Winter Wildcamping & Newborn Seals
In the snug of the Nelson Head, as warm & cosy as its name –with a cheerful fire, masses of hot food -& drink too, since the ‘van is overnighting in the spare carpark, the Milky Way brightly turning overhead, owls calling & the prospect of much adjacent Norfolk wildlife visible in the morning.
The ‘Nelson’ is good for this sort of thing & has proved a sure refuge many times –especially in bitter Winter weather when we have fought through Easterly gales (sleet, hail or pinpoint-sharp snow) the mile or so to the coast where the grey seals come to pup.
To our delighted surprise, this year, the Nelson was just as good but the weather (on our way to the Christmas Rally at Swaffham & the Thursford Show) wasn’t Wintry at all: mild, sunny/cloudy, light breezes –it felt like many an English Summer’s day.
The seals were true to form however. There are sandbanks just offshore & between there & the long sandy beaches the seals like to fish. In the late Autumn the female seals come ashore to give birth –little (15 kilo) white furry things, all afterbirthy but soon cleaned up & staring around with dark beady eyes.
The mothers guard them fiercely (from any large passing male) & feed them so nutritiously that in six weeks they gain a further 30 kilos. The white fur seems to act as a signal to females (protect me) & to males (I am no threat) & is warm but not waterproof. If these youngsters get wet in the sea, they drown. With the sea-surge a couple of years ago the beach was entirely washed away & most of the pups did drown. A few were saved by local charities, as were others who climbed up beyond the dunes with their mothers. These all then had another problem: the dunes cover a tall concrete seawall & with everything to seaward of this washed away the seals were stranded with a 20-foot drop between them & their fishing grounds. Again, locals improvised descent-ramps & provided guides.
On the first mile of beach we counted 1,000 seals. Then on another kilometre, 600 more. (There is more than twice as much beach as this so in total there were many more.) Between each pair of groynes there were 60 seals: 24 mums, 24 white babies, & 12 males. (This is the average of course, but held surprisingly steady.) One mother had just given birth to twins –very unusual- & perhaps remembering 2013’s surge had taken them up to the top of the dunes. There was a tiny scattering of Harbour Seals (smaller than the grey ones) resting on the beach in their ‘banana’ pose, too. We hadn’t seen Harbour, or Common, seals there before.
The mums grow up to 150 kilos, & the males to 300 kilos. After 6 weeks the mums abandon their pups –who gradually lose their white fur for a fine waterproof grey fur instead. These young then teach themselves to swim & to fish. Quite a lot fail, but then half or more succeed & spend 3 to 5 years of happy childhood growth.
The mums are immediately fertile again so by January the beach is also filled with large males trying to mate with them. (The fewer males we saw were mostly younger, developing ones.) So we feel doubly blessed – amazing wildlife to watch & warmth, comfort & a cosy wildcamp close at hand.
P.S. on the twins -the mother can't feed both so one or both invariably die. However we stumbled on this birth just as it happened, the mother did abandon them, the RSPCA collected & fed them & both survived & were released in the wild eventually. They were also DNA tested - & proved to be identical twins - the first known survival ever.
In the snug of the Nelson Head, as warm & cosy as its name –with a cheerful fire, masses of hot food -& drink too, since the ‘van is overnighting in the spare carpark, the Milky Way brightly turning overhead, owls calling & the prospect of much adjacent Norfolk wildlife visible in the morning.
The ‘Nelson’ is good for this sort of thing & has proved a sure refuge many times –especially in bitter Winter weather when we have fought through Easterly gales (sleet, hail or pinpoint-sharp snow) the mile or so to the coast where the grey seals come to pup.
To our delighted surprise, this year, the Nelson was just as good but the weather (on our way to the Christmas Rally at Swaffham & the Thursford Show) wasn’t Wintry at all: mild, sunny/cloudy, light breezes –it felt like many an English Summer’s day.
