On the last afternoon of my week's holiday in Whiby I decided to pay another visit to Saltwick Bay to photograph some rock pool abstracts for a talk I'm preparing and perhaps catch a bit of sunset. When I got to the top of the cliff I stopped in my tracks as not only was the sky as grey as ditchwater but the sea was still well established on the shale platform. It didn't look particularly encouraging or safe. Low tide was only an hour away so it should have been well clear of the platform but it obviously wasn't.
I turned away to return to Whitby but then my inner self told me to give it a go. There was another person on the platform so I reckoned it couldn't be that hazardous. And I was wearing my wellies so what could go wrong?!
As I approached the Admiral van Tromp the water was a couple of inches deep so I could see where I was putting my feet and there was no danger of being washed over. At ground level the scene was magical as the shale platform looked like an infinity pool held in by the famous Saltwick shields and the rocky edge. The clouds also started to break up so there was a lovely light in all directions.
I spent a happy hour wandering about before the waves started to consistently break over my feet so the urban ranger and myself quickly retreated to the safety of the main beach.
Apparently the low tide was unusually high at 2m rather than the usual 1.4m - 1.6m which explained why the platform was completely submerged. Greater care than usual was required but the location was fabulous and something I hadn't experienced before. It's a circumstance that is definitely returning for.
Also visit the Yorkshire Coast Gallery
