'We are tied to the ocean...'

We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch - we are going back from whence we came. 

John F. Kennedy

An interesting quote, certainly true in that life began in the sea, and before birth, we are creatures suspended in liquid.

Whatever the reason, I'm sure I'm not the only one who finds the sea endlessly fascinating. In fact, just thinking about it now, I'm really missing it. We lived in the Midlands, almost as far away from the sea as you can get on our island, but every summer we would trek off to Skegness on Sunday school day trips, and later go on our annual week's holiday to Scarborough or Llandudno. I remember watching Mum and Dad in their deckchairs watching the sea go in and out, and wondering why on earth they found it so fascinating - but now I'm just the same. An hour down at Eype in Dorset and I am calm, relaxed, at peace - whatever mood the sea is in: whether it's grey and stormy or blue and tranquil.

Lots of books are set near the sea. Its background music sets the scene; any kind of scene really, because the sea is nothing if not changeable.

So, this week, a memoir, a story, or a poem, featuring the sea in whatever kind of mood you want. You will all have so many associations with/memories of the sea, that even those who aren't keen on mind-maps/spider diagrams might find it helpful to jot some notes down to sift ideas.

And here, to send you on your way, a picture of someone who just loves being beside the sea!