Wakaejima Low Tide

Last night was a full moon hidden by clouds. This morning's run was in a warm rain along the beach with the tide receding in a long pull, well exposing the rocks of Wakaejima (和賀江島) the remains of a Kamakura-era (thirteenth century) artificial port where boats were moored. 



Low tide at Wakaejima makes for tidepool heaven and many people venture out to the rocks to gather shellfish.



And sometimes, the Waka rocks yield a wee poem (on Notegraphy):



Besides shellfish, some folks gather crabs. 



Wakaejima makes a brief appearance in my novel The Language Inside when Kamakura-raised Emma and her friend Madoka are walking along the beach before Emma leaves for the U.S.

***

we waded through shallows
over rippled sand
staring at those rocks
heaped hundreds of years ago
to make the safe harbor
we'd studied in school

and as we stared at that history
which I'd come to think of as mine
Madoka said softly

amerika-jin ni nacchau--
              you'll turn into an American

***
Wakaejima at full-moon low tide draws everyone to explore. The next few days will bring perfect mid-day low tides for tidepooling.