Respect is the word

I sit this morning writing this watching the surf break at one of Australia’s iconic point breaks deep in a national park. We have been here for a few days. There is a shark, we believe a grey nurse shark, of reasonable size, who cruises the shallows every morning and every afternoon.

I watch him now, cruising in thigh high water. 

Everyone knows he is there. I spent 2.5 hours in the same water yesterday.

And just now spotted the first whales of the season, heading north to birth in warmer waters. 

The number of times I have surfed with dolphins, yet my excitement remains.

And my love is forever scanning the beach for shells. Finding rock pools to examine the sea life.

It is hard to feel poor or lacking in any way with this bounty of life.

The winter sun warms me. The sound of the waves breaking has been my nightly orchestra. 

I hold the moment in my heart. In the pleasure of play and surfing, we know we are occupying territory that is not ours. The predator in this case well fed on mullet. 

Respect is the word. 

I do wish humans acted with deeper respect towards gorgeous nature every moment of every day. 

Photo taken May 2nd 2022