Bracing

This morning we drove to the pharmacy in Milford on Sea for a repeat prescription and on to the coast to struggle against the wind of 50+ m.p.h.

The Isle of Wight, The Needles, and the breakwaters held firm against the choppy cream and toffee seas.

The gales failed to uproot the clumps of purple thrift clinging to the clifftop edges.

Walkers with or without dogs battled against the violent gusts;

others perambulated along the shingle below.

A solitary black headed gull shivered on the car park tarmac.

Jackie photographed me bracing myself against the buffeting.

This evening we returned to Hurst Road, Milford on Sea where we dined at the splendid Faros Greek Restaurant, Jackie was careful to ensure that I was the only diner visible in her two internal photographs.

The sky had cleared since this morning, but the wind was as fierce and the sea as turbulent.

Waves were whipped into a creamy spray topping,

careering and swirling up over the sea wall and taking root on the other side of the road, were bunches of what the Japanese call sea flowers. The first example above is situated in the centre foreground of the second picture, two more scud along the wall behind.

The restaurant only opened in February and is already justifiably popular. The staff are welcoming; the service friendly and efficient; the food and wines are excellent and the prices very reasonable.

We had begun our starters before I decided to photograph the Faros fare. Mine was fresh whitebait with garlic mayonnaise; Jackie’s kolokithokeftes consisted of four battered balls before she began.

My kleftiko was tender enough to fall off the bone and remain firm to the bite; Jackie’s Chicken kebabs and perfect chunky chips were equally enjoyable.

Had we known how much delicious loukoumades we would receive for dessert we may have considered sharing one portion. Jackie drank Meantime Hella lager and I drank Heraldique red wine.

82 comments

  1. Looks like an excellent day with a stormy sea and a lovely meal.

    I was looking at the photos of you bracing yourself on the cliff top and waiting for the punchline – just an empty cliff top with, possibly, an abandoned camera.

    Sometimes I worry about my sense of humour…

    🙂

  2. Great shots – of landscape / seascape and close-ups of surf and food. It’s certainly been a lot sunnier down there than up here in Lancashire.

  3. What a wonderful, beautiful day….even if the wind was trying to get everyone’s attention! 😉 OH, that histrionic wind! 😉 😛
    I always find a good walk along the beach on a breezy day clears the mind-cobwebs and brings smiles! 😀 🙂
    The food looks so yummy!!! 🙂
    HUGS for you and Jackie!!! 🙂

  4. A windy time at the seashore is definitely cleansing for the mind. The rough seas are superbly captured in your photos Derrick.

  5. I love a stormy day on the seashore. It’s stimulating.
    Those three big rectangular rocks offshore look like a parade of ferries.

  6. That was an exotic outing in which you have been captured by Jackie in rather saturated hues. The delicacies too sounds exotic and have been brilliantly captured.

  7. The Isle of Wight looks like it would be a photographers dream, that combined with your magnificent coastline certainly makes for wonderful photography.
    Have you thought of spending some time on the Isle of Wight and capturing its unique scenery Derrick ?

    1. I have been over a few times in the past. It is now known as the most expensive stretch of the water in the world (ferry charge) and there’s not really much of interest. We do think about it occasionally, though. Thanks a lot, Ian, mate

  8. I love days like that. Bright sun, a roaring wind, the sky dappled with a few clouds and the sea crashing in the shingle. Magic!

  9. You (and Jackie!) caught the boisterousness wonderfully! Did i detect signs of cliff erosion in those early photo’s however?

    A big winter storm cell over the Indian Ocean is giving us a sea ‘swell’ of 20 ft today (6 Metres!) and we have already had a lot of beach sand removed from the Perth and local area coasts. 🙁 It is a situation that is only going to get worse in coming years, sadly.

    That restaurant definitely looks worth a return visit – i could almost eat the computer screen right now! 🙂

    1. Thanks very much, Bob. There is much cliff erosion along this coastline. In the five years we have been here many footpaths have been moved. Some houses have lost their gardens.

  10. Holy Moses ! The sea was wild that day. It’s the kind of thing I think of every time my husband suggests a cruise, LOL. The little pastel cottages down by the beach are so cute. I imagine you were very full after that meal ! Looked like enough food to sink a battleship, even in calm seas 😀 LOL ! Cheers x Boomdee

  11. Mmmmm that food looks good! And those waves look fierce. We have sunshine right now. But with rain to come later. And tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow…..!

  12. Wonderful photos and descriptions of the sea (you must have been hungry). 🙂
    I like Jackie’s shots of you, too. It looks like you made the sky clear!
    The view from that restaurant is beautiful, and the food looks and sounds delicious. Like Pauline, I’m reading at breakfast (well, before breakfast) on Sunday, and my mouth is watering.

  13. In my youth I worked for a Greek chef – talk about eating well!!!!! Now you have me curious, I’ll have to see if I still have any of his recipes around.

  14. Greek food is a favorite here, and luckily I married a Greek man so I have quite a bit of this rich cuisine. The images of the sea are so evocative and powerful. At the same time, it looks so angry and yet, for some reason to me, calming. Or meditative, perhaps. Whichever it is, it certainly is beautiful, and your photos capture that perfectly.

  15. Those loukoumades look mouthwatering, I reckon I could polish off a couple of those with no trouble,love to polish off more. Might have to try cooking some when I have the family over.

    Not too sure about the kolokithokeftes though they look just as mouth p[leasing not quite to my palate, the War office and daughters would go for them.

    Just had a thought perhaps my sons ‘partner’ might cook those things, she’s from Macedonia and does cook food very Greek in style

    As for the title of this post I believe Bleak would have been more appropriate.

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