Nicola, Author at Nicola Ann Art

Jun 28

by Nicola in Beach, The United Kingdom 0 comments tags: Blue Flag Beach, Brightlingsea, Essex Sunshine Coast, Nicola Ann Art, Nicola Beykirch

Brightlingsea, Essex Sunshine Coast

We happened to be in Suffolk and decided at the last minute to venture to the sea. Brightlingsea happened to be the closest to where we were visiting. Situated between Colchester and Clacton-on-Sea, at the mouth of the River Colne, Brightlingsea is a coastal town in the Tendring district of Essex. COLOURFUL BEACH HUTS Its sandy beach runs along the Western Promenade next to Batemans Tower. Brightly painted beach huts border the promenade, providing an intimate walk close to the sea. Mind the sea spray when the weather turns vocal. Oh boy was it vocal! BLUE FLAG BEACH I’d never have guessed the beach is of Blue Flag status. Together with Dovercourt Bay, also a Blue Flag beach, and Brightlingsea are the two largest contributors to the tourist economy, which is worth, ‘£365 million a year to Tendring – £1 million per day – and this figure is on the rise from the previous year,’ stated Nigel Brown, Tendring District Council’s Communications Manager in 2018. IDYLIC RAMBLING Just beyond the beach, the seawall leads to picturesque walks amidst diverse flora and fauna, with plentiful birdlife, that flourish around this interesting corner of the Essex Sunshine Coast. Oh, and Winkies, around […]

Jun 06

by Nicola in London, The United Kingdom 0 comments tags: Berkeley Square, COVID-19, Crawling, Lockdown, London, Nicola Ann Art, Nicola Beykirch, Sophie Ryder

London easing out of lockdown…

It still felt as though the city was abandoned; a ghost town, never seen before in my lifetime. Mmm… The sound of silence. I could count the total number of people passed, social-distancing, of course, on both hands. From Regent’s Park, we headed to Great Portland Street, Oxford Circus, Marble Arch, Hyde Park, Mayfair, Maddox Gallery and Berkeley Square where I marvelled at “Crawling” by Sophie Ryder. ‘To me it encompasses so many emotions. The lady is strong and confident and she is moving along which makes one wonder “where is she going?” ‘She is a bronze that I scaled up from the maquette by eye from very small, straight to very large, which is a very difficult process as normally its done in several more stages than that. ‘I worked on it for a long time, 16 hours a day back in 1999. The first attempt collapsed on top of me in one big crash! I was a bit bruised and battered but learnt then that my structures needed to be better thought out. I had wasted a couple of months of work but gained years of experience. ‘Sculpture should adapt to its surroundings and be good from every […]

Jun 01

by Nicola in Sailing, Travel 0 comments tags: Croatia, Istria, Kotor, Montenegro, Nicola Ann Art, Nicola Beykirch, Sailing, Sailing Today

‘THE REST IS ISTRIA’ ARTICLE PUBLISHED BY SAILING TODAY MAGAZINE

THE REST IS ISTRIA Nicola Beykirch headed to Venice in search of a cheap winter berth and endured the hardship of sailing the length of the Croatian coast en route Words & Photography By NICOLA BEYKIRCH Published By SAILING TODAY Regular readers of Sailing Today will recall that Captain Barry and I had sailed Bella Rose, our Oyster 545, along the Mediterranean to Sicily, and then on to the Ionian Islands, before turning up the Adriatic to Albania and Montenegro before flying back for a two-week break in London. We now returned to the port of Kotor and Bella Rose, eager to resume our summer adventure by sailing north to Croatia before finishing in Venice. From the port of Kotor, after purchasing supplies, we motored into the sun at 7pm. Behind us, the peaks bathed in a lavender glow and we motored to the nearest customs port at Tivat for Barry to check out. Upon arrival in July, our clearing agent had arranged our cruising permit and said we could check out from any port after we had returned, with no need for another permit. I stayed on board for over an hour before Barry returned having been told that our cruising […]

