Estuary

Tidal flats reveal their light grey heads They replacing green-grey sea in dots and dashes on the horizon, They toy cheekily with the extracted tide, enjoying their dry sun bathing An island of ginger sand, void of seabirds, spoils the sea-mud horizon The tide stands poised, ready for its return journey Precursory quibbles, sent to shore, make birds at float bob An easily missed, brief localised splash tells of a tern diving Orphaned seaweed florets appear to move while submerged in the shallow water Boats confused and beached on the mud, leaning towards their angle of choice Paddlers explore the shoreline and water up to the ankle Crystal white flickers from the water as the sun is reflected from the rippling sea The tide returns stealthily and punctually, floating stranded boats and refreshing the sunburnt mud