Ever since I was a young girl the sea has been a place that I love. Every summer for as long as long as I remember we’ve spent down in Achill Island. Keel beach is a place that will always be close to my heart- the sound of the lapping wave’s sooth my soul. My passion for swimming came from my days spent in Keel Sea. Even in stormy weather you would find me swimming with the crashing waves like swimming with the monsters of the water. The sea always makes me feel like I am one with the earth.
One day that’s vivid in my memory, I arrived to the shore and the sun was beaming down. I felt the soft hot sand on my feet, the cool sea breeze hit my face and the world outside of the beach disappeared. I looked around and I was greeted by my friends submerged in the deep Atlantic like dots in the sea, being pushed and bullied by the gigantic waves. I ran into the sea to join them. I loved the feeling of the ice cold water hitting my skin, having to stop every couple of seconds for a wave to pass over me.
We all brought our body boards out to the sea so that we could ride these amazing waves. The next big wave that came towards us, we all hopped on our body boards and the wave lifted us up. As I was swimming with the wave I remember taking in the beautiful scenery around me, the people walking on the beach, the large mountains, the children playing in the playground and the busy caravan park which was our home for the summer.
I love staying in my caravan as I feel so much closer to nature, falling asleep every night to a different sound. Some nights I hear the lapping of the waves and calm and at other times hearing the sound of the thunderous waves or the heavy rain. You have a feeling like you are outside but you are safe in bed. My wish is to return to Achill this year and do what is normal for us!
After our swim, we walk to the end of what feels like the endless beach listening to the waves in the background. When you arrive at the end of Keel there are these great cliffs and caves that you can climb up and sit to enjoy the breath-taking view. I think about how lucky I am to be living in this amazing country. I think about how beautiful our beaches are and that we don’t realise how lucky we are to have them.
We might have rain and cloudy weather most of the year but the days that the sun is beaming down, I realise that Keel beach is the most beautiful place to be. The sea is like my second home. After our long day down by the beach we go back to the campsite for a well-deserved barbeque. I fall asleep in my caravan knowing that tomorrow will be a great day spent down by the sea.
The past is but a memory, the present is where we make memories and the future is where I look forward to making many more memories in Keel beach.