Across the salt marsh

At first, the channel markers stood out against the clear morning sky, each post as distinct as a stroke of ink. From the raised path, I could trace the channel's bends all the way to the distant quay. Then sea mist moved inland. It erased the far bank, and soon even the nearest marker was only a grey smudge. The guide called us back before the path itself disappeared from view.

Select one word or phrase that presents the narrator's view before the mist arrives and one that presents it after the mist has spread. Explain what each selection suggests about the change in the view.