Criccieith by the Sea...

Being on such a beautiful island we can often forget that there are other places to visit and other sceneries to explore. This often comes about more by accident than intent. Finding a dentist in this part of the world isn’t quite as easy as it would be in a major city or town, so after a day on the phone we tracked one down in the lovely seaside town of Criccieith. It wasn’t our intention to stay any longer then it took to have our teeth checked out, but we ended up spending the rest of the day just wandering around this lovely town and exploring the castle that overlooks the bay. Being about a 35 minute drive from Anglesey we will be back to explore this area again; maybe treat ourselves to an overnight stay at the grand St Georges Hotel; just as long as it’s not because of a need for a visit to the dentist.

Views From The Cockpit...

3rd of December 2008, the perfect winters day. Clear skies, crisp clean air and not a breath of wind. Launch at Cable Bay and meander down the coast to Rhosneigr. A spot of lunch on the beach and a leisurely paddle back with the sun on your face, and the only sound you can hear is the light splash of the blade as it moves through the still water beneath you, and the occasional cry of a gull, or a guillemot just before he dives beneath the surface of the sea in search of his lunch.
Time stands still and all is right with the world.

" Where else to be,
but out upon the open sea."

Time Out...

This picture of me is one of my all time favourite images.
Taken by a friend while out for a paddle just off Trearddur Bay,
It sums up everything I love about living here on Anglesey.
Just you, the sea and the sky. Everything else can just wait…

Two Into One...

Clever bit of software this Photomatix. Take one picture exposed for the sky then another exposed for the foreground, drop them into the software and it blends the two together making a perfect mix.
This may seem like cheating but in fact the human eye can see a greater range of light and dark then any camera can capture, so this final image is a truer reflection of how the eye would perceive the scene. And that’s just the start of what it can do…

Cable Bay, or Porth Trecastell as it’s called locally, lays alongside the A4080 coast road just a short drive from Rhosneigr. A beautiful sandy beach and great waves for surfing when the wind blows. Fantastic cliff walks, which take you up to one of the most interesting and oldest burial mounds on the island. Come rain or shine it’s well worth a visit.

Down To Earth...

Poking a camera out of the window of a light aircraft at 2000 feet isn’t the easiest of things to do; especially when the pictures you’re trying to take are going to be used very large and good detail is required for the final print. As soon as you pop open the flip-up window you get this rush of very cold air streaming into the cockpit of the plane and it isn’t long before your fingers start to go numb. A couple of minutes and you need to take a break just to warm up your digits, and so it went on. Almost 2 hours and 160 images later we eventually called it a day and headed back to earth. The images came out just fine and the client was happy with the results. You can never tell what the next phone call will bring, but that is why I love the job I do. Full of pleasant and exciting surprises.

Peidiwch A Tharfu...

When the weather breaks and the sun decides to shine, there’s no better way to unwind then to grab my tent, rucksack and walking boots and head off to my favoured location, which shall remain a secret. Once there I get the tent pitched, kick off my boots, brew some real coffee, dig out my favourite book and hang out my sign … and in case you can’t read it, it says, in both English and Welsh, ‘ DO NOT DISTURB.’ - Sorted!

Back Home...

It has been a very busy couple of months for us, what with the holiday letting and our trip to Torbay. We have also been given a handful of jobs by the good folk at ‘Visit Wales’; the main body that deal with tourism in Wales. One brief that took us by surprise was a request for some very wet and windy shots of Anglesey. So, armed with a new waterproof bag for my camera, of I went in search of the perfect wet and miserable day. After several ventures out in the pouring rain and being trenched to the skin, the one shot that got the best response was taken from inside the warmth and dryness of my car while parked at Porth Dafarh while taking a break from the pouring rain.
Right now these pictures just about sum up our British summer, not just here on Anglesey but across the whole UK. As the ad line says: “ It’s not inappropriate weather just inappropriate clothing.” Well worth remembering!