For fun, sometimes, we travel two and bit hours to meet a high tide coming in at Scarborough. I’ve been doing it for most of my life; an occasional treat, and a perfect antidote to life being a bit gloomy sometimes.
If you know the right places to watch, and have the comfort of a warm car and a flask of coffee, there are few things more cheering than seeing other people being soaked to the skin by a wave they weren’t expecting.
We had a whole three days in Scarborough last week, and we saw two superb high tides. Possibly the best I’ve ever seen.
It does have an air of danger about it. It’s one of the few of our afternoons out that feels a little wrong sometimes – I can certainly see why there are so many warning signs around.
At a safe distance and in the best spots, though, it’s quite spectacular to see the waves coming in. Trying to guess which ones will break in time to crash really boldly over the edge (and trying to press the camera shutter at exactly the right moment and then shield the lens from the spray) is difficult at first.
And this is me, strolling along quite calmly. I think I was soaked myself shortly after this.
I know that the idea is to just sit in the car and watch other people, but the temptation to do a bit of dodging the waves myself is always too much, and it doesn’t quite feel like we’ve had the full experience unless we’re having to travel home sitting on a newspaper wearing a pair of very damp jeans.
After a big portion of fish and chips, of course.
Excellent story board. What fun to see the tide come in at Scarbrough.
Thank you Lois – I found it too difficult to just pick one picture from this set, so thought I’d put a few up there!
What glorious pictures. Can smell the spray! Wish I were being soaked by salt water instead of hunching over my deadlines.
Thank you – It’s always lovely to have time away from work for adventures like this!
A spectacular set of photos…well worth getting wet to preserve this scene. Looks very wet and wild! We are in the middle of the country and so are far from any ocean. The closest large waves would be the Great Lakes about 10 hours away.
Thanks, Karen. I always forget how tiny the UK is – I feel as though we’re really inland, and yet we’re only about an hour away from the closest beaches.
—Gorgeous . I’d love to take a walk w/ you.
And Fish & Chips :)) WOW
lol – I’d love to show you Scarborough – I have a feeling that you’d enjoy the waves and the absolute fits of laughter when someone gets caught.
You’d have to wear flat dull shoes though – your fancy high shoes would get in the way of running from the water! x
That first photograph, in particular, is amazing. The only ocean I’ve ever seen was the Gulf of Mexico … which looked NOTHING like your Scarborough.
Thank you – I feel so fortunate that we have this relatively close to us and can visit a couple of times each year. This was an exceptional visit though – really great high seas and superb waves. I’m so glad I had the camera to capture some of it.
Such power and beauty in those waves. That next-to-last shot looks like a poster for sale in a shop!