May 17

by Nicola in Beach, The United Kingdom 0 comments tags: beach, English seaside, Essex, Leigh-on-Sea, Nicola Ann Art, Nicola Beykirch, Southend-on-Sea

Out of lockdown straight to Leigh-on-Sea

The moment the lockdown guidelines eased, we emerged from the North London suburbs and headed straight for Leigh-on-Sea. The sea! Someone said, “Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, is a town full of unique character and charm and is a must-see when visiting Southend-on-Sea.” The sea. Having grown up with the Indian Ocean at my toes, being near the sea is like home to me. I can’t quite put my finger or should that be toes? on it, but there’s something peculiarly different about the seaside along the coast from Bell Wharf Beach to Southend-On-Sea when compared to other English seaside towns. Could it be the… mmm… dense, sinking-mud? ALL ALONG THE SOUTH COASTAll along the south coast the sea is sort of there. The sun is sort of shining through a sort of salt-sea air. There’s a sort of “shall we” or “shan’t we”, a sort of “yes” or “no”, A sort of rolling up of trouser legs and a dipping of the toe. All along the south coast the day is sort of bright. At least it’s sort of brighter than it sort of is at night, A sort of “should we” or “could we”, a sort of “yes” or “no”. It […]

Apr 01

by Nicola in Sailing, Travel 0 comments tags: Greece, Ionian Islands, Ionian Sea, Mediterranean, Nicola Ann Art, Nicola Beykirch, Oyster 545 Yacht, Sailing, Sailing Today, Sicily

‘greece is the word’ article PUBLISHED BY SAILING TODAY MAGAZINE

GREECE IS THE WORD The magic of the Mediterranean is in the incredibly diverse cultures nestled on its shores. Nicola Beykirch charts a trip from Malta to the Ionian Islands via Sicily Words & Photography By NICOLA BEYKIRCH Published By SAILING TODAY I couldn’t believe a year had slipped by since ‘A Med Time Story’ and ‘Sailing Safari’, on Bella Rose, our 2017 Oyster 545. It took minutes to decide the outline of our summer sailing 2019 adventure, reinforcing how easy-going both Captain Barry and I are when it comes to exploring together. A true sail and trail team! How about we head from Malta to Sicily to the Ionian Islands to Montenegro to Croatia and then leave Bella Rose in Venice for the winter? Barry didn’t need to hold his breath for my answer. Finally, the day arrived. On a Saturday at 5:30 pm, we bid farewell to Valetta’s Grand Harbour, where Bella Rose had spent the winter. We motored into a blinding sun and 40-degree heat. Fifteen miles from shore the expansive rich blue sea and tranquillity greeted us in every direction: no buildings, no land in sight. The idyllic start to a journey! Soon after dinner of a […]

Mar 29

by Nicola in London, Nature, The United Kingdom 0 comments tags: Blue Bells, Hampstead, Hampstead Heath, London, nature, Nicola Ann Art, Nicola Beykirch

blue bells blooming early Hampstead Heath

The blue bells blooming early this year, due to the balmy weather, in Hampstead Heath during lockdown. A treat to see them each day, as long as they lasted, while ‘participating in one form of daily exercise outdoors’, as instructed by Boris. “Moments of solitude with Mother Nature is sunshine to a soul.” — Anthony Douglas Williams

Feb 29

by Nicola in Architecture, Cities, Travel 0 comments tags: Coronavirus, COVID-19, Nicola Ann Art, Nicola Beykirch, Pandemic, Venice

