The most perfect sunrise
I’m not a seasoned traveller unlike so many people I read about here on SC. Life just hasn’t afforded me the chance of going overseas (unless you count business trips, which I don’t as they are all hotels, offices and meetings). I envy anyone who has seen so much of the world and I have accepted the fact that, much as my feet may itch, they are unlikely to walk on foreign pathways. I’m confined (resigned?) to the UK for my explorations, and as a result I’ve seen a lot of this island. It’s easy to overlook how beautiful Britain is when there’s so much richness and diversity to be found in other destinations, but we have beauty of our own. It’s a unique beauty to be found nowhere else on the planet, and sometimes that beauty can be found in the most unlikely of place. Here is a memory I have of a sunrise that I was witness too on the east coast of England, a place of kiss-me-quick holiday resorts donkey rides and summer crowds. Not the most obvious location to see the glory of nature and yet …..
It was the middle of summer and I found myself alone on Caister beach in a pre-dawn twilight after a night of little sleep. I had walked across the dunes in a world that was still and expectant, no breeze whispered amidst the grass, no gulls cried, no children with buckets and spades disturbed the peace.
Only the murmur of waves gave me a purpose, so I followed that whisper down to the shore. There was nobody else on the beach, I had it to myself, and I wandered aimlessly, close to where the foam washed gently onto the sand and I looked eastwards to where the sky lightened gradually. The world seemed to hold its breath and time itself seemed to pause between the dying of the night and the birth of a new day. Then the light of the sun pushed up into the heavens, heralding it’s imminent rising, and in doing so it lit up the clouds in the most spectacular way. It was a sky full of sculpture; banks of cirrus clouds layered atop each other in a classic mackerel pattern. Beforehand, in the pre-dawn dimness, their presence was only hinted at in shades of ghostly blue and I hadn’t really noticed them, but now they blazed in glorious colours of gold, and pink, and saffron yellow. No painting could ever do that sky justice; no Technicolor wizardry would ever compare. It was, literally, breath taking.
The sky behind the clouds flushed first pink and then a rich carmine, throwing into relief the burning clouds. A single pair of gulls took wing and wheeled silently in the great empty sky, graceful silhouettes above the sea. I was transfixed, probably standing there with mouth open breathing in air that was a sharp and as bright as a newly minted coin. It didn’t matter; I was entirely alone and this beautifully rich dawn was all for me. I watched in silent awe for just a minute or so, though it seemed a lot longer, feeling very privileged that only I was witness to this spectacle, and then the sun rose above the horizon like a fiery egg yolk and flooded the world with bright golden light and the clouds faded to white, the sky became a familiar blue, and the magic was over.
I’ve seen other dawns since, and images of dawns across the planet from Wisconsin to Wairarapa but none have ever matched the performance of that Norfolk sunrise and I doubt that any will.
It’s an experience I will never forget.
Darkfarmowl, your blog is so beautifully written that I almost felt I was right there with you experiencing that very special sunrise. Surely, it was a gift to you for a special reason.
Wow… what a talented writer you are, Owl. Your detailed, expressive writing makes me feel that I’m experiencing the view firsthand, also. Thanks for sharing this. I certainly look forward to more of your writing.
Hi Owl, what a wonderful poetic description of the sunrise you were so very lucky to have witnessed, I am going to Norfolk for a few days soon, but I doubt I will get to see the sunrise you did, as I am not to be found wandering on the beach in the early hours lol…… but I do remember the first time I saw a blue sea, I had arrived in Cornwall and was parked in a car park on a hill, as I looked down on St Ives at the Golden beach and Blue sea I remember thinking I had never seen such a beautiful view in all my life, which indeed I hadn’t up to that point, just the muddy brown sea of the East coast………and although since I have seen a few countries and their wonderful scenery, St Ives is always the one that stands out in my memory the most….
I know exactly what you mean Star. I remember how blue the Med was from when I was a boy and never thought I’d see the same in the UK. I was used to the muddy brown of the Bristol Channel rather than the East coast so when I first went to Cornwall and caught sight of the sea from the Minack Theatre on a beautiful sunny day I was amazed at how blue the ocean was. And the sun sparkled on the water in a way I had never seen before – it was memorable.
Going back to Cornwall in September 🙂
For just one lovely moment I was with you watching that. That’s writing my man. You should do more….I hope you will and on here please so we can all appreciate it if the descriptions are anything like this.
