This morning there was a beautiful blue pinkish hue in the sky that lifted my spirits as soon as I stepped unto the sand. The gulls were swarming the surf, flying up and diving into the sea. I splashed through the water and watched the tiny diamond drops suspended in the air for a split second before they fall down again. I noticed several razor shells sticking out above the ground before my eye fell on a curious object. Or should I say, an entanglement.

I am always enthralled when I find a tangled mess at the beach: wires in all colours, feathers, pieces of wood, metal, seashells, oysters, random objects lost at sea – all jostled together and intricately connected by complex knots. “Murphy’s Law of String” a.k.a. spontaneous knotting: it’s one of the mysteries of the universe that I just can’t get over!

I leaned in to take a closer look and was surprised by a small movement on the periphery: a tiny claw waving back and forth. I turned the strings over and uncovered the smallest crab I’ve ever seen. The poor animal found himself stuck in bits of black wire. One by one I released his claws from the threads. When he was free, he quickly burrowed in the sand. I watched him disappear, before I went on my way with a smile on my face and a bounce in my step.