Monday, August 07, 2006

The Beach

How is life without beach?
Maybe it’s the same. We see city, we go to mountain and summer means minimalism in clothing.
Don’t know about others, but beach vacations was what I remember most from my children days, whether it’s directly or indirectly connected to the beach.
I remember vomiting after a long car ride, beside the sea. I remember I grabbed the seaweed to prevent myself from drowning and ran away from a fish. I remember walking barefoot on the sand for the first time.

For most of the people I know, beach is always associated with fun. There are few different kinds of them.
Those who hide under the shadow, umbrella or big big hat, but they appreciate the beauty. Those who expose their roast meat, enjoy reading or relaxing under the sun. Those who on the first step on the sand, will run towards the water and enjoy creating splashes. Those who enjoy it from the top, parasailing, skydiving, hang gliding. Those who enjoy it from surface and under, surfing, sailing, snorkeling, diving or happily floating on the wheel of the truck. Those who collect sea shell on the sea shore or cup the shell to the ear. It’s a nice concept to think that you can bring the sea home, because of the sound you heard from the shell, actually, it’s the sound of the blood rush inside the head, but, nothing should spoil the fun.

Yesterday, we went to the beach nearby our house. Beach that we know it exists, not popular and we skeptical to check its condition until yesterday. The sight of the water excited us when we jumped from the bus, there were a lot of people fishing and some children playing and swimming on the shore. We saw the water from the fishing deck.
I’ve seen nice beaches and so-so beaches, this one was terrible. The water was dark murky brown. Dark as strong tea dark, something shouldn’t be natural for seawater. Worse, each surf carried black debris; some were collected on the sand terrain. On the corner of the fishing structure, made from concrete, we could actually see layer of whitish sticky element. Two three meters from the shore, the sea water actually turned black brown color, condition which we couldn’t see anything. Not far, the horizon was covered by those huge gigantic tanker ships. I’ve never seen ships that big! It was foggy near the horizon as there was smoke coming out from the vessels. Some vessels were leaking their water out, maybe cleaning day, or maybe, it’s the rubbish they threw into the sea.

The park and the beach was quite full of people, there were a lot of serious activity of fishing, big bait, prawns, fish heads, hand made fish trap, sparkling fishing pole and gears. There were people sitting, picnic, spent time with potential love ones, kids were building sand castles and playing in the water. I spoilt the beautiful image by thinking, wouldn’t the fish they caught be poisonous from the chemical and industrial sewage? Look at the water!! I’ve seen worse water only near Kali Grogol, sea shouldn’t be dark brown, the only water with dark brown color, is tea, or maybe cough syrup, the river, the lake, the gutter, they even have brighter water….
And the children playing, would they come out with sticky white tail or sticky new whitish skin? Arghhhh..!

So, that is what happens when human is left without nice beach. We still make do with whatever it is. Maybe beach and the sea is such a magnet because it associates with freedom. It’s just good to be in a place, wide wide place with nothing blocks your view, and to look at the wild movement of the sea and the color of reflected sky. Even though we hardly saw the horizon, it’s still a horizon. Even though it’s smoky and freaking dirty, it’s still salty water. No, nobody tastes it, I hope, and I hope the industrial sewage from the vessel doesn’t make it taste bitter? Sweet? Licorice? It should be salty. Please.


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Thing have never been more like the way they are today in history.
- Dwight David Eisenhower

Tell a man that there are 400 billion stars and he'll believe you. Tell him a bench has wet paint and he has to touch it.
- Unknown

This is a beautiful planet and not at all fragile. Earth can withstand significant volcanic eruptions, tectonic cataclysms, and ice ages. But this canny, intelligent, prolific, and extremely self-centered human creature had proven himself capable of more destruction of life than Mother Nature herself.... We've got to be stopped.
- Michael L. Fischer