Newton and Craster, Northumberland

After a week of high winds I finally got to go to sea with Gary Little, the only remaining commercial lobster fisherman fishing out of Low Newton.
Excited at the prospect my constant chatter was politely entertained and we launched the runner heading for his boat 'Hauxley Haven' moored further out in the bay.
Blue sky, turquoise sea the atmosphere was just amazing but around 40 minutes later I was on the verge of asking Gary to take me back to shore, I had not felt as ill as this for years! Looking through the camera lens made me feel incredibly sea sick but luckily, I had to move to the other end of the boat to allow Gary space to haul in his pots and standing up was was a huge relief and I felt I could make it to the end of the trip.
I got to see sea creatures that I had previously only seen in books, all returned carefully to the sea along with small lobsters, soft ones and hens marked for preservation.
Some lobster were seperated from the rest of the catch to be supplied to The Ship Inn for their renowned Friday night menu, the remainder was to be sold to the fishmonger at Craster.
Once I found my 'sealegs' I had a fantastic trip, the effects of which stayed with me through supper and breakfast - Rocking and Rolling!

Read about Gary in The Northumbrian Magazine October issue 2010.

Sweet Promise

Somehow, visiting Amble harbour is always enriched by chips with batter and a cup of tea and it was whilst feasting on this banquet sitting on a bench by the dock that I watched a man walk past me pushing a bogie laden with tools. He spoke to everyone as he passed sharing a few words and a joke. It didn't take much journalistic instinct to spot that he was a local man on his way to mend a boat.
Chips duly eaten and feeling refreshed by a sweet cup of tea I decided to follow him just to see. Indeed he entered the boatyard behind the harbour and began to unload his tools next to a Northumbrian Coble undergoing restoration. He was more than happy to chat and allow me to take some photographs of him while he repaired a splinter on the side of the boat.
I discovered that 'Sweet Promise' is a traditional Northumbrian Coble built in Hartlepool around 100 years ago, restored by Hector over four years from 1978.
Hector Handyside grew up in Amble living next to the Little Shore, a place we visited regularly as children, a lovely little bay sheltered with breakwaters from the anger of the North Sea and a family favourite still. I told Hector I was on my way to photograph in the boatyard and discovered that this was where he spent his working life.
We chatted for the next two hours and he extracted almost my whole life story and I never did make it to the boatyard, but if I had I could not have had a more enjoyable afternoon.
Reluctantly leaving to keep a prior arrangement I said to Hector with deep sincerity that I hoped I would meet with him again during my photography in Amble and he wryly replied, 'That would be nice, and maybe next time you could interview me?'

Puffin Cruises, Amble Harbour

Looking from the shore towards Coquet Island, for the whole of my childhood I wondered what it would be like to see the other side. I remember asking my Granda if he had ever seen it and he told me that he swam to the island regularly and knew exactly what it was like. Now I really don't know if this is true, perhaps my aunts and uncles can substantiate his story but I finally took the opportunity this summer to see for myself and sailed with Dave Gray on his Puffin Cruise.
Thousands of puffins and other seabirds flew overhead calling against the breeze, grey seals basked on the rocks behind the island and at long last I got to see the lighthouse close up and it is every bit as beautiful as I had imagined. The island, harbour and estuary of the Coquet are teeming with wildlife and all are a joy to see. I was enthralled by the experience and a little overwhelmed, enjoying it so much that I went straight back out with him on his next cruise, the best four quid I had spent all week!
Dave and his crew are people who have lived and worked in Amble all of their lives and have an amazing affinity with the sea and genuine respect for wildlife. They are willing to share their enormous knowledge if asked and from their conversation one can detect the supressed enthusiasm they have for their way of life and all that goes along with it.
Thank you for a wonderful afternoon.

Amble Revisited

Wandering around Amble harbour in the middle of summer I felt inconspicuous, blending into the throng of summer tourists with either cameras or fish and chips in hand. I suppose that to most onlookers I am a tourist, not having lived in Amble for many years but inside, I don't feel like one. Amble has changed in many ways but the people haven't. Everyone I talked to was warm and friendly, willing to take a little time out of their day to chat.
The tide was coming in bringing with it the much reduced fishing fleet of trawlers and lobster fishermen. Stumbling on an open door to one of the fishermens' huts, I found Ronnie Falcus, Michael Howleston and Tom Handyside chatting away the afternoon waiting for the trawlers to return. We reminisced about how the harbour used to look when I was a small child, their easy conversation made me feel welcome, and I ended the day with a stronger sense of belonging, part of the scene and not a stranger.

Flint Mill

In the beautiful setting of Flint Mill, I spent an afternoon in the company of woodworkers crafting their implements from green woods usng traditional methods and hand made tools. The kettle was constantly on the stove and although it rained, sometimes heavily the atmosphere was warm, relaxed and friendly.
I had the most enjoyable afternoon, watching the concentration of basket weavers and woodworkers employing their amazing skills creating pieces which will last many lifetimes.
I look forward to visiting again.

Victory in Europe

May 8th 2010

Sixty - five years after our victory in Europe, residents and visitors to Wark village celebrated the occasion and remembered with sincerity those sacrifices made for us.
The event was organised by Wark Local History Society members and once again they gave us a great day packed full of fun and information.
Pupils of Wark First School warmed our hearts with beautiful songs popular in war time, their delicate little voices fighting the cold east wind.

A fantastic day.

Harwood Forest

Standing in tracks cut in two feet of snow by forest machinery, I held my camera with freezing cold hands looking around for a good vantage point becoming momentarily absorbed in the intense hush; no noise, no wind, the icy mist hung in the distance making the sky indistinguishable from the snow on the ground.
My eyes watered stinging from the cold air and the dazzling whiteness of the snow, I tried to focus on the distant line of wind breaking pine trees, softly blurred in grey tones almost blending into the haze on the horizon.
Hearing the faint hum of the harvester in the distance and the occasional grind of a tree trunk against the metal blade I wondered how these men continue to work in these conditions, how do they keep warm, how do they cope in the ice and snow, how do they get here at all in this weather? The engine noise grew louder, a forwarder must be coming out of the woods bringing a new load of cut timber to leave at the road, I turned towards the noise and waited. Emerging into my line of vision along the two tracks cut in the deep snow was indeed a forwarder pulling a fully loaded trailer of cut tree trunks. The sight of this huge machine cutting its way through deep snow and ice was awesome, so much worth the trip just to see this.
Ian Stewart stopped his machine at the edge of the track and flung open the cab door greeting us with a warm, friendly and predictable Northumbrian smile.
He revealed that it had taken him two hours to get to work this morning from Barrasford and during the conversation I realised from his accepting tone that our foresters take these harsh conditions in their stride, as part of their work, they are completely comfortable in their working environment and are practised in coping with the danger it presents on a daily basis.
My questions answered!
This snow, they thought, would take weeks to melt in the forest areas and meanwhile they would just get on with the job. Egger and Taylormade will get their timber and the consumer would get their kitchen furniture and garden decking.