From July 2024 you can explore Southampton and Cowes to discover 40- 8ft lighthouses, and 40 mini lighthouses on the Light the South art trail. On the hottest day of the year yesterday, I discovered a few. I hope to find some more in the coming weeks.

Shine on. Paintshop collaborated with Southampton Football Club. A twist to traditional horizontal red and white bars often found on Lighthouses and the iconic red stripes of the Saints football shirts, distorting these in the style of ‘dazzle camouflage’ frequently used on ships by the Navy during WW1 & 2.

Unlike any other holiday! The sponsor of this sculpture is Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines hosted a competition for people to design their lighthouse. The winning design was created by Theresa Hartnell and brought to life by Martin Davey and Julien Masson. Interestingly this lighthouse is on one of Southampton’s Titanic memorials.

Shine Bright & Light The Way.  It is sponsored by Princess Cruises – The design combines a tapestry of abstracted maritime-inspired graphic forms with a positive message of optimism about light. The wording connects to the theme of what a lighthouse provides whilst also delivering a more metaphorical message of hope/ optimism to people, encouraging strength in individuality.

Beautiful Oceans is sponsored by DP World – a multinational logistics company. This lighthouse celebrates the beauty hidden in our oceans, this design shows two spiny seahorses entwined. They represent the fragile and protected species that are found here in the English Channel.

The a-maize-ing house. Is a fun design inspired by local produce that Hampshire has to offer. The varied growing conditions in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, ranging from the coast to the countryside, river valley to downland, heath to forest, yield an abundance of local produce.this lighthouse is sponsored by Pickwell Farm .

The Future is in Your Hands is sponsored by ABJ Minimix + Concrete2You + PicsUK It is a vibrant call to action, driven by a deep commitment to environmental education. The artwork unfolds as a kaleidoscope of colour, symbolising the energy needed for positive change the artwork prompts viewers to reflect on their role in shaping a sustainable future and engaging in meaningful conversation.

 Love & Stability – Husband and wife duo Reilly Creative’s design has taken inspiration from Southampton’s flag, The lighthouse depicts an anchor and a Tudor rose. They have taken these elements and with a nod to the beautiful windows that can be found in Saint Marys Church, have turned them into a stained-glass effect design.

Chip Chip Hooray. The design is sponcered by Southampton Hospital Charities and inspired by the humble fish finger. This teatime treat was tested in Southampton in the 1950’s by Clarence Birdseye. They proved so popular that on the 26th of September 1955 the Fish Finger was officially launched by Birdseye. Hannah Jayne Lewin’s design shows a delicious fish and chip cone wrapped in newspaper and topped with ketchup.

Solent Ships, is a celebration of ships that can be seen in the Solent, and some things that lurk in the darkness of the sea. Solent Ships is sponsored by our Presenting Partner Red Funnel who run the ferries to the Isle of Wight.

All details about the sculptures are taken from the arttrail website. https://lightthesouth.co.uk/art-trail/

Views around Southampton Airport. Under the flight path.

Raven – taking off with lunch.

Storn Ciarán is set to hit the UK this evening an amber weather warning has been issued which means  ‘danger to life’ there are warnings for “very strong winds”. Coastal regions could be lashed by 90-mile winds with possible flying debris, blown-off roofs and power cuts expected across the country. Heavy rain with flooding in front of the storm is predicted

With this in mind, I decided to cancel tomorrow’s planned New Forest walk.

Between this morning’s showers and using the hides for cover, we spent a few hours at Titchfield Haven Nature Reserve and on Meon Shore.

Many duck numbers are increasing here on the South Coast as wintering birds start to arrive.

The Northern Shoveler, known simply in the UK as the Shoveler, is a widespread duck. This duck has a large ‘spade-like’ bill. The male is brightly coloured and the female is light brown in colour.

Another dabbling duck is the Gadwall. Only a small number of Gadwall nest in the UK, but large numbers winter here.

The Teal is a pretty small duck.  The UK is home to a significant percentage of the north-west European wintering population.

On the shore, Sanderlings have also arrived from their Northern breeding grounds.