You can just about make out, through the sea spray, a little spot of red at the end of Murrays Bay wharf. That’s a man in a red windproof jacket. What you can’t see is that he has two children with him. They aren’t tall enough to reach the top of the hand rail but I saw them staring at the waves as they surged only a few feet below. ”Is he insane?” was what I was thinking as the wind tried its best to shake them from the end of the wharf.
When I saw them battling their way back he didn’t look insane, just exhilarated and happy to be sharing a day that his children would remember. I felt a bit ashamed of my initial reaction for of course a father wouldn’t knowingly put his children in danger; what he was doing was giving his little boy and girl the chance to grow a little bit braver.
When I saw the family a bit later, Mum had joined them and they were headed to the playground. As they passed she turned to me and said “You’ll get some great photographs out there” and I thought I would if I was brave enough.
Categories: New Zealand, Stories
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