Jenny Heard (USA) – Tideline
I have spent a lot of time on the Snohomish River near my home in Washington State in the United States – walking its banks and kayaking or rowing its waters. Depending on the season, it meanders or surges from the mountains towards Puget Sound, a body of saltwater along the Pacific Ocean. The Snohomish is a tidal river, and, at its mouth, the fresh water mixes with the salty water of Puget Sound. The place where these waters meet changes constantly, depending on the ebb and flow of the tides and the rise and fall of the river. The river sometimes moves backwards as it is pushed upstream by the tide, or the river can overwhelm the force of the tide when it is high and flooding.
The point where the incoming tide collides with the outflowing river, the tide line, is my favorite place. It is full of energy, moving and changing directions unpredictably. Along the tide line, the dancing water is darker and sparkles. Its greens and blues vary on either side of the tide line, yet it is all the same mix of water. I have learned that it is wise to paddle forcefully through this turbulent area, whether going against or with the current, and it is fascinating to watch its activity from the banks.