May 21 2020 Words: Jenny Jauczius - Paintings: Adam Jauczius
Sunset
The sun seems to burn more intensely on the Island - the damaging rays can ‘bite’ and we protect our skin carefully with hats and UV cream. Perhaps it’s not surprising that the golden sphere slides, with such fiery magnificence, from our evening skies. The horizon is stained with shades of red, gold and purple as the blazing orb sinks into the west; every sundown is different, and reminds us of Norfolk’s unique beauty.
Living in ‘paradise’, surrounded by striking scenery, it’s possible to take the landscape for granted, but dusk heightens your appreciation of its splendour. Norfolk pines appear in sharp silhouette against the gorgeously coloured backdrop, and the hills and sea darken as night approaches.
Across the reef, looking towards Mount Pitt or gazing from Captain Cook’s lookout, the light is glorious. Tourists and locals journey to Emily Bay, or Puppy’s Point, to picnic, drink a glass of wine and watch the sun gradually slip below the sea. These fleeting moments, while we enjoy the day’s end, are worth remembering.
As evening falls, a fragment from a poem comes to mind:
I’ll tell you how the sun set,
As shadows march in lines,
And God sent west his rainbows,
A colour at a time…
The poet speaks of the endless pattern of sunrise and sunset, and those who never tire of the cycle; hoping only to witness another day:
And as I said softly in twilight
See you tomorrow, sun.