Sun, sand and seals

A few white whispy clouds made vague shapes in a brilliant blue sky that stretched endlessly above the deeper blue of the ocean. The orangey brown pebbley beach stretched for miles in either direction. As we walked along the only sound was the scrunch of pebbles under foot and the roar of the waves as they clattered ashore in a wash of white water, throwing up spray that shimmered in rainbows. Beyond the breakwater sandwich terns, glistening white in the sunlight, twist and turn before diving head first into the water.

Sandwich tern fishing along the coastline

As the miles past the shingle gradually got smaller until at the very end of this spit of land, golden sand dunes capped with bright green grasses rose up over looking a tidal inlet and the wild coastline beyond. Blakeney Point, north Norfolk, a pristine, natural and dynamic landscape and a haven for wildlife.

As we approached the end, where the sandy beach is reminiscent of a tropical island, a moaning, wale reaches us on the gently breeze. The source of these eerie sounds lies sunbathing on the opposite bank of the creek… common and grey seals.

Common and grey seals relaxing in the afternoon sun

In the creek young seals splash and swim in the shallows, playing and curiously popping their heads up to take a look at us, strange two legged beings with a four legged friend, drinking tea and eating biscuits on the sand.

After such an idyllic picnic, there was just one thing left to do... start the long walk back to the car!

A young grey seal mooching around in the shallows

Watching the seals