comme au long des golfes clairs, ...

Question

The translation says "like alongside clear springs."Does the word "golfes" mean "springs"?

Accepted Answer

Hi Hillary, 
The line, 'le long des golfes clairs' is a reference to another song (I think) by Charles Trenet, La Mer: 
La mer, qu'on voit danser le long des golfes clairs , a des reflets d'argent ...
I have never really asked myself what was meant by  'golfes clairs'  here, just took it to mean a body of water created by the sea, and normally golfe will be translated by 'bay'.
I have seen that line translated as -
The sea that we see dancing along the shores of clear bays,  shimmers with silver ...
But this is poetry,  so a translation doesn't have to be literal.
Other opinions very welcome...