My relationship with the sea has ebbed and flowed.
As a small kid growing up in Benoni, it was the most exciting place I could possibly imagine. Holidays on the KZN South Coast remain vivid memories – hotel buffet breakfast feasts at The Blue Marlin in Scottburgh; my mom playfully chasing me down the beach holding a dead crab.
Then, when I was eight, the two us moved to Cape Town. Janine rented an apartment at the iconic three-towered Disa Park, and suddenly the sea was five kilometres away, not 500. It was a completely different kind of sea, though: colder, a whole lot rougher and much rockier than Scottburgh’s gentle, warm waters.
She remarried; next thing, we were living in a big house in Camps Bay and my high school overlooked Glen Beach. I begged for a surfboard and, for the next decade, I was in that cold ocean all the time. However, after nearly failing my first year of a very ill-considered law degree at UCT, it was clear I should perhaps spend more time studying than surfing. And so began another ebb. Studying, my first serious relationship and starting a career meant that any free time I had was spent pursuing my other love: chasing a ball – a small tennis one in summer, and a larger soccer one when the season turned.
By my 30s, I’d had enough. Work stress and a sore knee saw me swap my takkies and boots for something more Zen. I bought a new longboard and got back into the water for a few years. Then Holly Morphet Smith arrived. Best thing ever – but dad duties saw the ocean recede once more.
To be honest, over the past couple of decades, I haven’t spent much time in it – at least not in Cape Town. In my 50s, the idea of swimming in these chilly waters fills me with dread. I can confidently say that the cold-water-immersion vibe is not mine. When the blue Atlantic appears before me, however, I never fail to take in the beautiful ocean that sometimes laps, but mostly thunders, into the southern tip of Africa. Riding my bike along coastal roads or looking down from mountain trails, it’s impossible not to marvel at what I see.
I hope you, too, marvel at what you’re seeing in this coastal-themed 146th issue of VISI. We feature some spectacular homes, from the calming Zen of a house in De Kelders to a vibrant villa on the Ébrié Lagoon in Abidjan. Along with coastal-inspired decor ideas, there’s also a great read on the progressive architecture springing up along the rugged Overstrand coast. And speaking of good reads, spend some time with our three Voices columns this month – all three guest writers talk about how the ocean has shaped their lives.
– Steve Smith, Editor | info@visi.co.za
Subscriptions
Want the print magazine?
Subscribe to VISI now and receive a 40% discount off your one-year print subscription. You’ll pay just R432 for six issues delivered directly to your post box. Use any of these methods to subscribe or renew your existing subscription:
- Call Media24 Subscriptions on 087 353 1300
- WhatsApp “VISI” to 087 353 1287
- Email subs@media24.com
Want the digital magazine?
If you prefer to read your favourite magazine in digital form, on your iPad, tablet or desktop computer, you can subscribe to the digital edition of VISI via the below websites. It will cost from as little as R225 for a one-year subscription – that’s a 50% discount on six issues.