Absolutely beautifully written Owl. You took us all on a lovely journey with you. As Way has stated, I do hope you continue to write on here. Thank you for sharing with us all.
Darkfarmowl , Loved reading your blog and hope you will write another blog .
Wow, that was fab.
awesome darkfarmowl. We all need to see more of our homeland. We used to have the slogan “see America first”. It is just a huge expense for most
Americans to take a flight to Europe but most can drive around here. As we get older with health issues, foreign travel becomes risky.
That was beautiful Owl and I hope you will do some more of the expressive writing.I reminded a lot of when i went surf fishing and hit the beach just before sunup,I have seen such sunrises and very much enjoyed them but to see them again in your words adds much joy.
Sunrises and sunsets are the best each day has to offer. I’m not usually an early bird so I’ve seen far more of the sun going down than rising 🙂
Hello Owl,
you describe the scenery in such a wonderful way I could paint it. Sunrise and sunset I love both. When I was younger I used to drive to the Provence ocs the light there is different and I took many pictures during these days of stay.
Many thanks for writing that beautiful story and sharing it with us.
Thank you so much Owl! You painted a picture with words and I could actually see what you had seen.Please write more about beautiful things…….sunrise is my favourite time of the day,when everything is fresh and new and anything is possible………
Well thank you all for such nice comments. Reading the blog back I suppose I did wax a bit lyrical, but it was stream-of-consciousness writing and I just wanted to have you all see and experience that moment.
We meet again DFM, and this time it truly is a meeting of souls.
Because not only did your stirring descriptions of that beautiful sunrise was truly awe inspiring……….. taking me to places I have only visited on very rare occasions……………but it stirred up the most beautiful memory of that once in a lifetime moment I once experienced……….and will never forget.
It was travelling through the quaint and lovely olde worlde village of Dunster in Somerset late one afternoon,the village itself very eye catching and it was taking my eyes all over the place,not knowing what beauty my eye would next behold……………….. then on turning a certain corner…………..there it was………..this outstanding Castle on the hill…….. standing tall,proud and elegant, a truly eye catching viewpoint in itself.
However, there behind it, and shining down upon it, were the closing rays of an almost crimson sunset………perfection itself…………….it truly was one of those moments when my breathing stood still!
Magical,utterly and completely magical…………..just that one split second of an absolutely beautiful object in its full glory………….and then gone.
So I fully understand how you must have felt,although you have painted your picture far more eloquently……… and I too could almost share the spectacular scene alongside you!!
Thank you for sharing.
As a great lover of our own glorious homeland I too can see the outstanding beauty here……. without the need of stepping far out doors in fact!
Long may you stay alongside us and long may you write and be so in tune with my soul.
Hi Keeper Of Dreams
Such moments when they arrive are never planned are they? They just unfold unexpectedly and have a profound effect on us; a memory that never dies.
Just like your lovely sunset at Dunster (nice place – love the old Yarn Market) my Norfolk Dawn has stayed with me, and the memory is still as fresh as if were yesterday rather than many years ago,
These experiences are precious – they are what living is all about.
Thank you for such a kind and thoughtful reply.
Beautiful darkfarmowl, you have the fortune of living in the UK so enjoy your country it looks so beautiful and I would dearly love to see it. Like you I am blind to mine these days. Enjoyed reading your blog, beautiful written.
I agree with all of the above – such magic writing, the type of writing that takes the reader to experience your vision. Like you, I have not been fortunate enough to travel overseas and England, Scotland and Wales are places that I would dearly love to see. I have experienced breathtaking sunsets here in Australia in Darwin and over Ayers Rock in Central Australia – both spectacular. I think a lot of overseas travellers forget that our respective countries have so much to offer at home. I have seen a fair bit of my country Australia and I love it. Nevertheless I have always wanted to step on foreign soil, but that is not possible for me. So darkfarmowl enjoy what you have. Kind regards fy2 xoxo
Snap Owl…I am not a world traveller myself,…..I love the UK……every county has its own beauty .I also have seen some breathtaking sights…I now live in the glorious county of Nottinghamshire where even a local trip is stunning,well to me anyway. Stand and gaze……I think one of my favorite gazing places would be looking across Porlock Vale just as the mist comes in over Exmoor so stunning…..Off to Canister in June…..wondering if I can get up early enough for an east coast sunrise.lol..
xxxxM
Errrrr…..sorry typo…….I ain’t off to Canister (wherever that is)hahaha……substitute Canister
xxxxM?
Sunrise and sunset in the desert has a special beauty all its own.