Coffee On Pentewan Beach

Julian de'Courcy · Mar 19, 2014

Coffee at the Driftwood café is usually a quiet affair , the sun up, swimmers or dog walkers, sometimes raining hard. Very occasionally you can look up from your book newspaper or a conversation with the next table, to find some forceful entertainment.

THE BEACH by Julian de Courcy, on Flickr

Jerry Robillard · Mar 19, 2014

Julian, what's going on here? I really like the pictures; it's like you are invisible. The solders don't seem to mind you being there.

Julian de'Courcy · Mar 20, 2014

Jerry Robillard said:
Julian, what's going on here? I really like the pictures; it's like you are invisible. The solders don't seem to mind you being there.

Thank you Jerry

I happened to be at the beach café while there was a beach landing practice. They miscalculated the tide and the large landing craft, went aground after unloading large caterpillar vehicles . They did not take into account that the tides have suddenly got very strong and fast. It is near full moon here, so what we call spring tides.. So they had to stay all day until the tide flooded again. I simply went and photographed them. They did not mind. Some started to laugh and giggle , desperately trying to keep there composure as if ready to battle. I do confess I was asking them to smile so not helping either

. That is about it.
At the end I did chat to the commander in charge and he said if I needed anything just ask. Not sure what I would have wanted, it may have been that I was struggling on two crutches on sinking sand

Chris Dodkin · Mar 20, 2014

The guy on his knee in front of the landing craft - great story shot

The B&W of the landing crafts - brilliant!

Dave Green · Mar 20, 2014

What a beltin' set. Right place, right time, right person!

Julian de'Courcy · Mar 20, 2014

Chris Dodkin said:
The guy on his knee in front of the landing craft - great story shot

The B&W of the landing crafts - brilliant!

Thanks Chris. I did mess up the metering and most images were under exposed by a stop , fortunately I managed to recue them. That shot did make me feel as if I was in the centre of a movie being made, it was interesting. It would have been nice to have had the OM-D with flip out LCD to get low and also fixed lenses you are at the mercy of the composition in front of you . I cannot run around changing my position.

Julian de'Courcy · Mar 20, 2014

Dave Green said:
What a beltin' set. Right place, right time, right person!

Thank you Dave. Not total luck but know what you are saying. An early morning appointment get me driving past the beach, I'd seen the craft, or one of them out at sea. Took a judgement they were going to arrive at some point. So coffee it was.

Rob MacKillop · Mar 20, 2014

Fantastic series, Julian. I'm a bit surprised they let you photograph them. I might get me some crutches - seem to open doors!

I was enjoying them all, then the first black and white one blew me away. Stunning.

Julian de'Courcy · Mar 20, 2014

Rob MacKillop said:
Fantastic series, Julian. I'm a bit surprised they let you photograph them. I might get me some crutches - seem to open doors!

I was enjoying them all, then the first black and white one blew me away. Stunning.

Thanks Rob. I was not going to post the coloured version as I didn't feel they had a lot of visual merit for me , but they do maybe show what goes on, which is why they were posted. Interesting both yourself and Chris on the landing craft one. I see the merits but prefer the last, good that we all see things differently, it is the best way. I am kicking myself, I have a lot of the landing craft, but way under exposed. I messed up

I'd avoid the crutches if I was you, absolute pain in the backside. Yet there is some truth maybe in what you say.

Tom Dunne · Mar 20, 2014

A very enjoyable sequence and story Julian.
The first B/W of the landing craft screams out above all the rest. There is a kind of atmosphere of 'waiting for something to happen' about it. Things like the track marks leading out to the craft and the reflections in the wet sand are brilliant.
Outstanding in any mans language.

Julian de'Courcy · Mar 20, 2014

Tom Dunne said:
A very enjoyable sequence and story Julian.
The first B/W of the landing craft screams out above all the rest. There is a kind of atmosphere of 'waiting for something to happen' about it. Things like the track marks leading out to the craft and the reflections in the wet sand are brilliant.
Outstanding in any mans language.

Thank you Tom very much appreciated. I feel encouraged to have a look at the many landing craft images I.ve yet to process .

Pat Reehal · Mar 20, 2014

Typical Bootneck's!

Parking properly was never top of the list of, 'things to remember in a target-rich environment' , when I served with them.

O to have been a fly on the wall when the Coxswain was having his IWC (Interview Without Coffee) with his Commanding Officer. " You would never have known Sir, except for that bloody photographer. If he hadn't been hanging between two sticks, he soon would have been!"

Wonderful photos Julian which brought back so many happy memories and I bet the Lads took it all in good humour.

"Per Mare, Per Terram"

Julian de'Courcy · Mar 20, 2014

Thank you Pat, they were brilliant guys. Also what did strike me was just how young they were, yet done 3 years of active dangerous service already. We did laugh but also chatted along while, about the situation in the world today, always worthy to get a perspective on what is in the tv and newspaper news, from another source. I was also very interested in how they saw these things, and have to say I came away with a wider knowledge of things than when I arrived. Putting aside any moral rights or wrongs about wars and conflicts wherever they may be. I have to say they are extremely brave souls , consciously or otherwise. Something I would never wish to be in a position, with the need to get my head around.
I'll stick with having a coffee and enjoying the seagulls, some of them anyway.

Ahhhh Park a boat ?

that's where they went wrong

Pat Reehal · Mar 20, 2014

I am delighted that you speak so highly of these excellent young men Julian.

I have had the privilege of commanding many of the so called 'degenerate youth of today' and have been humbled by the sense of service and pride they have in serving their Country. It never ceased to amaze me just how damm good our young soldiers were (and are) and how they just got on with it in circumstances that were less than ideal. My Dad was a soldier, and he often used to say to me that the modern Army was never as good as when he served. But he was wrong, they are.

If I may, this link takes you to one such young man of whom I am very proud,

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-mid-wales-11441806

my eldest son.

Julian de'Courcy · Mar 20, 2014

Pat Reehal said:
I am delighted that you speak so highly of these excellent young men Julian.

I have had the privilege of commanding many of the so called 'degenerate youth of today' and have been humbled by the sense of service and pride they have in serving their Country. It never ceased to amaze me just how damm good our young soldiers were (and are) and how they just got on with it in circumstances that were less than ideal. My Dad was a soldier, and he often used to say to me that the modern Army was never as good as when he served. But he was wrong, they are.

If I may, this link takes you to one such young man of whom I am very proud,

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-mid-wales-11441806

my eldest son.

Quite something Pat. As I touched upon I cannot imagine the horrors at times that have to be faced. With the families background you must have felt incredibly proud, as we all are for our children who achieve high honours in their own field of excellence.

Darren Turner · Mar 20, 2014

wow wow wow wow don't know what else to say apart from WOW

what a brilliant set, i love them all, talk about being in the right place at the right time eh............. you done a really good job here

Julian de'Courcy · Mar 20, 2014

Darren Turner said:
wow wow wow wow don't know what else to say apart from WOW

what a brilliant set, i love them all, talk about being in the right place at the right time eh............. you done a really good job here

Thank you Darren much appreciated.

Beth Carter · Mar 20, 2014

wow, great series! love the second to last shot.

Julian de'Courcy · Mar 20, 2014

Beth Anthony said:
wow, great series! love the second to last shot.

Thank you Beth.

Brian Moore · Mar 21, 2014

D-Day! Wonderful set, Julian!

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