Posted by Mike Field on 11/17/99 from 203.87.22.206 via proxy cache.net2000.com.au:
In Reply to: Re: Secret Water is a masterpiece posted by Dawn Morley on November 14, 1999 at 12:02:19:
The sort of country depicted in Secret Water appears to be similar in its essentials to where I live on Western Port in Australia -- flat hinterland consisting largely of drained marshes, mud everywhere forming islands at high water but unreachable at low, and with a large (10+') tidal range. On Western Port, though, we also have to combat mangroves and mosquitos, neither of which exist (I suspect, but correct me) in Hamford Water.
For myself, I find this country fascinating, wehther on dry land or exploring the myriad little channels and inlets by water. A centreboarder (or a leeboarder) is essential, of course. Mine is a 15-footer, a bit bigger than Swallow, and I find her just about perfect. (You can see a few photos of her on Stuart Wier's website.) And, as Ted Walker told the Swallows (and as the Egyptians discovered for themselves when trying to cross The Wade,) you need to be careful of the tides.
It's really the tides that provide the interest, though. Our adjacent Port Phillip, although tidal, is almost landlocked. So tidal range is minimal (2' springs) meaning that PP is always the same -- a large pool of water surrounded by sand beaches, much of it backed by houses. Boring!
So I share the Swallows' enthusiasm for Secret Water. (And since I have sore need of the Mastodon's splatchers, I'm reinventing them, too, in my spare time.)