puddleshark

A cold grey miserable morning, but the rain held off for a few hours, so I headed over to the tip of the Studland peninsula to watch the ships leaving & entering Poole Harbour. Even on a grim morning, with no light for photography, and my hands freezing, there's still a certain comfort to be found in watching marine traffic...

The chain ferry, the Bramble Bush Bay, crossing the narrow mouth of Poole Harbour, with the doubledecker bus bound for Swanage on board. On the left, three gentlemen waiting to take pictures of the cross channel ferry which sails from Poole at 08:30. It's a perfectly respectable thing to do on a Saturday morning, see. Not at all eccentric.

The chain ferry being loaded, this time with the doubledecker bus coming from Swanage (open top! Brrrrr!). But once loaded, the passengers had to wait. The chain ferry has priority over small craft when crossing the harbour mouth, but has to give way to the much larger cross channel ferry, with the chains resting on the seabed while the ferry passes.

The MV Cotentin appearing in the distance, towering above the cottages on Brownsea Island.

Following the deep water channel. Poole Harbour is very large but extremely shallow - an average depth of around 48cm - and there's only one deep, dredged channel that larger vessels can use.

Rounding Sandbanks.

Off Brownsea Island.

Making the turn to line up with the harbour mouth.

Passing through the mouth of the harbour...

Squeezing past the chain ferry.

The pilot boat following behind, ready to pick up the pilot when the MV Cotentin reaches the open sea.

The chain ferry can now set off...

The unfortunately-named Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis). They are rather magical, the way they make a little bounce off the water and dive under, all in one move. I tried to take photos, but they are just too quick for me.

Missed again...

Walked a little way along the beach at Shell Bay, and found a sheltered spot to sit in the dunes and drink my coffee. In the distance, a gathering of wading birds wandering along the shore.

Knots and tiny Dunlins, I think. But I didn't want to get any closer and risk disturbing them.

The cargo ship the MV Clarity coming into Poole from the Channel Islands, probably not laden With a cargo of diamonds / Emeralds, amethysts / Topazes, and cinnamon, and gold moidores.