Winter..

The last few weeks since I returned from India have seen a series of storms sweep across Cornwall (well.. not just Cornwall…), seemingly perfectly timed to disrupt the weekends.. every weekend. The one exception being that sunny Sunday a couple of weeks ago. Despite being self-employed and therefore having the freedom to go riding, kayaking etc pretty much whenever I like to make the most of spells of finer weather, the weekend as a concept still does have some meaning for me – in part I think because not all of my friends enjoy the same freedoms. The weather can become tedious if you let it.. but on the other hand Cornwall can be spectacular at this time of year.. it just requires the will to embrace it. The coast and cliffs being particularly lonely and attractive.. especially for someone like me who perhaps tends towards hopeless romanticism… John Masefield’s “Sea Fever” makes complete sense and describes perfectly why all those DIY jobs in the summer I left for a wet and windy winter weekend remain completely unfinished :-)

Looking out to the Brisons from Porth Nanven on a wet and windy Sunday afternoon. No kayaking – F7-8 winds and seas of around 20ft meant bicycle and boots only. I’d gone down to check out cheeky wild camp opportunities… as it happens there aren’t really any.. but it’s a lovely spot regardless with the hard granite sculpted into beautifully rounded shapes by the incessant pounding of the Atlantic.
Big waves and a lonely seabird in the teeth of a F8-F9 gale.. with the Seven Stones wave buoy showing 23ft, in shallow water close to shore the waves were pitching to around 25-30ft peak to trough. Fantastic to watch while being blasted by salt spray. This is Pentreath.. last seen on a quieter day here: https://www.seasurfdirt.com/2015/08/20/pentreath/

 

6 thoughts on “Winter..

  • Do you know the photography of John Blakemore? His landscape work, rocks and sea were an inspiration. I have one on the wall that I bought from him years ago. Camera on a tripod then stop the 5X4 down to 30 seconds and take 35 1 second images on the plate, for example. Those rocks would have excited him. Love the images Mike.

    • Hey, no I don’t. I’m not really into landscape photography and I don’t try to be a landscape photographer… I don’t have the motivation, skill or patience to be any good at it… so guilty of not paying attention… I will look him up however now you’ve mentioned him :-)

  • That water is such a gorgeous blue… You must really enjoy living on the coast, as would I! Being close to the water makes me feel at ease.

    • hey Gina, various tones of that sea blue/green are my favourite colour.. and yes, I love living by the sea.. it’s part of me… and you’re quite right, just being close to it somehow makes life better. Mountains have the same effect :-)

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