“Merryweather Bay was shaped like the crescent moon. Beautiful rocky cliffs, full of caves, enclosed a little beach of colored pebbles, and then a strip of golden sand scattered over with rocks that held pools full of scarlet sea anemones, and shells, and colored seaweeds like satin ribbon. Beyond the bay the sea was deep blue, flecked with white-capped waves that looked like galloping horses, hundreds of white horses stretching to the horizon in a glory of sparkling light that made Maria want to shout aloud for the very wonder of it. Within the bay this glorious sea came to meet them in wave after shining wave that curved and broke and fell, flinging showers of bright foam and rainbow-colored bubbles to lie like tossed flowers at her feet.

The salt smell of the sea, the cool breath of it, seemed to be sending great surges of strength through her tired body, and over her head the sea gulls wheeled in splendor and cried their strange strong cry.”

― From ‘The Little White Horse’ by Elizabeth Goudge