The Cook Islands ketch  'Irene'  visits Bideford . . .   much better than a message in a bottle! This beautiful ship moored against Bideford quay on 4th August 2013 to make repairs. She had been at Clovelly but sea conditions favoured a safer harbour in Bideford. Many a message has been sent in a bottle to ride the ocean currents to who knows where except hopefully a warm welcome . They put ships in bottles too, don't they, something grand and wonderful squeezed into such a small place, not unlike a good story. I took occasion to photograph 'Irene' and present to the crew a box of books to carry with them on their chosen tide away from Bideford to who knows where and with hope to delight someone on a far off shore. I jested with them. . . 'you can swap them for some beads' I said. Wherever they go driven by wind and tide I wish them well, God bless the ketch Irene. . .  safe journey to her. Perhaps she'll sail to . . . .  no, I'll not say. . . but perhaps she will and someone special will find the message.   Just a dream, that's all.

The giant that lives in the clouds. New evidence as the giant is photographed in a deck chair Moon bathing. The curse of telephoto lenses spills the beans on his private life.
I doubt the giant will be seen again. Only the 'special ones' can see him. . .  is that you?
Expand the photo by clicking on it and look top right of the moon . . .  is that someone watching over the giant? How many more live up there? Is the old wives tale that Thunder is God moving the furniture about actually true. . . we often see what we want to see and believe what we want to believe. . . . but the truth?