There is something about a beach as a focal point for a community that draws you together and provides a stunning backdrop for shared experiences in the surf, on the beachfront or even just a stroll from one end to the next.
I enjoyed turning up on Otago Anniversary Day (okay, it was half work, mostly play) to see some of Dunedin's best female surfers tearing a left apart right in front of the esplanade. Hayley and Tash took turns delighting the crowds with a bunch of other women pushing them along. It was nice to see the big smiles and friendly side of the sport on a sunny afternoon.
The esplanade at St Clair Beach is pretty special in this way – it can turn any 10-minute surf check into many hours of catching up with good friends and meeting new ones and listening to everyone's story. The mixture of people is always fascinating. From the welcoming smiles of the locals who live right across the road to the business owners and workers at the restaurants, bars and coffee shops and to the travellers, the lucky ones who have stumbled across this corner of New Zealand – a wee slice of Aotearoa that doesn't exist anywhere else. A trip to St Clair Beach is always a treat of colour and experience.
Early one morning we bumped into a guy out for a run. He turned out to be Stephen Chittock – a local developer who had grand plans for the St Clair Beach area with a vision that inspired many (even formed one of the catalysts for us to base Dunedin Light at this beach).
When Stephen looked at the St Clair Beach area many years ago, he didn't see what was already there, nor did he see a purely financial series of development. He saw a community. He saw a series of businesses operating sustainably, together and in complete tune with the natural area. He saw a destination and he saw an opportunity to create something that would outlast every single one of us reading this today.
It is an inspirational lead from an inspirational St Clair local. Perhaps there are more St Clair residents with a dream. Dream away, our future depends on it. St Clair is a collection of artisans, surfers, fit freaks, coffee lovers and travellers. It's a magnet for dreamers – just the way we like it.
See you at the beach ...
PS iD Fashion Week kicks off today – hide those skivvies, chaps!
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