What is a Wind Shadow?
A wind shadow is a place where the wind doesn’t reach. There is a calm, sheltered zone on the downwind side of all obstacles, a…
Tag: beach signs
Plants Change Near the Coast
The closer to the coast we get, the tougher it is for plants. Once you can smell the sea only maritime species thrive in the…
Nature’s Clues and Signs – Thorney Island
I’m just back from a wonderful walk, exploring the unique landscapes of Thorney Island in southern England. Most of Thorney Island is a military base,…
Why The Coconut Palm Points to the Sea
The coconut palm tree (Cocos nucifera) does something that very few trees do. It leans into wind. Most trees have trunks that will bend away…
Beach Hut Picture Puzzle
What direction are we looking in this photo of West Wittering beach in West Sussex, UK? Clues (if you want them): All dunes form with…
The Sorting by Sea Currents
Sea currents sort objects according to size, shape and weight. There is a documented case of left Wellington boots from a lost container washing up…
Pacific Island Navigation
There was a near perfect ripple map on a very windy West Wittering beach yesterday. The different wave patterns on each side of an island…
What is swash?
Swash is the name given to the waves that rush up the beach after a wave has broken. They are intriguing little waves that inhabit…
Pin Holes on the Beach
When a wave breaks it pushes foamy water up the beach, this is the ‘swash‘. Some of this water flows back down the beach to…