The sea, the sea

One of the benefits of living in Tasmania is that I am no more than an hours drive from the ocean (depending on who's driving).

While it's too cold to swim right now without one heck of a wet or dry suit, the beaches are still open and we've gone on a few nice strolls close to sunset.

But, then again, I'm quite in love with the water. But the unending water, the smell of the salt and cold tangy air, the lulling waves with occasional crashes.... I'm in love with it.The view is just spectacular.

Not so much in love with the fact that there could be sharks out there, and that there was, in fact, a 12 foot Great White spotted in the very bay we frequent

last summer. I love sharks, find them fascinating, but would rather not swim with such a big fish without proper protection.

My husband and I have been on a few rather nice walks along the beach front. Two beaches, really. Talking and collecting sea detritus (which I'll be using for a project in a few days). Along with the typical shells, we've managed to collect some sea sponges, a small, pretty

much completely in-tact sea urchin, a puffer fish skeleton (that had too much petrified flesh on it, so that was tossed again), a fossilized shark

tooth, and a few cuttlefish bones.