Cynthia Rowe

Apartment 16

From my balcony, through the coconut palms, I see lifesavers in yellow and red Lycra stinger suits spreading nets so that the tourists can swim in safety. The Irukandji jellyfish have made their seasonal journey down the creeks and into the Coral Sea, meaning bathing will be risky. A sudden flurry of activity. Crocs are on the move, too. The bulky mass of a saltwater crocodile has been sighted as it cruises past on its way to the next beach, to the creek where its nesting habitat is situated. “Beach Closure” signs are erected.

calm water the energy of jellyfish

I decide to leave the hot sands to the tourists, marine stingers, and crocodiles. To the north of my apartment, the cool of the rainforest beckons – a canopy of vines, languid tree pythons, the hush of a primordial world.

beach closure . . .
a croc rues the one
that got away