The sand was soft deep and cool to the feet as they sank ankle deep while walking across the tidal flats of the 'River Owenmore' estuary opposite the village of 'Cloghane'. I felt I was committing a crime as my feet left their untidy trail of deep marks across the acres of geometrically perfect sand wavelets that were obviously 'NOT TO BE DISTURBED' until the incoming tide returned to take possession.
Tanya too left her paw marks albeit not in a straight line and also neatly skirting around any area remotely resembling that dreadful thing called water. My son Keith with fishing rod in hand accompanied me and was soon casting out into the deeper waters of the incoming tide in hope of hooking Sea Trout or incoming Salmon. Lots of Mullet were espied but alas no juicy Trout or Salmon for tea on this night.
For a non fisherman such as myself, the evening and setting were pure perfection. Warm and virtually windless the setting sun glimmered through light emitting cloud which in turn allowed the rippling but flat tidal water to reflect both the light-scape and the stunning mountainous surround of the Dingle Peninsular skyline.
A suitable end to a day where earlier, on one of our bikewalks, Tanya and I had strolled and laid out in the warm sun on the totally deserted beach not five minutes from Keith and Justine's home near 'Castlegregory' and popular 'Brandons Bay'.
We had, a few days ago, undertaken a dull misty and full on drive down from 'Larne' in Northern Ireland after a smooth two hour ferry crossing from 'Cairnryan', Scotland. The cattle market lorry park at 'Ballymahon' served as halfway overnight stop for the two day trek.
"We'll be locking the gates overnight so you'll be secure but listen now they'll be open again early in the morning. Y'have a good night now." Said a cheerful and most obliging guy in the market office as I checked out the OK'ness of my chosen overnight stop. I have always found common courtesy pays off even if it is just a regretful returned smile as someone, for whatever reason, replies negatively.
Soon I was neatly installed and perched on levelling ramps in front of Mr Kaden Woodwards home where parents Keith and Justine are still coming to terms with the changes a new first baby wreaks. One I immediately noticed was how Kaden at only a few months old has magically bestowed total bessotedness upon his parents. A joy to see and to be a part of.
My first wife Sue and mother of our children had visited earlier, just after Kaden's birth. She'd left photos of our children and herself. Photos many of which I had taken but photos I had not seen since the early eighties. I had a surreal hour as I gazed at these wee smiling toddlers and babies who gazed back at me and magically transported me back to exact time, place and feeling of finger pressing down on camera shutter. A very long time ago but there in front of my eyes were photos which were the living image of Kaden as he quietly nestled in mum Justine's arms feeding contentedly just across the room from me.
As I watched number two son and now Daddy Keith holding baby Kaden and fully into total besottedness I was reminded of my first child Mark and how different those first few months after his birth were for me. I was many thousands of miles away in the Far East serving aboard aircraft carrier HMS Eagle. Mark and I met for the first time when he was approximately six months old.
The smiling chubby faces peering back at me from these old photos spoke of happy times though. They spoke creation. Creation of strong loving and lifelong family bonds.
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