The seals were true to form however. There are sandbanks just offshore & between there & the long sandy beaches the seals like to fish. In the late Autumn the female seals come ashore to give birth –little (15 kilo) white furry things, all afterbirthy but soon cleaned up & staring around with dark beady eyes.
The mothers guard them fiercely (from any large passing male) & feed them so nutritiously that in six weeks they gain a further 30 kilos. The white fur seems to act as a signal to females (protect me) & to males (I am no threat) & is warm but not waterproof. If these youngsters get wet in the sea, they drown. With the sea-surge a couple of years ago the beach was entirely washed away & most of the pups did drown. A few were saved by local charities, as were others who climbed up beyond the dunes with their mothers. These all then had another problem: the dunes cover a tall concrete seawall & with everything to seaward of this washed away the seals were stranded with a 20-foot drop between them & their fishing grounds. Again, locals improvised descent-ramps & provided guides.
On the first mile of beach we counted 1,000 seals. Then on another kilometre, 600 more. (There is more than twice as much beach as this so in total there were many more.) Between each pair of groynes there were 60 seals: 24 mums, 24 white babies, & 12 males. (This is the average of course, but held surprisingly steady.) One mother had just given birth to twins –very unusual- & perhaps remembering 2013’s surge had taken them up to the top of the dunes. There was a tiny scattering of Harbour Seals (smaller than the grey ones) resting on the beach in their ‘banana’ pose, too. We hadn’t seen Harbour, or Common, seals there before.
The mums grow up to 150 kilos, & the males to 300 kilos. After 6 weeks the mums abandon their pups –who gradually lose their white fur for a fine waterproof grey fur instead. These young then teach themselves to swim & to fish. Quite a lot fail, but then half or more succeed & spend 3 to 5 years of happy childhood growth.
The mums are immediately fertile again so by January the beach is also filled with large males trying to mate with them. (The fewer males we saw were mostly younger, developing ones.) So we feel doubly blessed – amazing wildlife to watch & warmth, comfort & a cosy wildcamp close at hand.
P.S. on the twins -the mother can't feed both so one or both invariably die. However we stumbled on this birth just as it happened, the mother did abandon them, the RSPCA collected & fed them & both survived & were released in the wild eventually. They were also DNA tested - & proved to be identical twins - the first known survival ever.
Bexhill on Sea Rally
After carefully negotiating the country lanes of Sussex 11 vans arrived at the Bexhill on Sea rally. The site was high spec with all pitches being hard standing with electric and their own fresh water supply and waste water points, the facilities were clean, heated and spacious the showers were a great size, there was even a dog’s shower which went down well with the canine members as you can guess. The slopes may have been a bit on the steep side for those from the flat east but those from the west and Wales didn’t seem to notice.
The Marshalls issued everybody with a map so on Friday everybody went out to find their bearings. Friday evening we all got on the coach and went off to the local pub where we all enjoyed a meal. The weather on Saturday and Sunday especially Sunday was glorious The Marshalls must have good connections with him upstairs or at least better than ours). Trips were taken by various members to Bexhill sea front, Eastbourne and Dungeness all enjoying their days out. The campsite had good views over the valley and colours of the autumn leaves on the
trees were lovely.
On Monday morning we had a coffee morning after which we went for a last walk down to the local shopping area where we found a nice pub with roaring fires and settees which allowed dogs. Thanks for a good rally - everybody enjoyed themselves.
Peewit Caravan Park Rally, Felixstowe
Rain! Rain! Rain! Oh Lordy, didn’t it rain! It started as we started our journey; only short as journeys go but getting wetter by the moment. The site was very nice, in fact, just as our minds remembered it from our last visit. We were greeted by our marshals and their little dog. Once we were set up, we enjoyed the luxury of a warm van and a good book and ‘yes’, it seemed to be raining harder.
