The last time I witnessed a strange air operation was back in the seventies when ten Lockheed C-130 Hercules transports flew over Maidencombe at three o clock in the morning. They were flying very low about a mile apart and the noise was absolutely deafening. I never found out details of the operation.
Monday, March 31, 2014
PHANTOM FLIGHT (PART 2)
The last time I witnessed a strange air operation was back in the seventies when ten Lockheed C-130 Hercules transports flew over Maidencombe at three o clock in the morning. They were flying very low about a mile apart and the noise was absolutely deafening. I never found out details of the operation.
PHANTOM FLIGHTS OVER MAIDENCOMBE
Friday, March 28, 2014
GREATER HORSESHOE BAT SIGHTED?
Sunday, March 23, 2014
HMS SEVERN BACK AGAIN!
Thursday, March 20, 2014
RUDYARD KIPLING'S ROCK HOUSE
Rare archive photo of Rock House rampart & garden |
Notably, he wrote The Jungle Book, Kim, The Man Who Would Be King, and many short stories and poems including Gunga Din and If.
Between 1896 and 1898 Kipling and his wife lived in Rock House, Langley Lane (subsequently renamed Rock House Lane probably in recognition of its raised profile) Maidencombe, just off the A379 corniche between Torquay and Shaldon.
Kipling was enchanted with Rock House and its glorious setting when he first arrived in 1896 on an extended let but his mood changed abruptly after he and his wife had a nasty tumble on their tandem in the narrow, twisting lanes that abounded nearby that they had been exploring.
A great melancholy overtook Kipling and he made a flimsy excuse (leaky cistern) to escape the lease.
The archive photo (above) illustrates the faux castellations above the north wing to the left and looks northeast out onto Babbacombe Bay.
Monday, March 17, 2014
ZOOM & VIDEO QUALITY COMPARISON
The vessel is the Singapore flagged cargo vessel APL Dublin which is currently moored over 7 miles distant from me in Babbacombe Bay so both zooms are pretty remarkable.
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
ROE DEER BUCK FOOTAGE
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
RARE SIGHTING OF ROE DEER BUCK
In rapidly fading light, I was lucky enough to shoot video of a Roe deer buck (Capreolus capreolus).
I have often seen does but the buck or stag is an extremely elusive quarry to capture on film.
This buck is very young and the antlers are still red and hardening - looking closely, I could just make out a strip of velvet (skin) hanging from the left antler.. With dusk and very low light, the buck was joined by a doe and they drifted away from sight. Still evaluating video footage.
A magical encounter, indeed.
I have often seen does but the buck or stag is an extremely elusive quarry to capture on film.
This buck is very young and the antlers are still red and hardening - looking closely, I could just make out a strip of velvet (skin) hanging from the left antler.. With dusk and very low light, the buck was joined by a doe and they drifted away from sight. Still evaluating video footage.
A magical encounter, indeed.
Sunday, March 09, 2014
RETURN OF HMS SEVERN?
Spotted off Maidencombe late Saturday afternoon in the fading light. Pretty sure it's a River-class offshore patrol vessel of the Royal Navy - either HMS Severn or HMS Mersey. Both these vessels were here (identical mooring) on February 17th and 19th. Nothing showing on AIS so presumably operational.
The question is what keeps these warships coming back to Maidencombe?
The question is what keeps these warships coming back to Maidencombe?
Saturday, March 08, 2014
UPDATE ON THE STRANGE TOW SEEN IN BABBACOMBE BAY
This detailed information in from Graham, our shipping expert across in Torbay:
Those pipes that were being towed up and down past Maidencombe by the Island Kestrel actually belonged to another tug called the GPS Avenger. The pipes came from the Norwegian port of Rafnes and are being towed to Arzew in Algeria. The GPS Avenger had a spot of bother on Tuesday evening! Having recovered the pipes, the GPS Avenger rendezvoused with the Island Kestrel in the middle of Lyme Bay at about 1900 on Wednesday. It would appear that the Island Kestrel then took over the tow (whether it was all 9 pipes or only 5 as alluded to in the Herald Express article below, I don’t know) and headed towards Torquay while the GPS Avenger headed for Portland Port – presumably for some kind of repair. It left Portland just before midday yesterday and rendezvoused with the Island Kestrel off Maidencombe at about 1600. The tow was presumably then transferred back to the GPS Avenger and it then resumed its journey to Arzew where it is due at 1800 next Wednesday. The Island Kestrel, which was definitely ‘pipeless’ when I saw it just before 1700, headed into Brixham Harbour and moored alongside one of the fish quays. It left there just after 0200 this morning bound for Plymouth where it arrived just before 0700. It was still there the last time I looked.
So the mystery which had coast spotters in a spin is solved .
We do get our share of adventures and misadventures in Babbacombe Bay, don't we!
Those pipes that were being towed up and down past Maidencombe by the Island Kestrel actually belonged to another tug called the GPS Avenger. The pipes came from the Norwegian port of Rafnes and are being towed to Arzew in Algeria. The GPS Avenger had a spot of bother on Tuesday evening! Having recovered the pipes, the GPS Avenger rendezvoused with the Island Kestrel in the middle of Lyme Bay at about 1900 on Wednesday. It would appear that the Island Kestrel then took over the tow (whether it was all 9 pipes or only 5 as alluded to in the Herald Express article below, I don’t know) and headed towards Torquay while the GPS Avenger headed for Portland Port – presumably for some kind of repair. It left Portland just before midday yesterday and rendezvoused with the Island Kestrel off Maidencombe at about 1600. The tow was presumably then transferred back to the GPS Avenger and it then resumed its journey to Arzew where it is due at 1800 next Wednesday. The Island Kestrel, which was definitely ‘pipeless’ when I saw it just before 1700, headed into Brixham Harbour and moored alongside one of the fish quays. It left there just after 0200 this morning bound for Plymouth where it arrived just before 0700. It was still there the last time I looked.
So the mystery which had coast spotters in a spin is solved .
We do get our share of adventures and misadventures in Babbacombe Bay, don't we!
Friday, March 07, 2014
ZOOM TO BUTEO BUTEO
Look for the ever present Sanko Mineral in the background as I zoom out.
ISLAND KESTREL OUTSIDE BRIXHAM HARBOUR
After meandering around Babbacombe bay and returning off Maidencombe this afternoon, the Island Kestrel is now at anchor just off Brixham Yacht Club outside Brixham Harbour.
Thursday, March 06, 2014
TUG OPERATION IN BABBACOMBE BAY
Wednesday, March 05, 2014
Tuesday, March 04, 2014
POSTS
My apologies for the lack of posts recently. Full service will resume later today, all things being well. Thank you for your patience.
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