I'm off ...

HMS St Albans, the frigate that was anchored (I imagine - it seemed stationary) off the Tail of the Bank yesterday took off this morning as I was getting ready to go out. I had to take this shot through the window - had I opened it, half the contents of the room might have ended up plastered against the back wall, such was the force of the easterly wind that had made the window creak alarmingly all night. However, I'm quite pleased with it, with the shine of the deceptively small white horses that seem to be coming straight for me, and the sun on the superstructure of the frigate.

In the background you can see the Western Ferries boat, still making the crossing at this point. Around midday the ferries went off - it's a rare thing for Western to stop running, but the (normally unusual) easterly (and therefore onshore) wind blows straight at the Hunter's Quay ramps without any breakwater to protect them, and the tide was high at midday. As I write, the tide is down again and I can see two ferries running just ahead of what looks like a snow squall.

It's a wonder I ever get any work done ...