My out of nowhere urge to walk barefoot on the ocean's edge was unexpected but also highly attractive. I like to be spontaneous but really, was walking in the hot midday of summer January a sensible choice for someone with fair skin?
I am normally an early morning or late afternoon walker but this devil-may-care on the spur decision created a fun feeling that was not fading and nor did not I want it to if truth be told. Protecting myself from the sun was tantamount.
I covered myself in suntan lotion, slipped on my long sleeve outdoor shirt, donned my hat and sunglasses and wearing my old red crocks I stepped into a world of hot white sand, a bright blue ocean and the rolling in and out of the frothy tide.
The stroll on the beach was a glorious good feel increased ten fold when I also turned into a people watcher. Apart from the Life Savers I saw three individuals who for their own special reasons came to spend time on this quiet beach in the midday sun.
First I passed a young man dressed in a long shirt and cap, fishing in the surf, whether he was catching fish or not it looked cool and refreshing. I wondered if little fish were biting or if that mattered at all to him as fishing is also about quiet solitude.
Then in front of a sand dune I spied a young woman in a bikini stretched out on her towel. Maybe she was a bit of a sun baby relaxing in the midday sun. I only hoped that she had slathered 50+ suntan lotion all over her body as the uv index happened to a dangerous high of 11. Maybe she might not be out in the sun for long.
My third person was a middle aged runner dressed in a singlet t-shirt and a cap who kept checking his pulse rate, heart beat etc as he jogged along. Maybe running in the heat of the day was his daily exercise get fit challenge.
Throwing caution to the wind proved to be a most entertaining walk for a beach goer and people watcher. I am going back to do it again.
To make it doubly sweet, today is also #Wednesdaywalk created and organised by the very Mr Nice Guy . Oh how I love the winds of fate.