She sells sea shells

About seven years ago, my parents moved to a beautiful seaside town, three hours south of Sydney. It's the same town where I spent many a childhood holiday, so it's always been familiar. A retreat. It's also where my own mother came for family holidays as a child.

The Faery was ten weeks old the first time she was brought there and we made sure to take her there whenever our work schedules allowed it. Miss Pie was also ten weeks old the first time she visited - it's where we spent our last few days before moving to Los Angeles.

Jervis Bay is renowned for its clean, white sand and turquoise water. It's not unusual to spot pods of dolphins out for a swim, and whale watching tours do a mean business during migration. Depending on the beach, it's possible to collect hundreds of beautifully intact seashells in one outing - no exaggeration. The water is pretty cold, but the waves are gentle and rock pools abound - perfect for small kids.

Even though our August trip meant it was winter, most mornings in the bay were warm and full of sunshine. The girls had the time of their lives, and there was something humbling about watching them explore the exact same rock pools that I had as a child, and jumping the small incoming waves.

Three generations, enjoying the same beaches. I wonder if the girls will seek out these beaches in decades to come?



PS - All of the above photos were taken with my iPhone. Most have had the Instagram treatment... except for a couple. I'm especially proud of the third photo from the top, which is unedited (apart from my watermark). It's one for the wall, right? My other favourite is the second last shot.