Earlier this week we walked around the harbour walls at Watchet in Somerset, and I took the photo below of the lighthouse. We both felt fortunate to be out walking in such an interesting area on a glorious Autumn day.
Back home again, and we have just seen the same lighthouse on the TV news. It showed fearsome waves breaking all around and even over it with a thunderous sky above as it confronted Storm Ciarán. Although the storm swirled around many parts of Britain, and we live less than 70miles from Somerset, Storm Ciarán completely passed us by. With these huge changes in weather patterns around the world, we have decided that in this country, it is far better to make your home well away from costal and riverside locations, glorious as it might be to have them on your doorstep.
The port at Watchet is subject to a very large tidal range courtesy the Bristol Channel so the harbour has double entry high substantial walls. This the inner harbour, and below is the outer harbour.
The red arrows point to a couple that we spoke to before they walked back to their yacht. They told us that they spend the winter in Watchet harbour and travel the high seas during the summer. The wooden walkways rise to the top of the mooring poles as the tide comes in. We are now left wondering what has happened to their beautiful boat and whether or not it managed to weather the storm intact. Principally we came to Watchet to walk in the footsteps of two of our most distinguished poets. A sculpture by the harbour wall is a reminder of their association with the town. The visit gave rise to a poem by one of the poets that is now celebrated throughout the world. But more of that next time. There are several interesting little boutique shops in Watchet so we treated ourselves to a small white china pumpkin in celebration of Halloween. It was carefully wrapped in tissue paper and popped into a small white carrier paper bag. Before leaving we enjoyed a flask of coffee on a seat overlooking the harbour, but immediately were totally surrounded by Herring Gulls looking for food. But having already eaten a full English breakfast at our hotel, food was the last thing on our mind. However, this cheeky young juvenile Herring Gull would not leave us alone, he talked to us, and moved his head from side to side - seemingly he was convinced that our pumpkin bag held something good to eat.
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I thought you were going to tell us that the herring gull picked up the little paper carrier bag in its bill and flew off! Glad your purchase made it home okay!
ReplyDeleteAh no! I would have been crossed if he had.
DeleteLovely photos Rosemary, the bird in particular, it does look so cute.
ReplyDeleteHigh seas it seems and you were fortunate it get a beautiful day whilst visiting.
Great to live by the sea but at a bit of a distance even then the sea air and sea sprinkes water on the homes.
The weather around the world is crazy, and at times frightening too.
DeleteHello Rosemary, Like you I enjoy visiting the coast, but I would not want to live there. I do agree that there is some spectacular viewing, especially during storms. And in Ohio winters those surges often freeze, as in these photos of a Cleveland lighthouse on Lake Erie:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/101223-lighthouse-covered-ice-palace-cleveland-ohio-lake-erie-science-weather-pictures
--Jim
Hello Jim and thank you for that extraordinary link to the image of the lighthouse on Lake Erie.
DeleteSome beautiful photos and a cute seagull :)
ReplyDeleteLove from a rainy island & Titti
Everywhere is very wet here too Titti, but today the sun has decided to show her smile again.
DeleteI suspect that many people with coastal properties are starting to rethink their decision. Here in Canada, Prince Edward Island was savaged last year and lost a good deal of its shoreline, and some houses are now perched on the edge of a cliff, whereas they had been as much as thirty metres back before Fiona wreaked her havoc. Even with inland waterways there is great concern over erosion, along the shore of Lake Erie in particular. We have trifled with nature for far too long, and the price now has to be paid.
ReplyDeleteI look back and remember how idyllic and simple our lives were when we were young compared with the lives of our youngsters today. Every week we hear about raging fires, dreadful flooding, earthquakes, hurricanes, destructive storms, and man still continues to make war.
DeleteLiving near the coast is a precarious situation these days. Such extreme weather, with sudden changes. Although we live on an island, about 4 miles from the coast, and on higher ground, there is no danger from the seas. It is so exhilarating to see the sea in all of its moods, although most wild ones, such as the storm you indicated, are best seen from a screen.
ReplyDeleteI'm curious about the two poets from Watchet.
I am rather slow at getting my act together these days Lorrie, but hopefully more about the poets when I do.
DeleteWhat a smart little red lighthouse - I do hope it weathered the storm and still stands in place. Extreme weather does unfortunately seem to be becoming the norm. Yes, we are best to live in a safe area. The young Herring Gull looks very cute, and like all baby birds, rather demanding. Your white pumpkin sounds very pretty indeed, and I look forward to hearing about the poets from Watchet.
ReplyDeleteThe current lighthouse at Watchet has faced storms and tempests for over 150 years, and hopefully it will continue to survive.
DeleteDear Rosemary - The red lighthouse is so stylish. Spending time at coastal area is soothing. Your photos made me feel nostalgic reminding me of a yacht harbor close to my hometown Kobe. I like to see many yachts waiting for the exhilarating sail. These weeks weather has been stable, a little too warm, but one month ago it was so fickle that it hailed and stormed suddenly despite the blue sky. How cute the juvenile Herring Gull!
ReplyDeleteEverywhere appears to be experiencing very unusual weather conditions, but I suspect that it will be quite sometime before it feels too warm here.
DeleteI used to drive to the coast just to experience the big waves and capture storms down there and think nothing of it. Inland here it's now sudden flooding you have to be wary of nowadays as I had no option but to go through a flood to get home several years ago which affected my car afterwards so that's what I'm concerned about now with 3 or 4 floods a year in the surrounding streets not uncommon after severe local downpours. bob.
ReplyDeleteThere is no fear of flooding here as we live 700ft above sea level. However, our biggest contention could be strong winds. I have fearful memories of living through the Hurricane that hit Glasgow in 1968 with wind speeds recorded of 125 mph.
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