The Brixham diver

I’ve decided to have a trip out to Brixham in South Devon. Yes, again. It’s a beautiful town, with fishing and tourism its two main legal sources of income. Smuggling has always been more profitable than fishing here, but, with severe penalties, like death by hanging, it’s had its down sides as well over the years.

In 1334, Brixham’s value was assessed at one pound, twelve shillings and eightpence. Now the price of a single average house is £250,000.

I’m taking photographs of the birds here when I see a diver in the water. No, not a Great Northern Diver. Well, he might be great and he could be northern, but he’s not that sort of diver. He’s got the full gear you need at this time of year, together with an action camera strapped to his forehead.

Diver - Brixham - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

He’s got a float to indicate his position.

Diver - Brixham - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

I suppose that’s a safety feature. You don’t want to be run over by a motorboat, after all.

Diver - Brixham - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Behind him I can see the bird I want to photograph. That’s a Great Northern Diver behind a pair of flippers.

Diver - Brixham - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

He comes to the surface with a scallop.

Diver - Brixham - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

And signals to someone on the beach.

Diver - Brixham - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

When he comes back onto land we get chatting. Jamie’s got quite a haul and he’s very kind and shows me what he’s caught:

Diver - Brixham - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Multiple scallops.

Diver - Brixham - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

And a lobster.

Diver - Brixham - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Brixham’s teeming with life below the waterline.

More Brixham

Great Northern Diver - The Hall of Einar - photograph (C) David Bailey (not the) The Great Northern Diver and the crab Great Northern Divers are sleek and handsome characters. There are many around the coast of South Devon at the moment.… read more
Kittiwake, Brixham - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the) Kittiwake in the harbour A Kittiwake over Brixham breakwater. Such beautiful, elegant birds with their dipped-in-ink wings and smokey winter heads. I'm looking forward… read more
Seals, Brixham - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the) Playful There's some quite intense play-biting going on along the wooden pontoons in Brixham harbour. It'll all end in a splash.… read more
Shag, Brixham - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the) A Shag in the harbour Shags are a form of Cormorant found around our coasts. They are smaller than the Common Cormorant we get across… read more
Great Northern Diver, Brixham - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the) The words ‘Great’ and ‘Northern’ go together so well What a special experience to spend time with something so wild. read more
Turnstone, Brixham - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the) No stones to turn Turnstones are regular visitors to Brixham harbour in the winter. They potter around the pontoons and waddle down the breakwater… read more
Buzzard and Crow - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the) The Buzzard and its shadow Buzzards are regal. They must be, because they bring with them a retinue wherever they go. Here's one with its… read more
Wildlife Seafari A wild cruise I love being on ferries and small boats. It's not something I do very often, so when my son Gabriel… read more
Kittiwake - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the) Kittiwake in winter There's a beautiful gull with a yellow beak in Brixham harbour. I can see it diving and fishing in the… read more

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