Running on water / miracle run

29 June

Weirdest run ever! On Friday I picked the kids up early and drove up to Shenfield, picked up Claire and then together we headed up to the coast to drive over the causeway to Osea Island. The traffic was terrible and we didn't get to the causeway until 30mins after the "safe crossing" window closed. We set off attempting a slightly sketchy crossing. The "road" (more of a rutted track) heads over the beach and out onto the mudflats between the mainland and the island. It's submerged most of the time, apart from two four hour windows each day. About half way across the water was right up to the edge on the right hand side, and then we reached a section that was completely (if shallowly) submerged. You couldn't really see if it was clear further on, and it's a narrow track so we chickened out, executed a tricky 14 point turn and retraced our steps.

The water was already half over the road behind us! So - if you're ever attempting a crossing to Osea be aware - that tide moves REALLY quickly. Safely back on dry land we headed for Maldon for a pizza, booked a boat over to the Island for later in the evening and left the car at Heybridge. That meant that on Saturday morning I needed to go and get the car, which had all the food in. The tide window closed at 5.45, so I woke up at 4am and ran across the causeway, which on Strava looks like I went for a run in the sea! It was like running on the moon (see photo below)! Eerie, desolate, muddy and murky just as the sun was thinking about coming up. Got back by 5am, gave father-in-law a life back across to get his car, then back to bed at 5.30am. Weird day, though possibly not as weird as the day my brother and sister-in-law had setting off at 3am to get to us before the tide! That's commitment!

Great weekend had by all - not much running, plenty of food though!