Traditional Witchcraft for the Seashore by Melusine Draco

Author:Melusine Draco [Draco, Mélusine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781846948053
Publisher: John Hunt Publishing

The magic of a sea cave

The creation of a sea cave is one of the natural wonders of the seashore. It begins when the erosive power of waves breaking at the bottom of the cliff exposes a natural flaw. Once a weak section of cliff has been eroded, the continuous pounding of the waves, abrasive sand, pebbles and even large rocks being hurled against it, begin to gouge out a hole in the rock formation.

Over hundreds of years, the hole increases in size and, the bigger the cavity becomes, the greater the effect of the incoming waves. The waves compress air inside the cavity to such an extent that the release of the pressure when the waves recede creates a vacuum that has an almost explosive power, shattering the surrounding rock. As the cave expands inwards, the air compressed inside by the weight of the pounding waves may produce a blowhole at the surface, sometimes a considerable distance inland.

One of the most famous sea-caves in the world, and certainly the most spectacular in Britain, is Fingal’s Cave on the Isle of Staffa in the Inner Hebrides. At its mouth it is 40ft wide and 66ft tall, from sea level to roof. It also extends about 25ft down into the sea and goes back into the cliff for a distance of more than 200ft. Fingal’s Cave – immortalised by the composer Felix Mendelssohn who named an overture after it – is aptly known as the Cathedral of the Sea.

The shape and size of a cave largely determines the sort of wildlife that can survive there, but a mature cave system, parts of which are beyond the reach of the eroding sea, is a very special place. The mouths of such caves are often protected by deep water but high inside there is often a shelf of soft sand, which remains dry even at high tide; a cave system that has a deep water entrance should only be approached by boat. This is the perfect working environment for a sea-witch but be aware that high tide can be extremely perilous if you are trapped inside with no means of escape.

______________________________

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.