Brave Souls

 The two ladies in this shot must be well used to bathing in the Atlantic, as this was one very cold day and they had only swimsuits on.  I doff my cap to them.  It's been a few years since I was in the water and even in mid-summer it is, shall we say, somewhat challenging.  Fair play to them, as they say in these parts.

Yes this is another print from the fogged Fomapan 400 film, hence the banding.  What a shame, eh? Even though the neg was very low in contrast, due to the fogging, I like the way Fomapan 400 has captured the scene, so I might invest in some more of that particular film. On the Hasselblad, 150mm lens, on Cooltone RC paper.

Way in the distance you can just about make out Donegal/Inishowen Peninsula.  If all goes well, that's where my wife and I will be in a couple of weeks, for a short break.  Missy will be home for Easter so we're taking the opportunity of having a cat-sitter.  Fingers crossed we'll get there but these days you can't rely too much on things going to plan, as my stepson and his fiancé Clare have been finding out - they both tested positive for you-know-what at the beginning of last week - the first members of our family to catch the virus.  Clare (yes, this Clare) had a weak positive test and shrugged it off - and she is unvaccinated. My stepson is doubly vaccinated and fit as a fiddle but is having real difficulty getting rid of it - he's still testing positive a week after his symptoms started and is complaining of shortness of breath.  The virus takes a different path in everyone, it seems.  

I'm still cautious when going out and wear an FFP2 mask when grocery shopping (about the only time you'll find me in a shop of any description) but I'm in the minority.  Numbers are very high here in Northern Ireland at the minute but almost no-one is masking up.  The only good thing is that few people are hospitalised with it, so this particular strain seems to be highly infectious but maybe not so severe.  I suspect it will get me eventually and I'm not looking forward to that day - I've reduced lung capacity anyway, due to ankylosing spondylitis and so things could get a bit sticky.  I intend to remain cautious when I'm out for the foreseeable, trips to Donegal notwithstanding.