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Beach Notes: Stuck

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stuck

This huge log washed up on the rocks in a big storm a couple of years ago on the southern end of the beach at Rainbow Bay. It has been fascinating to see it weather and change color and texture over that time. Obviously there have not been big enough seas since then to wash it back out to sea.

It would be wonderful know it’s story from when it got dislodged somewhere up the river. We think it has probably come down the nearby Tweed River, into the bay, out into the sea before the force of the sea rolled it onto the rocks.

Suzie Cheel & Des Walsh

Beach Notes: Playing With Unpredictability

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At the Swell sculpture festival at nearby Currumbin Beach we saw, and loved, this work, titled Fiddle Sticks, by Col Henry.

fiddlesticks

We think the name might not translate universally. The “sticks” relate to a game Suzie says is called Pick Up Sticks and Des recalls being Fiddlesticks. This is a game where you throw down a bunch of colored sticks and then use the black stick to lift other sticks off the pile successively. When in the process you make another stick move you lose. Points are scored on the basis of the colors of the sticks you have retrieved.

The term “fiddlesticks!” was sometimes used by our parents’ generation as a socially acceptable expression of disbelief in some other person’s utterance with which they disagreed strongly: nicer than “what unmitigated rubbish!” or some other, more vulgar expression that might spring to mind. That usage seems to go back to at least the 18th century – http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-fid1.htm

The artist of the sculpture, Col Henry, clearly has the game in mind. He says the sculpture “plays with the concept of unpredictability”.

Suzie Cheel & Des Walsh

Beach Notes: Sandgroper

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“It is not always an east task to create a piece of artwork to look enjoyably simple. But there’s enjoyment in task”- Verner Neilsen the artist of Sangdgroper

sandgroper

This sculpture is part of the annual Swell Sculpture Festival at Currumbin Beach. This is an ironic play on words: a sandgroper is aburrowing insect found in Western Australia and the term is used by other Australians as a nickname for people from Western Australia.

Suzie Cheel & Des Walsh

Beach Notes: Biting Off More Than You Can Chew

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Ambition + Skill = Success
by Suzie Cheel and Des Walsh

This ambitious bird ( a darter) we saw this week while walking at Rainbow Bay. It looked like it was about to bite off more than it could chew (swallow). The fish it scooped into it’s mouth initially we thought the bird had no possibility of swallowing. The photos show that both skill and persistence do pay off and give success and satisfaction.

How do you turn your ambition and skill into success?

Suzie Cheel & Des Walsh

Beach Notes: Beach Pen

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When we were walking on the beach today I saw a feather lying on the sand, I said to Des we could use this for Beach Notes today. An instant writing implement. I usually write my beach inspirations with a stone, a stick or a dried sea pod. The beach offers so many opportunities for improvisation and creativity.

beach-pen

Amazing how ideas appear just in time.

Suzie Cheel & Des Walsh

Beach Notes: Sand Castles and Thinking Differently

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As we walk on the beach in the early mornings, there are often sand castles remaining from some families’ activities the previous day.

In several years of walking on this beach we had not previously seen any sand castles built on the rocks at the end of the beach.

Someone was thinking differently.

And these sand castles probably lasted longer.

sandcastles900

Suzie Cheel & Des Walsh