St Kevin’s College, year 12
Beating, thumping music arises from the waves as they pound against the shore.
The rhythmic, gentle crashing cuts through the heavy, damp, moist morning mist.
Glistening, pearly, opaline rolling barrels ripple across the water.
Glassy aqua blues and sea foam greens curl together.
Surfing through the elegant, swirling, tubular washing machine.
Gliding, before crashing, into foaming clouds of bubbling froth.
Low tide has come and, with it, a true sense of magic.
Reverberating waves have been transmuted into undulating planes of a molten rainbow.
Heavenly matter melted in a fiery furnace, before being draped across the ocean.
Yet, beneath this glistening shimmering facade, faded baby blues and smoky silvers churn with graphite greys below the water's surface.
Mesmerising, opalescent sheens of cosmic, sugary candy mask what are really just miniature waves.
Flat, pathetic, depressing lumps, crawling across the water's surface.
The intoned steady buzzing of insects dances along to the beat of the waves, creating an irritatingly melodic tune, garnished with the constant sharp nips of the sandflies' bloodthirsty, microscopic mouths, as they tear and rip through any freshly exposed skin.
Naturally, the inevitably intense smell of insect repellent is omnipresent; cindering through nose hairs with such force that even the tongue begins to smell it.
Now evening has come, and daytime charm has receded.
Night time splendour has revealed itself.
Nature’s orchestra settles — as most people head home for a beer and a good hearty dinner — before coming back out again for those who are adventurous enough to stay out a bit longer.
Breaking waves set the beat, while the soft foaming of the sea froth bubbles along. Rhythmic chirping and squeaking arise from the bushes as the cicadas join the band.
Meanwhile, the crackling and flickering of bonfires add warmth to the music, not to mention the blistering, toasted marshmallows that manage to add a sweet, smoky smell to the groovy jam of the wild.
Goopy pink sugary goodness, wedged in between the sticky, chubby little fingers of thrilled children.
Bloodthirsty mosquitoes feast on fine, fresh skin.
Faecal brown sandflies swarm in their thousands.
Beetroot red and candyfloss pink hands slap, smack, and scratch their sore bottoms as they reach for the sticky, bright yellow can of insect repellent.
Glints of jade green latch around any eyes that have wandered astray, drawing them in closer to the rocky warriors of the deep as they scintillate with flakes of twinkling silver, lathered in foamy greens — smooth and soapy to the touch.
Flickering angels of light are sent off them to mingle in your eyes — playful and spritely — while the smooth, bright white glow of Jackson Bay marble dances between your toes, weaving a tapestry of heavenly light.
Stones, still slick with moisture from last night's thunderous rain, lay scattered in their millions, meticulously placed among the soft, dark sand by the caring hands of the ocean.
Foamy white curling tendrils of waves grasp glinting pieces of saturated, bronze driftwood, effortlessly tossing them on to the shore, adding to the masterfully crafted driftwood artwork that lies upon the sand and rocks like the skeletal remains of an army.
Deep browns lurk in stony gaps, nipping at the other colours' heels as they dance about.
Spicy reds zip around like currents of electricity, while zesty oranges elegantly glide around on faintly glowing wings of light.
As the evening light fades, stones are no longer slick with moisture, but dry and tarnished from the day's pounding sun.
Fine, ash-like dust mingles with the pale golden sand. Each grain grapples your feet as they work their way in between your toes, massaging you with every step.
Deep galaxy blues marble the sky, merged with stormy greys, while menacing thunderous rain clouds storm the wild blue yonder.
An inky black veil kisses the Earth goodnight.
So many wonders all at once, enough to encapsulate an entire population in awe.
But yet, it still seems that this place simply does not exist for the majority of people out there.
That's what makes it truly magical
