My you have a big one!

Large Lens


This morning we took the elder "Snotmonster" to the National Maritime Museum at Falmouth. True to form he was cream crackered after a heavy week at Nursery so wasn't too bothered about anything until we walked inside and he saw the first boat. His joy at being allowed to ride on the Surf Lifesavers Jetski, Rubber Ducky (Gemini) and the liferaft meant he went home happy. Getting below the waterline in the observation tower is a great experience for youngsters, you can then zoom up to the observation platform and look out over Falmouth harbor and town.

This is the lens from a lighthouse, it's a huge construction and about to be taken apart for maintenance.

For those of you visiting the region in about 6 weeks time or for the summer, you may be interested to know they will have a Search and Rescue Seaking helicopter in the main hall, rigged up so that you can clamber around inside etc. That should enthuse the little darlings when the weather outside is grotty.


Jimmy Simpson 3.

Jimmy and I would often sit in the lee of a sand dune absorbing the heat from the sun if possible whilst watching the Eider ducks, seals and anything else that moved on the estuary. It was a common sight on a dropping tide to observe sea trout and salmon leap out of the water during their migration upstream.

Another common sight was the arrival of a mini bus full of students from the Culterty (Pronounced Coo Tur Tea) field station, part of Talpa's domain, hauling huge lenses and cameras; these creatures would build hides on the mud and then sit inside observing the wildlife, which had by then legged it to the other end of what had been a quiet spot.

One morning Jimmy and I observed this little performance and had a bit of a chuckle. As he watched them disgorge from the bus he nudged me and pointed at them.
"Here they come to study their PHDs."
"What PHDs?"
"Plovers, Herons and Ducks!" That old bugger always hooked me.