6 Reasons Why I Love To Live By The Sea

Growing up in Geneva, I was blessed with some pretty incredible views. Mountains rising up straight from the lake, anyone? Yeah, it's pretty stunning. When I moved to Cornwall to study for my degree, I was in awe by the fact that I was going to be living by the sea. Going to the seaside was a treat throughout my childhood, so the fact that I could now walk out of my house and be by the sea in a matter of seconds was incredible. Needless to say, the novelty certainly hasn't worn off, so I wanted to share with you 6 reasons why I love to live by the sea.

It Creates Photo Opportunities: It might seem obvious, but as a photographer who can't resist snapping away at anything that catches her eye, the sea is probably one of the things I photograph the most now. Blue is my favourite colour. The sea is can vary in so many different shades of blue, but it's always beautiful. Whether it's flat as a pancake on a calm day, or being churned around by the gale force winds we can experience in Winter, it's a beautiful sight. If you follow me on Instagram, you'll know that I share far too many images of the sea, but I don't think I'm the only one who likes them: they are some of my most liked images! To be honest though, whether people like them or not, I'll never stop taking photos of the sea.

It's Calming: I guarantee that if I've had a stressful day, I'll end up going for a walk by the sea. Whether it's the fresh air, the calming colour of it, or the sounds it produces, there's something extremely calming about the ocean that I can't seem to get enough of. I'm sure that there's some scientific evidence to back that up, there must be a reason for all of those "calming sea songs" we hear in Spas!

It's Fun: I've never been one for swimming. When I was little, sure I loved to splash around in a pool and pretend to be a dolphin. But the older I got, the more I found myself shying away from the cold water, and realising that I looked more like a whale than a dolphin in the water. I was never a very strong swimmer, and we never did any swimming at school, so it just never really caught on. When I moved out to Cornwall and realised how big a part water sports played in people's lives, I became a bit intimated. I've still never surfed (I know, I need to just do it!), and I can't see myself taking up sea swimming anytime soon. However, I've been paddle boarding a couple of times and really, really enjoyed it. Sailing became a bigger part of my life when I met Tom, and although I make no claims on knowing how to sail or maneuver a boat in any way, I definitely have a better idea than I did 2 years ago! This summer (if it warms up a bit more!) I'd really like to have a go at more paddle boarding, and hopefully get out on the boat a few more times. If I can't fulfil my dream of being a mermaid, well then I'll have to settle for other forms of water fun!

It Creates Community: I don't know how it does it, but the sea brings people together. It creates a talking point, and people always have something in common with it. I've met so many people in the last few years of being out here who in some way, shape or form have a connection to the sea.

It's Mysterious: Something which has always fascinated me about the sea is how little people actually know about it. I'm getting a bit "science-y here" which is weird and I'm definitely no scientist, but I love watching documentaries and learning things, and the sea is something I'm always drawn to learning more about. Be it the animals that inhabit it, or the landscapes it creates, I've always found myself loving everything I learn about it. I love that there's still so much to learn about it, and so much that is a mystery to people.

It's Powerful: I've witnessed the sea do crazy, scary things. I'm sure people have seen it do far worse, and much scarier things, but I feel like every once in a while, it likes to remind us that we're really, really tiny in comparison to it. Seeing some of the huge, powerful waves crash up against buildings and roads (and destroy the only train line we have out of Cornwall a few years ago - thanks Sea, I really didn't like you that day!), it really brings you back to reality.

Do you love the sea? I'd love to hear what it is that makes you love the sea as much as I do! Want to see more photos of the sea? The best place to do that is to follow me on Instagram!