31st August

My year at the edge is approaching its end - and what a way to go. The beach is deserted - it's like walking on my own island - and on day's like this, there is absolutely nowhere on earth I'd rather be...

Sadly, marine plastics litter the tideline. But there are a few interesting finds: a red silk flower lies poignantly on the water's edge; a burnt out Chinese lantern (no doubt a legacy of Aldeburgh Carnival fireworks night on the beach when many, many are released...) washes up tangled in a plastic bag; another Tampax pearl tampon applicator in an apparently 'fun' (P&G's description) pearlescent blue (to match the sea presumably where so many end up). Blue is 'regular flow' - appropriate as so many regularly flow arrive with the tidal flow...; finally, a smartie top (for me, treasure) - and it's a Z! If only this had turned up on my final walk.


high tide: 10.16 hrs 3.0m, low tide: 16.42 hrs 0.2m
time of arrival: 11.19 hrs  
weather: sunshine, wind  NE 17 mph, temperature 14c
marine litter: large quantities of polystyrene, plastic cups and rope & line

3rd February

 
Hooray, I have my beach back - the barricades are gone!!!
Today is the last day of work on the sea defences - the barricades came down yesterday and a solitary digger is working at the north end of the beach.

An icy wind blows from the northwest. Erosion at the foot of the cliff and a line of seaweed and rubbish (plastic bags, in particular) are evidence of recent high tides - it is a while since I have seen tides of this height. But now the tide is out and just the occasional disposable cup gently wafts in on the waves.

I find a Smartie top early on - a 'K', an old one too. And two old Ski (1960s/70s) yogurt pots...  - why do they wash up so frequently??

There are a lot of cuttlefish today - and too many sanitary towels.

high tide: 07.16 hrs 2.3m, low tide: 13.21 hrs 1.2m

time of arrival: 14.20 hrs

weather: cloudy with some sunshine, winds NW 18mph, temperature 2c
marine litter: primarily light plastics ie. plastic bags, sanitary towels, cups and bottles, mostly at the foot of the cliff deposited by a previous high tide.

 

    

 

  

 

 

28th December

Many of the gabions have now been reconstructed and parts of the beach between the barricades are almost reverting to 'normal'. Until you get to the heaps of huge bags at the north end of the erosion works zone, you can almost forget about the diggers and industrial scale intervention of the last three months.

Huge flints have been imported to the beach (from where?) to construct the gabions and strange blue and yellow hieroglyphics have appeared on the stones.

A new discovery: our lovely puppy not only loves to dig, jump and swim - he now likes to climb cliffs too...

There are signs of recent cliff falls (not puppy-induced) and the old high tide mark (weed and rubbish) pushes right up to the base of the cliff, surrounding the wild lupins.

The 'dusk' sky and light on the sea are stunning as we walk back along the shore. We find a smartie top just as we climb back up the shingle to leave the beach. A periwinkle is in flower at the top of the beach.

Not much to carry today - an unremarkable collection...

low tide: 07.05 hrs 0.2m; high tide 13.29 hrs 2.7m, low 19.02 hrs 0.8m

time of arrival: 14.01 hrs

weather: cloudy, wind SW 20 mph, temperature 10c
marine litter: nothing exceptional