Only rarely does the sea God Nereus show himself. Generally it is only his beautiful turquoise light, his voice and whatever experience he chooses to put you in.
    But when he does appear, Nereus is unforgettable.

'...Turquoise light filled the temple, then I saw his face. Nereus is not a young God, he is aged in his 50s. He is very sharp-featured, with thin face, pointed chin and nose, and straggly shoulder-length bluey grey hair. Other sea Gods are bearded but Nereus chooses to be clean-shaven. His eyes are a bright blue, really twinkling sparkling eyes.  His voice is fairly deep and quite loud:

“I am here today to receive the homage you give."
   And with that I was hoiked from the temple and plonked on a cliff above the sea, not a high one but it was sheer. I sat right on the edge of the cliff. Below, the sea was calm and then BOOM! this massive God appeared from the sea, bare-chested. He is very broad but not fat. He rose up so the water was just below his waist. Nereus has massive hands and although his eyes were twinkling he wasn’t smiling. He looked very stern. From waist to top of head must have been 10 metres.

“You are very fortunate to see me. There is no need to fear any of the sea gods. Only those who pollute the oceans, or take fish, or behave in any cruel way, need fear us.”

He pulled me from the cliff into the water and out quite a way. At first we weren't too deep, I could see a huge hull above probably a liner or cruise ship. Suddenly the surface around it was alive and next there were bottles, broken glass and large empty tins of paint and dregs heading downward, and sinking on deeper. There was also vegetable matter floating above.
    The seabed below as far as I could see in every direction was a massed mess of broken glass, everywhere, much much more than the lot that had just come down. It was all around. My own body was cut and bruised where I had been hit. 
    I heard Nereus growl:
    “Mortals pay money to pollute the seas like this.”

Then he was gone and I was left alone, wondering what was to happen next. I waited and waited and then, at first it seemed as if the sea above me was very rough, but only a small portion of it. It went round and round and then I realised what I was looking at from underneath. It was a whirlpool. I saw a black shape being spun round and round so fast. At first I couldn’t make it out, then there was a cracking noise and I had to jump back as great chunks of metal fell to the ocean bed. I recognised an out-board motor and a man came down with it. 
    All he wore was swimming shorts and as he came down the movement of water brought up the outboard motor and he struck his head on it. He was struggling to get to the surface but the blow knocked him unconscious and when that happened the sea became much calmer.
    I went to the man. He was light-brown skinned and had darkish hair and I noticed three gold rings on his fingers and an expensive-looking watch. As I got close to him I heard Nereus: “Leave him! I have killed him. He owns a large boat which pollutes the ocean. This small one he uses for fishing near the shore. He is cruel. He will suffer.”

Nereus pulled me away from the debris, and the seabed just fell away to dark shadow as we coursed further and further at high speed. I glimpsed a figure distant behind us, matching our speed and recognised the colour of the dead man's shorts. I guessed he wasn't following us, but was being towed in our wake. Nereus was dragging the body with us into the deep.
    Eventually we slowed and dropped to the bottom, ahead was a huge underwater cave, vast and cavernous. We entered and I could see other beings in there, some I recognised, Poseidon and Phorcys; others I did not but knew they must be sea Gods. I saw the Nereids sitting in the shadows and I could see forms though couldn’t quite make them out. Nereus spoke:

“This day is special. The monsters are here. You cannot see them clearly, and the Gods and Goddesses of the seas. We meet to discuss the fate of certain mortals who we know are to blame for much of the large amounts of fish that are caught. You are privileged to know of this. It is not a celebration and yet when their fates have been settled we are all very happy. We the sea Gods and Goddesses have decided that you are worthy of seeing this."

Nereus is no longer the kindly old man of the oceans as the ancients knew him, he now is fierce and unfriendly to those who spoil his realm. But he is not entirely unsympathetic or deaf to the wishes of humankind. On our return to the temple on that occasion he explained:

"As false faiths crumble more mortals who live around the coasts of the world have started to pray to the Gods of the Sea, not often do they know our names but they do honour us and those who pray for protection for their loved ones, I listen to. I have taken temples near the oceans, or rivers that flow into the oceans.”

Festival of Nereus - December 6th