Stormy weather

A storm's on the way. Its 120-kph winds and hailstones have already caused a lot of damage further south in New South Wales, and unless it blows out to sea (which the satellite map in our sidebar, at time of writing, promises), it will probably whoosh over Sandy.

Even though it's south (and looking south I can see a build-up of dark clouds now at dusk), the high-pressure air from our north is rushing towards the storm's low-pressure system. How naively I had expected the wind to be from the south when I heard several hours ago about the fury of the storm, though I expect it will swing around later.

The loose, dry sand blowing over the hard-packed runway of Sandy reminds me of something out of a movie like Dune or Lawrence of Arabia. It's mesmerising to watch the light on dark, the fast-racing clouds of granules swirling up the beach faster than I could run. And the smell of Neptune and Salacia, that rich, oceanic aroma ... mmm ... I've never smelt it stronger at this beach. Breathe in the sea, deep, deep into the lungs, stimulating the lining of your nasal caverns. Aaahhhhh!! Beautiful!

Climbing from the sea, half a moon. Half a moon is better than no moon, I guess. But I shouldn't speak too soon.