An Outing to Port Soderick

We had a bit of sunshine so we headed out to the coast near us. A place called Port Soderick. There is a small rocky beach with a ramp that extends well out in the water that allowed me to get some shots from a bit off-shore.

I like the way you can see the water swirling around the rocks at this shutter speed (½ sec).



The granite along the shore covered with seaweed makes a striking foreground. These long rows of granite lying parallel to one another resemble trees felled at the water's edge when viewed from farther away.

A long exposure in color creates an image that feels a little painterly in the fading afternoon light.

The Crogga River runs into the ocean here and this is a small stream near the shore that feeds that stream. I like the way the thin layer of moving water in this 3 sec exposure blurs portions of the stones while the parts not under water are sharp. It plays tricks with the eye and confuses our sense of how to see it correctly, somewhat like an optical illusion.

Port Soderick also forms the southern terminus of the Marine Drive you saw from the northern, Douglas, end in a previous post. In the late afternoon sunshine, this end is much more interesting. Between here and the northern part is a section of a mile or so that is open only to foot traffic. In the strong winds coming from the sea, neither of us has had the gumption to take that trek on. But there certainly all many who do, taking their dogs out for the daily walks here.

And just to let you know a bit about about where we are staying, here is a look at a portion of the driveway. We are out in the fields surrounded by rabbits and pheasants, horses and riders, and trees deformed by what seems to be continual wind. Yet, we are no more than five miles from Douglas or Castletown. Things are close together on a small island.

The house creaks and groans at night from the strong winds. At a neighboring house, a crane has been erected to help build something and it has a large pulley with a set of lift chains hanging from it. Most days this cable/pulley/chain hangs at an angle in the wind.

Here's how bad the wind is: I have given up wearing my Tilly (shocking, I know!) and now wear a knit cap to keep my head warm with something I don't have to worry about chasing into the sea.