Sunday 24 January 2010

Hod carrying up sand dunes


I finally made it back to Spurn late last night, 9:30 to be precise, after a day out in London with my son and the afternoon in the studio getting things ready. I spent the previous day chasing down my Gabions which I had been told would arrive in the morning and when they were still not there in the late afternoon I had to go out and find the delivery van (which had broken down) and transfer the contents over to my van.



I started this morning with a large breakfast and then got to work. I put up one of the gabions to get a feel for the size and volume, then set about collecting house bricks that had been washed up by the sea. How the house bricks will end up who knows but I need to start the process moving and take it from there, I have no doubt that this will develop beyond the bricks or even the gabions but for now I like the rounded pebble like bricks.



I collected one pile then moved on down the beach and started in another area. After unloading a tub full of brick I saw Andrew Gibson pull up to collect some money off the fisherman on the opposite bank, after catching up we discussed the gabions and some cautionary notes from Andrew as far as locations and contents, we also discussed the gold leaf and shot blasted railway chairs (not shoes). I showed Andrew the metal prototype of the Spurn Points picture frame. Andrew suggested some kind of stainless steal mesh base to help root growth around the base and to help anchor the stand naturally. We also discussed some minor changes to the text and wooden frame. We both agreed that the next stage was to produce the final versions.

I set about loading the piles of bricks into the van. I had to carry them up the sand dunes and into the back of the vehicle using a builders rubble bucket, it was coat, hat and jumper off work and as I finished the last load the sun came out and the sea dropped to a lazy calm. I took this as a sign and stopped for lunch.

In the afternoon I continued to collect more bricks, this time for the Humber side and further up the point, almost level with the Lighthouse. I also collected a number of the concrete squares used as part of the sea defences although I was unable to locate enough to employ them usefully (yet).



The van was now loaded with a considerable weight so I decided rather than put it under the unnecessary stress of a trip all the way back down the point I would instead pull up into the yard just north of the lighthouse and empty and clean the contents of the van leaving them in the open to get washed overnight by the rain that was now drizzling down.

On returning to my digs I used all of the remaining gold leaf to part cover the railway chair ready to show a couple of people tomorrow.

I think I have earned a pint and a pie in the pub tonight.

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