THE BEACH IN WINTER 83 



other cause for self-deception exists with those 

 who have spent their earlier years in inland towns 

 or country where the snowfall is greater and 

 comes earlier than it does in coastal regions. A 

 very few miles often makes a considerable differ- 

 ence. 



The winters of 1903-4 of 1917-18 and 

 1919-20 were unusually severe and afforded many 

 interesting phenomena. That of 1917-18, oc- 

 curring during the Great War, will long be re- 

 membered. Captain Howard, the keeper of the 

 light in the Ipswich dunes, was startled at night 

 by loud boomings which shook the plates on his 

 pantry shelves. Visions of German raiders bomb- 

 ing the coast naturally came to his mind, but it 

 was discovered later that the disturbance arose 

 from great frost cracks forming in the sand of 

 the dunes and extending for many yards. In this 

 way miniature earthquakes are caused by the 

 frost. 



The beach and the sea are of great interest in 

 severe winter weather. Those who know these 

 regions only in the summer have little idea of 

 the changes wrought by the cold. As the tide 



