I’m ashamed to say that I haven’t visited Saltwick Bay for 2 years but I took up the opportunity to take up a workshop place with Joe Cornish a couple of weeks ago.
Conditions were perfect and even tho I have explored much of the bay over many years I still found places and photographic opportunities that I previously missed. My friend, John Illingworth always jokes that I am programmed to turn right at the bottom of the cliff and he was right. (Please don’t tell him that I said that).
After experiencing problems with an apartment it has taken me 15 months to return to Whitby for a week by the sea. Conditions for photography weren’t great as the tides weren’t how I would really have liked but at least I was back on the coast.
On impulse I decided to investigate weather conditions at Saltburn with a view to wandering around on the beach looking for reflections and shapes in the sand. The runes were very promising with showers forecast and a low tide late morning. This would allow for a a couple of hours on the beach with fish and chips to follow for late lunch.
Before I head inland for a week in the Yorkshire Dales I thought that another trip to the coast would ease the withdrawal pangs. Rather than drive to my usual haunts of Whitby or Fraisthorpe I decided that a bit of sea action on rocks was the requirement. The wind was forecast to be a reasonable easterly so Flamborough Head and in particular Selwicks Bay seemed to provide the best potential.
I promised myself that the moment I was allowed out from lockdown I would drive to the sea at dawn and watch the sun coming up and celebrate my relative freedom. On the Thursday morning I was up at 3.00am and off to Fraisthorpe and it’s wonderful sandy beach with all it’s features. It didn’t disappoint as there were lovely clouds in the sky, a crescent moon and wonderful patterns in the sand. Oh how I had missed the sea and all it’s delights!
This year I stayed in a new apartment high on the West Cliffs which had fabulous views of the abbey and the sea. As I only had to cross the road and walk down the cliff to access the beach I spent a lot of time wandering about at different times of day looking for patterns and reflections in the sand as well as photographing the waves ricocheting off the sea wall.
One evening last week I had an irresistible urge to go to Saltwick Bay but having consulted the tide timetables I realised that it wasn’t going to happen. So where to go? As time was limited I decided to drive to Fraisthorpe as it is the nearest beach with the easiest access so I could fully enjoy beach and the evening light.
#Sheclicks is a social media group on Facebook for female photographers. It has a friendly, informative vibe where we can seek advice or just chat with like-minded people. It's open to anyone who is interested in photography in any form. In addition there are meets organised so that we can take part in shoots and get to know each other face to face.
If it is January then I must be in Whitby. It is always my first holiday of the year and one that I enjoy very much. It is always quiet down on the front and on the piers and I am only a five minute drive from the delights of Saltwick Bay.
This year I made two trips to the bay. I, along with a few other togs, visited pre-dawn on Sunday morning and then I returned a couple of days later to explore the area around Saltwick Nab. The light on Sunday morning wasn’t particularity promising but fortunately the sunlight shone through the bank of cloud for a few minutes before rising up out of sight.
I have been enjoying different aspects of coastal photography and I've been inspired by Rachel Talibarts 'sirens' photographs of waves. In addition to photographing sand, big skies and piers etc I thought I would like to try photographing breaking waves. There is so much power in the water and I love the point at which the wave develops a sharp edge just before it breaks up into spray.
My original plan was to drive to Saltwick Bay for photography closely followed by fish and chips. However the low tide was an eye watering and wellie flooding 2.4m so that was a non starter. After a lot of investigation on google and OS maps I decided that I would visit a little beach south of Bridlington called Fraisthorpe.
There are so many places in Yorkshire that are hidden and lie undiscovered to both locals and visitors and Hayburn Wyke is one of these.
Whilst in Whitby I took the time to explore other areas of the coast. Having watched Joe Cornish's DVD With Landscape in Mind I decided to drive 40 minutes up the coast and see what South Gare had to offer.
Every evening when I was on holiday I walked down to the North Pier to take in the air and admire the sea.
I got up at 6.30am to get there before first light. As I was putting on my wellies I could see that the sky was starting to turn an amazing deep red and there was still an hour left before sunrise but I didn't want to miss a moment.
I have been to Saltwick Bay 3 times and on each visit I sensed that there are wonderful photos to be taken but I've never taken any.
The weather forecast for much of the UK was complete rubbish but the Yorkshire coast appeared to be exempt from all the doom and gloom. So off I set. I drove through lots of clag and grot on the North Yorkshire Moors but my first sight of the Whitby coast basking in sunshine actually lifted my soul.
Sunday morning looked bright and exciting. Oops. Wrong day.
