Humpback Whale Awesomeness

Hello!

I couldn’t wait to share this one, so you’ll forgive me for the short blog this time. Just come back from a trip over to south-west Ireland and I was fortunate enough to go on a whale watching trip just off the coast near a place called Union Hall.

I was on the trip with my girlfriend and her Aunt and Uncle, who were cynical about seeing anything at all after a few quiet trips but, in the end, we saw a pair of humpbacks and I took a sweeet video of one feeding. You can see the video on my YouTube channel by clicking here.

What a day, it was so exciting we were all exhausted by the afternoon when we got back; saw Seals, Dolphins, Porpoise and Tuna too. In my opinion, it was worth twice the amount we paid and please, if you visit, or know of anyone likely to, seek the gent out (his name is Colin Barnes) and give him your cash! His website is here.

Happy Fathers Day!

Hello All,

A special mention to all the Dads out there on Fathers Day (in the UK anyhow…not sure if I have any foreign visitors at the moment). Went out last night, as it’s notoriously busy on the Sunday if you want a meal or anything, to The Shed in Porthgain (http://www.theshedporthgain.co.uk/). Possibly the best fish and chips (they do serve other food for anyone who hates this) not only in Pembrokeshire but in Wales. Such a light batter and chips that are second to none I have ever eaten.

It comes neck and neck with the blue cod fish and chips I ate in New Zealand some years back but, if you live nearby, go! Now! Tell your friends! Google the website and book! Do it! Seriously, they have received shining review in national newspapers. Anyway, that’s enough of a plug for them. But you should try and go if you are near…

Today is proper Fathering Sunday and Dad also has a sticky ginger and lime cake to consume (egg-free as he can’t eat them) made by a colleague at work who dabbles in baking which is also lovely, so it’s been a touch of a culinary weekend this weekend.

Just as well, as the weather has been shocking. The wind of the past few days has been in the words of the BBC “unseasonably strong”…in other words, stay in and watch the trees lose all their leaves and stick them to the side of my car, which is what I have been doing in the evenings after work. I went for a bike ride quickly recently but with the gusts nearly blowing me over through hidden gateways and fighting the wind head on, it was quite short!

Anyway, onto the pictures. Enough of the rambling….unles we are talking walking rambling which leads me onto my pictures this post. These were all taken on a walk I took from Port Lion along the estuary towards Lawrenny. A nice path, if it wasnt at 45 degrees most of the time…man, did that ache when I got back. Anyway, it was very pleasant so I decided to follow the path as far as I could go. When I arrived there, there was a hell of a racket and a splash as I had disturbed a basking seal! He was too quick to get a picture of, but he did pop his head up to swear at me….

“Oi! I was just minding my own business on the beach. Get lost!”….the poor seal I unwittingly displaced near Lawrenny

Once I’d argued with him about disturbing his sunbathing and moved on, I discovered that I had arrived at low tide and this showed up the trees that grow right to the edge of the estuary very well with their old bent branches which are pretty darn photogenic. However, it will take more fancy equipment and better light to show that up I suspect. In the meantime, this will have to do….

It’s amazing how close these tress are to the high tide, look carefully and you can see seaweed hanging off the branches

Further along the shore, there was small pond which looked as though it was being used to grow plants or something and you could clearly see the entrance to the local marina (I use the term loosely, it’s more a boat park with a few houses around) where a few boats were putting in and out. No zoom lens, so I just opted for a long view of the shore and trees.

A longer view of the shore to give an impression of where the water gets to

I then wandered back on myself as it was clouding over for an explore along the shore, mainly to see if there was any flotsam and/or jetsam I could pick and hoard. There was a lovely piece of split rock which exposed a gorgeous vein of sparkly quartz crystals, so I picked that up and it currently graces my desk.

For anyone interested in geology, this might be an interesting feasture…made a nice frame for my image in my case

Further down, I did find a random feature. I have no idea what is it, bar a hole in the face of the rock shore. As you can see, there was a rope running up alongside it as well, so it’s either used or has been used of late for something. I don’t know whether someone stashes gear in there to keep it out of harms way (pesky seals) or even sleeps in there themselves…some fisherman go to extremes for their sport after all and it was about that size. Let me know what you think.

That mystery cavern just above head height. What’s it for? Looks like it took some considerable work to make so it’s got to be pretty important…

Anyway, that’s about the size of it this week, hope you enjoy the rest of the day and thanks again for dropping by. Whilst I have been typing, it has once again started raining and I was due to go out for a spin in my car. I’d just washed the wheels yesterday too. Grrr…..