrance to the remote bay, no longer popular with locals. Four eager and brightly coloured wetsuits bounded from the car as a wave of excitement and expectation lifted the teenagers towards the steps that led to the immense hungry sea before them. In the distance the cliché of a solitary man and a dog made them giggle with joy as they paused to take in the majestic enormity of this mysterious watery world stretching to the horizon.
Cutting through the waves she reached, scooping the negative moments of her marriage before catching them up and swirling them behind her. Escaping from the suffering and difficulty of her life, literally propelled her forward. The overwhelm of her job, the crushing self doubt, all swept into the past, just for this moment. She’d spent good money on the ear plugs that amazingly let in sound but kept out water. How she didn’t know, but the sensation on the surf her movements created was accentuated by the enhanced experience of sound.
From the corner of her Zoggs Predator goggles she saw a splash of pink sprayed onto the deep sea canvas that was now her world. Soon the expansive gloom was joined by a vibrant yellow, luminous green and smoky blue. She’d seen these friends many times before. As their colourful costumes joined her in the water she felt the warmth of their bodies and the depths of their lives. The water seemed to create a seamless communication between them. Something beyond the need for superfluous words or gestures. Gracefully she arced towards the clashes of colour and soon was gliding effortlessly alongside them.
Amy squealed as they swam into a path of warmer water, so noticeable it was like they’d passed through an invisible door into a huge comfortable bath. No-one knew how this patchwork of different temperatures was created but it was assumed it was a mixture of currents and the muddy sea bed a dozen or so feet below them.
Maddy, several strokes behind the intrepid Amy, closed her eyes as she knew what was coming. She imagined lowering herself into a jacuzzi, breathing out slowly to disappear below the surface just as the warm water embraced her.
Sophie and Doug bringing up the rear and as usual in complete unison, exchanged a knowing look. Their smiles belied a deeper friendship which had been growing during the winter.
Like a cloud blocking the sun and recalling its warmth whilst basking on a sunbed, the water suddenly chilled. This was more than the loss of the warmed mud fuelled comfort of minutes ago. The icy change took them all by surprise despite the acclimatisation and expensive figure hugging wetsuits.
The boundaries of the bright colours began to blur creating a sickly swirl that signalled the beginning of cold water incapacitation. She had experienced the signs many times before and knew it was time to leave her fellow water lovers and head for shore. Quickly the murky dark green drowned out and swallowed the out of place palette of brightly coloured neoprene. She glided into the steps and slowly allowed the water to drop from her body as she climbed to the top, steadying herself with the rusty rail.
“Come on Sam”, the man called as his faithful companion continued to sniff at the odd patch of water at the top of the old steps.
She reached down to stroke the curious looking dog.
Sammy gave a strange empathic shiver of his own and was quickly in step with his leader’s stride.
“Sammy, come on boy!” He turned back into the wind and felt the chill enter his body to search out his bones.
She wrapped the towel around her shoulders and stood with a longing glance at the beautiful unforgiving ocean.
Sammy stood barking at the tumbling waves of grey surf as a woman, properly dressed for winter, gazed towards the shifting shape of a stray dog and stopped at the top of the steps. She looked out over the deserted beach, car park and sea before attaching a bouquet of flowers to the top rail.
