Break

Down visiting our dear friends in Kent for some much needed r&r. It's been full on for both of us since I got my job in January.
We went on a very pleasant walk round Rye Harbour Nature Reserve today and also had a look at the church. There's a very grand memorial to commemorate  the loss of the RNLI Lifeboat The Mary Stanford in 1928. The whole crew of 17 perished when it capsized after going out in bad weather to the help two ships that had collided. However a message from the coastguard for the Mary Stanford to stand down arrived too late , there is much conjecture as to how the boat capsized an inquiry decided it was due to a strong flood tide and a high and dangerous breaking sea. 15 are buried in the graveyard, one was washed up in Eastbourne three months later and laid to rest with his comrades and one was never found. A very sad tale. The graveyard also contains a couple of military graves:
456/ST Trimmer Thomas Stevenson RNR from HM Trawler 'Carlton,' died 21st Feb1916 aged 36, also sailor killed in 1938 and an 18 year Fusilier killed in the Gulf War in 1991. Such a waste.
We walked back towards the car park and Martello Tower and into the Rye Harbour Nature Reserve. A very pleasant walk to a bird hide where we watched Avocets and  Redshanks feeding. Very peaceful. Finished the walk and met several dogs on the way back including one called Stan!