and finally for 2019 ....

Well, the end of the year is almost upon us and we are all looking forward to the warmer weather. However, there are still things to photograph and keep us venturing out in the cold! Well wrapped up of course. On the 8th of December I captured this rainbow over the Layham Church as I was setting off on my morning walk. Of course this would be a morning I had no camera on me - how could you I thought. However the mobile phone came to the rescue so I was reasonable pleased with the result.

I have never seen a rainbow over the church before, and I have walked past it hundreds of times. Today was the right time and day - it lasted a very few minutes, and then was gone.

A chance call into East Bergholt church on my way home from Flatford on 11th gave me the opportunity to capture the window dedicated to John Constable. A one time resident of the village.

Lights of another sort as I captured (hand held) these wonderful christmas lights in Hintlesham village. Difficult to beat this one.

Meanwhile, in Christchurch Park in Ipswich, another Tawny Owl has replaced the previous resident star. This one will be a star the same judging by the number of images posted already on social media and in the local press. When I took this one, it looked to be pointing a talon at me!

Nearby in the park, one of the furry friends which inhabit the area in great numbers.

To finnish, a scene of late Autumn colours at the end of a lane that I walk regularly with a great blue sky behind. 

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And then it rained - and rained....

There have been numerous occasions in the last few months of torrential downpours and flooding in various parts of the uk. Most of these have been on the western and northern side of the UK, and have resulted in massive damage and horrendous experiences for huge numbers of people. The last few days we, on the eastern side, had some of the rain, but not on the scale (thank goodness) of the western side of the UK.

We live by the River Brett, and fortunately the ground slopes away from the river, on the opposite side so we don't have to worry too much! However, the local area had its fair share of water for several hours.

Looking toward Hadleigh, the small river Brett is in there somewhere! However, today it has disappeared.

The seat, normally overlooking the river, is now isolated amongst the flood waters. I don't  think I shall sit here for a few days.

The remains of the Conservation area.

The football pitch and toddlers slide.

The Granary house isolated for several hours by the rush of flood water. It's only a stream that passes to the left, but fed today by the torrent off the playing field etc.

View on the way into Hadleigh. Normally a grazing meadow for the horses, but today completely submerged.

The riverside walk - well normally it is!

Toppesfield Bridge having a struggle to let the river all through.

The road leading to the rugby / football area. Houses cut of completely. Thankfully, within 24 hours the worst of the road floods had subsided, although it will be several days before the fields drain I am sure.

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The `Ark` arrives in Ipswich

Having seen the news items and listened to the superlatives as people described it, I thought I must visit the half sized replica of Noah`s Ark which arrived in Ipswich. Although the brain behind the Ark said it was a non Christian floating museum, I fail to see how a 70 m long floating museum, full of bible stores, can be construed as anything else!.

The Ark was the brainchild of Dutchman,  Aad Peters who said the ship was an "emotional and cultural" experience for visitors, not religious.

From the stern end

It is certainly impressive as it sits in the Neptune dock, in Ipswich. It is around half-size to the Ark described in the Bible. As far as I know, the largest wooden vessel ever built (about the size of the Biblical Ark) was Wyoming, a wooden six-masted schooner built and completed in 1909 by the firm of Percy & Small in Bath, Maine. With a length of 450 ft (140 m) from jib-boom tip to spanker boom tip.

Because of her extreme length and wood construction, Wyoming tended to flex in heavy seas, which would cause the long planks to twist and buckle, thereby allowing sea water to intrude into the hold. Wyoming had to use pumps to keep her hold relatively free of water. In March 1924, she foundered in heavy seas and sank with the loss of all hands.

Now considering that the Wyoming had access to steel to keep the shape, I am not sure how Noah managed with no steel / iron etc - and just using this strange Gopher wood! 

How much wood? And here we run into a big problem: simply gathering enough wood to build the boat. When another notoriously large ship (that was purportedly only a fraction of the Ark's size), the Great Michael, was built in 1511, it was said to have taken "all the woods of Fife" (a county in Scotland famous for its shipbuilding), as well as having to import wood from France, other areas in the Baltic sea, and cargo ships scrapped for use in its construction. The Wyoming used 3100 tons wood and 300 tons metal. A ship of Noah's size would have required tens of thousands of trees (and on top of that, high quality timber trees) to be cut for its construction, something that is not exactly feasible considering the Ark was probably built somewhere in what is modern day Iraq, which as anyone can tell you has never exactly been known for its thick abundant forests. 

The day I visited, there was a group representing the `Extinction Rebellion`, had a banner from the Ark, and a small demonstration outside. I believe they were allowed 2 or 3 hours. 

A view from the bow end

There are numerous problems surrounding the flood and the Ark. Also with Noah living several hundred years!. However, it makes a great story. So does Harry Potter.

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