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For the first time since I came home, I need my spotted gum walking stick as I feel my way down the narrow track to this beach of boulders. It’s like no other beach I’ve seen on my coastline: the rocks are large and chunky, with only occasional patches of sand, shingle, and shell debris. Some are rounded-rectangular, some smooth and eliptoid, some pitted and honeycombed, some patterned with apricot shapes or whitish splotches. Many carry an embedded line that wanders over gaps. Sometimes oyster shells cling to their undersurface, or a dead crab lies orange and exposed. It’s low tide and I clamber cautiously out onto the flatter slabs closer to the sea, where green weed grows luxuriantly and a living crab scuttles for cover.
I return to the track, uneasy through grass. It’s steeper than I remember and paved with elegant interwoven droppings of Norfolk pines. As I walk back towards the car, I realise I’ve edged my way north and staggered up a different track. I walk into a plantation of grand pines, not exactly natives, but providing pleasant deep shade and wonderful bark. My son tells me such trees were used as navigation markers for ships at sea.
Pingback: Jo’s Monday walk : Odeleite, a beautiful disaster! | restlessjo
Lucid Gypsy said:
Some of those triangle shapes look like they’ve been placed by an expert dry stone wall builder! And those little holes, I wonder what emerged from them and when, maybe prehistoric gemstones the like of which we’ll never see. The pine droppings are beauties, they could also be man mad, from silk yarn or metal. More please Meg-o-the-beach!
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morselsandscraps said:
Another one nearly ready. I’ve been reading stuff on writing non-fiction and nature writing: this makes writing harder, not easier. Thank you for looking so closely: I feel companioned. Just as well the beach was the main game or I could well have spent an hour with the pine droppings – do you know what they’re called?
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Lucid Gypsy said:
No, but we could invent a name couldn’t we?
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Tish Farrell said:
Another fine rock study, Meg, if perilous in the capturing.
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morselsandscraps said:
They’re great subjects. Not like flowers and birds which wiggle and fly. Geological time is still.
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Rosemary Barnard said:
Love this collection Meg. I am glad that you are back with the rocks. You remember how entranced I was by the rocks at Bingie. And in Norfolk Island I took great delight in photographing the trunks of the pine trees. Here in Newcastle the late afternoon light on exposed, rounded shoals of rocks at low tide is irresistible as foreground to the harbour or as the principal subject in its own right.
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morselsandscraps said:
And when do I see these photos? I’m back with the rocks – and with geological floundering. Do you know what pine droppings are called? I tried needles but that doesn’t work.
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restlessjo said:
Love the second photo down and the sequence of criss/crossings 🙂 Bit of a nightmare for walking on. Why do we get so timid and dothery as we age? I don’t like it! And such elegant pine droppings. 🙂 🙂
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morselsandscraps said:
The criss-crossing was characteristic of this beach. There’ll be 4 possibles for next week’s Monday walk – McKenzies, Plantation, Dalmeny (Thursday posting), or Twenty steps. Take your pick!
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restlessjo said:
Will do! 🙂 🙂
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Susan at FindingNYC said:
What a different-looking beach. I rather like it, although I would be hesitant to walk on it myself – I’m too clumsy!
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morselsandscraps said:
My two sons and J all have injuries from falling at the moment, so I was preternaturally careful. And promptly fell over on a level bush track the next day!
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Heyjude said:
Gorgeous rocks! We have plenty of rocky/pebble beaches here in Cornwall, but when the tide is low the sand is often exposed. I must start to explore the beaches around here before it becomes too crowded again.
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morselsandscraps said:
This one is unusual. There’s another mainly rocks one further south, but the rocks are smaller – and more lethal underfoot and no sand-ways, as I remember. But it’s not a Eurobodalla Beach, and I have rules!!!
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Heyjude said:
Good to know you have rules 😀 😀
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restlessjo said:
Oh, do get a wiggle on, girl! 🙂
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Heyjude said:
Gosh, some people are soooo impatient!
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restlessjo said:
Not at all! We just like a bit of action. 🙂 Speaking of which, I’ve booked my flights to Bristol. Didn’t take too much arm twisting, did it? Hoping Gilly can make it up for a day 🙂
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Heyjude said:
Oh, that would be nice, Bristol is not so far from Exeter.
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morselsandscraps said:
Ooooh! When’s this happening? I’m going green.
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restlessjo said:
Saturday! Just arranging it with Gilly now. Doing a happy dance 🙂 🙂
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morselsandscraps said:
Pack hugs from me to her – and of course me to you.
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restlessjo said:
Grinning like an idiot! What’s new? 🙂 🙂
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funnymentalist61 said:
Loving all your wanderings and descriptions Meg. And the command of English and variety of same. To pinch one of your oft-quoted expressions i remember…SUPERB! So glad H is up on all the navigators’ doings. i had intended to post to your Archibold collection but could not find whence to do same.
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morselsandscraps said:
Should be able to do it. It says “comment” just under the heading on the right. Click on that. If you’ve gone to a specific post you’ll find the comments at the bottom. I’m glad you’re enjoying my very beautiful part of the world.
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