An evening at this beach brought an end to a week of driving on the north cast of Ireland. The Silver Strand at night is a beautiful and mysterious place to be all alone. I had not prepared myself for an encounter with some other kind.
The agitation of sea water, especially when it contains a high degree of dissolved organic material creates foam on the shoreline. The beach is transformed from its normal state (sand, shingles etc) into all covering expanse of tiny bubbles.
I took a carefree August-time stroll down the La Croisette promenade of Cannes. These are two kilometres of pure laid-back stupor. A dense assortment of casinos, beach-side restaurants, yachts, every kind of chair, with a sumptuous array of plants and flowers. Cannes feels impermanent, as if it were built in 1920, and my first surprise is that of it’s heritage. It is much older than I had imagined. But if there is a self-consciousness in this city, it is one that mirrors the validation of tourists. This was a city built for visitors, and has evolved to meet their needs.
There are different types of seashores
Rocky Shores
These are sometimes bedrock and sometimes boulders. Have lots of spaces for animals and plants to live. They have to deal robustly with strong waves and the constant rose and fall of the tide. Different types of rocks influence what you will fond living on the rock itself. If sheltered those rocks might be covered with seaweed and provides protection and food for a variety of animals. If exposed – by for example the constant hotting of the waves – then this prevents the growth of seaweed
Rock Pools
These are created when the tide goes to and water is trapped in the rocks – live animals can be left behind
Sandy and Muddy Shores
Here animals might leave a hole, burrow, tracks, or a swirl of sand as something buries itself. Sandy beaches contain billions of particles brought in by the waves. Muddy shores usually form near river estuaries (eg. River Avon) where large mudflats can occur. Soil from the fields turns to mud, and comes down the river. When it reaches the sea these mud left overs may end up on the seabed near the sea. This silt is sculptured by the waves into the soft banks.
Shingle Beaches
Lots of pebbles – hard for animals to attach themselves to the rocks. Will only find lichens.