Shackle, Thimble, Line

These are the line lines that secure us in our berth. At low tide the lines appear out of the water, kelp and mussel shells dangling from their greenish strands. Some might find them unsightly, preferring that they stay under the surface at high tide. But I find them rather beautiful  —their design, their simple strength and technology, their patterns as they cross one another, and their vital role in holding us fast to the pilings that mark our berth which we call home.