When I was a lot younger, and my mother was still very much alive, we used to go to visit relatives in Barry. We'd stay with my Great Aunt and Uncle and have the pleasure of spending most of our days (once the obligatory family visits had been made) at one of the numerous beaches in the area.
My mother's favourite was Cold Nap and as both of us were accomplished swimmers, used to long distance swims, we were fine swimming off the steep beach with major undertow.
With waves often as tall as yourself the process of getting in and staying in was an art, so it was often easier just to get to the edge of a step and dive.
Getting out was a difficult game too because we often caught this on the turn. We'd wait for a good belly-surfing wave, surf in and as our stomachs touched and scrapped along the pebbles we'd cup our hands out in front of us into the pebbles to get an anchor as the wave receded (hopefully without us, but invariably not) and then run like crazy up the step (easier said than done) so as to avoid the next wave hitting you from behind and dragging you back in.
Yes it was dangerous but really good fun........and my mother was with me.......fighting just as hard to get out 😄
On one occasion, there were black skies out to sea. My mother saw this from the house and yelled for me to gather my swimwear (easy one towel, one costume) and a raincoat, we were going to get wet!
As we ran down the hill towards Cold Nap, the sea began to boil and the storm came closer. It was a doosey, thunder rang out, lightening flashed down and the rain lashed down around us. By the time we arrived at the beach the sea was amazing. I knew what to do to cope and as quick as a flash I changed.
Mother and I entered the water, it was just brilliant. She explained there is nothing quite like the sea in a thunderstorm and as she talked about it we watch the lightening out to sea. She explained how it travelled through the water and hit highest points (like our heads) and if she yelled, "DUCK!" I was to do just that.
The lightening crashed in the distance and the rain subsided. We had watched the spectacle sculling about on our backs with the rain beating down and it was the most beautiful sight. As the storm passed up the Channel we waited until we couldn't see it any more and then swam back to shore.
The hard part began. Getting in had been easy. Fuelled by adrenaline, I had entered like a dolphin, now it was more like beaching the whale and this whale just couldn't get a decent anchor with its hands and forearms. I fought the waves for what seemed like an eternity. I watched my mother beach, dig in and stand up in one fluid movement. She saw me vanish once more into the surf and walked over to me. As I came in for another attempt at beaching, I felt the tell tale grab of the back of my costume as she hauled me forward and helped me purchase.
"You alright?" I nodded and ran up the beach with her.
My legs like jelly from all the exertion of attempting to get out, I collapsed in a grateful heap by our clothes. The rain had stopped....how long had we been in the water?......and I wrapped myself in my towel and sunk to the pebs.
Still dripping and apparently impervious to the cold, mother reached into the bag she'd brought with her. "Here you are..." as she handed me a packet of jam sandwiches and poured out of the thermos, a steaming cup of Heinz Tomato Soup.
Sitting on the beach looking out to sea, eating jam sandwiches and drinking the soup, I realised how lucky I was to have such an adventurous mother, whose love of the sea had been instilled in me and to this day I find I am drawn to the stormy skies and the boiling seas, and smile.
