A man walks toward the water

drops his cane, crosses himself

before he enters the waves.

He hesitates, retreats, fears

what he observed on his slow

traverse of the rocky sand –

dried sea fans, fish skins, black fly

swarms, jelly fish, a dead crow.

Scared of a sting, running tide,

unsteady balance.  Beyond

him surfers bound from bright kites,

straddle boards, wait for big swells.

Just yesterday, he surfed too.

He smiles. Wades ever deeper.