The Skies of Smuttynose

ISLES OF SHOALS

Words don't do justice to the Smuttynose skies. Nor does our digital camera. But we gave it a try and the results follow. Overnight visitors to the Isles of Shoals quickly understand why 19^th century tourists came to see this spot just off the NH and Maine coastline as a magical location. See pix below.

A Shoals Sunrise

Cool bright weather on our arrival at Smuttynose gave way to two days of downpour, followed by mists so thick all eight neighboring islands disappeared. We saw an hour of dazling lightning across the ocean one night, then after a windy day, all motion stopped and hot humid air swallowed the island. Within minutes clouds darkened the evening sky.

The previous evening, -- with sticks upraised as ptotection against protective gull parents -- we watched the sun go down off Malaga Island, just beyond Smuttynose Cove. The following morning the sky changed from minute to minute as hte sun rose on a clear day. The last four photos show a sequence of cloud colors at roughly two-minute intervals. If you don't like the weather on the Shoals – just wait a minute. --- JDR

News about Portsmouth from Fosters.com