Sunday 20 November 2016

Seaside Stroll


 Except it wasn't really a stroll, more like a fast walk to keep warm!

 I thought I'd better make the most of the clear skies on Saturday, as the weather forecast for Sunday (today) was miserable. Although, as I sit here and type this, the sun's out (there are dark clouds looming in the distance, however)...

Cromer town from the strip of woods between Kings Chalet Park and Cromer Country Club

The offshore supply ship Putford Ajax, and the offshore construction jack up Neptune

Here they are in a bit more detail (although still fuzzy - they were a long way off).
I used MarineTraffic.com to identify them


Cromer Pier

Cromer Beach shaded by the cliffs thanks to the encroaching Winter's low (and getting lower) sun

Overstrand beach

Splash!

Squwark!

I think this is some sort of sandpiper (Scolopacidae family, Actitis genus?), maybe a stint (Calidris genus)? Whatever it is, it was on its own and looks like it could be a juvenile,
or losing its breeding plumage for a winter look.

High tide at Overstrand

G-OENB: An Agusta Westland AW189 operated by Bristow Helicopters

Yikes! A couple of alien skeletons on the cliff


 I thought I'd dust off the old walkies/drift maps to show you where I went (last seen here). The dots show the route I took, the arrows point out the direction travelled, and the circles show the start and end points of a particular route - the first circle in Overstrand is the end of the promenade, and the second is the cliff edge (the path west having collapsed and fallen into the sea) so I back-tracked and went down Cliff Road instead.

 And there you have it. Yesterday's seaside stroll!
 

19 comments:

  1. I do love watching the sand pipers. They're comical to watch running so fast when the waves toll back in.

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    1. THey are, aren't they?! This one had to make a fast flighty getaway when a big wave almost broke over her/him.

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  2. I always enjoy the walkie posts, especially the bird pix. I saw several Crested Caracaras yesterday during a road trip.

    Marine Traffic is a daily stop for me. I usually check where my river cruise ships are.

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    1. From Wikipedia: "They will occasionally follow trains or automobiles to fetch food that falls off." - Did you find yourself stalked by Caracaras?

      I've only just discovered MarineTraffic - and it's rather addictive!

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  3. And how interesting to see that your walks form a sort of curl shape - defensive against the outside world or protective of the inside world?

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    1. Well, I hadn't given it much thought. Although, when I look at it now, I can see an extended arm (complete with shoulder blade on the left) with the index finger pointed at Sidestrand. What can it mean?

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    2. Its meaning would clearly depend on whether the querent would see an arm removed from its body or - ahem - a baby's arm! Personally I draw shapes on maps and wander round as close to the shape as I can, although of course it doesn't compare to the classic psychogeographic technique of drawing round a wine glass on a map. Strangely nobody ever comments on the essential step in this technique, which is of course the consumption of so much wine that you can only stagger in a circle and a straight line is a long-distant memory...

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    3. Hah! I'm going to check if it works with a gin tumbler, too...

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  4. Lovely photographs as always. You caught the fine weather just in time, it would seem - last night it all went apocalyptic here in London... Jx

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    1. Thank you, Jon. I'm glad I did venture out, as the apocalypse travelled from London to make today miserable.

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    2. There was a wasp in my kitchen today.

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  5. Replies
    1. I was going to say that I just didn't want to rub Ms Scarlet's nose in it any more, but really it's because all the cormorants had buggered off somewhere. Not a one in sight!

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    1. Hound has already come up with a "baby's arm"...

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  7. I have stolen the cormorants.
    Plus, I have a 'I survived the storm' sticker stuck in my hair.
    Sx

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    1. I might have known you were to blame. How do they all fit on that post?

      Was the sticker on purpose, or did it get blown into your hair by the storm? Glad you survived, though!

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  8. Add me to the list of people who love the bird pics. Seabirds are neat--with the exception of those filthy flying rats, damned seagulls!

    How interesting that the ships and platforms operating off your North Sea shore are named after Mediterranean/Greco-Roman deities/legends.

    The shot of the tower high above Cromer town is breath taking, absolutely magical and fantastic! So regal and mystical, rising out from the trees to stand so defiant and mighty on that hill overlooking the land and sea below. Very marvelous capture!

    Thanks for venturing out to capture and share these awesome fotos!

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