Stargazing on Abersoch Beach
It was 2am, and as I drove in the dark sipping on my coffee, I wondered if I had made the right decision. It’s not wise to go places for the very first time chasing the Milky Way in the dark. I had been checking cloud cover and it wasn’t looking great. Abersoch had the least cloud according to my numerous weather apps.
It was a fairly quiet drive, and I parked at the Abersoch Beach pay and display car park (postcode LL53 7EY). Be careful if parking here in the dark it was full of potholes! It didn’t feel as cold tonight as it did last time I came out at night, but I still wrapped up warm as I unloaded my car. I made the short walk down to the beach.
The tide was coming in, and the waves clapped and crashed on the shore. It felt slightly unnerving as I walked onto the sand. I noticed there was a line of beach huts which I thought would make a pretty lovely composition. I glanced up and down the beach with my head torch on- I couldn’t see another soul, and there had been no cars in the car park. I had checked the tide times before I left, so I was aware high tide was around 5am.
I found a suitable spot to set my tripod and camera up, and set off a few test shots, tweaking my settings until I was satisfied. I set up my camping chair and glanced at the sky, there was some cloud but the wind was moving it. I could only hope I would get some decent shots. I turned my head torch off, set my camera to take some interval shots, and sat in my chair and looked up. There sky was a blanket of stars and darkness- something that still fascinates me to this day is that even in the darkest of nights there is so much light in our universe, millions and billions of miles away from Earth. Yet still, their light reaches us.
It is funny how heightened your senses get in the dark, and it’s always strange being out on your own (especially somewhere new!). Will people turn up? Is there anyone out there in the darkness? Noises seem to sound louder, and the sound of the sea felt deafening. My eyes slowly adjusted to the dark, and with that my unease started to drift away as I relaxed in my chair. Soon the sound of the waves sounded soothing as they lapped up onto the sand. I paused every now and again to reset my camera, but returned to my chair and looked up. I was lucky enough to catch a huge shooting star, and some smaller ones (they occurred away from my camera sadly). My feet were cold but my soul was full as the Milky Way core rose.
Astronomical Twilight was upon me, and I realised my opportunity was drawing to a close. I started to pack up my things, but before I left I took a shot of the beach huts and the path down to the sea to composite later. I loaded my car back up, turned the heater up and made the drive home. Even though there were clouds, I felt content and happy.