Such a good question.
I would venture that every single person gains serenity by gazing out to sea.
We can gain serenity by gazing at beautiful, peaceful landscapes - mountains, vistas, pastoral scenes, etc. - but those cause our eyes to wander from one aspect to another.
The sea is also a landscape, but it is broad and limitless. The entire scene is horizontal. Horizontal lines create a strong sense of tranquillity, calm and quiet. They are stable and secure. They convey an absence of conflict, of restful peace and repose.
Your eyes aren't tempted to examine various details - this mountain, that tree, those flowers. That is not to say that it is boring. There is the constant movement of the water, shadows and reflections caused by light striking the ocean's undulations, white caps, changing colors, sparkles of sun or moonlight, breaking waves.
A landscape doesn't move but the sea is ever moving and changing, so it can maintain your interest for long periods of time. The calm, rhythmic movement is almost hypnotizing. Even a choppy sea has the same effect when viewed from a safe vantage.
Then there is the sound - the crashing, roaring and hissing. It isn't "white" noise, but its rhythm has the same effect. The sound is as hypnotic as the sight.
The breeze, full of healthy negative ions; the fresh smell; the salt spray, is olfactory, tactile and visceral. It penetrates our bodies.
In the end, I'd say that gazing out to sea is meditative. As opposed to sitting cross legged in silence and clearing one's mind, it is easier to sit by the ocean and clear your mind with all your senses flooded. You don't have to eliminate distractions. The sensory input makes that unnecessary. You don't have to block anything. You feel completely at rest, at peace, alive, and one with creation.
Staring out to sea, although there's many reasons, likely a sailor would observe different, much like an artist a painting, it's a contentment, purity, not narcissistic valuing of an object as a source of addiction.
For example, one only gives attention to their smartphone, not because of its beauty, but ability to deliver value, satisfaction, etc. to them in some way, same as someone giving someone special attention for being physically attractive - they want not the person, but some emotional need fulfilled, and will only value something, interchangeable & replaceable, to what extent it can satisfy themselves.
The sea, in this sense, offers nothing, asks nothing, and gives nothing, but simply "is" - ability to find detached contentment within its experience means someone is simply appreciating it - not expecting it to "be" anything, give entertainment, or stimulation as conditions, but allow a clear mind, relaxation, and a sense of freedom.
Sorry if this is unclear, abstraction is much harder to put into words, but having lived less than a mile from the ocean most of my life & this has been my experience.
We're not looking, we're just breathing in the fresh salty air, and soaking in the peace of the moment. Waves are infinitely calming to us because that sound is the first one we ever knew, the first sound our ears picked up from inside the womb. The sea calms us and restores bits of our soul, so we sit and let it work its magic.
Its hypnotic and very zen. It's much like space, is seems endless and reminds us how small we are and its humbles us.
Its beautiful and dangerous. Shows us so much, but hides even more. Is calm one minute, and can destroy a town in the next.
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Could do with that most of the time you cannot see that far out? Most people with good views look out on them. Like living on a hill your gonna look across the fields or whatever it is. Just most people are used to something always been in the way like another house or whatever. But i don't really stare out to sea anyway.
Poppy I don't know for sure. Unlike you I live inland. But the times I have visited the sea I can see why people would be willing to just sit and stare at it. Maybe it has to do with its immensity in comparison to us and its seemingly unchanging nature. (Yes it changes in response to atmospheric conditions and the tides and whatnot but it's the same bag of tricks.) And there is also the soothing white noise of the sea, assuming you're in an otherwise quiet place. So I think it's a very human thing to be fascinated by it and something that hasn't changed much in us for thousands of years.
😊 I've done this on a train, i stared out the window up into the clouds and the couple who were all chatty stopped and decided to looked at the clouds too. This went on for a good 5-6minutes. It's infectious. It's about forgetting everything on your mind and just meditating. Try it
I stare at the stars all the time while thinking deep thoughts. If I lived near an ocean, I'd stare at that too.. I'm sure the rolling water and waves breaks the monotony just enough to keep your focus in the same way that twinkling stars and their constant movement keeps my attention in the sky. This is meditation or deep thinking, I'm not sure, as I didn't "train" in it, but practice it regularly. It's very calming and helps me recharge.
lol... fantassssstic picture there :)
I love the beach and certainly do enjoy doing what you describe. While I find it very peaceful and relaxing... Until your question here I never thought I was "looking for something" but maybe subconsciously I am looking for a harem of sexy mermaids to appear... and an orgy to break out :)
They're looking out to sea because they can feel the end. They know that it is coming. They're looking for signs of the invasion. My invasion. When I am Supreme Overlord of the UK, I will make consumption of badgers by humans strictly forbidden. The United Kingdomers fear this above all else. They look out to sea to catch a glimpse of their impending doom.
Some of the people you are seeing could be meditating. While I don't stare out to the see, I do meditate and have been told that my eyes are open sometimes. For me its a way to quiet my mind and in some cases also turn my emotions off. It can sound crazy to some. But, for me its all about finding piece in nothingness and the feeling of tranquility it brings.
I personally look out in the ocean because there is an aura of beauty and tranquility. The sparkling ocean and the sound of waves crashing in make me feel liberated from the madness in the city. So to answer your question, I think people stare out at the ocean to get away from their problems and to fill their heart with much needed relaxation and tranquility.
relaxing and relatable, waves slowly washing away the shore, like life slowly eroding our sanity, just the peaceful sound of water, beautiful sun makes us feel warm and alive
we're just looking for a moment of bliss, or the reason we're here in a positive light
They are waiting for the aquatic lizard people to arise from the depths of the ocean and take over the world. I know this because they told me so.
See? Above is the proof!
We must hail our lizard overlords!!!
That quite the sight are you sure he's just not brushing the sand off of his rutter.
Before I saw that picture, I never fully understood what I want to do with my life.
I dream of all of the assholes that I would drown out there
Haha I just had to come and comment that I love the cover photo
Whenever I stare out at the ocean, I often wonder if we should buy a bigger boat or stick to what we have.
It's hypnotising, I live by the sea and if I look at the waves I go kinda catatonic,,,
Perhaps he is awaiting the intoxicating call of a siren.
I live at the beach and do so. Sometimes it is to see if it is worth going out with a board. Other times it is much like stargazing, just to contemplate how vast it is.
I think it gives the viewer a nice time to relax and contemplate about life really. To have a free moment from busy work as well
It brings peace. The movement and or the view can calm yourself down. Its relaxing
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