After seeing the remains of the Spiral Cairn II from the previous day, I could see that spirals had nature and significance that was especially powerful in this place. Also the marriage of water and stone (or earth in a way, using two of the four ancient elements) holds an appeal for all of my sculptures.
The way the tide in this place rises quite fast, but with a great gentleness because of the protection from the breakers given by the ‘harbour wall’ of rocks that surround the bay. The tide here is relentless but very gentle. This makes the rising tide more apparent and visible, more like a slow rush of water. Normal tides on open beaches are less obvious because of the continuous too and fro of the waves.
I set out to make a stone vortex using the same type of pebble as the cairn of the previous day, not the same stones as only nature was allowed to completely weather the cairn.
I found a fairly clear part of the clay beds not far from the cairn. I started by placing a round, flat stone in the centre and then gradually working form the centre. In this way each stone is balanced but is supported by its neighbours, while it in turn supports each of its neighbours. This emphasises the feeling that each stone is a small part of the whole, but the whole would not be in existence if it were not for each individual stone. Working together in partnership. This makes the whole sculpture work in a totally different way.
I had to start this sculpture three times as I was not happy with either of the first two attempts. These sculptures look as though they have no form, reason, or rhythm at the beginning and it is only through perseverance that they are ever finished. I become despondent at several stages of these, almost giving up and going to have a cigarette. I then tell myself that for the form to come out it needs a few more rocks laid down. Suddenly a form begins to appear, and the whole thing seems worthwhile. The bigger the form gets the better it becomes.
The tide was getting close by now and I had to work fast to get some form of completion. Managed it and took some photos. Decided to let the tide cover the spiral and see what it looked like if it survived. The only trouble is that the air that is trapped in the sand and clay rises through the water and creates foam on top of the water. Taking photos is difficult but you can see the stones through the water. The slightly disturbed affect of the water on top of the stones is quite effective.
Again a marriage of earth and water so that the two become a whole and live in partnership.
As a footnote to this, when I visited three weeks later the spiral is still fairly well intact and the centre has become more solid with the laying down of sediment in the cracks between the stones.