sea – fraggle ~ rocking a camera across the Universe

Seas

August 2, 2020August 1, 2020Posted in landscape, nature, people, photography, uncategorised, UncategorizedTagged fraggle, FujiX-T2, photography, sea52 Comments

“There’s nothing more beautiful than the way the ocean refuses to stop kissing the shoreline, no matter how many times it’s sent away.”
Sarah Kay

“Life is a sea of vibrant color. Jump in.”
― A.D. Posey

Fuerteventura, El Cotillo, North Atlantic Ocean 1997

Limitless and immortal, the waters are the beginning and end of all things on earth.

Heinrich Zimmer

The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.

Jacques Yves Cousteau

To me the sea is a continual miracle; The fishes that swim, the rocks, the motion of the waves, the ships with men in them. What stranger miracles are there?

Walt Whitman

Tunisia, Monastir, Mediterranean Sea 2008

“To reach a port we must set sail –
Sail, not tie at anchor
Sail, not drift.”
― Franklin D. Roosevelt

“There is one spectacle grander than the sea, that is the sky; there is one spectacle grander than the sky, that is the interior of the soul.”
― Victor Hugo,

Cyprus, Coral Bay, Mediterranean Sea, 2012

To me, the sea is like a person–like a child that I’ve known a long time. It sounds crazy, I know, but when I swim in the sea I talk to it. I never feel alone when I’m out there…

Gertrude Ederle

My soul is full of longing for the secrets of the sea, and the heart of the great ocean sends a thrilling pulse through me.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

There was a magic about the sea. People were drawn to it. People wanted to love by it, swim in it, play in it, look at it

Cecelia Ahern

“In still moments by the sea life seems large-drawn and simple. It is there we can see into ourselves.”
― Rolf Edberg

There is, one knows not what sweet mystery about the sea, whose gently awful stirrings seem to speak of some hidden soul beneath.

Herman Melville

Why do we love the sea? It is because it has some potent power to make us think things we like to think.

Robert Henri

All pictures embiggable with a click.

Stay tooned, for whatever comes next! 🙂

Rock & Craster & Dunstanburgh Castle

March 26, 2019March 25, 2019Posted in Adventures, castles & ruins, Fuji, Fujifilm X100F, landscape, Late Middle Ages, nature, people, photography, uncategorisedTagged adventure, Caster, Castle, Craster, Dunstanburgh Castle, fraggle, Fujifilm X100F, landscape, Northumberland, photography, ruin, sea, UK34 Comments

After our morning in Newbiggin Sophie and I went up to visit Craster, and on the way stopped off in Rock at a cafe Sophie found on Trip Advisor.

The owner there was lovely and had a good chat with us. He had 2 gorgeous sheepdogs, and the cafe is dog-friendly with an area outside for dogs to run around in. Good food too.

Then we drove on to Craster which is famous for its kippers.

Craster, with Dunstanburgh Castle in the backkground.

We walked up to see the castle, the sea was being quite dramatic.

The sky was lovely

The castle was built between 1313 and 1322 by Thomas the Earl of Lancaster. Thomas was an immensely powerful English baron, the second richest man in England after the King, his cousin, Edward II, with major land holdings across the kingdom. Edward was not the greatest King we ever had and was having a bit of a fling with his friend-with-benefits Piers Gaveston. Thomas and other earls did not like Piers’ influence on the King so led an army against Edward and Piers. The king escaped by sea, but the earls captured Gaveston at Scarborough. During his journey to London under arrest, they summarily executed him in Warwickshire, on Lancaster’s land. The King was pretty peed off about that, but he pardoned everyone involved. It was then that Thomas decided to build the Castle, and it is currently believed that Thomas probably intended to create a secure retreat, a safe distance away from Edward’s forces in the south. In the years following Gaveston’s death, civil conflict in England rarely seemed far away, and Thomas probably hoped to erect a prominent status symbol, illustrating his wealth and authority, and challenging that of the King. The resulting castle was huge, protected on one side by the sea cliffs, with a stone curtain wall, a massive gatehouse and six towers around the outside.

