The River

Water is such an essential part of life, of living. It makes up so much of who you are and it is only near water that I feel grounded and whole. We are lucky to live where we do. We are lucky to have the water so close. We are luckier to live without a fear of the water taking our home or our lives.

The colours of the water are varied. From deep teal to azure, from a dark and stormy grey to an almost black blue. The surface of the water can change too. Some days it is like a mirror. Like a frozen pond. The evening lights are perfectly reflected in its surface. Other days it is a busy port with movement trails left behind where the movement in the tide leaves a trace of its tracks. Other days it can be rough with white caps breaking the surface.

The surface of the water also tell me the weather that is coming. White caps mean wind. Calm can mean rain. It doesn't matter the surface. It just matters that it is there.

The river is a busy place. No commuter ferries. Pleasure craft, yachts and a lot of kayaks play on the surface near the banks. There are a few tourist boats which traverse the waters but not many and not often. The centre channel is left free for the cruise ships and Antarctic boats. Even war ships.

Yet the river doesn't object to the traffic. It doesn't turn craft over and throw people out into it. It seems to take joy in letting people enjoy its calmness. It welcomes the visitors from foreign shores. It enjoys the locals and tourists taking advantage of it.

In my part of the river, along the edge, in bays, there are beaches. Flat beaches. Sandy beaches. Slowly sloping into the water beaches. Many, many children of all ages from toddlers to teens and adults and dogs enjoy the gentle lapping of the water on the sand. The promise of warmth brings many to its edge and into the shallows. Wilder days see many walkers on the sands. And then there are the rocky foreshore beaches where little puddles in the rocks shelter small hard shelled creatures that small children discover. Water Spiders as 2 little girls I know used to call them are just a few of the creatures.

Further down the channel there are farms growing food in the water. Further up the river there are businesses relying on the water to run.

And the water is clear, crystal clear. So clear. No muddy murky water. Just clean clear water in colours associated with a different area of the continent.

I love the water. I love looking at the water. It is so pretty, so calming. So different each day. A magnificent body of life and essential for living.

You can read more about the River Derwent here