Immersed: Surrender to the Shore at Byron Bay

A Note From Angela Woolcott (2025)

This post is shared for historical reference to help document my journey as a writer and author. It was originally published in 2017 on my first blog and reflects my personal and creative journey at that time.

SALTY SOULS
Souls relaxing in the now. 

Soaking in the salty sea.

Sifting hands in the soft sand. 

Setting our busy minds free.

Angela Woolcott

As a busy parent, sometimes, I feel that even going to the beach can feel like a chore. I remember when I first got a sandpit and plastic swimming pool for the kids to play in the backyard. My husband was slightly confused. “We live near the beach! Why do you need these?” But I justified it, thinking any stay-at-home parent could relate: sometimes it’s easier to stay home and let them play.

But when the beach is windy, hot or busy, it’s just too hard to get to, especially on my own. I could get my washing hung out and some weeding done while the kids happily played at home, too. I understood Mr W didn’t like having extra things that he had to move to mow the lawn. I get that, but these toys definitely have their place during their outdoor time at home; they keep them busy and cool in the warmer months.

When we do go to the beach, however, it does take some organising. Mr W often gets frustrated, “I would have just grabbed a towel and jumped in the surf an hour ago!” Ok, I remind him, laughing, that was pre-kiddies; those days are gone for now – surrender.

On a beach day, there is the usual weather check from Mr W, declaring that it is a perfect day, and then deciding which instrument of fun is going on the roof racks: kayak, surfboards, bodyboards, snorkelling gear…etc. Seriously, sometimes these are all jammed in, along with the buckets, spades, umbrella, towels, sunscreen, sunglasses, hats, thongs, snacks, water, and camera.

Ah…what else? Oh, did we grab insect repellent? Oh, and the kids still haven’t got changed yet. Finally, when we get to our preferred spot and have secured a park, we have to drag it all out of the car or off the roof racks and secure the best place to park our gear on the sand.

OK, so it’s totally worth it when we start enjoying ourselves. But should I even go into the effort it takes to pack up, try to get the kids to leave, and have showers? And oh… Dad’s still in the surf! But that’s just part of the experience; no complaints, really. The beach is totally awesome, as are the lake, the river, and the waterfall – we really are water lovers.

When Adventures Call

Sometimes, I admit, we don’t need all that stuff. So sometimes we leave the housework, announce that we are all putting on our swimmers, grab the sunscreen and towels, and go. Dumping a towel on the sand and running into the water to splash, or digging a fort near the water with our hands, making sandcastles, or just drifting and splashing. Then, when we get hungry or thirsty, we grab our towels, shower, and go. Definitely less stressful for a change. We often do this for a quick cool-off after school and work hours.

So it takes a little longer to get in the car than it did pre-kiddies, but that’s ok, they’re a blessing, and nobody looks twice at an adult having fun making a sandcastle and acting silly in the water when they have kids. It’s a good cover. We don’t have to act grown-up when we’re pretending to be mermaids or pirates. So we can’t experience our twenties again, but we can revisit our pre-teens…that’s totally worth it.