Squatters?

The local seagull population have taken up temporary residence on what's left of the wreck of the old MFV in the river.

Sadly there's not much left at HW after someone set fire to the hull back in the summer, but the gulls look to quite comfortable if a little limited in space.

Morning Stillness

 Quiet and deserted scene from the foreshore at Netley, worth getting up early on a day like today.

Low cloud on the horizon is something I recall from offshore sailing, finished the last watch as the dawn comes up, tea or coffee on the stove

 

Ashley Bombing Bombing Range

Near Godshill and only accessible on foot are the remains of a WW2 bombing range.

From 1940 an area of around 5000 were used as a practice bombing area for aircraft from nearby RAF Boscombe Down.

The whole range was used extensively throughout the war, creating many bomb craters and even an aircraft crash site. Activities continued until 1946,

 

In the Boathouse

At the top of the river in Botley this boathouse sits out in the river.

While it looks slightly run down, it's good to see it's still in regular use.

The Creek

 Running north from the upper Hamble the creek is lined with trees coming right down the water's edge.

I believe it's called Hoe Moor Creek, it runs for a couple of hundred yards before becoming blocked by fallen branches and turns into the stream which feeds the creek.

Waterside trees at the entrance, would be a great place to spend the night camping out away from it all on a dinghy, might be a 2021 plan.

 

Cruise Ship

 With lockdowns and travel restrictions I wasn't expecting to see a cruise ship in Southampton water.

Trees and Streams

 There is wonderful  variety across the New Forest which is one of the largest remaining tracts of unenclosed pasture land, heath land and forest in Southern England.

There are towering Redwood in Rhinefield, including the two tallest trees in the forest. The redwood was introduced around 1860 so relatively young compared to their US counterparts.

Streams thread their way throughout the forest, sometimes in dense wood and other times across open spaces.

Open heath gives way to oaks which fill the sheltered valley