Matt and I decided that, seeing as summer has finally arrived (24C
), we'd take a trip down to the coast and cruise up river. When we got to Berwick, the sea looked quite calm (for the North Sea that is!) so we decided to venture south down the coast. It was a bit lumpy going past the rocky shore between Spittal and Scremerston beaches (area has shallow rocks quite far offshore), but, once onto the start of the enormously long beach it was OK (about an 18" swell).
All was good so we kept going south, passing Goswick Sands (miles of empty beach with a few "islands") until we reached the entrance to the "river" that passes between Holy Island and the mainland when the tide is out (as it was). The river is just the residue of the retreating tide draining from the sands between the island and the mainland. Holy Island is connected by a tidal causeway of around a mile in length - there is a small bridge with an escape hut on posts in the centre for the (several times a year) motorists who think they can outrun the tide
It's
HEREWe couldn't get under the bridge (it's less than 6 feet to the road surface and is completely covered at high tide) so we "drove" over the road itself much to the amusement of passing motorists (plenty pics were taken of the 2 second crossing!). Back on the water again, we passed through the "bay" on the south side of the island and entered the harbour (maybe a bit of an exaggeration as there were only half a dozen boats in it!) next to the village and with it's spectacular view of the castle on a rocky outcrop (the island is basically a giant sand dune with the castle being the only thing of any height for many miles).
After a poke around the area and some food, we set off across the bay to take a closer look at the big spiky things on the opposite island. Couldn't work out what they were for but it turns out they are navigation markers built in the 1800's (they were engraved as having been restored in 1918
).
We had noticed that there were a large number of seals in the area who appeared to be following the incoming tide (I counted at least 60 and, after passing through the bay again I reckon there were several hundred in the area - I've never come across that density before!). We watched them for a while (they were only a few metres offshore) and 30 of them in one group seemed to fish as a "pack" where they would all dive (BIG splashing) at exactly the same moment - maybe they had learned that was the best way to spread a shoal of fish?
Anyway we turned to go back north and passed over the, now flooded, causeway road and made our way back to the open coast. It was a bit rougher going back up the coast (a 3ft swell with some chop and a bit of wind) but no danger apart from being a bit uncomfortable at times! Back in Berwick Harbour we decided to take a short trip upriver - the excuse was we couldn't get back up the ramp because there were a three people sunbathing on the beach
All in all and excellent day with some new places visited and new things seen with, what was, the best weather we've seen this year (so far!).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfYtglYYmS0#