Coronavirus cuts short the Venice Carnival

25 JANUARY 2020 A gloomy yet invigorating weekend spent in Venice; busier than expected. 31 JANUARY 2020 Rome confirmed the first two cases of COVID-19. 23 FEBRUARY 2020 The Carnival of Venice was cancelled, result of Coronavirus, two days earlier than scheduled. 29 FEBRUARY 2020 Returned to Venice for another long weekend. NON-CONTACT THERMOMETER CHECKS I counted twenty people on the EasyJet flight. At Venice airport, before reaching passport control, medics checked each passenger’s temperature before permitting us to proceed. GHOST TOWN The carnival always marked the start of Venice’s peak tourist season. Sadly, this year the pandemic chased the revellers away leaving a ghost town in its wake. Surreal yet ingratiating, with most of the shops and restaurants closed. Police patrolled Piazza San Marco and guarded the tightly shut St Mark’s Basilica, museums and theatres. Almost redundant with only a handful of people scattered about. ETHREAL GRANDUER I relished the opportunity of getting up close and personal to the city’s ornate details without having to worry about stepping on anyone’s toes. ABSENT NON-CONTACT THERMOMETER CHECKS Returning to the UK, I counted sixteen people on the flight. At London Luton Airport, we freely entered with no medics to check our temperatures. […]

Jan 04

by Nicola in 4x4, Adventure, Beach, Off-Road, Sailing, Travel 0 comments tags: Anvil Bay, Dhow Sailing, Mozambique, Nicola Ann Art, Nicola Beykirch, Sailing, Santa Maria, Southern Africa Adventure

Unique Dhow Sailing Experience Mozambique

After settling in at Anvil Bay, we experienced a first sailing trip on a dhow at a nearby lake. Dhow sailing has been a traditional way of travelling around along the East African coast as early as 600AD. Anvil Bay collected their groceries, everything they didn’t grow themselves, from Santa Maria delivered by a dhow from Maputo. Through the Maputo Special Reserve and Machangulo Reserve for almost thirty kilometres, we explored villages, dune forests, mangrove swamps, freshwater lakes and coast before reaching Santa Maria Peninsula on the eastern side of Maputo Bay, near to Inhaca Island. The ‘berth’ place for dhows. Please Note: For copyright purposes, the resolution of each image below is considerably reduced. Dhow Sailing Experience at Anvil Bay The Sailing Dhows ‘berthed’ at Santa Maria

Jan 01

by Nicola in 4x4, Adventure, Beach, Nature, Off-Road, Travel 0 comments tags: Anvil Bay, Maputo Special Reserve, Mozambique, Nicola Ann Art, Nicola Beykirch, Southern Africa

Maputo To Anvil Bay Via MAPUTO SPECIAL RESERVE Mozambique

Early breakfast; early getaway. And direct to Maputo Special Reserve, through almost 1 500 km² of agrarian conservation to reach Anvil Bay, the private and exclusive barefoot beach camp. MAPUTO SPECIAL RESERVE Off-roading at its best, we had deflated the tyres and listened to the warning of the angry elephants at the entrance gate to the reserve. ‘They charge vehicles. Not mock, real, deadly charge. Drive forward or reverse as fast possible in opposite direction. They big business. Grande!’ The ranger widened his arms either side of him, reinforcing the “big”. Bring it on. Unfortunately, after spending over three hours exploring the reserve, okay, hunting down the unruly beasts. I’d only ever experienced a mock charge by an elephant. Tut! Now the thought of a real, deadly charge caused my amygdala to fire off every thrilling emotion. We never crossed their path. It was searingly hot, we resigned ourselves to accepting they took cover amid the thick bush, where vehicle tracks weren’t visible. Off-piste? No, respect the rules. The highlight was watching three jackals stalk four adults and two young wildebeest. They’d separated from the larger herd and ungainly tried escaping an ambush. The adults outsmarted the predators by keeping […]

Dec 30

by Nicola in 4x4, Cities, Travel 0 comments tags: Maputo, Mozambique, Nicola Ann Art, Nicola Beykirch, Peri-Peri, Polana Serena Hotel, Tofo Beach

