H and I were in Cornwall for our first wedding anniversary in December. One day, after a hearty breakfast, we walked across the headland from Mawgan Porth to the magnificent sweep of Watergate Bay. The walk is a delicious one, continuously tracing the point where land meets sea. We felt very Famous Five-esque as we clambered up and down the undulating headland looking down over little inlets inhabited by gulls. Although it was December, the skies were blazing, hitting the sea below us with a glimmer and a sparkle; the fresh air was invigorating giving our cheeks a rosy hue. Arriving at Watergate Bay, we were happy to see that a cafe was open serving frothy hot chocolate, but before we treated ourselves we decided to burn a few more breakfast calories by walking the length of the empty beach. As we neared the far end, we began to notice strange markings in the sand. We skirted around them, careful not to disturb any of the indentations until we reached a small rocky outcrop. Clambering up, we had a prime view of the beautiful swirling interconnected pattern which was gradually being eroded by the incoming tide.
The pattern stretched far into the distance, incredibly simple and beautiful, mimicking the round curves of the sea and logarithmic shell spirals. Over steaming hot chocolates back in the cafe H and I imagined the anonymous artist(s) arriving at the empty beach at dawn to map out their design in the sand. Had they pre-planned it or was it an off-the-cuff design created as inspiration took them? So many hours of work for such a transient expression of creativity. Beautiful.
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