Suffolk Walk: Shingle Street beach --- Full Moon

 8 & 9th/ October/'22

Lagoon & the cottage

Full moon, super low tide, mild temperature and sunny, we decided to go to Shingle Street beach for moon watching ( and dips of course) this weekend. We timed for low tide for our dip. It was truly magical. 😍

Super low tide due to partly the full moon, it created the lagoon by the shore again. Long, calming waves, in & out to the lagoon. Changed the landscape again. It was very 'hilly' up and down... desert shingle beach...so huge, and panoramic. Only Shingle street can create view like this. 

On Saturday, it was very calm, no much wind, so surface of the lagoon was very still. As the sun started setting, the light changed and I could see the clouds above on the lagoon. Sky was blue, light pink and misty grey purple over the sea holizen. It was soooo beautiful. 

Then about 6:30pm, the moon started rising over the sea holizen. It came out pinkish colour, then orange then golden colour. 

It was a bit cloudy and windy than saturday, loads of kite surfers were at the beach...nearly 20 of them, and one of vans stayed overnight from saturday. We could smell they were cooking dinner from miles away on Saturday night, being friendly, tried to have a conversation going, but maybe they didn't hear us ( or concentrating cooking in their van), we were ignored🤣.

Can you see the Jupiter?

We saw a lady came for the moon on saturday evening, who came again this evening. She had her friends, enjoying cuppa, chat and watching the full moon. They live locally, and they love watching full moon every month together 🥰 . 

We dipped in the sea and lagoon on both afternoon. Dipped, got changed, warmed up in our car then went back out for the full moon. It was lovely evenings, never saw sunset and full moon rising at the same time. I thought we must come here more often for sunrise, solstice, equinox, sunset, full moon rise, new moon rise etc...dip in the sea! 

Two moon watchers under the full moon

There are from tonight. 

We also drove into Sutton heath, former RAF base ( now called 23 parachute regiment, they changed the sign!), we wanted to see what's inside ( nice houses, and wide roads...), hadn't been inside for ages. As we drove in, we saw a community store! Then we saw a little roundabout, then...two army officers ( one had a big gun) standing at a reception like building. As we drove past, I waved at them, they waved me back. What were they guarding? Well, they thought I wasn't a terrorist ( thank god! 🤗 ), otherwise I would've got shot. 😅 Very curious, I wonder what is inside 🤔. Rendlesham forest next to it, so they might have an alien, or cloning alien DNA, and creating some civilization? Or ...? What do you think? 😻

On our way back from Shingle street in dark, we saw a little animal strolling across the road, I said: " it's a possum!!!" it wasn't 😆. It was a baby muntjac with mama muntjac looking for night snack getting into someone's garden. It was night like that when we often saw small herd of deer by the forest. Hope I can see them again soon.

What a wonderful weekend. I am a bit tired now, bed soon. Under the full moon....😌 

Suffolk Walk: Shingle street beach ( again...)

24/07/22

 Lovely day at Shingle street beach today AND y'day. Sunshine, and not too hot, with some breeze. Spent all day, dip in and out of the sea. We love going there especially on low tide. Because that's when magic appears. 😍 

My teacher said; “ vacation is location” it’s in my head, so he tells us. But….I want to go somewhere! We popped into Shingle street beach for two days, It was like holiday, spent all day at the beach on both day. It was quiet y’day, but today! It was like Piccadilly Circus there! 🤣 Never seen so many people. It’s getting popular! It is a lovely magical beach, everyone seemed to having fun. And it was low tide around lunch time. Dip in and out of sea and the lagoon, playing with their paddle boards, and lots of kite surfers. Cars were parked up along the road, thinking, wow, some kite surfers walked a bit with their kits! I always fancied learning to kite surf. 

As soon as I said to Marcus, he went:” You would bump into people wouldn’t you” 🤓 So, that means: No driving ( road) = No kayaking ( river) = No kite surfing ( sea), What can I try? I did paddle board and body board ( floating with it 🤣 ), which I did well with. Maybe I just need to stick with that. Oh, yes, I can cycle 🚴‍♀️ ! Although I did make a double decker bus stop a couple of times when I was in London yeas ago…Oh, sorry, that was when I was on my Vespa 🛵 🤣

I am sure you are safe drivers, riders, cyclists, and surfers.

