Blast from the past: Sunrise over Coquet island

Another memory from our time in Northumberland; we had rented a small cottage near the town of Amble, and it was just a short walk through the back gate and down a field onto the beach. Just out to sea was Coquet Island, a small, uninhabited island that is a Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) nature reserve and a safe haven for puffins, terns and seals. The lighthouse was built in 1841 but was automated in 1990.

We started out early to get to the beach before sunrise. I set my tripod up on the sand and waited. As the sun started to peek above the horizon, I could hear the distant sound of a small fishing boat, and when it came into view, I could see that it would pass in front of the island. All I could hope for was it would make the distance before the sun had fully risen and started blowing the highlights.