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| Big Sea at Ballintoy, January 2020. Ilford Delta 3200 film @ 1000iso, printed on Ilford Warmtone Fibre paper |
I like it when there's a swirling seagull in a shot like this - it adds a bit of context or authenticity or something. Anyway, the sea was pretty big that day and this shot gives you an idea of the appeal of Ballintoy...all those rocks and stacks concentrated in this one little bay makes it pretty unique. I could have stood and watched the waves all day - they were mesmerising. You always need to be careful not to stand too close to the water, of course - it's very easy to get caught out by a big one. Every seventh (or is it ninth) wave is supposed to be bigger than the others, so we were told back in the day. As it happened I did break my cardinal rule and got too close, by the Secret Beach. Got my boots wet as a big ‘un came in. I was very annoyed with myself - not that my feet got wet, but that I put myself in such a dangerous position. It doesn’t take much to knock me off my feet on a good day so I was a little closer to being in trouble than I would like. What I should have done - and will in future - is stand back and observe for a good long while first. I hope I’ve learnt a lesson from it.
I seem to recall hearing it's the seventh wave when I was young, but Tennyson says it's the ninth wave:
ReplyDelete. . . . And then the two
Dropt to the cove, and watched the great sea fall,
Wave after wave, each mightier than the last,
Till last, a ninth one, gathering half the deep
And full of voices, slowly rose and plunged
Roaring, and all the wave was in a flame . . . .
From "The Coming of Arthur"
It would be something to get a photo of that.
Ah you’re a learned man! Puts me to shame...I used to read a lot more than I do now. Lovely quote.
DeleteWhichever it is (seventh or ninth) it needs to be respected, that’s for sure. Our seas have already claimed a life this year...an open water swimmer who made a bad decision. It won’t be the last, unfortunately.
I have to confess I only came to know the poem because part of it was printed on Kate Bush's Hounds of Love album. I did learn a bit of Tennyson at university, but mostly he wasn't my thing.
DeleteAh, well anything by Kate Bush gets my vote, including a bit of Tennyson.
DeleteNice shot of the waves, Michael.
ReplyDeleteI got a lot more than a little wet on my feet some time ago now, in Brazil. Got way too close due to the same stupidity and got caught by them wet rollers and lost a very good Pentax Spotmatic, my iPhone, my wallet and more or less everything in the process. Nearly lost myself as well, but due to good help from the locals and the ambulance and hospital and you name it, it all went well in the end and I could get home the next day.
Keep good distance to those things, and don't trust the old saying about either the 7th or the 9th or whatever people fancy to tell you. They are all potential killers in my experience. But they are fascinating bits for sure... I know!
I got a new Spotmatic now, by the way. Have yet to get my new drivers license though, but I'll have it ordered as soon as I get home the next time :)
Jeez Roy that sounds like it was a very close call, my friend. I'm very glad you came out of OK. I'm sure it was terrifying. Wow.
DeleteYup that sea demands respect, for sure. Here in the Liberties it claims a few folk every year - 2 'wild water' swimmers recently, who swam pretty much every day and should have known better, but decided to enter the water on the wrong day. It was a bad decision.
It was way too close, Michael. I think I survived due to dropping everything I could and then just trying to keep calm and my head in the right place. Got knocked quite a bit around for a while, but did not pass out until I had managed to crawl a bit closer to safety. All went black after that, but luckily there were people present that took care of me and called the ambulance. A wallet with some money and stuff in it, a telephone and even a Pentax Spotmatic was a small price to pay to be able to walk away from that experience I can tell you. Bad decision for me as well, and I'll never do that thing again. Promise!
DeleteHmm. I'm glad you are still around to tell that particular tale, Roy. It sounds horrific and I'm a bit lost for words, truth be told.
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