Reconnecting with the Beach in Barbados
Pat Ganase details the process of going for a sea bath in the time of Covid-19. She journeyed to Barbados, and learned about another Caribbean island. Photos by Pat Ganase We are islands. Wherever we live, it’s not far from the sea. Even when we don’t go to the beach, we know we can reach there in half an hour or less. The ocean is our blood. “Blood can also be thought of as a private ocean,” wrote Natalie Angier on The Wonders of Blood, “Not only is blood mostly water, but the watery portion of blood, the plasma, has a concentration of salt and other ions that is remarkably similar to sea water.” (The Wonders of Blood, Natalie Angier, NYT October 20, 2008) During Covid-19, while we understand the need not to congregate – in rumshops, churches, groceries, parks, playgrounds, even at home – the ban from the beach feels like a separation from an essential self. But the beach is still open in Barbados. Getting to Barbados requires proof of complete vaccination (tw...