the island
Dear Ciara,
I am the iridescence on the surface of the water. The tinkling of coral as the tide drags it out to sea. The sea turtles, beaks rummaging through the seafloor, desperately searching for food.
My friends arrived last night. Today, we took them to the island. The water was crystal clear, and for hours we snorkelled with sea turtles, lime-green stingrays, and an endless rainbow of tropical fish. We hiked the headland, watched humpback whales breach, and seabirds diving for fish. I even saw a bright red lionfish beneath the jetty, his fins flared as though he wanted to challenge me to a fight, or perhaps an elegant dance.
While waiting for the boat to head back to mainland, I drank a piña colada and watched a sea turtle breaking the surface tension to gasp for air. There were no waves, just a calm stillness to the ocean that filled my body with peace. And, of course, that fatigue you feel after a day of swimming—a satisfying sort-of tiredness that warms your muscles. On the boat ride back, I dozed peacefully and dreamt no dreams.
Take a look at the view. Delightful, isn’t it?
The song for today is:
Oceanic Feeling — Lorde
The perfect song to listen to when sprawled out on the sand (or this case, shards of broken coral exoskeletons).
Love,
The Gardener