From a current and long past 30C summer day in Australia, a response to the dVerse quadrille prompt “shivering“:
Swaddled by the oven-breath air,
but shivering,
lips pale against sunburned skin,
we stare out to sea,
asking for “just one more”
“please, just one more”
as we watch the rollers
waiting for the perfect
XXX swell
XXXXXX rise
XXXXXXXXX curl
XXXXXXXXXXXX break
to carry us to shore.
When we went to the beach when I was a kid, which we did a lot, we’d stay in the water until we were freezing – which actually didn’t take that long in the cold waters off the south coast of Australia, even on the hottest day. My mother would have to yell at us to get out of the water because our lips were turning blue and she could see us shivering. The water is a lot warmer along the east coast where I swim and body surf with my kids now, but they still usually have to be told to come out.
anotherKate 
Such a fun memory, Kate ~ that’s such a “kid” thing to do!
❤
David
Thanks David 🙂 maybe they just don’t feel the cold even when they’re shivering – I always seem to feel cold in the water before they do, even though I’m much better insulated.
Youi are very lucky to live in such a healthy environment! 😂
I am. Sadly, the beach is 2hrs drive away – so this afternoon we went swimming in the neighbour’s dam instead. Which was lovely until someone yelled “leech!”. 😀
🤣 Better than, shark!
Good point 😀
Waiting for that perfect wave…kids can’t quit!
I always want one more wave even now 😀
Ah yes, that reluctance to go home. So well captured. I like the formatting of the rollers 🌊.
Thanks Marion. 🙂
Wonderful salty, watery memory!
Thanks Cindy! ❤
I love the movement and format of those curling swelling break. Envy your weather there!
Thank Grace 🙂 In a few months you’ll have spring, as our summer ends.
blown away
tomorrow and to day
better that than to be
swept out to sea 🙂
prefer lead to see. but yeah a no i mean.
A surfing mom: how very cool is that. Love it. all the best.
Just body surfing 🙂 I’m not a serious surfer with a board.
Thanks Selma ❤
You’re still a very brave mama in my eyes. All the best. xoxo
The pale lips on chilled swimmers brought this to life. My sister, a fish in another life, always swam until her lips turned blue. 😉
🙂
Beautiful construction, capturing the moment so well….
Thanks Ain ❤
Aussie twist on northern hemisphere shivers, wow true blue
Thanks David 🙂 the water must be pretty cold for you Taswegians too.
That nod to shivering ignored, here on the west coast a similar childhood played out with lips turning blue – took me back.
🙂
Body surfing is so much fun…until you realize that the sand and salt have rubbed your chest off.
Being of a certain age and an uncertain shape I usually swim and body surf in a t-shirt these days, so that’s no longer a risk. I do remember unfortunate grazes and wardrobe malfunctions in my younger days though. 😀
I love this memory. I can see the children in the ocean and the waves swelling and rolling.
I didn’t feel the cold when I was a kid either. 😀
Thanks Merrill 🙂
You’re welcome, Kate.
Nice that you have the sea to cool down in! I once had my lips turn blue after swimming in a mountain stream: it took me a while to warm back up again!
I swam in a mountain stream once as a teenager – I lasted about 30s. Never again. 😀
water is not warm on the central California coast, nor are summers (growing up, 20 C was a warm day) – but still we went in, sans wetsuits, as youth. No longer! though I am now swathed in far more blubber…. this pen is a welcome reminder of the power and beauty of the ocean ~
Me too 😀 My kids are most unkind about it, and it’s very unfair that that I still get cold before they do.