Hi, Steve Downes again, on day three of Point Break - my five-day stay on Blakeney Point. I have failed miserably to take relevant or newsworthy photos today, so here's a pretty view that I took lying prostrate on the viewpoint.
After being hauled to my feet by a team of wardens, I can report a mixture of delights and disappointments.
Delight came in the shape of my first solo gap watch, which not only enabled me to miss the Olympic torch relay, but saw me meet a lovely couple from Hertfordshire. While Mr Herts trudged onward to the seal colony, Mrs Herts stayed for a chat - and inflated my ego by saying she recognised me from my daily Point Break dispatches in the Eastern Daily Press. I almost awarded her the freedom of the Point - before realising it might compromise the efforts of the wardens.
Disappointment came when I watched Paul set up the moth trap. I had visions of large nets, 19th century wooden equipment and all manner of idiosyncrasies. Then Paul plugged the moth trap in, and I realised that it is a big light bulb attached to a plastic container. Dreams shattered. Hopefully the morning will bring a colourful crop of moths.
To finish on a high note, the evening ended with the hypnotic sight of a full moon looming over brightly-lit Blakeney, reflecting its glory on the surface of the harbour waters.
Oh, by the way, the nature highlight of the day came when I saw a shrew: not scurrying about among the sea campion and ragwort, but scuttling under the oven in the lifeboathouse. It was a welcome diversion from the thousands of pesky flies that are testing my secret swatting technique to the limit (more of that on another day, with photos).