Haunting music carries over water

At dusk, as I began my evening stroll in White Rock at the bear statue on East Beach, the distant sound of music drifted faintly across the water. Was it someone playing a flute on the beach? No, the tide was flooding. A boat? But there were none in view.

By the time I drew level with the eponymous white rock, and saw this Buddha-like figure apparently meditating on top of it, the music was closer and more audible.

Perhaps, I thought, someone was playing the Chinese zither, continuing to celebrate the Moon Festival recently held on the beach.

As I drew level with the pier, I understood that the source of the sound was halfway out the long wooden structure.

Toby, a local musician, was playing a soft-voiced electric Gibson. The music, nearly all his own compositions, floated out over the dusk beach and haunted my very soul.