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30 – Changes

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Click the video above for 2 minutes of background waves while reading.

I like walking on the beach. It’s good for the mind, body, and soul – and refreshing on my feet.

One of the benefits of regularly walking the beach is that the beach changes. Each day is a new beach. Sometimes the changes are subtle, other times significant. Yes – the buildings are the same, but each walk is different because the beach is always changing.

Wind and water are always changing the beach landscape. With the shifting sands, I wonder about the odds of my feet touching the same grains as yesterday anywhere on the beach – let alone on the shoreline where I walk.

Photo by Fabian Wiktor on Pexels.com

The sand along the shoreline changes the most. Some days the shoreline is relatively flat – other days steeper – and the locations of the steep and flat are different.

Today the sand is extra smooth from the winds and the roaring waves of recent days. The sand at the waterline is how I like it – firm and with minimal slope. The firmness makes walking easier as more energy transforms into forward motion. There is no forced lifting from sinking into the sandy muck.

The relative flatness allows the water to glide ashore, then gently wash over my feet, then back to the sea. The slow retreat allows time for the sandpipers and sanderlings to forage for food in the freshly washed sand – but this only happens at low tide.

Some days the sand along the waterline appears as scalloped moguls that are gentler than those for snowboarders – but other days, they are absent.

Some days provide areas of small sandy cliffs that a future tide will remove. Some less than a foot tall, but sometimes up to five feet (1.5 m) in height. Cliffs with scalloped faces and flat-top plateaus. Cliffs with striations on the face caused by the water. Cliffs as a miniature display of the White Cliffs of Dover.

Photo by Serhii Volyk on Pexels.com

Some days I find shallow pools away from the waterline. Watery pools varying in length, width, and depth appear as small lakes. Yet, these pools are temporary.

Shells are always present – but not in the same location – let alone in numbers ranging from some to many. Some days the line of shells serve as a bountiful treasure for the shellers to pursue – but I am not a sheller. To shellers, every new day brings new gifts to the shore.

Some days bring starfish ashore. Other days, it’s slugs, jellyfish, sand dollars, or Portuguese Man-of-War – again, not all days.

After the stormy waters of some days, remnants of human civilization wash ashore – various building materials, cans, bottles, broken glass, clothing, pieces of tires, and more. Several years ago, a dredging project at the nearby channel exacerbated the litter.

On the northern gulf coast, the color of the water will range from emerald green to an olive green with a brown tint. I do know that wind direction influences the color of the water here.

Some days bring a thick seafoam washing ashore that may stay as a foamy trail – but not most days. The seafoam slowly returns to the water as it adheres to the shore as legs of a full-bodied wine clinging to the inner sides of a wine lover’s glass.

Photo by Mark Walz on Pexels.com

Life involves constant change. For us, changes due to technology, unpredictable weather events, human actions, personal decisions, and more make every day different and unique.

Nature is no different. The sun’s path across the sky is different today than yesterday – and tomorrow will bring a new arc. Temperature, wind, humidity, pressure, amount of daylight, and other factors make each day different.

Here at the beach, each day is unique. Subtle some days – very noticeable on other days. The constant action of the repeating waves, the blowing winds, the moving tides, the changing weather are always altering the beach – let alone the effect of human activity.

Whether gradual or abrupt, change on the beach is inevitable. Embracing this is good because every day is different. Besides, I like walking on the beach because it is good for the mind, body, and soul – and refreshing on my feet.

See what other bloggers have posted about a changing beach

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105 thoughts on “30 – Changes”

  1. If everything was unchanging, how stagnant things would be…though some changes are for the better, whilst other not so much…and yes, some changes are just neutral in their nature…Its interesting to watch a but of nature, be it the beach in your case or just the trees and yard we tend to here at our home.

