It’s strange how little you know of your own area sometimes, isn’t it? Countless times I’ve ridden the bus along Seal Sands Road, with my nose in a book, blotting out the ugliness. It’s a highly industrialised area and holds little appeal, apart from the seals that inhabit Greatham Creek.
I was unaware of the Brine Fields, where saturated salt was once extracted and processed by the local Cerebos company. Nowadays the resulting salt caverns are used for storage of liquid gas for the process industry. A forbidding sight, complete with warning notices.
If you look very closely you might spot a grey head bobbing along in the water. The seal is apparently oblivious to the stormy skies and forbidding landscape. For humans those skies mean it’s time to get a move on home. Always assuming they have a home to go to, of course.
Paula is asking for interpretations of Forbidding on Thursday’s Special this week. This is mine. If you come along on my walk next Monday I’ll tell you a little more about the area, and we’ll go and find those seals. Bit of a change from butterflies, isn’t it?
restlessjo 
Those skies perfectly reflect the nature of the scene – well done, Jo! 😀
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I love wild skies like this, Dianne! Much preferable to the flat grey ones which make everything so dreary. I was lucky that day. 🙂
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What a contrast after your last post – but just as fascinating in its own right!
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Can’t be getting boring. 🙂 🙂
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forbidding skies matching forbidding site.
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Totally! 🙂 Thanks, Klara.
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that’s so true! Often we find something by accident, that is literally around the corner 🙂
p.s. clouds are amazing!
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This is an area we usually avoid but there are bird hides in the area and we were curious. 🙂 The skies were really amazing.
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Omious, but the last photo is absolutely stunning.
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I like that one too, Viv, thanks a lot! More in a similar vein on Monday. 🙂 We managed to stay dry too, strangely enough.
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Forbidding indeed! Those skies are about to unleash Armageddon, from the looks of it.
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In fact, it was only a light shower, but we didn’t hang around to find out, Karen. Dedication to one’s art? Not exactly 🙂 🙂
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I am SO disappointed in you, Jo! 😉
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This is so unlike your usual posts I had to look twice to see if I was on the right blog. The intensity of your photos really conveys the way how old industrial sites take on a forbidding appearance.
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Was that a good thing, or a bad thing, Suzanne? 🙂 🙂 There was so much joy spilling out of the previous post, it’s kind of an antidote. I was feeling a little down and the landscape suited my mood.
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I think it’s great to let our posts reflect our moods. Life is so complex these days and I think it is false to present ourselves as always happy.
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I never falsify on my blog, Suzanne. Most of the time I’m genuinely happy when I’m writing my posts, though I do tend to focus on the beauty where I can. There’s more than enough misery in this world, isn’t there? 🙂
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Too true.
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I wouldn’t say this is forbidding Jo, more a fascinating industrial landscape that makes me think of boy stuff, engineering and things I can’t get my pretty little head around 🙂 🙂 🙂
Seriously though the sky and odd built things makes bold dramatic scenery!
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You’d like the seals, Gilly. 🙂 Sorry- this is as forbidding as I get. 😦
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I always like finding out new things about my area ! ( even brine) Nice adventure and I missed the grey head 🙂
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Come back on Monday for a larger grey head 🙂 🙂 The brine is ok so long as you don’t have to drink it! Lovely to have your company, Kathryn.
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No brine drinking for me! 🙂
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Fascinating Jo! Amazing the things you find on your walks! I’m just playing catch up now as I was in Tucson all week. Maybe I will have to post one of my walks soon!
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Good idea, Nicole! Good Easter? 🙂
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Yes wonderful! We spent it in Arizona with my parents. Kids had a blast! And you?
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Great thanks- my daughter was home. Enough said 🙂 🙂
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Jo it may not be as pretty as your butterflies but if we want to heat our homes and drive cars and ride in planes and trains and such, these places are necessary too. This one likely happy for a little paparazzi action. 🙂
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We did have it pretty much to ourselves, Sue. 🙂 And a twitcher or two.
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you take such lovely photos-couldn’t spot the seal- will have to stare closer!
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Thanks, Kathe 🙂 I had to magnify it to see him, and I knew he was there. I have another shot for Monday where he’s a little bit clearer.
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There is so much I don’t know about my area or my native city. Exploring is always fun. Those storm clouds do look threatening. 😉
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This isn’t an area I’d looked forward to exploring, but it did offer up more than I expected (and I stayed dry 🙂 )
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We all have these forbidding areas near-by, and somehow try to pretend they aren’t there. I don’t think the seals mind, as long as they get fed.
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I never heard of man eating seals so I felt relatively safe. 🙂
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As an afterthought- show us yours for Paula’s challenge? 🙂 But only if you want to.
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Ours is an unused electrical plant right n the coastline – I’ll look up Paula and join in!
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Hooray! 🙂 🙂
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Skies like the ones posted here make me very nervous, especially here in TX. Industry has its up and down sides – this is definitely one of them. Have a lovely weekend.
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There’s a lot of history behind this one, Mary, but it did make me feel a little uneasy looking at all those pipes. More to come on Monday. Thanks a lot, hon! 🙂
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Thanks, Jo, for showing us the downsides of our industrial age, too.
Have a great day,
Pit
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I was so excited by the dramatic skies, Pit, I almost forgot about the industry. 🙂 Thanks, hon! It’s been a real Spring one today. 🙂
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The skies seems to match the landscape, both rather dark subjects to photograph.
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Paula’s fault for dangling such dark subject matter, Lynn. 🙂 🙂
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Bleak but interesting, Jo – there are pockets of industrial decay all along the east coast – a stark contrast to some of the most beautiful places on the English coastline e.g. Bamburgh
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Don’t show the missus, whatever you do, Robin! You’ll never get her south of the border! 🙂 🙂
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dramatic skies and the unwelcoming signs! so perfect for the challenge Jo! 🙂 quite a contrast to butterflies 🙂
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Demonstrating my versatility, LolaWi 🙂 🙂 I do much prefer butterflies and orchids though.
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Such dramatically forbidding skies, Jo. I find it wonderful that the animals here also don’t rush for shelter when the rains come down. We humans are also waterproof, but feel the need for umbrellas and raincoats. 🙂
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I wonder if sea lions catch cold if they get caught out in the rain, Ad? I know my husband always does. 🙂
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Hehehe. You’re funny. 😀
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And very peculiar 🙂
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👻
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