Ocean wild and free to roam
until it meets the land,
nibbles away at the edges
undercuts here,
tumbles rocks there
creeps further in
washes structures out
wears away walls
deposits them elsewhere.
The land is always changing,
but the sea, it stays the same.
Bird Island, a tiny outpost of the Seychelles on the edge of the continental shelf in the Indian Ocean, in 1988 had a hotel composed of individual palm thatched cabins open on the ocean side, with fairy terns billing and cooing on a branch in front and a parliament of noddies (also terns) putting the world to rights behind. We went back in 1993, and already the cabins were being swallowed by the sea: a new lodge hotel was being built 100 yards back towards the central jungle. The airport was a grassy track with a palm shack for the terminal. A tropic bird brooded her eggs under the ticket desk. Passengers were asked to stand away.
I have loads of pictures, the old kind on film, but can’t get the blank blank printer to scan them – more technincompoopery. But if you Google Bird Island, Seychelles, you will be spoilt for choice.
Vivinfrance's Blog 
Just looked at it – and it’s tiny! I can imagine it must feel like nature is taking you over when it’s a stormy ocean…
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You can walk round the entire island in a morning.
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I like your multitude of action verbs at the start of almost each line, as if they are eating away at the poem itself. Such a mirroring of the theme! Will google the place right away…
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sounds really cool!
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Love the Sea–great write.
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It inexorably creeps forward………it must have been a wonderful place to visit in earlier years.
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I shall happily Google! The ocean does change and yet, it is constant and true, every time I go and leave, it takes some of me back unto itself. I imagine one day we will evolve into amphibious creatures as they ocean takes back her own.
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The land is always changing,
but the sea, it stays the same
It can also be cause of concern when tsunamies though infrequent but ready to cause havoc! Small islands are vulnerable!
Hank
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Wow. This is fantastic!
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Very nice. In some ways the sea is never changing, and it others it is in constant flux. But it is always there, always big, and always salty. Peace, Linda
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I wish I could agree that the /but the sea, always stays the same/–actually thanks to Man, global warming, using the oceans as garbage dumps. the seas change as much, or more, than the land. New Orleans, though, is losing streets, & Venice is becoming dangerous to structures.
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Oh you are so right about man ruining the sea.
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lovely poem today… it almost sang itself
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Amazing to find so much difference in Bird Island from 1988 – 1993. Wonder how long it be before the island is totally overcome by the sea. The ocean is very wild and free indeed.
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I looked on Google Earth, and it’s still there, but squidged over a bit.
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The sea it does, taking bits here and depositing it there. It does the same to me as well, every time I go. As wide and as large as the ocean is, it has plenty of places to travel to though. I hope the ocean remains unchanged. For all the junk we have dumped in it, it is a wonder.
Thanks for making you way back through from Tuesday as well. Smiles.
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I feel honour bound to read dVerse before contributing to the next one! The problem for me is that I don’t see the prompts etc until late at night when I’m too sleepy to read:-)
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The sea has it’s way to just change and never be allowed to be changed.. Just wonder if the ocean finally will change and devour us all.
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I think it’s highly likely.
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The land is always changing,
but the sea, it stays the same.
There is such a deep & profound message in these lines.. made me ponder.. made me think.. made me gasp in awe 😀
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Thank you.
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Wow…your note is so vivid…you brought me right to the island and your closing line is powerful…encapsulates the strength of the ocean.
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A friend recently spent a week’s holiday in the Maldives, and from your description I imagine them to be very similar. Wonderful memories, Viv. 🙂
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The photo gallery was breathtaking. Nature is amazing.
Thanks for visiting my ‘stellar’ composition. You are very kind with your comment.
There was more to see, but the Mademoiselle was the largest figure that ‘jumped’ out at me. 🙂
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Nothing gets left untouched and as it was. It’s nice that it’s made more comfortable but at what price. Life is like the ocean, always nibbling away and undercutting. Lovely poem and yes, I would love to visit.
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