    I saw a google map, in our area, and I zoomed in to our home…and I laughed outloud! There was my old van, and we did not have our paved driveway yet.Yikes,. if that was what they use to make their maps with, (it was from about 2009, I think), well, I hope they make their own changes!! because, yes, roads and highways DO change as well!!
    There is one that never changes, thankfully, our Lord in Heaven. But He orchestrates all the other changes!

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    1. Ingrid,
      You have just touched upon one of the important aspects of our natural cycles, such as the water cycle. I’m sure teachers focus on precipitation, runoff, evaporation, and condensation – that’s fine and good – but the thought of renewal and freshness is just as important. In terms of Google Maps, you made me laugh. I’ll have to go back to my previous home to see what if anything changed because the camera caught my neighbor in the yard. Cheers to your faith. 🙂

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  3. Frank, this is super interesting. I don’t live near a beach and although I have visited plenty of beaches throughout my childhood (my father is from Casablanca and he gets antsy if he does not visit the sea at least once or twice a year!), the idea that a beach is constantly changing is not one my mind is familiar with. I like the idea of the odds of your feet touching the same grains of sand as yesterday. I like how you relate the constant changing of a beach with the change in life. It’s never the same, even though we might think it is. I think this was how I felt when i read this post! That I always thought one beach was the same, but it’s not, throughout the course of the day as the tide comes in and out and new things are washed on shore or taken away from shore.. it’s changing in a subtle, barely noticeable way, and yet the change is immense!

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    1. Lenora,
      Wow … I just love your comment because this post seems to have influenced your perspective. Yes – the beach is constantly changing. On a very windy day, one can see the waves of sand moving above the beach. If a person is on the beach at the time and wearing shorts, they can feel the sting on their legs. As you mentioned, the moving tides and the frequent waves all shape the beach. Sure, from the big picture changes may be small, but storms can make big changes. But when one begins to recognize all the subtle changes, yes – the perspective changes. … and cheers to your father’s love for the sea! I invite you to go back to the previous post. Good luck with the final weeks.

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      1. I have another set of “Beach Photography” photos to post soon (maybe next Tuesday) One of these show the sand wind-swept to cover a pile of seaweed along the high tide mark. If that’s not clawed back into the sea, that’s a new dune in the making.

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  5. Great topic, my friend. Indeed changes take place continuously on the beach. Those changes are also audible. If you close your eyes you can hear the gentle sound of pebbles moving as the wave pushes them outside and then pulls them back in.
    Yamas!

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  6. Good morning, Frank! Thank you for the walk. I can feel that shifting sand. Yes, the beach is always different, just as the ocean is. And yes, sight and sound (as Marina says) are always changing and different–and the smell, and touch. . .

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  7. Change in nature brings excitement and joy to one’s life. It would be boring if nothing ever changed. I must admit sometimes change can be tragic and sad. But change is the spice of life. I love the beach, because each time a person returns to their favorite spot – things have changed. Nice post

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    1. Peggy,
      Wow … talk about serendipitous. I just wrote in a comment about nature constantly changing, and now I see you comment. We must have been writing at the same time! Cheers to our connective thought!!!! In her comment, Ingrid mentioned changed as a renewal from stagnancy- which also matches your point of boring. Glad you enjoyed this walk!

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    1. Mary Jo,
      Glad you enjoyed this little walk. So many things happening right in front of us, but only to be noticed by those who take the time to look … and I need to look more. The sky itself is a wonderful canvas to watch change. Oh, the glorious art it displays. And yes – we live in a complex interconnected system that is fascinating and wonderful.

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  13. When we lived in Southsea, and near the seafront at that, watching the daily changes, never mind the seasonal changes, was one of life’s little pleasures. It’s stony there, and I think on balance the weight of those pebbles means that daily changes are more subtle. But they’re still here.

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    1. Laurie,
      I’m right with you thinking change as a constant. Whether nature or human life, change is always happening. Glad you enjoyed Mr. Probz. Interestingly, he does a faster, more upbeat version of this same song. Surprise surprise …I’ve already assigned it to a different beach walk.

