The Coastal Explorer People-Watching

In this month’s Coastal Explorer, author, artist and adventurer William Thomson reveals the useful clues other sea-users can impart

- William Thomson

One thing there’s no shortage of all-around Britain’s coast is people, and we can learn a huge amount about the tides, waves, winds, and currents by watching them. People watching is a fine art, and if you can work out who ‘knows their stuff’, you can then emulate their actions or learn from their wisdom. Having said that, even wise people can sometimes be caught out, so never follow someone blindly; always trust your instinct and look out for the clues we have explored in this series. What is guaranteed, though, is that by observing people’s interaction with the natural world, we can learn a lot – regardless of whether they’re doing something of incredible genius, or remarkable silliness.

SWIMMERS