Storm Surge

[Pete/London]

It looks grim for East Anglia tonight with one report calling it the biggest expected storm surge ever recorded.

Hope everyone in the area finds somewhere safe to sit it out.

[imagine]

glad im in phil, looks like i left in time, i hear bad in aberdeen too

[tiger31]

a friend of mine has just posted a picture to me of a fallen tree that missed his car by inches which is now blocking a country road.

[Pete/London]

glad im in phil, looks like i left in time ,i hear bad in aberdeen too

Yes Ive been reading about it, getting windy here in London now, very fierce up my side alley (so to speak). Blowing my empty copper cylinders around, been saving them for a rainy day, this may be it.

[Terpe]

Some friends of ours just moved to the Great Yarmouth last Friday.
Their retirement dream home with sea views.

I've tried to call but no luck. They have no landline yet.

Hope they'll be OK

This storm surge warning sounds very bad

[Arthur Little]

i hear bad in aberdeen too

Yes ... so I believe, Stewart; also a bit "breezy" in "my neck of the woods!!!!!!"

[grahamw48]

My longtime friend lives right on the sea front near Cleethorpes...in a bungalow.

I've just messaged him to ask if he's sitting on his roof yet.

[Doc Alan]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25220224


Scarborough ( east coast of England ) escaped relatively lightly, although two more very high tides are expected tomorrow. Those members who have met here and know the town will recognise where I took these photos this evening :-

[Terpe]

Good shots there Alan......hope you didn't get your feet wet

[andy222]

Put things into perspective guys it wont be half as bad as what hit the philippines.

[Ako Si Jamie]

Great pics Doc

[andy222]

What camera you got Doc?

[Dedworth]

Superb pics Doc -

[fred]

Nice pics Doc! Wish I could take evening pics like that!!

[grahamw48]

Nice pictures Alan. Looks a bit rough !

[Pete/London]

It looks like you took a risk with the last pic Doc, be careful.

Great pics though.

[Doc Alan]

Thanks guys ! I did get my feet wet, and it’s the first time for a while that a policewoman told me not to go any further !


This morning’s tide was not so high, and we’re lucky here that the sea was not actually rough – just a swell.


The camera is a compact “ point and shoot “ – Panasonic Lumix TZ18, 14.1 megapixels, 20X optical zoom, which I’ve had for a couple of years. It cost about £200 then from Amazon ( used, and some new, versions are cheaper now ).


The setting I used is one of the choices in “ My Scene Mode “ , a low light ( Night Scenery ) option. It’s easily set with the “ mode dial “ on top of the camera, so it can be found when lighting is poor. The flash function is NOT for these situations, it’s not powerful enough !



I used a heavy, bulky, expensive SLR ( Contax ) for years – now redundant because it uses film. Apart from the lower cost, I can recommend a compact camera ( basically any camera with a fixed lens ). The prices range from £ 60 upwards. Optical zooms of X20, or waterproof versions ( with lower optical zooms ), are available. Especially for situations like last night’s storm surge, where speed is essential, and travelling where security may be an issue ( like the Philippines ), “ compact “ is ideal in my opinion. This camera has been with me to the Philippines, and the summit of Swiss mountains !


Compact “ bridge “ cameras still have a fixed lens, but larger ( and more expensive ) if you “ need “ more than X20 optical zoom.

Compact “ system “ cameras have interchangeable lenses - a compromise between simple compact and DSLR ( digital single lens reflex ) cameras, also more expensive and bulky.


I took about 60 shots last night, and selected a few for the Forum. It really does take time to adjust from the mindset of films with 12, 24, or 36 exposure, which you took for developing and ordered two sets of prints because they weren’t much more than one, then waited for the results ; or “ slides “ which required a screen projector with all its faults ! Changed times !


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25253080

[Michael Parnham]

Yes Alan, nice photo's, hope you were well wrapped up!

[joebloggs]

UK weather: Dramatic footage shows planes unable to land at Birmingham Airport amid gale-force winds

http://metro.co.uk/2013/12/05/uk-wea...winds-4218358/

[Pete/London]

All the main tv companies, especially Sky had reporters in all the expected major flood risk points, and then Nelson Mandela passed away and none of them were used.
Must have been very frustrating.

[Doc Alan]

This is the morning after, about 200 properties thought to be damaged here, with structural damage to sea walls.


Scarborough got off lightly compared to other towns on the east coast, and of course this is insignificant compared to the effects of typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda.

[Arthur Little]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25220224


Those members who have met here and know the town will recognise where I took these photos this evening :-

Thank you for providing those excellent shots, Alan ... being one of the happy band privileged to attend last year's social gathering I am indeed able to recognise the settings.

[Terpe]

My friends in Great Yarmouth got away very lightly.
The flood defences worked pretty good.
Just a small flooding on the ground floor. Carpets and wood flooring only damaged.

Lucky escape. They will stay put