Who pulled the plug?

a Super Tide Bimble

By The Bimbler

When the Gravitational effects of our Moon, Sun and Planets reach its Zenith the result is the maximum difference between the high and low tides. Armed with nothing more than a tide timetable and brew kit I set off as the sea was still receding… an excellent time to explore rock pools and the normally submerged sea bed.

Before long my walk turned into a scrabble over loose rocks as I traversed the impressive Monmouth Beach and its Ammonites which featured in another recent post. With so many interesting stones on the ground I quickly filled my pockets with fossilised sea creatures and oddments… not the smartest idea on the outbound journey!

as Lyme Regis became smaller, clouds rolled overhead and a sudden downpour passed in less than 60 seconds

further along the coast the weather was less forgiving

in celebration of not getting soaked I pulled up a flat rock and enjoyed a mug of tea while watching the storm track along Chesil beach to engulf Portland

once refreshed I meandered along the rarely exposed sea bed to Pinhay, stopping every few steps to investigate interesting rock pools and to study the sheer cliff face made up of clay/shale and limestone deposits known as ‘Blue Lias’

The word Lias derives from an old Dorset dialect and refers to the Layers of stone once Quarried locally for the building trade.

Over time the unstable cliff face collapses to reveal its secrets and fresh fossils are exposed… even an occasional Ichthyosaur

By the time I finally reached Pinhay the tide was turning so after another brew stop it was time to head back.

Stuffing any spaces left in my pockets and rucksack with fossils as I went made the return journey markedly slower but I arrived back in Lyme ahead of the incoming tide which a few hours later would submerge the foreshore right up to the cliff face… a tidal range of over 4 metres

with the light starting to fade and my legs tiring I passed the harbour where the boats were now floating again

then along the length of the promenade

When day turned to night I scanned the sky for the Moon, Venus, Mars and other Celestial bodies that had inspired todays Bimble. Finally I headed home to rest my weary legs and unburden my poor rucksack until the next time.