Norfolk week with friends Part 2

As I had already walked 16+ miles over three days, on the third day I decided to go and explore on my own. In fact I went with 'L' and we had a great morning in a very strong wind!

I had booked us on a boat for a 'Seal Trip' so we headed off to Morston Quay an hour earlier than booked in the hopes that we could catch an earlier boat, but our provider was not there but another boat was, so after paying we hopped on just as it was departing.  I hadn't paid the other people!!  What a morning we had.

It was quite calm even at high tide, but we could see the breakers in the distance, looking very stormy!  We passed this moored up, East Coast Sailing Barge,

flocks of gulls fishing,

until we arrived at Blakeney Point and the open sea!  The captain of our boat managed to turn it so that we could get in close to see the seals, but it was rough, with plenty of spray.

So many of them hauled up on the shingle - both common and grey seals - who took no notice of us

except this one who came quite close to the boat.

We saw the old lifeboat station

and then it was announced that we could get off the boat for an hour (and would be picked up later thank goodness!) and we could walk around and explore.  Off we got, the boat left

and I personally wondered it the boat would return because it was a long walk back to the mainland!!

L and I explored the Old Lifeboat Station and discovered that three wardens live there from the Spring until November.  

I loved seeing the little clumps of Sea Thrift clinging close to the ground in this exposed position made up of shingle.

In the Old Lifeboat Station there were boards explaining how Blakeney Point was formed 

Double click to get a bigger picture

and this explains that nature has built up the shingle over hundreds of years and is still doing it.  On the return journey we saw more Turnstones (see last blog) very well camouflaged and taking no notice of us!

While waiting for the boat to return I explored a little and then came to a shallow beach and saw this!

A Common Seal pup about 36 inches long

This made my day and I took so many photos and even a little video of him.  I did show our warden who said he was a quite late pup, in good condition and just sunning itself.  He would keep and eye on it, though I did see a seal quite close in the water so that may have been Mum!

We were picked up by the boat and after lunch we drove back to Wells.  It was mid afternoon and I decided to ride the Wells to Walsingham Railway.  It was delightful

Turning  round to go to the front

if a little drafty as the carriages are open.

That evening most of the group met up in Wells, for our final evening meal before returning home after a memorable week away.