One last Visit to Castletown

Although the worst of the storm CIara has now passed and the wind has settled down to the usual and customary crazy wildness, it was still interesting to see coast.  In fact, the Promenade in Castletown was still flooded and closed two days after the storm passed.

But in a corner of the bay just a little ways out of the town on the road to Scarlet Point, we find a collection of sea and shore birds enjoying the food being flung on shore with the turbulent waves. Above we see a pair of Little Gulls.



Also here are a couple Redshanks. the coloration of the legs and bills make them appear, at first glance, to be the same as the Little Gull, perhaps immature or something. But you'll notice that the bill is a different shape and there is white eye-ring.

All this seaweed you see is what the storm blew in.

Back in Castletown, the waves are still active around the lighthouse. No, this is not snow you see below. Rather, it is spray from a wave that hit the shore in front of me.

In spite of the pounding the lighthouse and the breakwater were getting, the gulls seemed to be unaffected. They just continued to fly along unconcerned.

But the sea and wind is still pretty angry. Once a wave breeches the breakwater, the wind grabs the water and sends it flying.

The image below give a good idea of what standing in the wind nest to the shore was like.

And, as the nearby wave recedes, we get white foam outlining the crags in the surface of the large stone in front of me.

Finally, we have all the pieces in place, a crashing wave on the breakwater, a nearby splash, and the highlighted rock. All that is missing is a gull soaring about. Well, that is what some use Photoshop for, I reckon. I, on the other hand, am quite happy with the au natural result.