Dave,
The picture was taken near to low tide. At high tide there is no sand visible. It is slightly deceptive to look at it like this. When you are in the water it is quite easy to get out of your depth. Only exceptionaly good swimmers and surfers venture out past the surf line. At certain times of the tide there is a powerful undertow near the breakers. Strong enough to drag me out at 6ft 4in and 245lb. For a gentle gradient we go to Leysdown, Isle of Sheppey. I walked out with a friend on a spring low tide. We had walked from the high tide mark straight out for well over a mile, possibly one and a half miles. The water was now up to our knees. We realised the tide had turned and started back. We shuffled and ran for half an hour to reach the waters edge. For the next fifteen minutes the incoming tide kept pace with us at a very fast walk.
