Monalia's World

Click below to hear the sound of ocean surf, medium size waves splashing to shore. (loop)

When we landed up at “Les naturistes” beach we had actually been headed for Cap Ferret but got off track and ended up on the wrong side of Pyla Dune, so today we try again to drive to Cap Ferret, only this time we succeed. Mark drives, Nicole sits up front with maps and I sit in back, with the dogs.
It is a fairly long drive to the point, longer than anticipated. We stop at a little offshoot of a road, park the Citroen, grab the beach bag, let the dogs out and start the hike up a tall sandy bank with a path reminiscent of the Leo Carillo and Point Dume trails I used to hike through in Malibu. We head towards what we assume is the Atlantic ocean.

The restless Atlantic waves plus the squeak squeak squeak of our feet on the chalky sand is all I am aware of. The Atlantic is huge, the waves are big and unending, each end of the beach disappears into mist and atmosphere. As we descend the steep incline onto the white sand beach the dune behind blocks out everything behind us. The relentless ocean surf sucks all normal sounds out of the air, making the whole experience intensely surreal. We feel we are walking into a dream. Although
there are a few people scattered about, digging in the sand, tanning, swimming, we can not hear any of these people so it feels like we are alone in an immense, Dali-esque beach world.

Moki runs down to the beach and retrieves the biggest stick she can find. She prances back proudly with her prize and proceeds to dig a trench/hole to hide it in. As the afternoon unfolds she creates her own sand pit and resulting sand dune and stands on top, waiting for people to come by to admire her handiwork.

We all go for a swim. The water is warm, much warmer than the Barcelona beach which is South and on the Mediterranean. The waves are much different than the Mediterranean as well; fast, big, ferocious and non-stop. If you try to fight them it is like getting kicked in the gut over and over again.
If you relax and go with the movement of the water it feels like a big whirlpool, warm and frothy.

Haka seems to like the beach at first but then gets very weird and goes off to sit by herself in a special spot that she prefers for reasons unknown. Mark goes to lay down by her and they take a nap. She seems to be afraid of the heat of the sand (which isn’t that hot at all) as she has had a couple of bad experiences with her paws getting burnt on beach sand that was too hot when we camped out in Hawkes Bay, New Zealand.

I snap lots of shots of Nicole and Moki playing in the sand,

After which we hike back up the trail, an endeavor Haka is uncertain of.