The sun shines

Beach journal 6th May 2026

West Pier, Brighton. 10am. 16°C, sunny, light breeze. Low tide.

The gulls are back.

As soon as I reach the shingle edge I see them. They are not a bunched up flock but individuals dotted all about the shore. Some are sitting on the water or tucked up on the pebbles enjoying the sun, others swoop and glide above, some peck between the stones near the water. They outnumber the people. They are quiet and content.

The low tide is calm and serene and the waves are barely noticeable except for the familiar rhythm of hush and drag on the pebbles. The water is not the clear delight of summer but the colour is slowly changing from olive green-grey to deep blue.

When I take my jacket off, the breeze raises hairs on my forearms. It’s good to feel the air move around me, to notice me. The sun shines.

The West Pier is a dark silhouette against the bright sky. The low water exposes the struts that root her deep into the seabed. In the jagged wreck, fish, crabs and eels have made a home where humans cannot easily tamper and disturb them. I imagine them beneath the glinting surface, swaying in the gentle drift.

I climb back up the slope by the i360 tower. The seafront photo gallery is full of tranquil nature scenes, although not all local. It appears to be sponsored by a herbal remedy company. I pass through slowly and stop to stare at a misty coastal view.

The sun shines.

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