Perhaps because Britain is a relatively small island, many of us are drawn to the sea. After all, we nearly all live within a few hours drive of the coast. We grew up with seaside holidays, day trips to the beach. We are known as a ‘nation of seafarers’, based on those days when ‘Britannia ruled the waves’.
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I have always been drawn to the sea, especially at its wildest. As we made our way along the northern California coast on our recent road trip I delighted in trying to capture its power through my photographs.
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I am not a typical ‘beach person’. I fry in the sun and get easily bored just lying around. And having taken the trouble to fly to a foreign country, I want to see and experience the culture that makes it unique, not spend time in an environment that differs only a little from place to place. And yet, I love the sea!
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Who can look at a boat floating on the water and not feel at least a small sense of adventure? The chance to leave the land behind and explore, the promise of an escape from the routine of everyday life, the drama of the open sea or the gentle rocking of a boat on calmer inland waters.
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It is hard to resist the lure of flowing water. The movement and sound together seem to draw us like a magnet. As you approach a beach and hear the waves crashing on the shore, or follow a forest trail towards the sound of a waterfall, I bet you quicken your steps? I know I do!
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The Sea of Cortez is considered one of the most diverse seas on earth, home to more than 5,000 species of micro-invertebrates. And where there are micro-invertebrates there are bigger animals too – sometimes much bigger. Blue whales come here to mate and calve each spring, while many other whale species are also to be seen, either seasonally or, in the case of fin and sperm whales, year-round.
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Where the River Tyne meets the North Sea lies the aptly named appealing town of Tynemouth. In the summer this is a popular low-key seaside resort, despite the chill of that well-named sea. And in winter it is an equally popular place for a bracing walk, either on the sands or on the paths and promenades above.
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If you’re looking for summer warmth this isn’t the place to come. On my recent trip to Trondheim (south of the Arctic Circle) and Tromsø (north of it) I experienced some sun, yes, but also rain, hail, sleet and snow!
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I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky, And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by; John Masefield, Sea-Fever
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Water is essential to life, of course, and to our planet. About 71 percent of the earth's surface is water-covered, and the oceans hold about 97 percent of all earth's water. We can’t drink the salty sea water, as the Ancient Mariner well knew, but we couldn’t exist without it. It regulates our climate and is home to thousands of marine species.
