MARE (SEA)

Diving into water that is so cold that it takes your breath away, your blood vessels constrict as your body adjusts. You slowly swim through the subtle variations in water temperature, looking atop the neighbouring cliffs to see an ancient castle ruin, now only guarded by sea gulls. Pause every so often to take in the beauty of the scene, the clear blue sky, the frigid but perfectly calm waters and quiet ... Moving in sync with the current you return to a resting place, led by sea gulls diving through the sky. A feeling of hesitation arises as you near the water's edge, you instinctively pause and then see a huge, plastic bag-sized jellyfish glide by right in front of you as it gracefully skirts the cliff's edge. It moves with seemingly no effort, in complete harmony with the motion of the sea. After clambering over slippery rocks you wrap yourself in a soft towel, shaking uncontrollably as your body re-adjusts to the ambiente temperature. Minutes pass, the shaking continues ... Eventually the involuntary convulsions subside, your mind is clear, air passes through your lungs like wind passing through a spider's web, warm again, basking in the summer sun.