I made enquiries about visiting Lalaria Beach on the northeastern tip of the island of Skiathos, Greece. It was only accessible by boat so l bought a ticket and set off early one morning. What l wanted to see and paint was a rare geological phenomena known as Tripia Petra (Hole Stone) an arch rock formation situated at one end of the beach.
There was high winds on the route there which delayed our arrival, so we anchored at another beach for afew hours. It was unnerving but thrilling as the boat swayed from side to side battling its way through the waves as spray drenched my shirt. The cliffs towered above us as we turned a corner and the arch of the beach was in sight.
Watercolour on paper,
A4 sketchbook
As the boat struggled against the currents we manoeuvred towards its shoreline, our guide informed us that we would stay an hour while the boat circled not far from the shore to avoid damaging its underside. When we heard the blowing of the horn our boat would return to pick us up.
I made my way onto the beach and positioned myself on a banking which gave a good view of the rock archway, as l looked out on the stunning scene before me white surf crashed onto the shoreline of white silt, beyond in the middle distance luminous green water sparkled and stretched towards the arch, this merged into a band of light blue and a deep turquoise on the horizon.
l didn't have long to try and capture this experience in pencil and paint, l worked fast through instinct to translate the essential elements of light falling on the arch formation and its surroundings. l felt connected to a truly wild and unpredictable moment in time. Then the horn blew and we had to leave.
Is there a place on your travels that has given you a heightened sense of feeling alive?
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