Shape in the Sand

We did eventually reach the end of the beach to discover, as mentioned, the inlet to the lagoon and harbour area, …. across the lagoon. To find, we could not just walk to the community, unless we walked as far again around the bay. It curved to end where the houses were built on ….‘the far side’ (What a great name for a cartoon series). Then there was the return trip to consider. Apparently our father hadn’t. Some of the smaller ones were already feeling the effects of the long windy walk along the loud and active beach. Watching seagulls practically flying backwards due to the head wind. But it certainly was refreshing.

Our father took a few photographs of the bay area and then, we turned around to head back. The wind’s pressure, driving us, short legs and all, back along the beach a little faster than we had walked along it in the first direction. As we got around two thirds of the way back to the cottage, we observed a short way off, along the beach, that the tide had receded somewhat, and the full expanse of the beach was revealed. And there, about halfway down the beach, was something significant protruding from the sand, which had previously been covered by the surf, on our way past. We ran up to it curious as to what it may be. It was in fact a porous lump. We ran various suggestions as we waited for our father to come and observe. Then enthusiastically we started to try and uncover what ever it was. Digging quickly in the soft and damp sand with the small pools of water forming in the base of every scoop. The object’s shape dropped away into the hole we were rapidly digging, in a widening slope and when about a foot down the size of the hole was around three feet across.

“It’s a dinosaur bone!” was the enthusiastic cry from my younger brother. My father then suggested, quite logically, “Its probably not”. “It may just be a porous rock. Maybe pumice?”. There was a certain deflation amongst we children gathered around it, as we stood with the dark soggy sand dripping from our fingers. “It might be a bone?” We suggested hopefully. “Maybe we could try and find out what it is by digging it up tomorrow when we have more time?” Our father looked at our eager faces. “You want to come back and try and dig this up?” He looked unsure of what we were suggesting. “That’s how you want to spend your time?” We nodded eagerly. “Yes, please. It might be a really important discovery” We answered. “It could be a dinosaur?” Was suggested hopefully by my brother. “Or a rock.” My father suggested. “But if that’s what you want.” “Whoo Hoo!”. We shouted excitedly and ran down the beach, imitating the seagulls racing in the wind overhead. Major plans running as quickly through our heads as were the flying birds being driven by the Southerly Arctic wind.

(Continued tomorrow)