Imagine I have been back in this island for about four weeks and today was the first time I have been to the beach! When I was in a proper job up to the end of last year, working six days per week, mi woulda bex if on the one day off, the weather was not sunny. I had thought that when my employment situation changed, I would have been at the beach several times per week.

In between the sounds of the gently lapping ocean, I psycho-analyzed it. Because now I can go to the beach any time, there is no rush to get there. When I only had one opportunity per week, it seemed scarce and so had to be grabbed.

As you can see, there were few people here at BBC Beach. Just the way I like it. There was a large group of foreigners in my usual spot. I didn’t see the beach chair renter guy so I just took up a lounge chair, along with a regular chair for my first-to-be-used beach bag [because me and bag cyan share chair]. I knew he would come along soon enough and I would pay him. He came. I did.

My beach essentials are very simple. Two types of sunscreen (the quick tanning one for the body and the stronger one for the face), music, a hat, a snack and my journal. Sometimes I carry a magazine but invariably it does not get read because I am so at peace in my own thoughts while listening to a variety of music and taking in the scenery. 

[I haven’t quite mastered the art of inserting photos in the same line in a blog post so pardon me if it appears hodge-podge]

After applying the sunscreen, it was time to lie back and relax to music. When the beach chair guy came, we had a chit chat [I’m a regular] and he asked me if I had heard about the bus accident in Gouyave [on the West coast]. Nope. He said it was early this morning and so far, the news said five persons had died [later heard this was inaccurate….just critically injured]. When I powered on the ScanDisk player [neat and nifty] it was on Gospel so I left that. Donnie McClurkin is my artist of choice and “Who Would Have Thought I’d Get To Know You This Way” from the Live In London album was on. That’s my favourite song from the album. Sounds of Blackness were also on rotation.

I usually time my tanning. The Dermatologists would be happy. When we were kids, our family went to Negril all the time. I suppose we must have used sunscreen but probably not too much. I recall always stripping horribly a few days later. After an hour tanning my face etc, I felt peckish. Time for the apple and some crackers. The beach here is not like others in Jamaica and Trinidad where you can buy food. Well there’s a hotel at this beach but who wants hotel [read ‘expensive’] food?

Soon after, it was time for a swim. I forgot to mention another essential. My prescription goggles. I am near sighted and before last year, I usually only tanned. Didn’t go into the water. It was nice to look at, but not practical. The few times I went in, I wore my glasses, which meant no swimming. In December 2012, I was in the sea by Grand Anse Beach. The water was warm, clear and clean. Then I had an epiphany. I was going to ask the Ophthalmologist if prescription goggles were a possibility and I was going to chop off my processed hair, which was at my shoulder, but which was a pain to deal with, especially after swimming. I was so happy when I picked the goggles up.

The other reason I didn’t used to swim is that I swim lean. Imagine having a -8 prescription, swimming lean and ending up in the deep. Eeeeek! So I didn’t put my head under water. None t’all. Now, I look forward to doing a few laps, whether in the ocean or in the pool. Because I knew I was going to swim, I chose the bikini with the straps, rather than the bandeau one. Didn’t need any wardrobe malfunctions. With the straps though, you see the tan lines, which I don’t like, so I slide down the straps while I am sunning myself.

I’m no Michael Phelps or Alia Atkinson, but I can do my thing. Breast stroke works most muscles, I find. I can also do Back stroke and Freestyle. I must really be unfit because just doing 20 strokes at a time got my heart beating fast. Or maybe I should have waited longer after I ate the apple? Anyway, I got some cardio in, then stretched, then headed back to the beach chair for Round 2.

My usual routine is to move the chair in the shade and do my journal entry. This was the first one for the year. Very unusual. I have kept journals forever [somebody is going to have fun reading them some day] but got more serious about it when I saw Bridges Of Madison County. If you recall, the film started out with the kids reading their Mother’s journals [Meryl Streep]. So I have a big knapsack full of my personal writings over the years. It is actually quite interesting to go back five years and read what was happening in my life back then and say “what tha hell were you thinking Miss Foot??!!!” -_-

Today, I did a six page entry. I think the last time I posted was about one month ago. I normally write the date, my location and the time I start writing. Then when I am done, I sign my name and put the time. It just lets me know how much time I spent on it.

The start of the Journal entry

There is a lot to give thankful for.  A few years ago I decided I would stop writing about what was wrong. Now, I mostly record what I’ve done since the last post, what I am looking forward to, goals that I am setting (it usually involved some weight issue 🙁 ). I was able to fill in the blanks, including stuff to do with jobs I have got, an update on the kids that I mentor, and what’s coming up this week.

The end of the Journal entry.

After the Gospel music, I switched to what is filed under the Jazz genre. Norman Brown, music from Herbie Hancock’s “Possiblities” album and Dave Koz. Perfect accompaniments to a perfect beach scene with awesome weather and calming vibes.

The beach is a delight universally. I saw women dressed in Muslim garb playing in the sand.

I left after about 3 hours, determined not to let the time between today and my next beach day be so long.