The First Time I Saw The Sea

The first time I saw the sea I was seven years old. My initial encounter with the almighty sea was pure fear and shock.  I was awed and frightened by its vastness.

Bare footed I stood at the beach’s edge. My entire vision was occupied by blue water. I was shocked that such a thing could exist.  The sound of the relentless thundering waves crashing against the rocks was deafening.

As I stood, motionless, starring out to sea, I could see a tiny boat in the distance heading towards the horizon. I gasped in horror as I thought it was going to go over the edge of the world.

“Look, look, it’s going to fall” I cried out, jumping and pointing at the same time.

But no one took notice. They were too busy fussing over boxes, bags and bulk.

Suddenly my sight was interrupted by the sounds of the roaring waves. I watched the same waters, repeatedly battering the rocks. The waves’ onslaught was awesomely violent.

Yet as I watched and listened, a regular pattern rapidly emerged. The sounds subsided and I began to see shapes that the foam a washed on the sand had made. I drew closer to the water’s edge, close enough for the wind to blow droplets of sea breeze onto my face, but far enough to be still on dry sand. Soon my face was saturated with moisture, I licked my lips; it’s salty.

Curiously, I edged close to the water, stretched out my arms and awaited the next wave to arrive to wet my fingers. Bitterly salty, Yuk. I wondered how much salt must have been poured into the water to make it so salty and who or what had done such a thing.

“Come on, get on the boat” called my father

I had been oblivious that people were boarding small rowing boats and ferried to a larger boat anchored some distance from the shore. 

“I don’t want to” I timidly replied

“Don’t be a silly girl” he said as he lifted me into his arms and wadded towards one of rowing boats.

I screamed, kicked and pulled his ears hard as I could, whilst squeezing my eyes tightly shut.

“I don’t want to go, no, please, please, please……..” I begged

Plop! My feet landed on the shaking boat’s deck. Silence. I was quiet as a mouse until we had arrived on the larger boat.

We set sail towards the horizon. We were heading towards the end of the world and no one seemed to care other than me.