Seal watching at Walton on the Naze

[Biscuit761]

On Friday of last week (29th August 2008) we spent a superb 2 hours or so on board a small boat on and around the Thames Estuary off of Walton on the Naze. Boat is captained by a chap who goes by the name of "Wink"

Its a wildlife signtseeing trip to look at birds (the feathered kind !) and the local seal population, was a perfectly calm day with the sea being like a mill pond at times

2 - Our boat arrives

3

4 - Our route (from Google Maps)

5 - At times the sea and the sky merged into one

6

7

8 - Our first Seal

9 - There everywhere, the red colour is caused by Iron Oxide in the Thames Estuary, grey coloured seals in the pictures are red ones that are wet !

10

11

12

13 - There are 12 Thames barges sunk in the waterway as a coastal defence system

14 - Spotted loads of birds

15 - A Sand Plover (I think)

16 - I can not recommend this trip highly enough, see last picture for contact details

Forgot to mention - this is the stretch of water that Arthur Ransome based his "Swallows & Amazons" childrens adventure books on - give them a read !

Hope you like.

Bill

[johnaalex]

A very nice set. The portrait is nice but spoilt by his hand. My favourite seal shot is number 11 where they are watching you.

[richard plumb]

I like his hand. Give him a stance which you can imagine out of the picture.

So the seals are rusty!?

[Fozzybear]

Superb! I've been to Walton lots but never knew there were seals there! Can't see very well on my awful monitor here at work but I think that is a ringed plover in photo 15.

How much did the boat trip cost?

[Biscuit761]

Boat trip was £12 for adults and £6 for kiddies, lasts about 2 hours.

Guide is a really nice bloke and probably very used to speaking to children.

Bill

[Fozzybear]

Thanks Bill, will have to make a note of the details!

[Holowlegs]

Hello there


Very nice set

I like the 1st one and think you have caught him well, the hand doesn't really bother me.

The ones I really do like are #6 and #7 great pictures and very nicely done.


Cheers Holo

[denno75uk]

Originally Posted by Holowlegs

Hello there


Very nice set

I like the 1st one and think you have caught him well, the hand doesn't really bother me.

The ones I really do like are #6 and #7 great pictures and very nicely done.


Cheers Holo

Agreed. The effect of the ambiguous horizon is striking and you've used it amazingly well.

[>Jaz<]

I really like no. 6, the reflection of the boat looks good and the sky merging into the water looks unusal. Nice pics