Tonight is a full moon, so this evening’s high tide is covering rocks that would ordinarily never be below the surface. It also happens to be the first day of what is promising to be a week-long heat wave. I’ve been working like mad today building rock terraces on the bluff, carting pails of dirt and bags of sea soil down the ramp to fill the terraces, and planting special trees, shrubs and flowers in my newly created gardens.
After a long sweaty day of manual labour, an evening swim in the ocean is the perfect way to cool down. You may notice that I have chosen bright red swim wear to show off my fashionable farmer’s tan. Acquired through many hours of clearing dead brush and logs off the bluff, a dark red neck and deeply tanned and scarred arms are the hot new trend this summer on the upper Sunshine Coast.
Over the years, we’ve collected a number of rafts, inner tubes and other various ways to float on the water, so we have many ways to play in the cool Pacific water for hours at a time without suffering hypothermia. Weheaded down at around 7:00 pm and just bobbed around in the water 50 feet off our beach for an hour or so. It’s the most relaxing way to finish up the day, we just float around, watching boats sail by or listening to our neighbours play in the water nearby and discuss the days affairs. An occasional seal will pop their head up to see what we’re doing. Sea Lions are also common in these waters, but they tend to stay a little further away from shore. Although Orca and Humpback whale sightings are common from the bluff, I have yet to see them pass by while I’m actually in the water myself. I’d probably pass out from excitement, so maybe it’s a good thing that I haven’t.