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  16. The beach is never the same …What makes me reflect is that the sea is constantly changing while its always the same like what Siddhartha would say about the river :
    “Have you also learned that secret from the river; that there is no such thing as time?” That the river is everywhere at the same time, at the source and at the mouth, at the waterfall, at the ferry, at the current, in the ocean and in the mountains, everywhere and that the present only exists for it, not the shadow of the past nor the shadow of the future.”
    beautiful writing…thank you:)

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    1. Arezoo,
      Welcome first-time beach walker, and thanks for stopping over from Otto’s. That is a wonderful quote about the river, and I agree – it’s very applicable to the beach. Oh – I grow up in a small town on a major river. And cheers to your live in MIlian. Although American, my roots are Tuscan.

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  19. Frank, I think one of the most lovely things about walking along the beach is that it’s always different. Sameness can bring about a take-for-granted attitude; change, while sometimes unpleasant, forces us to adapt.

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    1. Monik,
      Great point about daily change. No matter where, it’s going to be different. The beach has a stark, sameness to it, which is actually very reliable. But once the eyes tune into th changes. it’s a fascinating and dynamic place. Thanks for walking along. as I always appreciate your company.

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  21. At the surface level a visit to a beach is a very steady experience – you see sand, waves, sky and the horizon. It is the freshness of being in a new day and mindset that would make a difference. Your post reminds how it is also other way round – the beach itself is new and different every day, in subtle and not subtle ways. Ponds exist and disappear, grains of sand constantly change place, shells are finder’s treasure. I love the experience of reading through your beach walks.

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    1. PD,
      Oh yes – on the surface level, the beach has steady sameness nature to it – therefore, most of the changes being less subtle – but once one tunes into the changes, the beach is a very dynamic place. Yes – tune into the subtle things. … Thanks for the kind words and I appreciate your thoughtful comments that provoke my thoughts.

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  23. Frank, The things I enjoy most are the animals at the beach. One day a dolphin surfaced next to me as I was swimming. Another day, dozens of pelicans were partying on the sand bar. An osprey nest overlooked the beach. Frequently, the osprey could be observed carrying a fish to its nest. Some young boys were carrying an endangered gopher tortoise toward the gulf for a swim. I warned them, just in time, that it was not an ocean animal! A young seagull following its mother and squawking for food, coquina opening and closing in the surf, fish that tickle your legs, red crabs in the mangroves…endless fascination!

    Thank you for reminding me how much I love the beach and look forward to returning. ❤

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  24. The beaches on our Ilhas are shallow, Frank, so we almost always have those riveting little puddles and small lagoons beloved of children when the tide goes out. They can lay on their tummies and only just get wet 🙂 🙂

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  25. Perhaps the sea change is a metaphor for our lives, showing that we can also change yet stay the same in the important ways. The phrase “sea change” (…an English idiomatic expression which denotes a substantial change in perspective, especially one which affects a group or society at large, on a particular issue. It is similar in usage and meaning to a paradigm shift, and may be viewed as a change to a society or community’s zeitgeist, with regard to a specific issue. The phrase evolved from an older and more literal usage when the term referred to an actual “change wrought by the sea”,[1] a definition that remains in limited usage ) is possibly quite apropos now, no matter which side of the aisle you’re on.

    I much prefer the firm sand if I’m walking and it’s always fun to find tidal pools or other little surprises.

    janet

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    1. Janet,
      Cheers to another beach walker who prefers firm sand! 🙂 Meanwhile, wow … love your idea and explanation of sea change as a metaphor for our lives. This is such a good thought, I may have to file your comment for future reference as a possible future beach walk! Thank you!!!!

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    1. Ju-Lyn,
      Yes – the shorescape is definitely magical. Here’s an interesting FYI about the song. The artist also has a faster version of this song. … and I love both of them! 🙂 Also, thanks for listening to the song because I put time and energy in my song selection – so when someone listens and enjoys, I smile!

