After the storm

  I went for a walk along the beach the morning after a storm hit our coast.  Usually, the beach is littered with driftwood and kelp, which makes for an interesting stroll. I normally take a little bit of kelp home and put it in my “brew” for the garden. 

As I was walking, I noticed something odd up ahead. When I reached it, I was suddenly sad…there was a beautiful little puffer fish, all puffed up, lying in the sand. It looked so alive that I gave it a nudge with my toe…no…...nothing.

 I thought, “you poor little thing, how on earth did you get there” 

I walked on…. what was that in the tangle of seaweed up ahead? Oh no…another much larger one (actually, really large) washed up with the weed and the inevitable stupid plastic bag. 

Just beyond him was yet another puffer fish, medium size tangled in the weed, and then a very small one…

It looked like a family (I realise I’m probably being ridiculous now) it looked like the babies, and mum and dad…so so sad.   

I spied another local and I asked him what he thought had killed them? He told me, once they get caught in the waves, they can’t get out and are rolled over and over until they are stranded on the beach. As we’d had huge waves the night before, and looking at the very small fins they had, I had no doubt about the truth of what he said.  

I left them there for the sea to reclaim and turned to go back. 

What a sight. 

In the far distance, you'll see Mt Maunganui otherwise known as “The Mount” (surfies know it well) it is popular destination for tourists with it's white sands and views, it also is the gateway into our safe harbor.

I took the shot then hurried back to the car before the rain hit.