Miniature deltas



Miniature deltas, originally uploaded by jjn1.

Walking along a Donegal beach at low tide we were struck by the way the combination of water, tides and sand enacts (or mimics) high-speed geological phenomena. A curving stream heading down the beach cuts out mini-cliffs, which it then undermines, precipitating massive collapses. At another point, as here, a slow-moving stream mimics the deltas of great rivers. I suspect that this is why so many people like living by the sea: things are always changing — through the day as well as through the year.

Larger size here.