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  27. Do you visit a lot of different beaches for your walk? I do love shells. I bring them home from trips and have them in little glass bottles and dishes in a couple of my rooms. I try to remember where I collected them!

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  28. As I read, I was reminded of many changes I have seen on our local beaches, Frank. I think change makes life interesting, don’t you? That’s why I take photos of Mount Warning every day, to document the changes I see every day from my home. And some aspect of nature is responsible for all those changes on the land, just as it is at the beach. 🙂

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    1. Joanne,
      Your example of taking photos of Mount Waring is a perfect example of daily change. The mountain doesn’t move or any other land – but the sky and environmental conditions give you a different painting every day that also changes minute by minute. CHeers to embracing change!

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  29. Good Morning dear Frank, this is so beautiful post again. it hits philosophically too… On earth, even in the universe, everythings changes… It is as if a rule of this great existence… everything changes,… Always I wonder what would be next on your beach walking… By the way, comments are great too, how much I loved this too…
    “much like life, never still, never truly predictable… ” by crispina kemp
    Thank you, have a nice day, Love, nia

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    1. Nia,
      Good morning. You are so right – not just the beach, but the entire universe is in constant change – and it always has and always will. The comments on this post and all the walks are absolutely wonderful. They are so good, that I am drafting multiple walks that are based on reader comments – not my thoughts. Thanks for the kind words and hope to see you on the next walk.

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      1. oh no we were walking and coz our lifeguards are paid during peak summer holidays they were too … nobody near the water or on the beach, only lifeguard and us walking 🙂

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          1. today the beach was closed again sea not as rough, no more blue bottles, but the rips and foam still made it unsafe … four lifeguards were keen to chat as they are paid and on duty anyway!

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  31. As you point out so well, shifting sands are the perfect illustration of the constant change that underlines our lives. Nothing like a walk on the beach to help us discern and accept that reality. Thank you for introducing me to Mary Petiet’s blog and the connection to Cape Cod, my soul place.

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    1. Barbara,
      I’m right with you on that thought, but with a chuckle as I think how people try to use the beach as an escape from reality. The beach may be a calming and thoughtful place, but it also is reality. Glad you found a future blog to visit. Make sure to tell her how you found her (but she doesn’t know me). FYI: The latest post mentions you. 🙂 hmmmmm …..

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  32. You have described the beach as only a person living on it can. Anyone can observe cataclysmic changes, but only the daily observer can mark daily changes. Great post, Frank.

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  33. Beautiful meditation on the thrill of the daily morphings, transformations and changes laid before the seaside wanderer…wonderful, just wonderful. Fantastic contribution to the theme “changes” this week. And the shore-rappings accented your words splendidly, so enjoyed it. Smiling cheers- autumn jade

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    1. Autumn Jade,
      So glad you enjoyed this walk & thanks for the kind words. To be honest, Marsha told me about the schedule, so I’ve lined up some of my themes that correspond to hers. I just volunteered to host a week, but I haven’t heard back from Marsha yet. Smiling cheers right back at you!

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  37. Changes – yes, everything does. That is the only constant, besides death. I seldom visit any beach, but when I do – I walk for hours. Love the sound and the infiniteness. You describe it so well.

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  38. Another wonderful post, Frank. Yes, the beach is ever=changing and never constant, but still we can depend on it always being there. I’m so looking forward to walking my favourite beach again, hopefully later this year. I doubt that it’s missed me though in its constant activity. 🙂

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  39. Pingback: #WQWWC #9: Trustworthiness @ColleenChesebro, @ReflectionsWalk – Marsha Ingrao – Always Write

  40. This certainly could have been written FOR me. #windkisses Very nice. The beach is so therapeutic to me. Arizona is the first time in my life I having lived close to the ocean (except Germany).

    We do love going to San Diego every few months. we always look forward to it.

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