Jo’s Monday walk : Sunrise on the Salt Pans

I sometimes do daft things!  When I saw a sunrise walk featured in Tavira, in Todos a Caminhar, I just knew I had to do it.  I’ve always wanted to live beside a beach, so that I could slip outside into that beguiling early morning light.  My reality is far from that, but a 20 minute stroll will bring me to the riverside, and beyond, a world of salt marshes and oyster catchers.

Trying not to disturb a certain person, I tiptoed down the stairs at 5.45, gulped a few mouthfuls of coffee, and out into the mild, morning air.  I thought I had made good time down to the Praca, but when I got there the place was deserted.  I hadn’t been sure how many other enthusiasts to expect, but the streets of Tavira were Sunday morning sleepy.  Just as I was deciding what to do, a lady in joggers sprinted into the square, threw off her jacket and made off at speed.  It was 6.18am!   I had missed the start by three minutes.  And sure enough, the sun was just starting to rise.

I had no intention of hot footing it after them.  I had all this to myself!  In lazy pursuit, I ambled out along the river.  The soft light pearled the water, the stillness unbroken.  Even the birds were enjoying a Sunday snooze.

As I reached the edge of the salt pans I smiled to myself.  There in the distance, lycra clad figures sped towards me.  All of this seemed wasted on them.  I continued to stroll and snap.  As they straggled past me, in twos and threes, I smiled ‘Bom dia!’ but most were focused on home.

Across the salt pans there was just enough light to reflect Tavira in the water.  Ahead, the small marina and boatyard of Quatro Aguas.  It’s a place that I love, but I had never seen it in such opalescent light.

Enjoying the early morning mellow.  Gently I retraced my steps, in the ever increasing light.  Mauve crept into the heather and bronze lit the sandbanks.  I played at being a birder for a while, an obliging chap posing for me.  The wrecked mill drew closer.

And then I was back in town, and crossing the flyover.  A fisherman, releasing his boat to catch the tide.  Passing the common, a strange sight caught my eye.  An inverted Minnie Mouse, remnant of last night’s festival revelry, perhaps?

An elderly gentleman with a nice smile had also observed the balloon.  As I stopped to take the shot, an agitated shrieking filled the air.  Body taut and wings beating rapidly, it flew overhead again and again.  I supposed it must have had young close by.  Feeling like an intruder, I wearily returned home, where all was still silent.  Time to put the kettle on and start the day.

I hope you enjoyed watching the sun rise with me.  I’d like to add it to Cathy’s Photographic challenge at Wander.essence.  She’s doing some fine work over there.  I tried to bring the salt marshes alive for you.  I’m half-tempted to add this to Tina’s Soft too.  I hope she won’t mind.  The light on the water was so very soft that morning.  Are you following the Lens Artists?

Many thanks to all of you who accompany me each week.  My wanderings would be nothing without you.  Join me here any time.

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Let’s start with Lady Lee and an outing to the park :

Skywatch – our day out

Alice invites you to ‘smell the flowers’.  It’s that time of year, isn’t it?

Delaware Park- Buffalo NY

Some people say I have too many of these, but Jackie’s a lady who knows all about food :

Tea Break

A world far removed from my experience.  Let Janet take you there :

Monday walk…. sites and sights of Sheridan

Nothing I like better than going adventuring with Drake :

Bay of Kiel

Geoff rediscovers the delights of the Kent coast :

Thanet, a Walk on the Not so Wild Side #walking#kent

And Eunice shares some local history and a pleasant walk :

A local walk to Hall i’ th’ Wood

The heat has been getting to them in Norfolk, I think, but Janaline makes the most of this garden tour :

A walk through West Acre Garden in Norfolk

Fancy walking a race circuit?  Let Jaspa take you to Monaco!

Walking the Epic Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix Racetrack

I always love Aarti’s style :

Walk in a Monasterio

A very different monastery experience from Banactee, dipping back into memory :

Climbing on Mt. Sinai

And finally, another enthralling outing with Cathy.  The scenery is superb!

