Our first big energy outing, getting up early to make a fire and watch the sunrise on the beach. It doesn’t go perfectly but it’s beautiful and we learn a lot!
Thursday 9 January. Clear skies. 1°C
Today is my birthday and B and I have decided to see it in by building a fire on the local beach and watching the sunrise. Weather looks freezing but perfect with clear skies forecast. We fully prepared the night before by getting everything for the fire (charcoal, kindling and natural fire-starters) and get up at 6.45 for an 8.15 sunrise. We’re not overly organised. We faff about working out what to get for breakfast and getting B’s pack lunch for school ready and B suddenly looks out the window and panics.
B: Its getting light. We have to GO!
Me: but sunrise isn’t due till 8.15 – I need to get the torches.
B: you don’t need torches any more.
She’s right and by the time we get down to the beach (after defrosting the car) it’s pretty light. I’m doubting my sunrise source. It’s about 7.55 and we clatter over the stones with our bag of fire stuff and another bag of picnic stuff. I panic about getting the fire started and getting B fed as well. She’s more interested in the fire than the food. We quickly realise that we’re too cold and not properly dressed (again!) and should have been there at least thirty minutes earlier to do it properly. We’re limited by sun coming up and need to get her back to school by 8.55.
We make a fire pit out of stones and B tries to light it (she’s working on her match skills). It lights but there isn’t enough time to really get it going. I make a note to practice laying fires at some point. We’re definitely not expert. We’re each juggling mugs of hot drinks and food and trying to take pictures at the same time. It’s all a bit chaotic and then the sun peeps over the horizon (dead on time – bbc website was right) and it’s absolutely lovely. We’re both so excited, as are the birds who go crazy.
As we watch it we both notice how the light changes as it comes up. B notices the biggest cloud in the sky looks just like a lobster. We probably only get to sit and enjoy it for about 5-10 minutes in the end and B is getting colder and colder. In the end she runs for the car, an icicle, and I gather all the bags back up, clear up the fire and stagger back too, just in time to get her to school.
All of which might make it sound not fun but it was. It was totally glorious and we definitely learnt a lot. Next time, wear more clothes. Get there earlier if you want the fire to start and have time to enjoy it! Maybe do it on a warmer day (though the frost everywhere really added to the beauty of it). Get better at fires generally. For the rest of the day, I notice the sunlight and what it’s doing. B loved it, though was cold. I think today we both felt like the hardy nature lovers we’d like to grow to be.