Castle Sheeps

Unfortunately for Thomas, life went tits up. The only time he even saw his castle was on the way to the siege of Berwick. Also by 1321, Edward had new favourites the Dispensers, father and son and both named Hugh. He especially liked the son though. The Dispensers were absolutely ruthless & horrid chaps, so Thomas and the other noblemen yet again went into battle, but this time their campaign failed, and though they tried to make it to Dunstanburgh a royalist army intercepted and defeated them at Boroughbridge, Yorkshire, on 16 March 1322, and captured Thomas. After a humiliating trial, Lancaster was beheaded at his own castle at Pontefract. The king took Dunstanburgh Castle into his own hands, garrisoning it with 40 foot soldiers and 40 hobelars (lightly armed cavalry).

So poor old Thomas! The castle’s history doesn’t end there (obviously as it’s still standing 🙄 ) but I’ll cover the rest when I return for a second visit.

We didn’t go in as the sun was sinking by the time we got there and we wanted to get back before it was dark, but a return trip is planned.

and we were treated to a nice sky on the way back.

Walking back to Craster

The fishermen at the harbour were packing up to go home

Next time we go we shall be lunching with this fine chap

Stay tooned we’re off to see the art galleries in Newcastle next time.

Also pop over say hi to me on my OTHER BLOG where I’m making pretty in Black & White. 🙂

Tall Ships at Sunderland ~ July 2018 ~ Part 3

November 7, 2018November 7, 2018Posted in Adventures, Event, Fuji, FujiX-T2, people, people, photography, uncategorisedTagged adventure, fraggle, FujiX-T2, people, photography, sea, ships, Sunderland, tall ships, UK31 Comments

Part 1 HERE. Part 2 HERE

Finishing up our day visiting the tall ships, here are a few more random pictures I took on the day.

What have these to do with Tall Ships Fraggle? Because UNICORNS!!!

Empty Gin Joint ~ what were they thinking?? IT”S SUNDERLAND!!! they don’t know what Gin is unless it’s spelled B.E.E.R! 🤣🤣

Actually the handstand man was part of a shoreside kind of play where himself and a couple of totties ran around half a ships deck, but I have no idea what that was all about.

Scary Totty. Having a bad hair day I think.

Three-point turn FAIL!! Several times. 🙄

I think though, my fave shot of the day was looking up at the grey block of flats overlooking the river and seeing this

Stay tooned for a visit to Stockton-on-Tees where we visited the cemetery, and the Butterfly House.

Tall Ships at Sunderland ~ July 2018 ~ part 2

November 4, 2018Posted in Adventures, Event, Fuji, FujiX-T2, people, people, photography, UncategorizedTagged fraggle, FujiX-T2, July 2018, people, photography, sea, Sunderland, tall ships, UK29 Comments

Part 1 Here

Part of the joy in photographing a big event like this, is people watching, and there were plenty of interesting humans for my camera.

Say ‘cheeeeeeze!’ Wait, no, say ice creeeeeem!

I’ll keep my head down, no-one will notice me.

stay tooned for more ships ahoy!

Seaham ~ May 2018 ~ part 2

August 19, 2018Posted in Adventures, Fuji, FujiX-T2, landscape, nature, people, people, photography, uncategorised, UncategorizedTagged adventure, Beach, fraggle, FujiX-T2, landscape, nature, people, photography, sea, seaham, UK25 Comments

Part 1 HERE

Let’s have a wander around the harbour and beach first.

There was a boat removal going on while we were there

Everyone found it entertaining

The beach was clean and not too packed,

Seaham’s Lighthouse was built in 1905 to mark the town’s north breakwater. The cylindrical metal tower is painted in an alternating black and white pattern and is 10 meters in height. A green light is shown from the glazed lantern at the top of the tower, which gives a single flash every 10 seconds or in bad weather shows a fixed green light. The tower also holds a Fog Horn which gives a blast every 30 seconds in periods of low viability. So glad I don’t live next to that!

