On a stroll across a quieter section of beach where the tide had gone out I came across this little arrangement of rocks. They kind of reminded me of the remains of a prehistoric cairn, although this is most likely child’s play.
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Shanklin Beach, Isle of Wight, England, August 2018 © Pete Hillman.
This mysterious sea mist drifted in from Luccombe Bay. As soon as it appeared it disappeared. Memories of John Carpenter’s ‘The Fog’ came to mind. It had quite an eerie quality to it.
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Isle of Wight, England, August 2018 © Pete Hillman.
Something a bit different here, I know. I have a thing about ornate chimney pots, and couldn’t help but feature these here. They are from Rylstone Manor Hotel at Shanklin, but a stone’s throw from Shanklin Chine and set in beautiful gardens. Rylstone Manor was originally built as a gentleman’s residence in 1863 and remained a private residence until 1923. The Manor is of Victorian proportion and incorporates a blend of Gothic, Tudor and Georgian influences. I only took photos of the chimney pots for there was a dark SUV parked out the front of the main buildingt and the image just would not have worked.
I was quite taken how much detail and artistry was put into these tall chimney pots, and how varied the patterning was. They may have had a red glaze on them at sometime in the distant past.
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Isle of Wight, England, August 2018 © Pete Hillman.
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Shanklin Beach, Isle of Wight, England, August 2018 © Pete Hillman.
This photo was taken during a pleasant evening’s walk along Keats Green at Shanklin. In the distance, across Sandown Bay, we can see the white chalk cliffs of Culver Down. We can just make out a tall edifice on its top. It is called the Yarborough Monument, erected in memory to Charles Anderson-Pelham, the 2nd Baron Yarborough (later first Earl of Yarborough and also Baron Worsley), founder of the Royal Yacht Squadron at Cowes.
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Isle of Wight, England, August 2018 © Pete Hillman.
Sandown Bay, Shanklin, Isle of Wight, England, August 2018 © Pete Hillman.
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Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) juvenille, Shanklin Beach, Isle of White, England, August 2018 © Pete Hillman.
I believe these are Shanny (Lipophrys pholis), also called Blenny. As the tide pulled out it left these crystal clear pools of water and in them they teemed with these young fish which moved nimbly through the shallow water. They are so well adapted to their environment you would hardly notice them until they moved.
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Shanklin Beach, Isle of White, England, August 2018 © Pete Hillman.
I love how the sunlight sparkles and shimmers within the rippling movement of the waters on the coast. These are abstract worlds which I would like to glimpse more often than I do, full of the richness of life and wonder. These images feature what I believe is a seaweed called Gutweed (Ulva intestinalis).
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Shanklin Beach, Isle of White, England, August 2018 © Pete Hillman.
Nature Journeys 