Aint No Sunrise...

Final sketch after the sunset last night
Monday 23rd August 2010
Wall to wall low cloud and rain. There aint gonna be no sunrise. I was warned by a couple of reliable meteorological sources namely Andy the Warden and my mum. And they were right. Noticing the direction of the rain pouring of the roof I’d surmise the rain’s coming from the North and the increased noise indicates the rains getting heavier!
Oooo looking westerly there’s a mucky pink glow on the cloud wall – like the colour of cloud when it’s snowing.

But hey who cares! I’m here. I’m dry and I’ve got the kettle on for my first brew of the day. And despite the low visibility there are still subtle cloud formations to be seen. Perhaps I need to learn to do subtle!!
As I tried to explain last night before giving in to the land of Nod not only is Spurn Point unique but being in a Lighthouse is a unique rare experience too. As an opportunity to work it is unrivalled in my experience and I lack the imagination to think of anywhere to beat it. I’ve heard that Maestro David Hockney is working from the Pier at Bridlington and I’m sure he has wonderful conditions to work in, luxury in comparison, but it doesn’t beat a 360 degree view from a lighthouse.Here at the top of the lighthouse there are no walls. I can look at the sea and sky (or cloud and cloud as it is today) in three hundred and sixty degrees. I look up and see sky above my head. Last night I realised this as I sketched the jewelled sky in the west but every few minutes checking I wasn’t missing the moon rising from the sea.
Open views 360 degrees upward too.
What a wonderful opportunity and how rare to be able to see the sun rise and the sun set and the moon rise and set. And the building itself, this lighthouse of course being a tower is cylindrical, not a box so when a look out, wherever I look, the horizon appears an equal distance away. I can’t explain this…! I am in a circular building and… This is the first time I’ve ever observed this. Now let me try to explain…! Usually when we walk through the world our view is obscured by buildings, trees, land form etc we very rarely have a clear view. I am high up here with a clear, uncluttered view. I am in a circular building and I can see 360 degrees. I have noticed for the first time that one can only see into the distant horizon only so far (I don’t know how far, it doesn’t matter) But that distance is equal, the distance one can see is equidistant. Therefore from this point, where I sit in the lighthouse, I look out and I have a circular view. Normally this circular view can’t be seen. appreciated or witnessed. Urgh I must stop trying to explain. I’m going round in circles!! Hah! Am I stating the obvious? Has everyone always realised this but me?
10.20am
Here comes the sun diddle diddle
Just sat here about to start sketching as the sun has lit up the sea and I’ve just noticed scary currents about 500m from the shore. At that point the wave pattern is travelling in the opposite direction to the prevailing wave movement. There is an ellipse, a horseshoe is formed by white tipped waves (white horses).
My camera wont take an effective photo to show what I see. Ooooo it is a bit sinister. The way the waves are travelling in the opposite direction to the rest of the sea.

Aint no sunrise but a nice sunset!