Winds and Breezes

While I was dossing around the North Dublin coastline yesterday

Seeing as the weather was so stunning yesterday, instead of lounging around in bed for half the day and then wishing I'd gotten up earlier, I actually got up early, grabbed the camera, and decided that I'd go taking pictures in some of the North Dublin villages where by and large, I've taken relatively few photographs.

Under normal circumstances, I'd have uploaded some of those pictures to flickr by now, but unfortunately I hadn't the time to make them webfriendly sized plus I have some broadband issues at home at the moment. Later during the week, hopefully.

Moving swiftly back to the main point, I started in Balbriggan, moved to Skerries, Loughshinny and Rush before enjoying the traffic jam of the century by not being GAA-aware.

Balbriggan is one of those towns in North county Dublin where I could probably afford a three bedroomed house, so every so often, I harbour notions of buying a house out there. Usually a visit to Balbriggan is enough to remind me that I might be better off waiting until I can afford to buy on in Swords. Yesterday was no real exception. Certain issues I have with Balbriggan include the fact that it appears to be a building site in its own right, it's that bit further away from work, I got caught in a traffic jam on the M1, those sorts of things.

However, what rather got more up my nose than those issues yesterday was the sheer amount of detritus that was just dumped around the beach/rocks area. The tide was out yesterday, which gave me ample opportunity to photograph boats sitting in the sand in the harbour area, take pictures of the lighthouse from different angles, and above all else, it allowed me to do a little bit of meandering around the rocks. Last time I was there taking pictures about two years ago, it was for a seal-release and the tide was in. This time I was at liberty to climb all over the rocks and see for example, whether you could get to the Martello tower that way. It turned out to be an illuminating experience. It made Dollymount look relatively clean.

I counted three rusted shopping trolleys, four rusted children's bikes and a pile of cane furniture, accompanied by four big plastic bags, a coffee table and an office chair. That does not include the loads and loads of rusting beer cans, broken glass bottles and milk cartons.

As a general rule, I hate seeing the cans and especially the glass around or on beaches. It really makes my blood run cold and I have nightmares about children getting very nasty cuts and wounds as a result. I do however, understand how it happens, even if I think there is no justification for it. I'm at a loss to understand the shopping trolleys, furniture and children's bikes.

I realise that this is an old recurring theme, and every street and beach and county in the country has signs begging people please don't litter, please don't dump.

But it's not enough of a deterrent for enough people and I think it's shaming on the country.

posted by Winds and Breezes @ 9:43 AM