THE RAINBOW, THE GANNET, THE OYSTERCATCHER & THE BODYBOARD...

 The Rainbow, The Gannet, The Oystercatcher & The Bodyboard…

The wind was harsh, the retreating tide tumultuous,

As dark clouds threatened Porthtowan’s beach

And I strode, board clutched tightly

Towards the vacant, tousling, rumbustious 

Sea. The roar was deafening but soon within reach

And despite dips in the ocean floor my advance was sprightly…

The rain was hard, rattling upon my head and raucous,

As a gannet swooped across a weak rainbow, skirting the tide

And an oystercatcher flew low, its plumage flashing

Against the Atlantic’s blues, close by and cautious.

Yet it seemed strangely bold as I caught my first ride

But was soon tossed into the turmoil, helplessly thrashing…

Pete Ray

14th November 2023…

The sea was untidy, the temperature very acceptable and just like whenever I have bodyboarded at Mawgan Porth, an oystercatcher flew across my vision before I even entered the sea.

Another flew across me as I was later carried in by the surf and it landed boldly on the sand a little way ahead of me…

The rain soon fell in spiky droplets and as a faint rainbow appeared out at sea, a gannet flew across it and streaked off towards Chapel Porth…

I was chucked into the waves from my first ride but from then on, the session was really pleasurable.

I was alone in the ocean…