Who Built The Stones?

[Mick Harper]

Don't forget Fort Doyle. Guernsey is a hotbed of masonry -- my uncle was the Grand Master but unlike the Herr General he spent his entire life selling wine over the counter at Le Riche. Though that tells us something (good) about masonry I suppose. There are three lodges in Guernsey which, for a population of thirty thousand (as was) is pretty threpid.

[Mick Harper]

Whoops! My uncle told me there were three and I thought that a lot but looking at their site http://www.guernseymason.org.uk/craft.html
there seems to be eleven. Blimey. Borry, you wear the leather pinny when your wife lets you, perhaps you could explain all this.

[Keimpe]

So we still need to know the reason. We need to know what tidal islands have that ordinary islands or ordinary headlands or ordinary anything do not have.

The most logical reason I can think of is for beaching ships (on a sandy causeway) at low tide so you can leave again at high tide. All without very much manpower.

(didn't we discuss this aeons ago?)

[Mick Harper]

Yes, we did, and this was advanced, and I don't wildly disagree. But what really is the difference between a sandy causeway and a sandy beach? In my limited experience tidal islands are not particularly receptive in general to shipping -- some are, some aren't. Lihou Island for example in Guernsey is highly treacherous, tidewise, and surrounded by rocks -- but just to the south and just to the north are lovely sandy beaches receptive to ships at all states of the tide.

PS How many tidal islands in Holland?

[Keimpe]

Yes, I agree that the treacherousness of the waters might be a problem.

Apart from that, they would make the perfect landing spot for a ship: the customs officer lives on the island and the low tide causeway can be used for hauling and loading.

We have no tidal islands over here, unless you count these:

[Mick Harper]

Apart from that, they would make the perfect landing spot for a ship:

... apart from that the Grand Canyon would would make the perfect landing spot for a ship

the customs officer lives on the island

Or more conveniently next to the beach

and the low tide causeway can be used for hauling and loading.

and the low tide beach can be used for hauling and loading.

We have no tidal islands over here, unless you count these:

I can't tell if you are being ironic. We British don't do irony. Please explain.

[Mick Harper]

More from Celtic Saints of Wales .

These poems were perhaps written by Welsh céile Dé [= ‘servants of God’ in Old Irish, i.e. Culdees] living close to other monks whose life was less strict. There is archaeological evidence of a céile Dé community of Burry Holms

The thing is that I had always assumed that the Culdees were (or were etymologically or otherwise linked to) the Chaldeans of the Middle East. But this suggests something else entirely. The British end were certainly Megalithic, Burry Holmes being a small tidal island at the northern end of Rhossili Bay, Britain’s ‘best beach’, on the Gower Peninsula. Worm’s Head, another tidal island, is at the southern end.

Since both the Culdees and the Chaldeans seemed to be up to various peculiar but shared things (the metal trade for one) it is essential to nail down what the connection is. If any. By the way, note that "living close to other monks whose life was less strict" -- what does that imply (about the Culdees or indeed the other monks)?

[Keimpe]

I can't tell if you are being ironic. We British don't do irony. Please explain.

No irony (this time). Some of these islands (called "Wadden islands") can be reached on foot at low tide, even though they're miles from the mainland, which could qualify them as tidal islands, but they don't have any other Michael Mount-like features (single building on top of the island/hill + easily recognizable causeway + close to mainland)

[Boreades]

There is a Brehon Island just off Guernsey. Borry can tell us if these sailing instructions have any Megalithic significance.

About a mile off Platte Fougère you should be able to see the iron lattice tower of Roustel on a bearing of about 205º. You can then proceed down the Little Russel channel between Roustel, to port, and the green pillar of Platte (not to be confused with Platte Fougère), to starboard: the recommended procedure is to line up Roustel with the flat-topped Brehon fort on a bearing of 198º. From Platte it’s a straightforward run on to Castle Cornet, with the white lighthouse at the end of the breakwater in front of it, which guards the left hand side of the harbour.

The sailing instructions are a clue about the special position of Brehon - and as a picture paints words I can type less by showing this first:



Now, Mick will know this, so excuse me reminding, or explaining to others. The tidal flows around the Channel Islands are notoriously strong. If you were going in the wrong direction at the wrong time, you could easily find yourself going against a tide that flows faster than a sailing boat could sail. That is, you would be going backwards at a rate of knots. Or, if you know what you are doing, the tides are incredibly useful! So, pay attention to the chart. Do notice how Brehon forms a waypoint (like a roundabout) on the clearest-possible routes going north and south. Now then, if you have your Megalithic Trading ship ready to go north to Britain, or south to France, the state of the tides is everything. You may remember I've mentioned that as one of the special pieces of knowledge a good Druid was supposed to have.

From the web page that provides that chart: http://www.sailingalmanac.com/Almanac/N ... ussel.html

When navigating anywhere within the Gulf of St.Malo and the Channel Islands one needs to understand that the tides move around in a rotational system rather than the linear east-west flow that one's accustomed to in the channel, and the best method of appreciating this phenomena is by using a tidal clock, which records the time, the speed, and the direction of the tide relative to HW St. Helier for certain referenced positions around the Gulf region which are located approx 1 hour apart for an average yacht making 5 kts. From this tidal clock one can establish the most favourable window of tide in order to achieve any passage within the Gulf. For example, for a passage from St.Helier to St.Peter Port via the Little Russel you would have to leave St. Helier no later than HW St. Helier in order to achieve the last of the favourable tide to St. Peter Port. From Braye, one would have leave no later than HW±6 St. Helier to appreciate the last of the favourable tide to St. Peter Port - although with the Swinge in mind, one should really be departing Braye just after the local HW Slack which is around HW+4 St. Helier and then catch the SW streams for Guernsey. This tidal clock is key to any passage planning in the Gulf region.

[Boreades]

And here's the tidal clock they're talking about.



At first glance, that may all look complicated and a bit intimidating. But think of each tidal compass as a stepping stone, or like a game of hopscotch, where the aim of the game is to get from one side of the playing field to the other. Some points are literally and figuratively pivotal to making good progress across the grid. Brehon Island is one such place, as it can provide shelter while you wait for an adverse tide to slacken, and the tide to turn in your favour.

"Why bother?" - you might well ask. Well, I can only recount my personal experiences of sailing to & from St.PeterPort. If you leave there at the right moment, passing Brehon and catching a favourable tide *and* a favourable wind is like getting on an express elevator (or whatever they call those things at airports), and you are whisked across the English Channel in perhaps six hours.