A dock with ropes tied to it and grass growing on it, and the water beyond.

The Ties that Bind – Land and Sea

This image, taken last summer in Port McNeill, seems to sum up the way my two worlds – land and sea – bump up against each other and compete for my attention.

Every spring and summer I am torn between the two. One half of me is tethered to the land, wanting to be home in the garden…the other half is casting off the lines, wanting to slip away to explore the BC coast. Both worlds pull at me, in a dichotomy I’ve felt for most of my life.

For the past five summers the sea has won out, and we’ve gone boating. This summer it’s time for the land to win a round, so we’re staying home. I’m looking forward to warm days, dinners on the (land-locked) deck, hammock time and fresh garden veggies.

Of course, living on an island, the sea is never far away, so hopefully I’ll get out on the water now and then. And if that proves difficult, some vicarious boating should be easy enough, since I still have plenty of photos from recent summers afloat to process…perhaps you’d like to “come along”?

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About Laurie MacBride, Eye on Environment

Photographer focused on nature and nautical on the BC coast

8 responses »

  1. Quite honestly that sounds like an amazing internal conflict with winning or winning as the outcome.

  2. Sherry Galey says:

    Yes, yes. I will happily come along. I love your images from the boat. But I seriously adore this one. It is one of my faves of yours. You have captured a feeling that really speaks to me. You really have the best of both worlds don’t you, living on an island? I’m ordering heirloom seeds to plant in May. The first package arrived today.

  3. Phil Lanoue says:

    Summer on the land sounds like a great plan! Enjoy!

  4. Martin Shone says:

    Now there’s a lovely invite 🙂

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