“Christie’s Bluff was on the horizon as we got under way… Bella headed straight out. The boat was surprisingly swift… This journey to the Bluff would be very different from the first I had made. The lapstrake hull kept spray to a minimum, and there was a canopy we could raise if the sun grew oppressive…
“Bella put me at ease … ‘Come on Rob, you take over.’ We exchanged places almost without slowing down. It felt good to hold the wheel with one hand and rest my other arm on the polished deck…
“In a surprisingly short time, the virtually sheer face of the Bluff drew near. I eased up on the accelerator to search for a landing place. Our wake caught up with us. As it lifted us, we saw a series of half-hidden beaches in narrow coves along the shore…
“I slipped over the side. The water was little more than a yard deep. Hornwort and water celery brushed against my ankles.
“Bela passed me the picnic basket, and I made my way to dry land… The seclusion was everything we had hoped for. We stretched out and stared up at the sky.
“‘This is the first time I’ve landed here, Bela.’
“‘Me too. I love it.’”
pp. 191-2, 194
If you’re curious to know more about Rob’s and Bella’s triste on the beach at the foot of the Bluff, you’ll have to read about it for yourself. But what’s the need? Surely we all treasure our own memories of youthful romance!
(Illustration generated by AI)
Discover more from R. C. Highcroft
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.