Taking a break from my Christmassy poetry to revisit as place which seems to be growing ever more a part of my life: the Busselton Jetty, a mile long jetty about half an hour from where I live.
Anyway, I have lost count of the number of times I have walked on the jetty – either part way or the whole way, and last year I did it several times, and wrote this poem, which I’ve shared here before:
Earlier this year I met a long-term goal and, rather than walking along the jetty, I swam the whole way around it, in the annual Jetty Swim. And, yes, I posted about the experience here, too, with this poem:
The weather was grey
The ocean was choppy
It rolled and it swayed
But I’d planned for so long
For this one special day
When the starter said ‘go’
I was off and away.
AND
I did it I did it
I swam all the way
I did it I did it
So hip hip hooray!
I’m currently in training to do the swim again in February – though I am hoping it will be a slightly flatter sea.
Speaking of training, there is a third way to traverse the jetty: a little train which runs the length of the
jetty. It’s slow, and although it looks fun, I’ve never done it before. But yesterday, I righted that wrong and finally travelled on the little red train, taking my mother with me As well as the train ride I had another new experience: under the jetty, at the end, is an observatory. It’s one of only a few underwater observatories in the world and is unique because it there are no captive or introduced fish. All the sea life you can see is there because it lives there.
SO, the thing is, although I’d walked along the jetty and I’d swum around the jetty, not only had I never ridden the train along the jetty, but I’d also never visited the observatory. I’d always intended to, but hadn’t got there – in part because I am a bit claustrophobic and wasn’t sure how I would feel. But my mum, who lives nearby , and had visited once before when it was new, really wanted to go again. So we had a mother-daughter date, and we went and it was amazing. See – mums really do know best!
And, of course, there’s a poem:
Under the Sea
I’m under the sea
And I can see
Schools of fishes swimming by me.
I’m under the sea
And I can see
A lone diver waving at me!
I’m under the sea
And I can see
Both fish and diver are wetter than me!
(Poem Copyright Sally Murphy)
The diver was a bit of a surprise. And, when he realised we could see him, he put on a bit of a show for us.
I couldn’t figure out how to work the lovely coral and algae growing on the jetty pylons into the poem, but here’s a little peek. 
Have a great poetry Friday. The round up today is being hosted over at Random Noodling. Head over there for more poetry goodies.
There is a Murphdog sized hole in our house and our hearts. Meg (Murphdog) was with us for more than 15 years, joining us as a frightened puppy and growing into a gentle, loving, loyal companion to the whole family. She played with the children, protected them from snakes and strangers, and kept us all company. In the time we had her she had other companions – for a year or so, sausage do Pooch, who was killed by a snake, for a few months Eddie, an exuberant kelpie cross who we looked after till he found a home, and for the last couple of years Jonah (Murphpup), a maltese-shitzu who she grew to tolerate, maybe even love.
I had always thought greyhounds were a beautiful looking dog, but I really didn’t realise how very placid they are. Sos doesn’t bark, or yap or whine, and is happy to lie on his bed – or outside in the sun – for much of the day. But when we go out, he greets us on our return with an enthusiastic trot to the door or gate, and a very exuberant wag of his very large tail.