The North our home, the sea our friend #4
Earth exists in a goldilocks zone for life; the temperature is just right for liquid water. We are all here because of the weird and wonderful chemical properties of water. Here are just a few:
- When water becomes solid it floats.
- Hot water freezes faster than cold water.
- Water is a liquid when other chemicals of similar atomic mass are all gases.
- Water is an almost universal solvent.
- Water has a surface tension on which objects can float and on which living things can walk.
- Water can stretch and is put under tension and pulled up microscopic tubes to the top of the world’s largest trees.
Water is the weirdest thing in our world.
It’s also magnificent as the waves crash on Westray.
More waves
2022 highlights of a wilder Orkney life (part 1) 2022 was a very happy time for me on my visits to Orkney. I spent hours on the low cliffs… read more
Waves I love a breezy day on Westray. The waves fascinate me. Watching them roll and seeing a small tunnel appear… read more
2020 highlights of a wilder Orkney life In 2020 I managed two trips to Orkney. I did it by self-isolating for two weeks before travelling and then… read more
Atlantic Wave I love walking the west coast of Westray. On a beautiful day there's no place like it. I've been enjoying… read more
Heartwave One August day, while walking the wild west coast of Westray I experienced the most marvellous Atlantic waves. The intense… read more
Fire and water I'm off on a trip to the far west of Madeira. There's a lighthouse at Ponto do Pargo which sounds… read more
Sunset over the waves It's sunset on Westray and I've abandoned the car on the grass and marched off to the sea. It's magnificent… read more
Splash! The seas are magical here. There are exhilarating waves at the Knowe o' Skea. Out on the skerries, the wary… read more
The North our home, the sea our friend #5 The turquoise water off Westray breaks like a lacework of ice, frozen at 1/2000th of a second. read more