Drawn to the water

When the sun shines and the water is as calm as this, how can you not be drawn down to the water?


This stretch of water is known as the Fleet. It is a tidal stretch of brackish water lying between part of the Chesil Beach and the mainland, and is an important area for wildlife.




Not everyone however, sits and admires the views. There are more interesting things for a dog to watch on shore!



There has been an oyster farm here for the past 30 years. They use the Australian method of farming the oysters by using mesh baskets, and timber posts and they are sold in the neighbouring Crab House Cafe, only a stones throw away! I'm not very keen on fish or seafood, so we haven't visited there, but it has a good reputation.


The timbers from the oyster farm provide a useful perch for this cormorant.


                            This is one of many World War II pill boxes that can still be seen by the Fleet .


Across on the other side of the water on the Chesil Beach is a rustic fishing hut.

I know I have many who visit me from America and I was appalled to see the devastation from Hurricane Sandy and hope that you weren't in the path of the storm.The tranquil pictures above are such a contrast to what we have been seeing on the television, My thoughts go out to those who have been affected.

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I can't believe that today is my 100th post and I have had just over 20,000 views. Thank you to everyone that has taken time to read my blog over the past ten months. I have enjoyed so much sharing my part of the coast and garden with you all, and making such good friends along the way. As a way of saying thank you I have a giveaway! I am giving away a copy of one of my favourite books" The Wonderful Weekend Book" by Elspeth Thompson .  The book is packed with ideas that help restore the balance in our lives by making the weekend more special and also ideas that don't cost the earth.  Look at this link to see inside the book.

Very sadly Elspeth died two and a half years ago. Her book inspired me to free up my weekends and have fun! She loved being down by the sea too. Although it has some suggestions of what to do in England most of her ideas could be done worldwide and the giveaway is open worldwide.

If you would like to take part please let me know in the comments,. The draw will take place on Sunday 11th November.


Comments

  1. Dear Sarah,
    As I was reading this post. I too thought about the contrast from the far away shores of America, that have been devastated by storm Sandy.
    These scenes of the fleet are so calming. I love the fishing boats.
    I would love to take part in your giveaway "wonderful weekend book " by
    Elspeth Thomson-- it looks very interesting, always great to see other ideas about what we can do on the weekends.
    Thank you Sarah, for always leaving your kind comments on my posts.
    Its always a pleasure to read yours..
    val x

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  2. I would like to take part in your giveaway. I used to love reading Elspeth Thompson's articles in the Telegraph.
    Love your pics. We live in a small town on the edge of the countryside. I'm a country person at heart, but I do love the sea too. We live about an hour from the coast. It makes me want to go off to the seaside.

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  3. Hi Sarah,
    I am reckoning that you and I started our bloging days around the same time dear friend and have journeyed through the year and each others life's and posts together! Which is nice.
    I enjoy the water but from dry land Sarah, but always enjoy your lovely posts.
    Could you enter me for the give away, please and thank you, as I remember reading the lady in questions lovely blog and how her husband informed us on this of her passing. (so sad)
    Sending thoughts out to those poor peeps who have lost so much in the USA also.
    Love Maria x

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    1. I enjoyed reading her blog too, it was such a shock and sad to hear she had passed away.
      Sarah x

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  4. Hi Sarah,

    Love the beautiful peaceful scenes where you live with the blue boats.
    Your dog is very sweet and isn't it cute when they spot something else to look at, sometimes, we can't see, what they can see.
    Congratulations on your 100th post and having a giveaway - The wonderful weekend book looks great.

    Thanks for visiting me and leaving me a comment.
    Have a happy weekend
    hugs
    Carolyn

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  5. beautiful shots! love the boats. it sounds like an interesting book.
    x

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  6. Dearest Sarah,
    thank you,thank you,thank you for your so warm and even lovely words to me.I feel better from day to day and I´m so happy in the back to bloggerland.Also I was very shocked by the monster storm in the United States and I hope the peoples feels better.Your peaceful pictures let me be thoughtful.Dear sarah, I wish you a warm and cozy november....jippy,its my birthday month.
    Sincerely Flori

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  7. Do enter me for the lovely book Sarah - your delightful posts about your weekend outings persuaded me to take weekends 'off' - Sat and sun had just become like any other day for me (I work from home so don't have that structure). Congratulations on the 100!!And thank you for all your thoughtful and kind comments.

