The Riddle of the Sands

The title of this post repurposes that of a book by Erskine Childers written in 1903. Although it was a spy story rife with details of the European politics of that time, today one can read it for its loving descriptions of the North Sea and the Frisian Islands. On the beaches of Andaman, a world away, I found a riddle in the intriguing patterns left on the sand by tidal waters as they drain away. Eventually the redistribution of sand around the stones causes them to sink into the sand. Walking along a beach, enjoying the interplay of water and the sun is an ordinary but pleasant way to spend your time.