Sheltered from the Storms

The umpteenth gale of the winter hit us yesterday and for the third time this year the high tide encroached into our garden, although the garage was spared this time. Only seen the tide as high once in the last ten years before, so three surge tides to this level in the first few weeks of 2014 is quite worrying. However, getting a bit weary of it all and desperate for Spring to arrive.

I thought our prayers had been answered as we left church this morning, when we were met by blue skies and sunshine. It was so refreshing to see bright colours after all the grey of late.

Back home and we received a couple of phone calls from neighbours to tell us there was a seal sitting on the bank of the river not far from our house. There are plenty of seals around our coast, but only very occasionally do they enter the brackish waters of the river. Not sure if this one entered the river in search of food or to escape the very heavy seas. Either way, it had found a sheltered spot to relax and soak up the sunshine, which actually had a bit of warmth in it out of the wind.

Think by its size it may be a juvenile seal. As I got nearer, it shuffled towards the river but still hung around long enough for me t get a few blips.

As I type the wind is getting up again with the next gale approaching. Looks like another 24 hours of being battered from the south east, a wind I am starting to hate!