Lost at sea?

We took our usual forray to the sea at the end of the week but this time getting the bikes out which was lovely.

It was an amazing evening bright initially but while we cycled Diarm noticed a whirlwind effect on the sea which travelled East along the wave and then onshore towards Highcliffe bringing a vast spray of sand with it. I have never seen anything like it and was very glad we werent at the point it came ashore as it was mighty windy and sand stormy at the point we were.

When we came up above the beach at Avon Beach the wind remained high but by the time we came back down to the Quay at Mudeford it had calmed. On our way Diarm commented that he hoped the canoeists had come in and we were relieved to see them safe on the spit.

I noticed one of the lifeboat crew cars race to the station and we soon saw the rib go out which is always creates mixed emotion - gratitude that there are people prepared to give their time and risk lives to protect sea users like us and concern about who they are going to rescue.....as a child my mother used to say of ambulances "theres another child in the world" rather than focussing on potential negatives and I like to think the rib out is only practicing but sadly they get called out very frequently.

This is a picture of the tractor and cage used to launch and retrieve the rib - an interesting sight to watch ...sadly the rescue was to search for a missing kite boarder...we haven't heard the outcome but hope it was positive.

The picture was taken in the last few minutes of evening light - it was dark by he time we were home ..good job we had high vis jackets and lights!