Last evening on the island

[shewhomust]

After dinner I went for one last walk.

Down to the harbour, over the Heugh and down the other side to the beach immediately across the water from the sandbanks where the seals hang out. I couldn't see any seals, but I could hear them cooing to each other. The tide was quite low, so I walked round the headland towards Saint Cuthbert's island. The sun was just breaking through a grey sky, tracing a faint silver path across the wet sands:

Photograph taken at 9.20 pm. The solstice is past; the nights are drawing in.

Comments

[sovay]

The sun was just breaking through a grey sky, tracing a faint silver path across the wet sands

That's very lovely.

I am glad it will not be dark quite yet.

[asakiyume]

That's Northumberland for you! I was there once around that time of year--evening stretched on forever!

I love your silvery path in the sand, and I like the idea of the seals cooing to each other.

[shewhomust]

That's very lovely.

Thank you.

And, no, not dark yet, or anywhere near. Still summer.

[shewhomust]

The long summer evenings are one of the best things about living in the north. And the seals really do coo, honestly, you think it's woodpigeons and then you realise -