‘Sea Fever’
Greetings,
A couple from St Albans were fined by police recently for driving to Camber, East Sussex to walk on the beach, a round trip of 210 miles. I have some sympathy with this couple. For people in St Andrews and able to leave their houses, the sea is within reach, and we can walk on the beaches of the East Sands, Castle Sands and West Sands. The pull of the sea is strong: this land-locked couple in lockdown may have felt the need to smell the salt, feel the sand beneath their feet and see a watery horizon. They may have experienced sea fever.
Which brings me to our friend who maintains the poetry wall in St Andrews. Recently, this poem was written up there.
Comparing this version with the usual printed version, the final lines are a little different. It is usually:
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick’s over.
The rover has become a swimmer. Is the poetry wall writer a sea-swimmer who enjoys a long bathe in the North Sea?
For many people being near the sea is important. They love walking along the shore, seeing the water, always different in colour, texture, light, the endlessly fascinating waves, the birds diving, fishing, swimming. Some look down, collecting pebbles, sea-glass, faded bits of pottery, gathering driftwood to burn or sculpt. Dogs love the sea, getting wet and shaking it off. It seems that for many humans and other animals, sea-fever is part of a healthy life. For some people these strange times are allowing a greater closeness to the sea, one of the better consequences of our changed circumstances.
If you are far from the sea and missing it, here are a few pictures to treat your sea fever.
This shimmering sea was taken by Chaplaincy Secretary Linda.
Back to the sea-loving couple whose trip cost them more than the price of the petrol. My only knowledge of Camber Sands is from the Squeeze song Pulling Mussels (from the Shell):
They do it down on Camber Sands
They do it at Waikiki
Lazing about the beach all day,
At night the crickets creepy
Squinting faces at the sky
A Harold Robbins paperback
Surfers drop their boards and dry
And everybody wants a hat…
Why should Sussex have all the good tunes. They do it down on Castle Sands, they do it at Kinshaldy…?
This coming Sunday 17 May, is the penultimate Sunday service of the semester. I will be preaching, with the title My whole world went zoom, which you may recognise is drawn from a song released two years after Pulling Mussels – the timeless Zoom by Fat Larry’s Band. Now, what could have led me to think of that one…. Here is the invitation:
Donald MacEwan is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: University Worship for Sunday 17 May
Time: May 17, 2020 11:00 AM London
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/94347837413?pwd=ZUYxREJDV1pIeUZzeUFVUXlEVEFjZz09
Meeting ID: 943 4783 7413
Password: 6WAHYQ
Yours,
Donald.
Wonderful post but I was wanting to know if you could write a litte more on this subject, thanks!