Mozambique’s Tofo Beach to its capital Maputo

Early breakfast. Early departure. We drove from Tofo Beach, with a couple of stops en route, a total of seven hours, to Maputo. Through the main towns traffic jams, car accidents, wedding parties and livestock greeted us from every direction. Fortunately, the national asphalt roads were well maintained and drivers mostly behaved. Unlike when we first entered Mozambique. GRAND DAME BECKONS After checking into the palatial Grand Dame of African Hotels, known as the Polana Serena, we decided to leave the car behind and walk to Baixa, old town Maputo. Mozambique’s capital city, previously known as Lourenço Marques. After twenty minutes winding through the backstreets, we reached one of the wide main roads leading straight into the town. Suddenly it no longer felt safe and exciting. Many were finishing work and didn’t appear too pleased to see us, the only tourists as far as the eye could wander. FOOT DOWN “Let’s go back and get the car!” This time I put my foot down, defiantly insistent. Being enclosed within a vehicle made all the difference to feeling safer. Still, I felt on edge, keeping my wits about me even when in the car, ensuring the doors were locked and windows rolled […]

Dec 29

by Nicola in 4x4, Adventure, Beach, Off-Road, Travel 0 comments tags: Mozambique, Nicola Ann Art, Nicola Beykirch, Tofino Beach, Tofo Beach

Tofo Beach, Mozambique

On the road again… After breakfast, we left Naara Eco Lodge & Spa and drove off-road as much as possible, a total of five hours to reach Tofo Beach. Our main destination in Mozambique, a place devoid of South African and overseas tourists, unlike Ponta do Ouro. AN ARRESTING EXPERIENCE A friendly laid-back vibe, vibrant people as warm as the beach sand at midday, intimate pulsating nightlife, popular Moz musicians, unique ocean life protected by an arresting bay ebbing and flowing onto a long arced beach, exquisite food, Tofo Beach breathed and oozed Paradise. POINT BREAK The bay dished out perfect ridable waves idyllic for both beginner and intermediate surfers. The pro surfers headed around the point to Tofino (little Tofo) for a ride of their life, where most tourists didn’t venture. During sunrise and low tide, a walk from Tofo Beach around the headland to Tofino made for an energising start to the day. MERRY X-MASS On Christmas day Mozambicans arrived in droves and celebrated as though the world were ending the following day. Police patrolled the market and beach, in case anyone turned too frisky. Fortunately, the people partied in peace and the enforcement was kept at bay. […]

Dec 24

by Nicola in 4x4, Adventure, Nature, Off-Road, South Africa 0 comments tags: Lebombo Border Post, Mozambique, Naara Eco Lodge & Spa, Nicola Ann Art, Nicola Beykirch, South Africa

Motswari, South Africa to Naara Eco Lodge & Spa, Mozambique

Leaving Motswari Private Game Reserve, Timbavati, South Africa at 11am, it took us over ten hours (five hundred and ninety-two kilometres) to reach Naara Eco Lodge & Spa in Chidenguele, Mozambique. Something I wouldn’t recommend doing: driving anywhere in Mozambique in the dark or even dawn or dusk. Unless you had a death wish. NEVER TRUST GOOGLE MAPS When it comes to border posts between South Africa and Mozambique! Last year we experienced the same issue when Google showed a border post that did not exist. This time the same occurred; however, instead of driving all the way to the post as we had done last time to find it didn’t exist, we asked a staff member at Motswari when checking out. No, Gaza border is not open. You have to drive to Lebombo Border Post (also called the Komatipoort Border). TIME IS (NOT) ON MY SIDE Damn! That added another four hours onto our travel time, provided all went smoothly. Life or death! We had a decision to make. Do we spend the night at Komatipoort and then leave first thing in the morning? Or do we take a chance, hope the border isn’t too busy, take a short cut through […]

Dec 20

by Nicola in 4x4, Adventure, Nature, Off-Road, Safari, South Africa, Sunrise, Sunset, Travel 0 comments tags: Motswari Giraffe’s Nest, Nicola Ann Art, Safari, South Africa, Timbavati and Umbabat Private Nature Reserve

