The Cogspit Lakes dot the narrow coastal strip east of The Screech, a chain of brackish pools connected to the sea by underground channels. The name comes from the distinctive clicking sound the rocks make when waves withdraw—a mechanical noise that sounds like gears turning.
The sound is entirely natural, produced by rock formations in the underground channels. The tidal action creates pressure differentials that force air and water through narrow gaps, producing the clicking. But the first settlers in this area heard only the sound and assumed machinery—hence "Cogspit," supposedly the noise of some vast underground mechanism spitting up water.
The lakes support modest fishing communities that use the brackish water as a natural fish trap. The underground channels allow small marine species to enter but prevent larger predators from following. What emerges is safe to eat and easy to catch.