Oh, I nearly forgot to mention, there was full of beautiful samphires in one of lagoons ( which dried out a bit, full of algae too.) I never seen so much and looked lovely, so I picked some, and had them for our dinner. I sauteed a bit, salt & pepper, vegan butter/merg, squeezed lemon juice at the end. it was lovely. I remember one of SOHO restaurants I used to work, we used to serve pan roasted cod, creamy mash ( really tasty), and sauteed samphire. It was lovely, simple but using the best ingredients, no need to add much. 😍 

By the way, last time we were in Shingle street beach, there were thick vegetation and some algae on the lagoon, they weren’t there today. I wonder what’s happened to it. Does anyone know? Those vegetation either someone cleared or naturally disappeared? 🧐 Mmmm, mystery. 

Suffolk Walk: Shingle street Beach

 

We often pop down to Shingle street each these days.  Just can't get enough of it. It is a beautiful and amazing beach, shingles there makes me feel I was on desert. This magical beach creates lagoons on low tide on the shore however changes every time. 

There are a few lagoons on shingles before get to the beach from the carpark. We used to love swimming in the lagoons. We used to see ladies from local swimming club came and had some dips. I haven't seen them these days. maybe time and days are different from when we go....We sometimes go there during the week or often on the weekend on low tide. 

It was in March, we went there again on low tide. Two lagoons on the shore, this magic shore  creates wonderful space to dip. The waves were very calm, quietly in and out over the lagoons. 

Low tide was about the sunset time when we went. It was just magical, I was floating in the sea, the moon in front of me, the sun was behind me, setting over Bawdsey and Felixstowe. 

Water was ( still is) chilly, but I love feeling the chilly water on my bear skin... Since I got my shorty ( 2mm) I now always wear my shorty. ( and gloves and boots😆 ) 

I never thought of going into the chilly North sea until a few years ago. When I was recovering from my treatment and surgery ( 2020, before I was diagnosed my cancer spread) , that summer, it was quite warm, really enjoyed being outdoor, and quiet lockdown beach. 

2021 summer, I begun swimming ( more like paddling) again in the sea, really enjoyed, just like previous year. Me and Marcus thought, maybe we cold push till November...then, December...then....ended up being in the water until now. I am sure may people do that too, cold water swimming, something about it, very addictive. we now go to the beach for dip about 2-3 times a week, if weather is ok, and waves aren't too bad. 

Anyway, If you are near by, try Shingle street beach on low tide, magic happens on the beach.  Even the lagoon (  one with water on the shingle), changes. I remember one year, it was still connected to the beach , when the tide came in, water flow in from the beach. Quite mesmerising to watch. Now this lagoon is completely cut off from the beach, created a wall between. 

Often kite surfers flowing and jumping on the surface of the sea, just watching it makes me feel really calm. 

I definitely recommend the beach  for summer or anytime for walks or cold water swimming on lagoons. 

Might see you there! 

Suffolk Walks--- Shingle Street

Sunny Shingle Street

7/June/2015

This was actually first time ever we had hot sunny day spending time in Shingle street beach. Always chilly or windy, never had hot sunny day. 

We wanted to go to the beach, but we knew Southwold would be really busy. We love nice peace and quiet. That what happens when we get older...

Anyway, shingle street is lovely. With mysterious histories, it really does invite your imagination and really feel something went on the beach long time ago. 

Every time we go, landscape looks different. Tied out in the day time, slowly sea comes back in  afternoon and change the view again.

Sea cabbage

Not sure what they are, but pretty flower!

Sea poppies weren't around (not in season) but sea cabbage had full flowers on, also pink flowers were blossoming. What a beautiful day, local people were having party with a band, car park there was pretty packed. (I'd never seen so many cars parked up there before) Still, the beach was very quiet, I was laying and watching the clouds go by. 

Then made me wonder... How long was it since I did cloud watching on beach (any).... Loooong time, at least that was how I felt. Watching the sky and fell asleep...

Somehow When I do that, I feel I've had really good rest...that means "I need a beach holiday soon"....
Sea that day looked really green, shame, photos are not showing the actual colours, but it was beautiful, it wasn't brown!

It was so warm, we even caught a bit of sun too. Can't wait for our next beach holiday...

 Shingle Street near Bawdsey, a few miles north of Felixstowe,Suffolk, England