Stormy weather

For a change we decided to go over to Ventnor for a post-Christmas change of scene. The weather had become squally and unpleasant overnight, so I took my camera to get any interesting rough weather shots.

The Commodore Clipper was passing the island on her way across to Jersey and Guernsey so I took a few pictures of her in the stormy sea. I was using a 400mm lens and the weather was murky, with periodic sunbeams, as well as stormy, so they've not turned out particularly brilliantly. Very long telephotos are not ideal for taking pictures of ships simply because ships are large objects, so a 400mm is only useful for 'record shots' or 'emergencies', because atmospheric effects such as haze and mirages are more pronounced in the shots. Personally I'd rather use a smaller lens to take pictures of ships which are close by, as the quality is better.

Click for full-size.

There was a lone surfer in the waves, just off the Spyglass Inn. Usually there are a few surfers to be seen but today there was only this one. Makes me want to get my board out and do a bit of surfing, I haven't been surfing for ages.

Season's Greetings

'Wightlink Bunker Blues'

It is a island pastime to bash the ferry companies but, to be fair, this is not entirely undeserved by the companies themselves, with high fares and regular cancellations of sailings due to 'operational reasons'. The Hitler 'Downfall' YouTube parodies have also been done almost to death but, thanks to a link in local media recently, I found this gem on YouTube where the Führer has a rant about Wightlink. Isle of Wight residents will find this amusing and rather apt.