I've been meaning to head over to the "Secret Beach" for ages but just never got there, until now. February 13th, it's cold and dark but I almost always get up and head out with the cameras, unless the weather prevents me so, I decided to finally head over to Hilton of Delnies and see what there is to see.
It was still pretty dark and the lane down to the beach car park is pretty rugged but I made it in one piece, parked up, wrapped up against the cold wind and headed for the beach.
It was 07:30, the sky was getting lighter and I could see colours starting to show on the horizon over Nairn and I actually waited until I'd reached the beach before I started getting shots of the sunrise.
Sunrise over Nairn
There was a bitterly cold wind blowing across the sea, I was totally wrapped up which doesn't make for great photography :) but, I struggled on
Sunrise in cloud
I often just stand and watch a sunrise / sunset, looking at the shapes and colours that form and transform constantly. Well I do like a good panorama and with skies like this, who wouldn't?
Walking down onto the sand I could see the beach was totally mine, no surprise really given that it was freezing!
As the sun rose and it started getting lighter I had a good look around. I noticed the clouds to the South were swirling up, I guessed the wind was messing with them.
But, it was when I looked due West that I first noticed a weather front over the Black Isle, which way was it going?
Blue sky and ........
I love when you can see weather, the depth of clouds, the shapes they form, falling rain or snow, beautiful, as long as it's not coming your way. Hmmmmmmm
Storm front panorama
I took five shots of the approaching weather and stitched them together but the fish one, the right end just would not stitch so this shot above is four shots stitched into one panorama.
Meanwhile, behind me over Nairn
Sun rising over Nairn
I'd decided by now that the weather was approaching me so it was time to retreat to the car, there was no rain yet but the wind was getting stronger and it was freezing.
Rain or snow?
Closer
I was back on the path but constantly turning to stare and take more shots, the light was quite spooky. As I turned and grabbed some more shots for another panorama, I noticed a rainbow forming to the North
One end of the rainbow?
As the storm got closer, the effects became more visible, I walked back down onto the beach to get a clearer horizon
Although I really like the images I got, they just don't portray how it really looked and felt. One man with a pair of dogs appeared from the Nairn end, striding out towards the storm, not a care in the world.
Stranger on the shore
Even though the camera has an effect on light and colour, you can see the light changing as the sun rises and the storm gets closer.
I think this next shot is probably one of my favourite shots from this day.
Swirling through light and dark
If you look at the haze in front of the Black Isle you can see that the storm is now over the sea and spreading East
Storm moving East
The shot above is of the North Eastern end of the storm.
This shot shows the other end of the same storm to the South West.
I did finally manage to create a wide shot of the entire storm, it was a pretty impressive looking beast too.
Wide view of the entire storm
I started taking photos of the storm at 07:55, it was now 08:25 and it still hadn't hit me, neither was I back at the car yet. I had started the walk at 07:35 and was now kind of in a hurry to get back to the car :)
Dark sky, puddles and reflections
There were a few flooded areas on the track, nothing major but enough to make you take a bit more time so you don't end up on your ........ ;)
Ice hazard
was almost back at the car park when the rain started, big fat raindrops but a beautiful double rainbow was forming as well so, I had to keep moving and keep trying for the shot.
Double rainbow forming
I actually ran past the car because there's a beautiful wee ruined house in the field next to the car park and that rainbow might just .....
Home at the end of the rainbow
It did, lined up perfectly and the sunlight against the dark sky, love it!
Raindrops were falling on my head :) and camera now so, time to make a run for it but ....
and raindrops on the lens
Rainbow house in the rain
And that's that, it's 08:39, I'm getting wet and more importantly so is the camera, time to head for home.
