THE GENERAL FEATURES OF THE COAST.—THE VARIATION AND EFFECTS OF THE WIND
FROM DIFFERENT POINTS CONSIDERED.
To combat successfully with so restless and powerful an agent as the
ocean, requires great consideration and attention; for the obstacles
presented on this coast are of no ordinary character. Among them may be
enumerated powerful tides and currents, a confined space for a large body
of water upon extraordinary occasions, cliffs of a soft yielding nature,
a limited and irregular shore, with cavities and projections, either a
dead flat or hollow descent from low water mark towards the cliffs,
constitute a beach of the worst character. The shoals of sand in the
offing, in certain localities, are numerous and irregular, their
dimensions and situation variable, and while they afford a partial
protection to the coast, are decidedly injurious to vessels liable to be
stranded.
To make the sea subservient to our wishes, and agreeable to our design,
in other words, to make it perform the duty of bringing its contents from
the bottom of its waters towards the cliffs, to protect them, if
possible, for ages, let us consider its auxiliary, the wind, the effects,
whether beneficial or injurious.
The long-shore wind blowing from the north, but more particularly from
the north-west, causes the water, upon a spring tide, to remove, as
before observed, materials from the beach, to undermine the cliffs, and
should a strong breeze have continued for two or three days previous from
the south-east, and suddenly veer to the former point, a heavier sea will
be the result on this part of the coast. For the waters of the ocean,
having been kept back by the south-east wind, cannot escape so readily,
had the superior force of what is commonly termed “the flood tide” from
the north, a tidal wave derived from the Atlantic, not been checked. A
small part of this wave passes eastward up the English Channel, and
through the Straits of Dover, and then northwards, while the principal
body of water, moving much more rapidly to a more open sea on the western
side of Britain, first passes the Orkney Islands, and then turning, flows
down between Norway and Scotland, and sweeps with great velocity along
our eastern coast.
The lee shore wind, blowing from the north-east, removes the shoals of
sand in the offing towards the shore, and wherever these find a resting
place, from the suddenness of their removal, quicksands are sure to
exist; fortunately, however, not to so considerable a depth as mentioned
by the celebrated Scottish Bard, in the fate attending the Master of
Ravensworth, but yet sufficiently alarming to render persons cautious how
they venture upon their surface, especially on horseback. Wind blowing
from the east produces these effects to a greater extent than from the
north-east, and wind blowing from the south-east causes the sand on the
sea-shore to be extremely loose and porous, while the north wind renders
the sand firm, solid, and compact. Some years since, on one occasion,
after the formation of these sands, a vessel laden with timber, was
stranded at Trimingham, near Cromer. A waggon and horses being employed
to convey the timber ashore, became immersed, and the latter could not be
extricated, on account of their being attached to the waggon, until life
was extinct. On the same day, a lady, riding on horseback between Horsey
and Waxham, met with a similar accident, and was with difficulty released
from her perilous situation. When the wind changes to another quarter,
these sands disappear, and shoals are visible in their former situation.
Too often does the unfortunate mariner experience the bitter effects of
quicksands in immediate connection with the large shoal off Hasborough:
while the surface on its inner side is covered with water eighteen or
twenty inches deep, within a short distance is as many fathoms. Between
the spaces loose sands exist to a great depth; and, therefore, only those
well acquainted with this circumstance, can possibly escape destruction,
for should a vessel strike the fore part of her keel on the more solid
portion of the shoal, numerous instances can be adduced where the stern
has sunk foremost into the quicksands, and hull, masts, and every thing
belonging to her, have been engulphed in a very short time, and
sometimes, probably, before those on board have had an opportunity to
make their escape.
An off-shore wind on this coast blows from west to south, and causes all
heavy bodies, stones, &c., to be brought towards the shore; which are
left between high and low water mark on the ebbing of the tide.