I Think Someone's Left The Plug Out

L'Ancresse Bay, Guernsey
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The tide wouldn't normally go out this far, but there's a big plug hole about a mile out to sea ... and very large water pump about 50 feet away from the plug hole ...
Twice a day the plug is removed to let all the sea water drain away from the beach ... The reason for this is so that the rocks don't get too soggy and that the seaweed can have a respite from being constantly submerged ... (in the summer it also gives people a chance to play football, cricket, or Frisbee, etc, on the beach whilst it's dried out) ...
Not far from the plug hole is a big pump which draws all the water back up and refills the bay ...
Because the plug and pump system is quite old, it doesn't always function properly and too much water gets drained away ... In turn, the pump compensates and draws too much water back out ...
It's all to do with the rusty old springs in the mechanisms, which is why when this happens, it's called a "spring" tide ... :o)
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(Well ... that's what I was told when I was about five years old and I've never had occasions to doubt it ... but now I come to put it into writing, I'm not so sure ...???)