STORM DEVASTATION AT HEMSBY
A misty, calm and mild December morning, small waves lapping onto the beach, the odd seal watching people walking their dogs and riding their horses along the beautiful sandy beach at Hemsby.
Immediately behind this backdrop of normal daily routine, a national TV crew film while the emergency services and volunteers continue to chip away at the seemingly endless task of making safe and then clearing up what remains of the houses destroyed in last week’s storms and tidal surges. These 2 scenes are in stark contrast to each other with the wounds caused by last week’s devastating storms still raw and laid bare for all too observe.
Having captured some images of one of the storm surges demolishing sections of the relatively robust pier and promenade in Cromer, it’s not hard to imagine the terrible scenes that must have taken place in vulnerable Hemsby last week. With notices calling for help to ‘Save Hemsby Coastline’ dotted around the town, it’s clear that the perilous circumstances that many residents live with on a daily basis were serious cause for concern long, long before this most recent storm surge.
Taking photographs of Hemsby does of course not feel right and, while I can understand the appetite for viewing incredible images of tremendous storms, I’ve found myself converting what little colour there was today to black and white. Given the circumstances and atmosphere at Hemsby during these dark days, it seems appropriate to show sombre images that can only start to tell the story of what is unfolding at this small coastal town. As I’ve made clear on previous blogs and on my Facebook Page, I would like to try and turn my seemingly popular images of the recent storm into something positive for the people who have lost so much in the past week. With this in mind, I am offering up prints of any of my Cromer Storm Images or Cromer Sunset Photographs for sale with all proceeds being donated to the flood charities. To date, sales have gone very well and I’m hoping to be able to make a significant donation prior to Christmas.
*Update – popular images that are selling well as charity prints are now available for direct ordering from my client area.
Of course, having seen the images below and no doubt seen similar elsewhere, if you wish to make a direct donation to the incredibly worthwhile Save Hemsby’s Coast fund or indeed support them on the Facebook Page, please follow those links directly.
Capturing Moments, Creating Memories