A town with a view

August 10, 2015 by Ray Morgan

A town with a view

I'm very lucky in that I live in a road that sweeps down to the sea. Sometimes, depending on the tides, when I walk home from work, I'll turn into my road and ahead is the glittering expanse of the estuary, jauntily winking at me and beckoning me to swim.

I bumped into my neighbour one evening last week during one of these high tides and we talked about how lovely it is and she said how even though she's lived here for years, she still gets that holiday feeling down our road. I agreed - being born and raised in SS9 - that this still feels like a holiday despite it being our home.

I visited some pals on Saturday night who have just moved into a gorgeous flat with uninterrupted views of the water. When you're faced with a view like that you can't help but be mesmerised by it. We talked about the fact that the estuary view constantly changes. One minute it's monochrome - grey mud flecked with white birds, with a background of gloomy clouds. Then the tide comes in and everything's given a marine colour wash: greens, blues, turquoises, colours you've never seen together before. And then when clouds roll away for the close of the day you get those staggering, jaw-dropping peachy skies as the sun goes down, either reflected on the mud or, if you're lucky, bouncing off the water.

It was one of those nights on Saturday: a blazing blare of pink and gold. Silhouettes of paddle boarders were navy against the sky. Gulls wheeled like streaks of ink against scudding cherubic clouds and I couldn't help but feel incredibly lucky that we live here.

As for sea swimming - you people should know by now that I'm an evangelist about this - it truly feels great for the soul. Look out for those high tides, and take a moment to take in the view. You may not be blessed with a sea view from your home, but walk down to the cliffs or Old Town and just take it in. It's yours.

My top 5 evening pastimes in SS9

1. A pint at the Billet (summer outside, winter by the fire)
2. A picnic on the cliffs overlooking the water
3. A late-night swim, when everything is golden
4. Walking from Chalkwell to Leigh and hearing the sea
5. Fish and chips in the Mayflower