"I walk in wide circles around this extraordinary pattern, feeling sacrilegious in my clumsy, shape crushing wellies . The rest of the world does not exist, only the two square feet of intricate & impossibly perfect chaos in the sand in front of me.



The sun has just risen & the colours , like my excitement , are building to optimum saturation, the cold barely allows my fingers to set up the camera.



In the distance a dog barks. I look up and see the only other human on the beach, coming my way. He has just thrown a stick and the black shape bolts off after it, grabs it in his jaws ....and stops.



The dog has seen me. It pricks up its ears and drops the stick. It looks briefly over its shoulder at the man and then with unswerving intent takes off towards me with an enthusiastic bark.

With a feeling of sinking resignation I know what is going to happen next...."