26th June from the West Cliff Green, Bournemouth
Puffy white clouds and a little breeze. The day is warm. The bay is thrilled by the choppy little waves racing up and down. The beach is largely empty on this monday morning and is raked clean and flat by the tractors and litter rakes. On the cliff top the sweet pea flowers are turning to seed pods. The waste bins are full before the waste collectors make their rounds but are remarkably neat and tidy. The blackberries are red and full. On the promenade something I’ve never noticed before - a door hidden behind the beach huts and leading to a stone tunnel carved into the West Cliff itself. Where does it lead? Presumably some forgotten smugglers’ lair. Out in the bay the Dutch sailing ship Ide Min lies at anchor along with a couple of general cargo vessels. The Ide Min is an attempt to bring wind power back to cargo and pasenger work. The Condor Ferry sets off for the Channel Islands in a flurry of spray.
From 26th June 2022
The soft evening light filters through the branches of the pines casting abstract patterns on the carpets of dried needles below. As sunset approaches the white rocks of Old Harry are lit up with a bright warm glow and little boats are caught in the illumination. Tonight the red hull of the fishery protection vessel Malin Sentinel stands out like a child's collage on the crumpled silver blue and bottle green bay. The evening huddle of gulls is made up of mostly juvenile Herring Gulls. They swoop and circle uncertainly. There is a strong wind but it is still warm under a canopy of blue streaked with high Stratus clouds. Pigeons coo from every side. #bournemouth #westcliffgreen #summer ##june #sunset #malinsentinel
From 26th June 2021
The choppy little waves land with a satisfying bumb and sploosh on the beach. The ragged white sheets of cloud begin to tear apart and the south easterly drops. Suddenly it is warm enough for swimming. How pleasant, watching down through the translucent green water at the tiny network of ripples the sun makes dance on the sand beneath.