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  8. I was so sad when she died, I have the book, it's has some lovely ideas in it. Such lovely photos! :)

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  9. I love the sea, I love westies-your Daisy is as sweet as my Mickey!-I love your blog, I love books and I love give aways! x Jolanda

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  10. Love the photos Sarah as usual. Anything on or near the water appeals to me and I too think about my friends living on the Eastern Seaboard of the USA. I'd love to enter your draw please. Mine is nearing 100 too.
    Patricia x

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  11. Congratulations on your 100th post!! I've really enjoyed reading your blog over the past few months - your pictures of Dorset always make me feel so reflective and at ease. x

    I'd love to take part in the giveaway too. That book looks delightful.

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  12. Dear Sarah - I am hoping that everyone I communicate with in the States is safe. We are absolutely helpless against the elements.
    In comparison your post today is so tranquil and calm - the images are beautiful especially that lovely Cormorant spreading his wings.
    I am ashamed to say that I have not visited Chesil Beach, somewhere I keep meaning to go, but I will get there, and this post may be the spur to do it.

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  13. What beautiful calming pictures. I think you should produce a Calendar with a selection of the photos you have taken this year. I always love old shacks and those stick things in the water (my husband hates me referring to anything as a stick or thing - but not sure what they are called) there are some along the bay by Creetown in Scotland and I always find them fascinating.
    PS I won't take part in your giveaway as I already have this wonderful book and will leave it for someone else to win, but what a great gift it will make for someone.
    PPS congratulations on your 100th post and Happy future postings - I will have done a whole year soon too and what a brilliant year it has been making so may new friends x

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  14. That water is so still it looks like a mirror, your photos are beautiful and give a great sense of peace as others have said.

    Congratulations on your 100th post and may you write many more. I love the cover of that book and it sounds interesting, after I finish this comment I'll go straight into my library's website to see if they have it on their catalogue.

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  15. Congratulations on your 100th post Sarah, and please do enter me into the giveaway, I'd love a copy of this book.

    I have family, friends and blog friends who were in the path of Sandy but luckily beyond power outages they are all fine. I can't stop thinking about those whose lives have been devastated by the storm :(

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  16. Good morning sweet Daisy! Of course there are more important views to catch on the beach! ENJOY IT ALL MY FRIEND! Anita

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  17. I haven't heard of the book it looks lovely and I would love to take part in the giveaway, thankyou. What a gorgeous walk. The water looks so calm. I'm sure I have heard of the Fleet but I can't remember why, perhaps for it's nature conservation value. Juliex

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  18. Hi Sarah what a nice selection of photos we must look this spot up next time we are down that way, I noticed some of the photos here have a tilt to them, if you check out this free programme you can correct it with a rotate/straighten facility on basic edits. http://www.picmonkey.com/ all the best David

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    1. Thanks for the tip I will give that a try!
      Sarah

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  19. I love the peaceful photos you made. Simple yet so strong.
    The book you're giving away sounds wonderful so yes, count me in, I'd love to free up my weekends and know how to make them more special.
    Bye,
    Marian

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  20. Hi Sarah - as an American I tell you day after day my heart breaks for my fellow comrades and the horrible destruction that has been blazed across our country. I live in VA and we braced for the worst and were thankfully spared. It does us all good to know others out there are aware of the pain and destruction and care.

    Your photos down by the water are lovely and brought a bit of relaxation for me. What is a Pill box? I am unfamiliar with the term.

