25th October

 

A grey day with big, steely seas... There is an unusual amount of seaweed washed up on the shore. A mysterious triangle of posts has emerged from the shingle north of the works - what purpose do they serve?* 

Meanwhile, beyond the barricades, the diggers are busy filling the geo-textile bags with shingle and sand and banking them up beneath the cliff.

Amongst my finds, a large and much-pecked polystyrene tray - most of the peck marks are on the underside of the tray - it has obviously been floating upside down across the sea. This everlasting floating bird-feeder will be a useful resource for my next exhibition...

*I investigate the meaning of the posts when I get home - they are markers for where the shingle is permitted to be taken for filling the geo-textile bags.

high tide: 08.48 hrs 3m; low tide 15.07 hrs 0.3m

time of arrival: 12.05 hrs

weather: overcast, wind SE 12mph, temperature 14c
marine litter: a typical 'north sea' mix of the usual culprits including 4 sanitary towels. Also a large and much-pecked polystyrene tray.

12th October

Work here has been continuing apace. The shingle shoreline seems like an industrial landscape - yet is ploughed like a field as 'erosion response works' continue... 

Very little marine litter to be found.

high tide: 10.41 hrs 2.9m; low tide 16.53 hrs 0.3m 

time of arrival: 11.37 hrs

weather: cloudy with sunny spells, wind 9mph W, temperature 16c
marine litter: minimal.

27th September

Horror! Barricades have appeared on the beach, dissecting the shingle and cutting off the beach to the north. This is my favourite area to walk and will be inaccessible due to sea defence work until at least December. Ironically, huge quantities of shingle have recently returned to the beach, vastly increasing the work necessary in order to install the defences. Nature plays cruel tricks.
As the tide is unusually low due to the recent equinox and works have stopped for the day (it is after 5), I slip beyond the barricades while I still can.
After a day of unusual heat, a sea fret has rolled in off the sea, reducing visibility and creating an eerie and cold atmosphere and soaking my hair and clothes.
Tidal pickings are low and I am able to travel light on my way home.

low tide: 16.26 hrs, 0.1m 

time of arrival: 17.01hrs

weather: fog, wind 9mph SE, temperature 17c
marine litter: very low quantity (sanitary towels, plastic cups, small plastic pieces)

beyond the barricades looking south

beyond the barricades looking north