Very low tide this weekend, ideal for one of our ever popular low tide walks. Eighteen people enjoyed a walk around and under Ferrybridge led by Angela from the Chesil Visitor's Centre. The weather was ideal and the tide very low.

The underwater cameras were also cleaned, but here the very low tide was a mixed blessing. Easier to get to the cameras, but there was a very strong current running which made staying with the cameras rather difficult. Very little underwater wildlife to see around the camera pontoons, even the prawns had taken shelter deep in the bladder wrack clumps.

Both underwater cameras cleaned, underwater visibility moderate to good, water temperature 17.6C.

Plenty of dead Zostera around this week, particularly on the inter-tidal camera. A large amount removed before the picture was restored. Cleaning the deeper camera was more challenging at it was high tide and getting down to the camera was something of a challenge.

Plenty of fish around still, with many two-spot gobies and grey mullet, and a fair number of corkwing wrasse. No bass seen today.

Still a lot of Bispira tubeworms in the shallows between the cameras.

The two underwater cameras were cleaned yesterday. An ideal day for such activities with very light winds and good late summer sunshine. The water temperature was 18.2C and the underwater visibility was excellent.

The water temperature usually peaks in mid-August, but this year is peaking in mid-September. The cold, cloudy July seems to have delayed the cycle.

there is now a lot of fish activity with many grey mullet and a few bass about. The two-spot gobies are still around in high numbers. Visual estimates suggest about 50 fish in the camera pontoon. Two unusual visitors seen near the cameras were a pipe fish and a small cuttlefish. There seem to be a number of pipefish around at the moment with several seen. The species is most probably the worm pipefish. The small cuttlefish was approximately 6cm long and was in very shallow water near the P1 camera.

Also around the cameras at present are large shoals of small fish, approximately 15cms long. Species is unclear, but they could be young pollack. They always stay above the camera pontoon and never enter the enclosed area.

The small prawns, Palaemon elegans, also known as 'Billie Winters', are around in some numbers, but mixed in with them is a larger prawn that could be Palaemon serratus. These occur in large numbers on the Portland Harbour breakwaters.

The tides at the end of August were wonderfully low and parts of the beach were exposed that are not normally exposed leading to an excellent low tide walk. Although nothing out of the ordinary was found we were able to see and handel larger than usual sea squirts and starfish which was very good for the children.

Nine people thoroughly enjoyed a walk in the late summer sun on the grassy area by the Visitors Centre led by Dorothy, our flower expert. Because of the unusual weather this year the number of flowers to be seen was unfortunately well below normal. No rarities were found, but a good selection of the Chesil Beacxh flowers were observed.