Thornwick Bay, near Flamborough, East Yorkshire.

 

Tuesday 21st August 2018.

 

I have an inclination to visit the coast. 

So yesterday I traveled to small coastal villages north and south of Hornsea. My idea is to paint a beach scene when the tide is out and paint sky reflections on the wet sand. However the tide was high, the sky grey and it also started to rain lightly. So no painting. I watched an interesting little event at Hornsea beach. On the beach the small fishing boats were arriving, they lined themselves up, out at sea, with the waiting tractors,  then on full throttle they raced in and ran the boats up the beach. They attached their boats to the tractor pick up, to be taken away to sell their catch. As the tractors began to haul the boats out of the water they dug themselves into the sand. Here the beach rose quite steeply as the tide was at its height and the shoreline very steep. It meant reversing and realigning the direction of the pull which resulted in bouncing tractor units as they sought to get grip on the sand. But enough of that.

Today I headed further north, to Flamborough lighthouse. It was wonderful. The tall straw coloured grass mixed with bright yellow ragwort hid myriads of paths leading to the cliff edges, precipitous edges, where extreme caution was called for, especially with a big dog. At one point, looking down to the still sea, I saw two inquisitive seals with bobbing heads, looking one way and then another. The bright sun was very warm, hazy blue skies were scattered with pale developing clouds.  George enjoyed his walk here but it was really too hot for him.

So I headed north to Thornwick Bay.

Again it was wonderful, less busy than Flamborough but the cliffs just as challenging. The sea remained calm, exposed wet areas on the shoreline indicated the tide was beginning to recede. I found a path down to what looked like a beach. Though mostly rocky with huge, smooth, worn chalk stones this particular area also had small, sand like, stone grains. George wetted his feet but refrained from exploring more as the water was darkly coloured with masses of seaweed. A developing breeze offered some relief and at about 4.30, back on the cliff top,  I started to paint. I was looking down from the cliff and wanted to paint the nab as it entered the sea. Then I realised I was almost out of white paint. Tut tut. As I painted several people came across and we had some pleasant chats. A man from the West Riding, I assumed, talked of Ashley Jackson another Yorkshire artist. A family came over and a young girl displayed excellent taste, before getting a little white paint on her arm. Later another family group watched as I painted and we joked about including seagulls, as they required very little white paint.

One feature of the day was the huge number of grasshoppers. In the distance tiny white seabirds flew across the sea as I looked down. Indistinct yet vibrant specks of life. Just before stopping I saw a slightly vague silhouette of a small boat. As I added it I realised the access road was to be, chained and closed in five minutes, so I packed up and rushed off.

 

I am now sitting outside the Pipe and Glass having just finished a fish pie. The evening is very still, trees stand motionless. A pair of cyclists arrive and loudly, squeakily stop, blaming their disc brakes for the noise. All is well and diners sit and choose their food. Time passes and the outside lights switch on. I stay outside a little longer, watching and listening before going home.

Hope you like the picture, it is a little less detailed than usual but sort of captures the feel of the place, I think.

John Geekie Artist - more details here.