Graveyard

Walking in complete isolation on the banks of the Severn Estuary at low tide, listening to the call of the curlew echoing across the mudflats; the grey billowing clouds and fast fading light was quite something this afternoon. The massive crack and rumble of thunder overhead, the nearly dark light, a gusting wind which rustled the bushes and trees bordering the bank and swayed and rocked the whispering grasses on the foreshore was almost surreal. It was incredibly atmospheric this afternoon. Spooky didn't even come close!

Surrounding me were the dark remains of 81 ships deliberately wrecked to protect the banks from erosion by the strong river currents. Called the Purton Graveyard, each vessel had been taken out of the docks, towed by tug and sunk with holes knocked in the sides so silt would deposit inside them. It started in 1909 with barges and the wrecks are a mixture of wood, concrete and steel. It is an area now taken over by British Waterways and the largest one of it's kind in the UK. There has been since a meticulous recording of each vessel and aerial photographs taken to give clues as to the ships there.

No mac with me I kept looking up apprehensively hoping the massive clouds in the distance would circle by but they didn't and I got caught in the most tremendous downpour.

Two years blipping and it's been such a wonderful experience, and set my life off on a completely different path. I've loved taking the shots but what makes it special is the blip community. Thank you, a massive thank you to all who have dropped by over the last two years - it has been great getting to know you all and see all the terrific photographs in your journals. It has been even more wonderful to meet up with really lovely fellow blippers - you know who you all are! I feel very lucky!

Here's to many more blips!!