Solace in a solstice…

CHRIS BENNETT ponders the advent of spring.

SOLSTICE is a soothing word; as indeed is solace.

Both words are part of our rich inheritance from the Romans’ speech. The first is, as I am sure you know, derived from the Latin sol meaning sun (and stare, its position) and the second from solari, comfort; and of course a solarium is a glazed room for lying in the sun and in comfort.

There is something that always catches my imagination about the arrival of mid-winter’s day. Maybe it is my liking for the sunshine and warm weather, but there is also something irresistible about the light that comes with it.

The sun has now started its return to the job of bringing spring and summer to our half of the world. This week the sun was overhead at its northernmost point, the ancient Egyptian city of Alexandria; on the twenty first of December it will reach its southernmost point, over the slightly younger fishing village of Port Edward (allowing for a little cartographical license).

A recent stay in Cape Town reminded me sharply that that beautiful city is one hour behind the South Coast in terms of dawn and dusk; cause enough, I would have thought, for two time zones.

At this time of the year it is dark in Cape Town until almost eight o’clock in the morning, whereas here we see sun rise before seven. Similarly the Capetonians enjoy a later sunset than do we, at, in their case, about six thirty in the evening.

In the summer, which is now technically on its way back, we have lovely sunrises at about four thirty in the morning, which strikes me as being a huge waste of daylight. In the Cape it is about an hour later.

Likewise, in the evenings the sun shines on the beaches of Cape Town until around nine at night, while here, on the shores of the balmy Indian Ocean, we lose the sun at around seven; a bit of a double loss in a way, because the beaches of the Cape face the setting sun, whereas ours face the sun’s rise, in my mind rather more desirable as I tend to be an early bird.

The comfortable rhythms of the sea, the sun and the beautiful moon, about which my friend Dave Holt-Biddle writes this week, are iconic factors in the lives of many of us on the South Coast, whether we fish, work, play or manage all three. These soothing presences loom large in our lives.

Unfortunately of course, the same has to be said of the harsh geometric boundaries of commerce and politics, the two other forces sent to add spark to our lives, lest we should feel too safe and secure.

Before long we shall be very aware of brightening mornings and longer days. The July holidays are around the corner, bringing all the fuss and attention and the squeals and appeals that enliven holidays at the seaside all over the world.