October Heatwave Hits Whitby!

Saturday 1st October 2011, and the sun shone at Whitby, perhaps to make up for its dismal performance throughout the summer!

The 40% scale replica of Captain Cook's HMS Endeavour enters Whitby harbour, all of the Whitby pleasure craft were kept very busy - an unexpected end of season bonus.

You can't go the seaside without eating fish and chips.

The beach was crowded

but there was still space for a cricket match!

Canon 5D

Spanish City - Whitley Bay

The Spanish City was thrown open to the public as one of a number of venues taking part in Heritage Open Day, within North Tyneside. The intention is that this building will become a part of a new hotel complex. The Spanish City features in Mark Knofler's Dire Straits song Tunnel of Love.

Visitors were able to climb up to the roof

but this is the interior view

The exotically clad young lady playing a tambourine

What you see from the roof, in the distance is St Mary's Island. Canon 5D 24-70L

Sunderland Folk Festival 2011

Saturday was not the best of days with a strong westerly wind and an overcast day, so the quayside performers took refuge within the lee of the National Glass Centre.

Click on any photo for an enlarged view. Follow the links in blue for more info.

Coming from a somewhat warmer clime, Zulu provided a thrilling display of dance and song.

Staying with the Z's, but a rather different form of entertainment, Zoot the comedic juggler made us all laugh.

Zoot involved two brave young volunteers.

Foot tapping music with the Appalachian Clogging side Step This Way and the Bones Creek Band

and youngsters demonstrating their skill at Irish dancing

Saltburn

I went to Saltburn for the Folk Festival, but got there early enough to get a few shots of the seafront.

A sleeping giant stirs, Redcar steelworks coming into life.

For some shots only black and white will do.

but I like the touch of colour in this one

Henry Pease who extended the Stockton and Darlington Railway to Saltburn.

Redcar and Saltburn Folk Festival

Saturday saw mixed weather conditions, some sunshine and the occasional drop of light rain. Click on any photo for an enlarged view.

The musicians with the "Flag and Bone Gang" morris dance team from Knaresborough

The Gang in action at Redcar

Bones Creek Band - The musicians with Durham based Step This Way Appalachian clogging team.

Square dancing with "Rights and Lefts"

Step This Way take to the sky!

Marske Fishermen's Choir

Get them young, youthful spectators encouraged to participate at Saltburn.

and they did

More high flying from Step This Way

and a well deserved round of applause from the Saltburn audience.

Anyone wishing to get involved (dancers, singers, musicians) with the Durham based Appalachian step dancers should follow this Link.

Canon 5D 24-70L

Sunderland Air Show 2011

Better weather than last year, it started grim, but later the sun came out and what a difference that makes. Click on any image for an enlarged view.

The Royal Navy's Black Cats display team using Lynx helicopters.

Breitling Wingwalkers

With safety harnesses abandoned, the lady wing walkers pose before returning to the cockpit!

The graceful Catalina flying boat was a welcome visitor.

The Matadors display team flying Sbach 300 planes.

One from the past, the De Havilland Vampire. Not the sharpest shot unfortunately, but included as it was the one photo that I got that shows the top of the plane with the side by side cockpit.

The WW2 workhorse, the Hurricane

and its more glamorous stablemate, the Spitfire

The awesome Vulcan bomber, needs to be heard as well as seen!

Canon 450D Sigma 100-300 f4

Garden Visitors

It was warm enough to sit out in the garden yesterday when I noticed that our Victoria plum tree was attracting a number of visitors.

I'm not sure what the fly and wasp found so interesting on the surface of the leaves

but this chap was clearly interested in the greenfly! I think that it' a chiffchaff, but it might be a warbler of some sort.

Canon 450D Sigma 100-300 f4