Strolling along Park Avenue at Arches

That’s all folks!  Wishing you a wonderful week.  Hope you can get out and about a bit.  See you next week!

150 comments

  2. Jo those golden shots are amazing, i bet you’re glad you got up early 🙂 I only saw the salt pans from a distance, on the way from the market back to town and I didn’t think it was possible to walk there! I missed out didn’t I?

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    1. You did, but in a week there’s only so much you can do, Gilly. How many years has it taken me to get these sunrise shots? 🙂 🙂 But thank you! It really was a wonderful morning to be alive. 🙂 Enjoying your week off? The family will have arrived at Meg’s. 🙂

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  10. Your lyrical writing and stunning photographs took me straight there and I was with you on your walk. If you sensed a heavy footfall behind you it was probably me! You did the right thing by not running to catch the first rays of the sun, there will be other mornings and it is so much nicer to walk, take photographs at a leisurely pace and then stop look and listen. It is these memories – and photographs – that keep us going at times when the skies are dark and the wind is cold and you certainly have a lot of lovely ones to look back on. And just think, it will soon be permanent.

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    1. Ah-ha! I though it might have been you, Mari! 🙂 🙂 Yes, the memories are certainly piling up and I’m lucky enough to keep making new ones at present. Tomorrow we’re walking at Bolton Abbey with some of the UK based walkers from our Algarve group. We don’t know who’ll be there but it will be fun. Thank you for your kind words. 🙂

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  11. You had a lovely stroll, Jo, and your photos speak of the silence and beauty of the event. I smiled at the beauty being lost on the runners – we all live in bubbles, don’t we? The thing is to break them now and then. You are so good at that.

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  17. Sunset To Sunrise

    Sunset to Sunrise
    Its dark and cold during that time
    The world is an unforsaken place during that time
    From the romance of sunset to the hatred of sunrise.

    Sunset you go to bed and cuddle up warmly
    Sunrise you have to get up
    Sunset you can lie with your loved one
    Sunrise you have to leave your loved one.

    Sunset to sunrise
    sunset to sunrise is a horrible time
    Sunset to sunrise can be lonley
    Sunset to sunrise i wish i was wish with you
    Sunset to sunrise i dream of you.

    Sunset to sunrise i image your face
    Sunset to sunrise i image your body
    Sunset to sunrise i see your smile
    sunset to sunrise all i do is think of you/

    Sunset to sunrise stay with me
    Sunset to sunrise dont leave me
    Sunset to sunrise stay with me
    Sunset to sunrise dont leave me

    SUNSET TO SUNRISE

    Nicola watson

    Thank you for sharing all this beauty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  18. You know what? I think you had the better deal walking on your own. Or is that just my isolationist bias? Isn’t the morning light wonderful? And you have paid it due tribute. “The early morning mellow” is a perfect description, and I love the mauve and bronze. I bet the bird startled you out of your mellow: I remember plovers roaring out of the spinach patch when we had a market garden. And being dive-bombed by a magpie when my whole high school population was watching. When will you do it again? Dawn, if not particularly there?

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    1. There isn’t the same incentive to do it here. My home is at the northern edge of Hartlepool and is a good half hour walk to the sea. A familiar but not especially scenic route. I could walk up the hill, out of town, but that requires effort. 🙂 🙂 If I were solitary I would be inclined to do sunset quite often. I remember one misty rainy morning in the Lake District having the wonder of Autumn all to myself. Few and far between. 🙂 I love trading memories with you. Travel safely lovely lady!

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  20. Marvelous post JO – thrilled you decided to add it to our SOFT challenge. I did mention soft light didn’t it!?!? What a beautiful scene and how funny your comments about the runners going right by it without a notice! Different strokes as they say. Perhaps they were wondering why you weren’t running 🙂

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