Wave Watching

'Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days Challenge'
DAY 17
'Watching the Waves'
oil on board 8" x 8"

I once sat on St Ives harbour sketching the Herring gulls as they swooped menacingly within inches of those brave enough or foolish enough to eat out in the open. No one was spared. Not even the toddler who sat next to me with a handful of chips, minding his own business, when a herring gull sidled up nonchalantly, (they were more or less the same height) waited for his moment and snatched the chip out of the child's hand! 

Earlier, I had spoken a word of warning to the parents saying the gulls were particularly vicious round these parts and they could have your eye out, never mind pinch your chips.
One particular gull had a more than splendid vantage point sat atop of the ice-cream kiosk, eyeing up all likely passers-by and more to the point what they were carrying.
He seemed to zoom in on a rather somewhat over-dressed lady who was mincing up the slipway in kitten heels and a pencil skirt. To all intents and purposes it looked as if she'd dressed for the office and forgotten she was going to the beach.

She waited in the queue completely oblivious of the beady-eyed character above her head. Once served, she re-traced her steps but this time concentrating on the ground in front as she minced back down the slippery slipway. I'm sure she was unaware that she held high the bulging ice-cream cones like two olympic torches, beckoning any hungry gull within half a mile. 

The ever watchful gull timed it perfectly. He flew low and silently over the sand remaining a few feet behind his target, lined up an ice-cream in his sight and swooped in for the spoils, nabbing a whole ice-cream, cone and all.
Needless to say 'Office Lady' was traumatised by it all. However, a spontaneous round of applause went up from the crowd on the beach, one assumes it was for the gull.

I'm not sure if I'll keep the gull in so will put it to the public vote. In or out? You decide.....

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