March 2018 – Birds as Poetry —— Just because I WANDER

****** If you have an aversion to Silver Gulls, or stories about Silver Gulls, then ClickAway NOW. You have been warned.**********

We have just returned from a few days ‘holiday’ down the coast. Accommodation within walking distance of the beach, in the company of some friends from our village.

The smell of sea air, the splash of the waves, all very rejuvenating. These days I’m not a great swimmer, would have once, thought it just the best way to spend a holiday, tearing up and down the beach, rolling in the waves, getting sand in between my toes, and going home with a dripping towel. And an ice-cream. Let’s be practical, a great day out.

But these days, I’m much more inclined to watch it all happen.

As it turned out the bay we were staying near was quite wide, and very shallow for much of the day. The waves must run in from both points and wash the sand into the middle of their force, and a lovely inverted “Y” sand bar has formed between the forces. I went down to look.

The tide was at low-level, and there was only a few centimeters, (inches) of water washing over the bar. It ranged in width from a few metres close in, to around 15 or more further out, then tapered down again at the end of the bar.

The enclosed part of the “Y”, of course was closed in by the beach proper, and the water in the pool of the “Y”, was only being replenished by the gentle wash of the wavelets over the sandbar, and was being warmed by the sunshine.

Too much fun. So off came the shoes and socks, up rolled the trousers and wading into the luke warm water was, I must admit, enjoyable.