Week 43

My week 43 double page is beautifully detailed as I worked with a number three sable brush to put in every tiny little shape.  We had a huge tide last Thursday which covered the shore.  I ran to the station with a camera to record this sight.  I could not believe how quickly it crept across the grass and covered the land with water.  Then on Friday it came again with the forecast to be even bigger.  We went down to watch this tide as it gushed into the tidal pool, burst over the banks and soon covered the grassy shore again. It made me think of the people who have watched their homes carried along by the force of the sea water, to watch its strength and power and speed is to understand how this can so easily happen.   It was just after noon when the tide was at its height. It had burst over the limestone barrier and so close to the fence where we stood and watched, the railway line a few feet away.
 Later in the afternoon I returned to see what I might find to draw. The ground was wet, flooded areas and large pools everywhere I walked.  I traced my path along the banking of the tidal river, I was now walking on places that were totally underwater a few hours earlier.  I could hear the constant sound of trickling water, water running back off the banks, water running in many different directions as it drained off the grassy shore.  At places it dripped, huge dripping waterfalls, and deep gullies were carved into the soggy sand.  More erosion, the once grass banking dropping off into the sand and the sea creeping nearer to the railway line.  The need for the limestone barriers never more apparent.

The above pictures were on Thursday. I wanted you to see how close it came to the railway line and the gate as you enter the shore. Now for the tide on Friday with a clearer day to see the views.

As I wandered on the shore I could see it had been swept clean,  the places I usually cross and my normal little pathways had mostly been altered and changed by this sea water and all its power.  Just like a new hairstyle,  the grass seemed as if it had been combed  with brylcreemed waves,  this wiped away my familiarity and I had to choose new foot paths on my walk.  I found a jelly fish abandoned by the tide and larger clumps of seaweed ripped from their roots.   The pieces I collected were left tangled in the grass right against the fence on the boundaries of the shore.  I liked their details,  they seemed so small from out of  the vast sea.  I choose them for their shape and I gave them lots of time as I recorded them over the next three days. 

I used black Indian ink and a little white acrylic ink for the feather. The orange, brown and yellow made the colours of the seaweed and black Indian ink and green for the other piece.  I don't know if you are supposed to mix these inks with the Indian ink but I did.  I worked carefully,  I felt they deserved to be treated like special treasures after witnessing their life in the sea.

Hope you enjoy week 43. Thank you for your lovely comments. 
I did actually draw the little branch of the red berries and will try to find more shells, in reply to the comment.                                 Millyx

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