13th May

Cloudy sunshine but cold with a brisky wind from the south...perfect walking weather. A southbound cyclist fights the wind on the firm sand exposed by the low tide. We walk all the way to Sizewell along the wide sandy expanses, treating ourselves to a coffee and cake at Cliff House from where we can admire the view. Bluebells and sheeps sorrel carpet the hinterland. We find an adder amongst some rubbish by a clump of vegetation at the foot of the dunes. It is off (so am I!) before I can capture it in a photo... This one is definitely alive - unlike the seal we find washed up back at Thorpeness.

high tide:  low tide: 10.04 hrs 1.2m, 16.25 hrs 2.5m
time of arrival: 11.20 hrs  
weather: sunshine, wind S 18 mph, temperature 14c
marine litter: something of everything... but we walk much further than usual

 

 

7th May

It is Bank Holiday Monday and after the dismal weather of the weekend and a less than encouraging forecast, we wake up to sunshine! There is a chilly wind but the sun transforms the beach. There are lots of kites, many dogwalkers and two girls even attempt to swim. Sandmartins swoop frenetically by the cliffs.
It is a building tide with all the usual kinds of rubbish on the beach but a notable number of plastic bottles, sanitary towels and balloons. Regrettably, I could have filled my two carrier bags several times over...
Bizarrely, we find a fat dead adder at the high tide line at Thorpeness - presumably drowned in the previous week's big seas...?


high tide: 11.25 hrs 2.9m, low tide: 17.31 hrs 0.2m
time of arrival: 11.50 hrs  
weather: sunshine, wind SE 14 mph, temperature 12c
marine litter: many plastic bottles, sanitary towels and balloons