When the mercury hits 20°C or more, it's almost like Dunedin's beaches flick a switch. Suddenly, people emerge from hibernation and reconnect with the morning rituals that have been robbed from them during winter. I love that St Clair is the beating heart of beach culture here. And it seems to be expanding: there are now eight cafes/restaurants, a wine bar, a gelato bar and a rotating collection of food trucks that lift the area on any sunny day. There's a real buzz about it.
This week the surf wasn't great out front, but you could still catch a few windows if you were lucky. I wasn't. That's been standard for me this spring so far. Hoping to turn that around.
Those who lived their heyday during the 1990s will recognise the title of this edition of Box of Light. It was the name chosen by musician Perry Farrell for his 1990 Jane's Addiction album that became the foundation for the alternative rock genre. I frequently dive back into my JA albums and feel like '90s teenagers like me were pretty lucky with the musical journey we had in front of us. I love the discovery that Spotify enables, but there was something special about coming back to a flat full of friends and playing a new cassette or CD for the first time. Back when album art was a real part of that discovery.
See you at the beach, Derek
PS The story on The Tawaki Project, that I went deep into Fiordland for last month, has appeared on The Guardian. I always feel honoured to be a part of these stories and love that The Guardian is leading the way globally for independent news media. Give it a read and learn a little more about this intriguing penguin.
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