Grand River from the hay meadow

© September '11   photo by smck

Standing on the slight hill above the Mointeach (mawn-yuck) just off the old mill road you can see the ocean on the south, the river's mouth and Red Head to the west, and here, looking slightly north-west, are several arms of the estuary-like  mouth of the river which is almost completely dammed against the sea. They are glimmering bluely with the sun.  This old hay meadow from which the photo was snapped is slowly being overtaken by alders and spruce - you can notice the downed spruce in the foreground.  Every few years some of these old fields have the trees and brush cut, gathered and sometimes burned but it is a losing battle unless they are working fields as of yore - for hay making, or grazing of cattle or sheep.  With the influx of the coyote/wolf cross breeds raising sheep is no longer really possible without expensive double fencing.  Few and far between are any who attempt farming in a homestead manner.

If you go to the 14 Mar '12 posting - 'The Mointeach' - the pictured wave is rolling up the beach side of a long curving bar which effectively dams Grand River's exit to the sea - at the present far up the beach to the westward there is a small tidal gut through which on high tide the ocean pumps salt water into the river estuary and for several miles up river almost to the stream in front of me old farm.  Then on low tide the same gut to the ocean becomes a rushing current draining the whole river to expose clamming bars in profusion.  It is a real thrill to body surf with the out-rushing stream into the ocean on a bright August day.