There is Always More to Love: Christina Riley, interviewed

In November’s subscriber-exclusive interview, Christina Riley — author of Book of the Month Looking Down at the Stars: Life Beneath the Waves (Si apre in una nuova finestra) — speaks to Tallulah Brennan about the writings of Rachel Carson, seeing the world through a scallop’s eyes, and the inherent poetry of the sea.

Christina Riley, photographed by Robin Christian

We like to start with a couple of quick-fire questions.

If you were to choose another place in the world to write another version of Looking Down at the Stars, where on the coast on which continent would you choose? 

I could close my eyes and just drop my finger onto a globe, there are so many intriguing and lush Hope Spots to choose from, but since this is quick-fire my immediate answer is Florida. Its south coast is hugged by no less than three of them. I was born in Miami and I’d love to see how these waters compare and contrast to where I call home now, which isn’t to say that’s what I’d write about, since the ocean holds more interesting homes than mine, but it would make the experience particularly special. There’s also something to be said for going to the USA right now and immediately throwing your head underwater. 

By the end of your residency, was there a creature you were particularly besotted with, or whose presence stayed with you? If so, why?

There were many, but the lightbulb sea squirt really stole my heart. I was stunned the first time I saw them, it seemed so improbable. So bright! And so small, they’re not there until suddenly they are. I also have a soft spot for the scallop. Their eyes are incredible, bejewelling their shell all around its edge, and they’re more mobile in the water than you might think. They swim by opening and closing their shell to propel through the water, and if they sense danger they basically do a backflip in whatever direction they sense is the correct one and hope for the best (their eyes are structured incredibly, but their eyesight itself is modest). Oh and the oyster. You just have to love an oyster.