Five-star Safari & Adventure At Motswari Geiger’s Camp

FROM ESWATINI BACK TO SOUTH AFRICA Resuming our Southern Africa adventure, we left Piggs Peak, Eswatini and explored as much off-road as possible before reaching the five-star safari experience Motswari Geiger’s Camp in the Timbavati and Umbabat Private Nature Reserve, South Africa in time for the afternoon and evening game drive. JUST THE TWO OF US We had the entire camp, a ranger and a tracker to ourselves, the only two booked in at the main reserve. A novelty, something neither of us had before experienced; as if deliberately arranged, but so happened by sensational chance. MOTSWARI GIRAFFE’S NEST Straight after the afternoon game drive, the ranger dropped us off at Motswari Giraffe’s Nest, so that we could witness the dramatic sunset; well worth cutting the drive short. While enveloped by untamed wilderness, as far as the eye could wander, we spent our first night in a luxurious nest, high above the ground in a treetop overlooking Xanatsi Dam. The chef had prepared our dinner and breakfast, with bowls of snacks and as many soft and alcoholic drinks as desired. Both the food and the drinks would last at least a few days. STAY ALERT – DON’T GET HURT We […]

Dec 17

by Nicola in 4x4, Adventure, Off-Road, South Africa 0 comments tags: BeanOn Photography, Bulembu, Eswatini, Memel-Zamani, South Africa, Southern Africa Adventure

Southern Africa Adventure Memel-Zamani, South Africa to Bulembu, Eswatini

While exploring off-road through the Free State we stumbled upon Memel. Memel-Zamani now being the official name in recognition of the Zamani township – a settlement adjoining Memel to the west in which several thousand black Africans reside. During the apartheid era, Zamani was separated from Memel by a golf course which acted as a buffer between the two, now however the golf course no longer exists, houses have been built on it and the buffer zone has disappeared. The town and township are now adjacent in one small location. We paid R20 each to visit a tiny museum housing several display cases with artefacts from the Great Trek. Everything else, except a convenience store, was closed, including the hotel on the main street and an art gallery. A ghost town with a few people scattered around. Please Note: For copyright purposes, I have considerably reduced the resolution of each image below. Bulembu, Eswatini From Memel-Zamani, we meandered through Piggs Peak reaching Maguga Lodge in Eswatini just after sunset. Last year we drove through the derelict Havelock Mine in Bulembu, Eswatini, without stopping. This year we made a point of returning, ensuring time was on our side to explore another ghost town, which is now […]

Dec 15

by Nicola in Uncategorized 0 comments tags: 4x4, BeanOn Photography, bushlore, Free State, Highest Pub in Africa, Land Cruiser, Lesotho, Off-road, Oranje Guest Farm, Sani Pass, South Africa

Another Daring Off-road Adventure through Southern Africa

SOUTH AFRICA, LESOTHO, MOZAMBIQUE AND SWAZILAND INDESTRUCTIBLE TOYOTA LAND CRUISER 79 FOR HIRE This time around we added a fourth country to our Southern African feat. Lesotho. Instead of using my 4×4 as we did last year, we hired a Toyota Land Cruiser 79 from https://bushlore.com. A robust and exceptional fully equipped self-contained 4×4 camper that exceeded our expectations. Except for one minor incident that occurred while on tar cruising through Lesotho. DURBAN THE BEST PLACE TO START Our adventure started in sweltering hot Durban, and what should have taken just over 3 hours took us almost 5 hours while driving off-road via Richmond. Through townships and lush KwaZulu-Natal hills and valleys that most people would advise against facing. I know… “Never throw caution to the wind. It could whip back into your eyes and blind you.” SANI PASS NOT YET TARRED We thought this may be the last time we get to experience Sani Pass as its authentic self, with a series of hairpins, twists, dongas, drops and picture-perfect scenery. Sadly, it’s soon going to be all tar from the ruins of the Good Hope trading store to the Lesotho border post. I’ve driven it a few times so had to […]