Actually that’s a big fat lie, when the weather kicks off here Seaham lighthouse is the place to be with a camera, check this out a couple of minutes of this film by Ian Britton,

On the way back up the hill from the beach, we saw some more madding crowd coming down,

In Seaham, towels are the new must-have jackets.

That’ll do for today, stay tooned folks!

Teeside Nature Reserve~2017~part 3

August 1, 2017Posted in Adventures, Fuji, fujiXT1, landscape, nature, photography, uncategorisedTagged adventure, Beach, coast, fraggle, Fuji XT-1, landscape, nature, photography, River Tees, sea, Teeside Nature Reserve, UK19 Comments

Part 1 HERE. Part 2 HERE.

After walking through the meadows we got to the coastal side of the reserve, and the mouth of the river Tees

of course there were doggies

came across a washed up crab whilst looking for sea glass

and we wandered up to the pier to take some shots of the sea which was a beautiful blue and green

After, we walked back to the car, and went off to see the seals at the appropriately named Seal Sands, and they’ll be the next post so

stay tooned!

Farne Islands July 2016 ~ part 3

March 19, 2017March 21, 2017Posted in Adventures, birds, Fuji, fujiXT1, nature, photography, uncategorised, wildlifeTagged Adventures, birds, dolphins, Farne Islands, fraggle, Fuji XT-1, Inner Farne, nature, photography, sea, UK, wildlife36 Comments

Part 1 Part 2

Apart from Puffins, Arctic Terns breed during the summer on Inner Farne, they attack you if you get too near their chicks by dive bombing your head, so it’s best to wear a hat. They are pretty though,

baby sitting (you can just see the chick underneath mum)

I got a herd of shots the year before of gulls and cormorants, so didn’t do too many this time, (concentrating on the in-flight puffin shots!)

Peek-a-boo

I see no ships

Duck pond

The weather was lovely so some nice blue skies and sea

and then time to go, you only get an hour on the Island, but on the way back we were escorted by a herd of Dolphins, so many people on the boat with huge long lenses crowding to photograph them (mostly big blokes people) that I couldn’t see past them, so went into the inside bit of the boat and shot through the window, so these are not the best, but these are the only dolphins I’ve ever seen so here they are

And that’s the end of my visit to Farne Islands, can’t wait to go back!

Fraggle Report~ Farne Islands July 2016 ~part 1

March 15, 2017March 15, 2017Posted in Adventures, birds, Fuji, fujiXT1, landscape, nature, photography, uncategorisedTagged birds, Farne Islands, fraggle, Fuji XT-1, landscape, nature, photography, sea, seals, UK, wildlife29 Comments

Sophie and I finally got our trip to the Farne Islands a couple of weeks after the Bamburgh expedition. We’d wanted to go back as when we went in 2015 Sophie had forgotten her telephoto lens, and neither of us was any good at getting flying birds in focus, so a re-visit was in order.

Awaiting the boat our lunch was shared with a baby Starling, Mum on guard

Lovely blue skies as we sailed out of the harbour

but 15 mins out to sea and looking back to the shoreline, the clouds were gathering over Bamburgh Castle

but never mind the weather, we saw seals! lots of them!

Good Afternoon!

Seal-spat

snoozing

We three

Bird-poo rocks

It wasn’t me, honest!

All by myself

The sentinels

On to the puffins next time 🙂

Day 328 & 329~366

November 24, 2016Posted in 366, cat, crystal ball, Fuji, fujiXT1, landscape, nature, photography, uncategorisedTagged "double rainbow", 366, Beach, Cat, crystal ball, day329, day330, fraggle, Fuji XT-1, landscape, nature, photography, sea, Skye, South shields17 Comments

Yesterday was cold but at least wasn’t raining when I finished work, so as I was in South Shields seeing a client, I hopped over to Little Sandhaven beach and took some shots with the ball.

