Wednesday 4 April 2012

Under the Sea and Off to the Sea!


When we awoke on Sunday, we sat around the breakfast table feeling rather exicited; you see, an adventure beckoned.  The sun was shining in a bright blue sky and we felt the call of the sea in our souls.  So we headed off to Hull.

Hull?

Yes!  To the home of The Deep!  One of the most amazing aquariums I've been to this side of Barcelona (although I'm sure there are many marvellous ones in your corners of the world too).  


The Deep is the world's only Submarium and is home to all manner of species including sharks and saw fish.  There's a whole heap of interesting stuff to be learnt as you wind your way around this fabulous place, discovering tanks full of exotic specimens and lagoons teaming with brightly coloured fish.




And jelly fish.


I find these creatures strangely balletic as they unulate their way around their silent, underwater world.  I'm fascinated by their delicacy and their form.


I was also rather taken with the building...





I love an interesting bit of architecture ~ my love affair with it began when I was travelling with my friend around Spain after we'd left University.  I'll never forget the first time I clapped eyes on the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona and on the Guggenheim in Bilbao back in 1999!!

Anyway, I digress somewhat!!

All things considered, The Deep is a pretty cool place to go, and Small adored it, although she probably adored the small glittery pink plastic bracelet printed with dolphins from the gift shop more.  It was only early afternoon by the time we'd finished our aquatic meanderings but it didn't take long to come up with a Plan that would lay to rest that Need that had been sitting in my belly for the last week or two.

We could drive out to the coast.

Just a short hop, skip and a jump (ok, a forty minute drive) and you're on the East Coast, namely in a little village called Hornsea.


Hornsea has a beautiful Mere, and a pretty old village complete with old stone church (whose graveyard was bulging with bright red tulips, daffodils and muscari).  A short stroll up the road leads you to the seafront, where you are met with the tantilising scent of fish and chips, hot sugared donuts and sweet candyfloss fresh on the breeze.  Seagulls whirled around above and the North Sea was in a particular feisty mood and sent large waves crashing onto the pebbly shore.


Despite the weather forcast predicting a chilly day, the sun beat down warmly so we bought an obligatory ice-cream and found a breaker to sit on and admire the view.


The sea front of Hornsea is adorned with all the usual little cafes and takeaways, plastic fronted amusements and tiny kiosks with piles of buckets, spades and glittering windmills spinning in the breeze stacked up outside.  Away to the south lies a large caravan park which sprawls into the distance.  Up to the north you can just about make out the coast of Bridlington, and the headland of Flamborough.

But despite it's faded glamours, I like it here.  There's salt in the wind that blows onshore; you can taste it, and the waves (although brown) are large, and crash powerfully onto the sand, hissing back again with a thousand shiny pebbles tumbling after.

I sit on the shore and take big gulps of that lovely sea air while Small runs round making sand pies and sand angels.  She has sand in her hair, between her toes and she is laughing.  She loves the sea as much as I do.
  
I've longed for my fix of the sea for a while now.  Sitting here is a gift, unplanned and unexpected.  Making the most of a few quiet moments I start to do something that I find very relaxing...


Pebble towers...


It's a therapeutic business this pebble tower building.  There's a certain edge to all the pebbles which balance perfectly if you can find it.  It's compelling and very relaxing.

Before we left for home, we bought seaside fish and chips doused in vinegar and ate them overlooking the beach.  They always taste better at the coast, don't they?  

Thanks for coming to see me today, it's always lovely that you do!

See you soon,
J xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

10 comments:

  1. Handmade in Israel4 April 2012 at 15:18

    Oh, I LOVED reading this post! I'm originally from Hull you see and my kids adore going to The Deep whenever we vist. Thanks for the trip down memory lane... Horbnsea is fab... and I am hungry for fish and chips now...

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  2. I didn't know about The Deep, and will tuck away the inspiration for a visit from my little grandson. :) Your photos and lovely writing make me sigh with envy, so we have had seven inches of snow here!

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  3. oh how we used to love going to The Deep when we lived in Yorkshire, it was always the birthday outing. and I remember going to Hornsea as a child. lovely memories. thanks xxx

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  4. Good evening Julia .... First I must tell you that I am a very frequent visitor to your blog, but I think this is the first time to leave a comment. Being Yorkshire born and bred - though now a long way away, I have loved your day at Hornsea .... I can smell the air, feel the spray and taste the salty tang of the sea ..... but those fish and chips doused in lots of vinegar .... ah! that is something else! Thank you for taking me along with you :0)By the way, I love your work and your blog very much.best wishes, and happy hooking,Val xx

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  5. What a lovely day you had. I especially love those pebble towers. Beautiful!Anne xx

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  6. Wow the deep looks fabulous, those jellyfish are gorgeous.Lovely seaside treat too, I'm lucky I live 5 minutes from the beach. I'm glad to see we're not the only ones who build pebble towers wonderful aren't they. I like making tiny little ones and my Lovely man likes making giant ones with rocks you can barely lift!!!!

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  7. Memories of when I lived near Beverley came back reading this post. I know Hull, and Hornsea, but haven't been there in decades now, and I know from friends in the area that it has changed a great deal, especially the docks area of Hull.And fish and chips on the coast? Great.... we have them once every couple of months, since the coast is a few minutes drive and there is a fantastic chippie in a small village down the road. A little bit of what you fancy does you good.Happy Easter.

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  8. Oh gosh, the sea and pebble towers bring back memories!At the end of three long months studying in Russia, my friend and I boarded a train and travelled 5 hours to Moscow and then a further 39 hours down to the Black Sea coast. It was like a whole other world after months of snow (it was just turning Springtime) and we spent hours just sitting on the beak, refreshing ourselves, and making pebble towers (and pictures). Isn't the sea air just wonderful for rejuvenating you? Thanks for giving me such a lovely memory today :)

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  9. pembrokeshire lass9 April 2012 at 09:46

    One thing I am learning from my week is that ...I AM LEARNING..all sorts of things ..about craft...beautiful photos....peoples' surroundings all over the world. Thanks for adding to my bank of places I must visit! Look forward to the next post! Joan

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  10. Purpletreebird9 April 2012 at 11:00

    Oh Julia me too! Me too! I need to see the sea and feel so much better after I have. What a lovely unexpected treat for you, the pebble tower is very impressive, I must say I've never attempted one myself but that will certainly change now!Jess xx

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