Smudger Snippets
Created | Updated Nov 12, 2003
I suppose it's because I have so much time on my hands these days, that all these memories come flooding back to me.
New Word
I have created a new word that only I have used, yet the meaning of it will be familiar to many of you. We are made too aware of the word 'Terrorised', as we see it every day on the news, no matter where we live on this planet. My word is 'Touristised' - not quite the same meaning, but very like the same result.
You see when I was young, there was this beach, Ah! not just like any other beach, this one was in a class all of its own. For a start it was very hard to reach; you could go over by boat, but you had to be very careful of the rip tides. You could go through the Culbin Forest to reach it, but there was a good chance you would get lost amongst the vast area of trees. The Forestry Commission were not very amused to have people walking in their woods and, in fact, would go to any lengths to prevent you from doing so with high fences.
We used to sneak into the woods and make our way through to this forbidden beach. It was a long walk, but worth it in the end. As there was miles and miles of virgin sand, you could walk all the way to Nairn some eleven miles away. It was just so beautiful you felt at peace with the world and all who shared it with you.
Even when I was away at sea on those long tours of duty, I would lie in my hammock and dream of visiting that beach on my return. I could just see it in my mind as plain as day; with the wind kicking up the small sand clouds and sending them for miles away round the coast, to where the rest of the world was.
Now, well, now it's ruined. The Forestry Commission have even put up a gate so that the picnickers could drive through with their polluting cars carrying their polluting noisy kids. Some people even go round by boat, using the markers laid out by the harbour masters. They have even put up picnic tables with, of course, the litter bins (that no-one bothers to use). Then, of course, came the toilet block, then the mandatory 'burger and ice cream vans, and all that uses such items came as well. They came in droves with their dogs, that fouled everywhere, and scared all the wild life away. In fact the only wild life left, is the odd drunken larger lout or junkie who is sleeping it off.
They came, they saw... they spoilt!!! Now, well I've only ever gone back once, with a vain hope of capturing that image that I carried with me all those years. Alas, no, it was not to be. Even the shape of the area had changed because they had chopped down some trees to increase the parking space. What once was a secret, forbidden place - for only a few to share, but never spoil - a beautiful wonderland that allowed your imagination to run wild, even to dream, yet still be there, was gone! My heart was broken as I sat and watched them plunder and litter and destroy such a beautiful place. I could take no more, so I turned around and made my way through the Car Park and walked all the way home.
I still had the memories of what used to be. Oh! God, what have they done to our sacred sanctuary?
