Seawater, the ocean, the beach, and their benefits

To begin with, I’ll tell you a little story. In my home town there’s an estuary, but there’s no sea, and when people look at a map they think I’ve always lived near the sea, which is far from the truth. What’s more, that estuary is quite a long way from the town. When I was little, I never went there; it wasn’t until I was a bit older that I went, and that was to explore and visit a sailing club of which my grandfather had been a life member.

When I first saw the place, it wasn’t what I’d expected; the water was dark and polluted, as there are factories nearby. What’s more, there’s no beach in that area, just a mudflat where, if you walk around, the ground gives way and the crabs pinch you, I speak from experience.

To be near the sea, I’d have to travel, get out of the city, and I didn’t have that option, my financial situation wouldn’t allow it. It was only when I met my friend Claudia, and she knows I mention her a lot in this post, that I was sometimes able to go to her town and see the sea. Actually, what I was seeing was the Atlantic Ocean. It happened very few times, and I’ll remember them forever because they were special.

When I decided to move to another country, my friend told me: ‘Seawater is going to change everything for you; living by the sea is special.’ She used to say: ‘It’ll even change your skin.’ I couldn’t believe what she was telling me, but later I realised she was right.

Whilst it is true that this city has plenty of green spaces and a little slice of paradise in the botanical gardens, there are certain things about the sea, as part of nature, that nothing else can offer.