On Saturday, it stopped raining, so we made our way to the market close to the beach. When we got there it turned out to be a boot fair. We looked at all the stalls but found nothing we wanted to buy, so we started to walk back to the van and guess what? Yes, it
started to rain. It rained all the rest of the day, but that evening it eased and we enjoyed a get-together with friends and nibbles in a private room that we had in case it rained. Wine was provided by two members who had birthdays on that day or in that week. We sung to them both and a good time was had by all.
On Sunday, the ladies decided to try the market again whilst I studied the back of my eye-lids in case they had changed during the night. They must have been very quick because they only seemed to be away for a few moments but had got wet somewhere.
A group decided to go out for lunch at a local pub and in the evening the rain eased. We all made our way to the dry room and there we were given quiz papers. The Marshalls were our Quizmasters. Some of the answers none of us knew, except for the one holding the Answers on a sheet of paper. Others were in dispute, but the judges’ word was final and a good time was had by all.
On the Monday morning we had a coffee morning and Eddie and Maureen, with the help of others, drew the raffle. The Marshalls were thanked for all the work they had put in to make the rally run so well. The rest of the day was ours. On the Monday evening we enjoyed a fish and chip supper.
And so to Tuesday morning and home and I bet you guessed it! It stopped raining!!!!
After carefully negotiating the country lanes of Sussex 11 vans arrived at the Bexhill on Sea rally. The site was high spec with all pitches being hard standing with electric and their own fresh water supply and waste water points, the facilities were clean, heated and spacious the showers were a great size, there was even a dog’s shower which went down well with the canine members as you can guess. The slopes may have been a bit on the steep side for those from the flat east but those from the west and Wales didn’t seem to notice.
The Marshalls issued everybody with a map so on Friday everybody went out to find their bearings. Friday evening we all got on the coach and went off to the local pub where we all enjoyed a meal. The weather on Saturday and Sunday especially Sunday was glorious The Marshalls must have good connections with him upstairs or at least better than ours). Trips were taken by various members to Bexhill sea front, Eastbourne and Dungeness all enjoying their days out. The campsite had good views over the valley and colours of the autumn leaves on the
trees were lovely.
On Monday morning we had a coffee morning after which we went for a last walk down to the local shopping area where we found a nice pub with roaring fires and settees which allowed dogs. Thanks for a good rally - everybody enjoyed themselves.
Peewit Caravan Park Rally, Felixstowe
Rain! Rain! Rain! Oh Lordy, didn’t it rain! It started as we started our journey; only short as journeys go but getting wetter by the moment. The site was very nice, in fact, just as our minds remembered it from our last visit. We were greeted by our marshals and their little dog. Once we were set up, we enjoyed the luxury of a warm van and a good book and ‘yes’, it seemed to be raining harder.
On Saturday, it stopped raining, so we made our way to the market close to the beach. When we got there it turned out to be a boot fair. We looked at all the stalls but found nothing we wanted to buy, so we started to walk back to the van and guess what? Yes, it
started to rain. It rained all the rest of the day, but that evening it eased and we enjoyed a get-together with friends and nibbles in a private room that we had in case it rained. Wine was provided by two members who had birthdays on that day or in that week. We sung to them both and a good time was had by all.
On Sunday, the ladies decided to try the market again whilst I studied the back of my eye-lids in case they had changed during the night. They must have been very quick because they only seemed to be away for a few moments but had got wet somewhere.
A group decided to go out for lunch at a local pub and in the evening the rain eased. We all made our way to the dry room and there we were given quiz papers. The Marshalls were our Quizmasters. Some of the answers none of us knew, except for the one holding the Answers on a sheet of paper. Others were in dispute, but the judges’ word was final and a good time was had by all.
On the Monday morning we had a coffee morning and Eddie and Maureen, with the help of others, drew the raffle. The Marshalls were thanked for all the work they had put in to make the rally run so well. The rest of the day was ours. On the Monday evening we enjoyed a fish and chip supper.
And so to Tuesday morning and home and I bet you guessed it! It stopped raining!!!!