Anyone off to DNook tomorrow?

haha!! gawd look at me, mouth open drooling in my grufty waders and hat!

Glad you had a good morning, to be totally honest I was suprised with just how difficult it was out there this morning. You have some very nice shots indeed, real survival/nature in the raw stuff... The sort of conditions you think about - but in reality they're a nightmare to work in.

I went strictly for wider angle stuff where possible, the amount of people on the beach did make the seals very nervous... The last couple of months they've been in far bigger numbers and the odd 1 or 2 people hasn't bothered them, but with the numbers on the beach now - they don't get a chance to doze off so getting closer is far more challenging without causing a major upset. I got growled at a few times and backed off.. Its sometimes difficult to move back when theres a great shot happening in front of you but the subject just isn't having it..

I really wanted to do get the seals in the crazy sky before the snowstorm, 3 of mine from this morning:

3.jpg


Blizzard approaching: (had to clone 2 people out of the horizon on this :( )

1.jpg


2.jpg
 
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V-Spec said:
haha!! gawd look at me, mouth open drooling in my grufty waders and hat!
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*giggle*

It was the only frame that I took of you that didn't go in the bin. With low light, cross-wind, a mere f5.6 and the tripod in the car, it was difficult to take a decent shot.

So, with my usual cheek, I grabbed your camera with the 600mm on the Carbon Gitzo and Wimberley head to give you a "self-portrait". It is surprisingly difficult to take a picture with someone else's gear. I couldn't work out which knob on the head to turn to get the camera level (duh. fix the tripod, not the head...). I couldn't work out why the camera seemed to be taking half-second exposures (duh. The camera is set to quiet mode - the viewfinder always goes black for half a second.)

V-Spec said:
I went strictly for wider angle stuff where possible
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Indeed. Everyone on the beach was holding a big gun and looking at the seals whilst you were holding a WA and were looking at the sky. It was clear that you saw the scene completely differently.


V-Spec said:
I really wanted to do get the seals in the crazy sky before the snowstorm, 3 of mine from this morning:
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I'd love to see more of your work, but only 1.jpg is visible to me :-(

Andrew
 
My webhosting may be playing up again, you should be able to see all 3 pics now..

I was thinking about going again today, but its pretty grim, ok - it snowed by its just sleet really.. I'll give it a miss until next week.
 
ricky1981 said:
Anyone who travelled from the south got any tips on the best route to take? (Coming from marlow, just off junction 4 of the M40).
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I travel there from near Heathrow so head up from the A/M40 past your junction...however, I use sat nav and at 3am it's all I can do to listen to the instructions and not actually remember them - and it's in the car so can't check right now.

Just go to an online route planner and that will give you some options though :)
 
ricky1981 said:
how long does it take you from there?

AA route finder is coming out with 4 hours to get there which is more that I was expecting!
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Last trip we were on the road at 3:20am and we got to the car park at 6:45, with one stop on the way for a wee which took up about 5 mins. We ended up thinking we knew better than the sat nav which resulted in an extra 20 miles, so in all it was 202 miles.

You want to leave about 4 hours before the time you want to get there (the roads are VERY clear though at that time of the night... ;) ), just to be safe. but don't forget you need at least 45 mins to set up AND walk out so your on the sand at sunrise as that's the best time to be there.

it's a long drive, no two ways about it. Maybe find a B&B nearby to make it easier?
 
Well im go go go this coming saturday, if the weather gods like it or not. But looking at the tidal information;

0023 Low 1.6
0626 High 6.5
1232 Low 1.7
1831 High 6.8

Thats for Grimsby. Not the best is it Tim? You recon its possible to get out to the sandbanks with a 6.5m high tide or will all that muddy area between the carpark and the sandbanks be flooded?
 
I don't think you'll be able to get out on the sand at sunrise with the times you have there :(

I could be wrong though, I'm not that knowledgeable...Mr T ( :D ) will confirm your safety I'm sure...lol
 
6.5 should be ok, 6.8 is pushing it a bit depending on the wind and general conditions. Me and my friend went out on a 7.2m tide about a month ago 2 hours before it was due to be high, (the light was stonking) and we only just got off...

Sunrise will be about 7:30-40 I imagine, so if we go out at high tide it'll be partially flooded (6-12 inches across the flats) but just take it steady. To be honest I'd only be going out at that time if theres going to be some nice light, if its bleak - best off hanging fire for a while as you're not missing out on much!.
 
Cheers Tim. I'll be setting off from home in time to get to Donna Nook before sunrise anyway as im not going to risk missing out on decent light as this is my only chance of getting down this year.

So even on a 6.5m high tide I should be able to get across the flats? Im guessing the banks are kept fairly clear even at high tide? The forcast look erm.. interesting;

Rain in the north and west will clear away slowly southeastwards during Friday and will be followed by sunshine and scattered showers, these turning wintry in some northern and western areas. Showers will become more widespread in southern and possibly also central areas on Saturday, with some more general rain possible, and it will also become windy, with a risk of gales in the north and west. Beyond Saturday the weather through the following week looks likely to be unsettled with either showers or longer spells of rain, these heavy at times, but also accompanied by sunny spells. The showers will tend to be wintry at times in the north and west and there will also be occasional gales, especially near western coasts. The temperature will be generally below average.
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But even with weather like that there might be chance of sunny spells breaking through. *think positive, think positive*
 
Messiah Khan said:
Cheers Tim. I'll be setting off from home in time to get to Donna Nook before sunrise anyway as im not going to risk missing out on decent light as this is my only chance of getting down this year.

So even on a 6.5m high tide I should be able to get across the flats? Im guessing the banks are kept fairly clear even at high tide? The forcast look erm.. interesting;



But even with weather like that there might be chance of sunny spells breaking through. *think positive, think positive*
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lol welcome to my world.

6.5 should be fine, I generally make my mind up when I get there, depends on the wind really.. If theres a really strong wind coming inland it tends to be increased slightly.. I'm sure it'll be fine, as high tide is on the early side.

I generally find the weather forecast is very *hit and miss* at DNook, there is however a met office weather observation station in the RAF part, you can get to it here:

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/em/donna_nook_latest_weather.html

Although its an hourly synopsis of what the weather is actually doing at the time, rather than a forecast. You can use that and the IR/VIS satellite cloud report to paint a picture of what the cloud cover will be like. If you check the above link and its currently clear, then the cloud radar it becomes obvious how things will change and roughly how nice the morning will be..

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/em/em_latest_radar.html

I generally wake up around 4am, check just about everything possible, then make my mind up :)
 
I'll be heading up either way unless the weekend after would be much better? (high tide of 5.6m at 11.18 on sat and 1231 on sun). I'll only be able to drag the other half up there once!
 
Gaffer said:
Sure. They are in our blog now: http://www.tug.com/blog/20081122_Donna_Nook/
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Thought I'd point out that the directions you give in your blog are slightly out. You say "South of Scunthorpe", it should be "South of Grimsby/Cleethorpes". I'd hate for anyone to turn up in Scunthorpe asking for directions to the nearest horizontal mound of blubber, they would probably get sent to the most inappropiate places, e.g. Henry Akrikas or Club 2000.
 
I would love to come this weekend as Its sounds amazing but i'm of to Paris for 4 days.
 
Bubo said:
Thought I'd point out that the directions you give in your blog are slightly out. You say "South of Scunthorpe", it should be "South of Grimsby/Cleethorpes".
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This has become a bit of a family joke. Kathleen was telling her friends on Friday night that I was taking her to "the seaside at Scunthorpe".

I chose to mention Scunthorpe over other local names just because it contains an embedded obscenity...

Andrew
 
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