Beneath a high cliff, I followed the beach and forgot about the tide. I enjoyed watching the sea lions until I saw the sea rushing in. Behind me, it had already reached the cliff and cut me off.

Ahead of me, the beach grew smaller by the minute. A group of sea lions was resting there: many females and one angry male, who wouldn’t let me pass. The male was taller than me and had teeth the length of my fingers.

I clambered up the cliff, not to the top, this was far beyond my reach, but just high enough to be out of his reach. Three meters above the beach I hung on the vertical rock, and progressed carefully horizontally, while he huffed and puffed beneath me. I escaped and got to higher ground.

This encounter taught me …

… to never ignore …

… the rising tide.