Just as I was finishing up the beginnings of a rainbow appeared over the sea,

and I took some non-ball shots

full strength but couldn’t fit it all in my frame

so got out the phone and did a quick video

I didn’t post last night as the cat hasn’t been all that well, and needed a lot of cuddle time. We are thinking this might be the beginning of the end as she hasn’t been eating, or doing anything much but sitting or lying in front of the microwave, and I am quite down with it all. Today she’s at least eating stuff now, but still a bit sedate, don’t think we’ve got much time left with her, and I don’t feel like taking photo’s. So this is today’s shot, such as it is.

Day 320~366

November 15, 2016Posted in 366, crystal ball, Fuji, fujiXT1, landscape, nature, photography, reflections, uncategorisedTagged 366, crystal ball, day320, fraggle, Fuji XT-1, landscape, nature, photography, reflection, sea, South shields12 Comments

We had a bit of blue sky until mid afternoon so I toddled off to the beach at South Shields with the ball and took a few shots. Photographing a crystal ball in sunlight is not the best because you get a lot of reflections on the surface of the ball, but it’s do~able if you shoot at the right angle. There was plenty of shade amongst the rocks too so took some there as well.

I got photobombed by a Rottweiler! Just as I took the shot he bounded up and started digging a hole.

this next one is my favourite one of the day, with the sun lighting up that reddish rock.

Day 309~366

November 4, 2016Posted in 366, crystal ball, Fuji, fujiXT1, landscape, photography, uncategorised, UncategorizedTagged 366, crystal ball, day309, fraggle, Fuji XT-1, landscape, Marsden Rock, photography, sea, South shields8 Comments

I took a quick drive down to the coast this afternoon, forgetting that a) the school traffic would be abundant, and b) it would be dark by 4pm! Got there in time to take a couple of shots at Marsden Rock.

This is one I took and flipped

Marsden Rock

The rock is a 100 feet (30 m) sea stack of periclase and magnesian limestone which lies approximately 100 yards off the main cliff face. In 1803 a flight of steps was constructed up the side of the rock. In 1903 several choirs climbed onto the rock to perform a choral service. A juggling show was also performed by a group of trainee clowns who worked for Marsden Quarry.

In 1911 a large section of the rock collapsed into the sea leaving it as an arch. Continued tidal erosion caused the arch to collapse in 1996, splitting the rock into two separate stacks. Prior to this it had featured on many local postcards and photographs. In 1997 the smaller stack was declared unsafe and was demolished in the interests of public safety.

The rock is home to seabird colonies, with thousands of pairs of kittiwakes, fulmars, gulls and cormorants.

These are a couple of shots Phil took back in the day, when the arch was there, and after it collapsed. I must do a ‘fragglefilm’ post with all our old shots from back then.

Day 282~366

October 8, 2016Posted in 366, Adventures, Fuji, fujiXT1, landscape, lego, photography, uncategorisedTagged 366, day282, fraggle, Frego, Fuji XT-1, Oct16, photography, reflection, sandcastles, Sandhaven Beach, sea, South shields, The Adventures of Frego10 Comments

A sunny morning here but too busy with chores to take advantage of it. By the time I’d finished it was cloudy and spots of rain started up. Never mind said Frego, lets go out anyway and see if we can find somewhere interesting, maybe the birds at the wildfowl trust. But as we set off we could see in the distance a band of beautiful blue sky, and it was in the direction of the sea! Frego loves being by the sea more than anywhere else, so off we went to South Shields again, but this time to Sandhaven beach.

As we got onto the beach the first thing we saw was

Frego would like to live in a castle by the sea, but that’s quite unlikely.

The tide was going out when we got there

and Frego wanted to shoot the rivulets it was making in the sand

She took some shots of the dog walkers

and then, we sat and just enjoyed the view.

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