What Does a Girl Do When Storm Amy Arrives?

Visit Dunwich Beach to photograph the fishermen's boats and equipment. What else? On arrival at Dunwich, I was nearly blown off my feet. The big disappointment was that the beach was clear, with only two small rowboats on the shore. The sea was relatively calm as well. A sense of disappointment set in, though I was sure I would enjoy some photography today. Telling myself to either go home or visit RSPB Minsmere just down the road, I chose the latter. I knew I could at least get a cup of tea if nothing else.

Driving along to Minsmere, I noticed a small herd of fallow deer in a field. I decided to find somewhere to park and walk back. Yes, the deer had gone by the time I walked back. Not to worry, that's wildlife! I did come across a public open space later, though.

Continuing on, I arrived at Minsmere. The reception area was unusually busy. I queued to show my membership card. A warden called out, asking for all those going on the deer safari to join him. I counted five in total and knew the vehicle would be full. However, I couldn't resist saying something like, 'No spare seat then, have a nice time?' I was surprised when a man approached me to ask if I wanted to join them. If I did, we would have to go there and then. Not knowing the trip involved two vehicles, and there were spare seats available. I couldn't resist such a lovely invitation. Dan and Neil welcomed me. They were lifelong friends and had booked a weekend meet up to do some Kayaking. They cancelled their kayaking due to the weather and decided to visit Minsmere instead.

The weather was cold and wet, but we had a fantastic guide, and we saw several red deer, both stags and hinds. It was so refreshing to hear Dan asking so many questions about the environment and the history of Minsmere. I was fortunate enough to get some photos of the deer, which I was more than pleased to send to Dan and Neil as a memento of their trip.

At the end of the day, we all shared a cup of tea and chatted for a while, which was very pleasant. All in all, the day ended up fantastic even if it was cold and wet!

Hinds

Stag Down