Year - 2026 · Size - 21 x 30 cm / 8¼ x 11¾ in · Medium - Ink on paper

After wading through shin-deep water on a mid to low tide, I crossed the narrow channel and arrived on the island, greeted immediately by the glorious cave. Its opening hidden from view from the headland, it is a welcome surprise for first-timers who venture onto the island. I had banked on painting from somewhere out there, but as soon as I saw the cave I knew there was no need to walk any further.

The northerly wind was picking up, the seas choppy and blown out on the island's north side, but the cave was serene. The view looked out across the wind-groomed, protected beach on the south side to the tea tree forest at the back of the dunes and the forested hills beyond. While I sat and painted, a large school of salmon moved through the shallows like a dark cloud, flashes of silver only visible as the waves surged as one around the curve of the beach.