Image and Audio

Low tide at Birling Gap, Sussex, England. The chalk shore has been worn away and polished to a high shine by the constant action of the waves, leaving boulders of harder rock resting on the surface.

Audio: Breakers on the shingle at Birling Gap, Sussex, 2 am on a May morning. The photo was taken the previous evening at low tide, but the recording was made about half an hour before its highest point. My microphones were placed on a tripod about 4 feet (1.2 m) high as far down the beach as possible without actually standing in the water. This is a very flat beach, so the tide comes in very fast. I had to keep a sharp lookout to prevent the waves engulfing my equipment.