Low Tide

East Cowes, Isle of Wight,

1956

Low tide had ebbed on the eastern side of Cowes, turning the Medina’s estuary into a sun-baked mud flatland, the small moored sailing craft leaning over on their sides in rows like sleeping cattle. The under belly of the long breakwater bedecked with green and brown fronds of seaweed reaches out into the edges of the Solent for watery solace.

Numerous species of sea birds, common gulls, terns and black headed gulls, pick between the hundred or so weed strewn rockpools searching for crab, worm, and darting minnow left behind in the retreating tide. Demanding shrieking gulls always accompanied by numbers of local men and boys, many of which dig for ragworm bait in the sucking grey mud beneath the matted mounds of stinking seaweed, some others with long pole shrimping nets trawl the deeper pools.

The rattle of heavy iron chains chink and ring against the landing ramp heralding the nearby chain ferry’s imminent arrival on the eastern side of the Medina. The distant relentless rattle of the riveters gun from a little further down river at J. Samuel White’s shipyards carries upon the blustery breeze.

Late afternoon sunshine glints on the fuselage and gigantic silver tailplane of the Princess Flying Boat protruding out from the Saunders-Roe Saro aircraft shed, serene and majestic as the loud hooter ends the working day.

At the bottom of York Avenue East Cowes Town Hall clock chimes out in doleful agreement.