Many caterpillars of the small tortoiseshell butterfly were feasting on a nettle and leaving tracks of their own black droppings of processed green leaf. Another much smaller critter of similar colour, was only noticed when I examined the photos on screen.
Another swim today in warm, clean and clear looking water is a further induction into a deeper exploration to come. I tested the water for hydrogen sulphide and the reading barely registered on the scale as the photographic record shows. There is little if any sewerage in the river today. My own waste goes into the chemical loo and thence to a mains pipe for safe disposal – this is not a requirement for yachts and other craft on the river.
To the west side, the story is about marsh samphire whose tips are ready to be picked. A few succulent stems made breakfast today, cooked for a few minutes with a small amount of butter, pepper and lemon juice. It stands like a miniature forest of fresh, succulent and bright green cacti (without the prickles).
I have also got a small patch of sea beet beside the pontoon to the Egg, and my thicket of blackthorn could well result in a few bottles of Exbury Egg Sloe Gin or maybe jam…
For some amazing sounding recipes for samphire take a look at the following link:-
http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2007/jun/30/features.weekend
Though I try to be hand in glove with nature, I’d not necessarily like to put my hand in this glove. The tide line this morning was littered with different items of human detritus which I tagged with date and geo-location. Over the course of the year I will record their movements around my personal little parish. Should anyone find a Beaulieu Beadle (BB) item further afield, please do advise me of its position prior to safe disposal.
Fifteen days ago my flowerpot saucer fell into the river and was carried away by the tide. I rediscovered it this evening, returned to the shore four metres upstream from the Egg where it was lost. On a tidal current it takes a long time for the flotsam or the jetsam to reach the sea. Today, I returned to the Egg myself after a few days break.
A first swim in the Beaulieu River this afternoon on a high spring tide of 3.9m.
A webcam streaming live video from outside the Egg is showing very clear images in the infrared spectrum after sundown. I must remember its beady red eye is going to be on me. Please do go to look at http://www.exburyegg.org. I was out taking more pictures of the river and moon tonight.
Empty molted shells of hundreds of crabs are washed up on the high tide line beside the Egg and I am starting a collection of these exoskeletons from the size of a penny to the full size of my hand. A crab might molt 20 times in its life and I’d like to find an equivalent number of spent shells of increasing size to tell something of this remarkable process.
There must be scores of places to read about this online, but I referred to this link http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/Kodiak/shellfish/cultivation/crabGrow.htm
An imperious moon is rising in an uncontested night time sky, but continually redrawn by an incoming tide, rising with gravity to its invitation.
If a place is not just scenery, but is rather a sequence of evolving events, then my world really is a stage. In my role as a custodian of nature, I needed a collection of clothing that was sustainably made, comfortable to wear and was also appropriate costume for a 21st century Beadle. I have been working closely with a small team of fashion students at Solent University Southampton, led by Sue Carley and Katie Jackson who have created made to measure Tshirts, shorts, trousers, snood and an impressive cape – that works as rainwear or a blanket and has a liner to add warmth in the winter. There is also an impressive gander bag. Most of the fabrics are recycled including items made from my own cast off clothing.
The team is :-
Sue Carley & Katie Jackson, with assistance from Abbigail Carter and Leila Alloush.
It sprang from an interest by Matt Weet of Solent Creatives after being approached by Mark Drury from SPUD. I will post further clothing photos and drawings.
Stalking the marsh high ground in July
The Exbury Egg 