Country diary: watching seals through salt spray and whipped-up sand

Winterton, Norfolk: Regardless of the perpetual churn there is extraordinary stillness - and the dark eyes of the grey seal pups seem its very soulWalking along the beach at this wonderful national nature reserve, we were struck by the volatile energy in the sea, sky and land. Everything and everyone - the gulls cycling relentlessly over the waves, the seals ashore and the strollers along the beach - was bathed in brilliant sun-dazzle.Yet the air was filled with salt spray and whipped-up sand, and the dune vegetation shuddered in a high wind. At the water's edge, out of every freshly smashed wave, the northerlies scooped a layer of foam that was then washed ashore with the tide. It looked as if a trowel had smoothed down a fresh layer of white across the flats. Continue reading...