Tag: Burgh Island

#1265 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn TurnerLeave a comment
Burgh Island ©theoldmortuary

In my quiet moments I am still researching JMW Turner and his travels while based in the Tamar Valley. For an upcoming exhibition. I am beginning to wonder if research is a form of procrastination. Since the one location that I don’t need to research has not yet been painted or photographed. Over the weekend I discovered that Turner had sketched  Burgh Island. One of our favourite destinations for beach adventures. I worked on this image over the weekend and was ultimately very happy with this muted version. Although a ‘hotter’ High Summer version also floats my boat.

But muted is the way of today, because one of life’s great coincidences popped into my emails. Jacksons Art sent me a teasing image of a palate of watercolours they are selling. Almost exactly matching my colour choices for my Soft Summer at Bantham looking at Burgh Island. Mist and a Splodge of red

I cannot express quite how tempted I am …

Could this be a reward if I sell a painting…

#1263 theoldmortuary ponders.

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Serendipity1 Comment

The Avon River but not as we know it. The Avon River at Bantham is a regular swimming spot for us on the coast. But by accident, yesterday evening we got much closer to its source near Ryders Hill on the high South Moor of Dartmoor. Hugely swelled by the last two days of torrential rain it was a noisy, splashy , vivid river. Quite unlike our usual, gentle ideas of the Avon.

Boathouse at the mouth of the River Avon

Burgh Island at the mouth of the River Avon

Normally when we have been paddling about in the River Avon  the dogs smell salty with the fragrances of seaweed and rock pools. Yesterday there was no paddling in the river and they smelled of bog.

Happy Easter.

Pandemic Pondering #541

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Bobbing, SerendipityLeave a comment

The second day of this weekend with lots of colour and a little bit of anxiety. Coupled with some charity fund raising, this time a swim around Burgh Island just off the South Devon coast. Under normal circumstances Jenna would not be abseiling without full family support or Hannah swimming around an island without the same. Pandemic rescheduling has concentrated so much into the 4 weekends of September that everyone is spread a little too thinly to cover all commitments.

An early start at Bigbury gave us two seasons in the space of half an hour, summer glory then autumnal gloom. Thankfully the summer glory won through for the actual swim.

Hugo and his mum heading to the check in

The land bound support team tucked into scones Devon style.

Whilst the sea swimmers confidently circumnavigated the island and returned to us, very happy with their achievement.

©Katie Bobber.

The route, what you cant see is that at least half of the swim was through waves more traditionally used for surfing.