    I would love to be a part of the give away - the book sounds lovely and along the lines of the way I try to live my life. Cute cute little dog too!:) Best, Kim

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    1. It's the hexagonal shape building in the distance- the shape giving it the name. There were observation posts and gun emplacements.
      Sarah x

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  21. Hello Sarah
    What a lovely calm atmospheric post, the Autumn sea shore has that wonderful light,
    Your book sounds very inspirational, congratulations on your 100th post!
    Thea x

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  22. I absolutely absolutely adore your first photo of the boats. Suzy ♥

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  23. firstly congratulations on your 100th post ...a great milestone!
    this area you have photographed looks so serene and mystical...I love it!
    ooh I would love to be part of your giveaway....that little book looks right up my alley.
    Bec x

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  24. Great photos, the water looks like a mirror in the first one. When I first saw your mention of this book I thought it looked interesting and I would investigate, then I saw that I can have a chance to win it! My husband works away all week and we only have some weekends together so they are always special.
    Ruth x

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  25. Hi Sarah,
    first my congratulation on your 100th post and thanks so much for this great giveaway!!!
    I read that you life near Münster I was really amazed, from us to Münster it is only 50 Kilometer and the old Farm Rosenhaege in the Netherlands is also not so far away from Münster. We love the region of the Münsterland the like is so much to make some short trips with our vintage car. Hope you had a good time here in Germany.
    Many Greetings and a great weekend!
    x Bine

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  26. I have a few friends in the Us and I couldn't stop thinking about the hurricane too, but fortunately they are all fine.
    Count me in for the giveaway!! I never heard of the book but I sure can use some advice for my life. And congratulation for you 100th post. I'm close to a hundred followers and I have been told I should celebrate with a giveaway, but I still don't know what the prize will be. have a great Sunday!

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  27. Beautiful, beautiful photos, a lovely post. I have this book and it is one to dip into, Elspeth is missed as she wrote beautifully. Congratulations your 100th post and good luck with the giveaway. Xxx

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  28. Fantastic pictures!

    The Oyster farm used to have a little hut where you could buy a cup of tea and a bar of something through a hatch and sit on a rock while you drank it. Then it had an indoors where you could sit and have coffee . . . and lunch . . . Then the prices went up . . . it turned itself into a posh (expensive!) sea-food restaurant . . You can tell I'm disappointed and cross. The Fleet though . . . The Fleet. Thank heavens no-one yet has mucked up The Fleet.

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    1. That must have been wonderful. When the children were younger and we were going down the Fleet we usually went to Pirates Cove or further around by Moonfleet.
      Sarah x

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  29. Hello Sarah
    just to let you know I have added a link to your giveaway on my blog ( slowly getting the hang of it)
    Thea x

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  30. A lovely post, I enjoyed the photos and that's a great idea for a give away. I love that book too but please don't enter me as I already have a copy :)

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  31. First of all, I would love to be included in your giveaway. And secondly, I am so happy to have discovered your blog. Your Westie is adorable! Congrats on your 100th post!

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    1. The pictures you show make me want to visit Dorset, especially the one of the little shack on the beach and the red boat.

      Our nearest neighbor when we lived in Manchester, Jamaica now lives in Dorchester. We also have some friends living in Lands End. When I retire, we hope to spend some time with them since each of us has only visited London.

      It can happen!

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  32. Congratulations on your century! I've only been following your blog for a short time but do enjoy it. Please include me in your giveaway, it looks a wonderful book.

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  33. congratulations on the 100 posts! What a wonderful book you are giving away. I didn't know we had an Australian method of oyster farming, thank you for that lesson about my country! That water looks so incredibly still, just beautiful.

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  34. Such beautiful pictures and your Westie is a charmer! Elspeth's death was indeed a tragedy; what an amazing woman she was. I would be honoured to take part in your giveaway. Thank you so much.

    Stephanie

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  35. Hi Sarah
    As a fellow by the sea liver ( is that a word ! ) I would love to be entered into your give a way. It looks a great book.
    Technical question too...how do you add your replies to individual comments I would love to do that on my blog but don't know how ?

    Annie

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  36. How beautiful and serene, I long for the sea!
    I'd love to enter your giveaway, it sounds a lovely book!

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  37. Whauw Sarah I think i mist it, but I make a change it is not jet 11nov. I like the way of living from the book.
    Greetings Petra.

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  38. I have just recently discovered your blog and am loving it.
    I would love yo enter your giveaway.
    Gemma x

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