SS Falcon at Langdon Bay, Dover  | - Click on the image above to view gallery
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 Rock Samphire
One of the featured places was somewhere I had been about 18 months previously, which was down the steep zigzag cliff path to the beach. At the time it was actually the first time I had been there so I wondered what on earth they were going to tell us about when they got there. It wasn’t the rusting searchlight emplacements that once watched over the channel and I had found on a previous occasion, but a wreck that is only visible at low tide, which is why I hadn’t seen it on my last visit here. This time, however, I had made sure the tide was low so I could take a close look at it.
The wreck is that of the Steam Ship Falcon, which set sail in October 1926 heavily laden with a cargo of jute and matches. She caught fire when she set sail and an attempt to tow her back to harbour and put out the flames was made. However the fire had really taken hold and her final resting place is Langdon Bay. With a bit of investigation on the internet I was able to find out a bit more about the ship. Following the fire the wreckage was broken up and anything useful salvaged, leaving behind just the keel. In the 86 years since the fire what remains of the wreck is in surprisingly good condition. Over the years a lot of Limpets, Sea Anemones and Barnacles have made it their home and it certainly is well worth going to have a closer look.
 Falcon Shipwreck  1926 picture
It was a beautiful, bright sunny day when I went to see it and much calmer than two days previously too when we had watched the huge waves breaking at Kingsdown. To get to it the path down the cliff is easy to find and although it is eroded in places it is mostly OK. I’m not sure it would be much fun when it’s wet, however, as chalk is always so slippery. But today I had no such problems and I was soon at the bottom of the path looking at the searchlight positions and the steep ladder that goes down to the beach.
I had a good look around the searchlight positions and this time I was brave enough to go right in. I have no idea why I wasn’t brave enough to do so on the previous occasion I was here, maybe it was because it was very dull and the tunnel seemed very dark. On this occasion it was fine though and it certainly makes for interesting pictures of the rusting iron doors with the busy harbour behind.
I carefully made my way down the steep ladder to the beach and went to have a closer look at the wreck, which was easy to see and explore. It was fascinating taking a good look at the broken keel of the ship and it almost seemed to me that the heat of the fire had made the metal melt in places. I may be wrong about that it’s just what it looked like to me. I was intrigued by all the life that was living on the pieces of metal and was grateful for the Barnacles as walking on those meant it wasn’t slippery.
 Searchlight view  Incoming tide
Having had a really good look at what remained of the ship it reminded me of the skeleton of some huge creature and it certainly seemed rather sad to see it here. I sat on the beach eating some lunch for quite a while enjoying the warm sunshine knowing we wouldn’t be getting many more days such as this seeing summer is rapidly coming to an end. Soon enough it was obvious the tide was rapidly coming in and I took a few more pictures as the wreck once more disappeared below the incoming tide.
Back at the top of the cliffs once more I took the opportunity to walk along a section of the cliffs known as the tramway just above the docks where I knew I was likely to see some butterflies. I wasn’t disappointed either as sure enough I saw among others Adonis Blue and Chalkhill Blue Butterflies, which was just what I was hoping to see. A really enjoyable visit and I'm really glad I went back to have a closer look at the shipwreck.
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regards Paula
our upcoming holiday is a success. Best regards,
Freddie.