Monday our friend from the Unitarian Meeting House, Linda, took us on a drive to explore Snape and Aldeburgh. This is Benjamin Britten territory. Britten, born in 1913, was a composer, conductor and pianist, and was a key figure in 20th Century British music. He lived and died in Aldeburgh, started the Aldeburgh Music Festival and developed Snape Maltings as a premiere music hall. We were able to see his, and his partner Peter Pears, grave at the Aldeburgh church. We hope to hear a concert at Snape Maltings when we return next spring. The picture is of Linda and me at a sculpture on the beach at Aldeburgh. The words are from Benjamin Britten: “I hear those voices that will not be drowned.”
While driving in Ipswich and Aldeburgh, Linda pointed out areas that had been flooded in 1953, was rebuilt and had flood defenses built since then. The flood occurred because of a low pressure system that stalled on the North Sea, allowing the water to build up, and then followed by a spring tide (greatest tidal range) and high winds. Well, several weeks ago we made it through the strongest wind storm since 1987 and now it looks like tonight we will see the strongest chance for severe flooding since 1953! Same conditions are building up. We are in a basin with tide gates. They will be lowering the water levels today and then shutting the flood gates (higher than the normal gates). They hope that with the water level lowered, the basin will have room for the surge of water if any comes over the flood gates. I think we are going to stay up late tonight to keep an eye on things.