Sea-change

The first time I saw this beach it was high tide

on a cold windy day.

I was unimpressed.

There was grey shingle and grey sea

backed by a high sea wall.

 I would have given it nul points

in a Best Beach Guide book.

How glad then I am to have been able to revisit,

year round, in all weathers,

at high and low tide this amazing stretch of coastline.

It has a wreck visible at low tide, an ancient submerged forest, 

dinosaur footprints, a cliff, a small cove with huge rock slabs to sit on,

lagoons for seabirds, ancient groynes, yellow horned poppies 
and sea cabbages, shells, sea glass and interesting pebbles.

If you glance inland across to Hog Hill

you'll see a windmill

and this is what sometimes goes on in there:

It is not a soft sand bucket and spade beach, 

but you can shift along the coast

to Camber Sands if that is your thing.

This was grand daughter's first visit.

There is so much for her to enjoy here in future,

but this time, from the comfort of a sling
strapped to her dad and well wrapped up she heard 
the sea and the wind and the bird calls

and it must have made a good impression.

I think she gave it dix points.