Wildlife can be truly amazing.  What is particularly special is the ability of a species to do the seemingly impossible because of the special way that it has adapted to a particular life cycle and the environmental conditions that influence that life cycle.  I went down to the Foss late yesterday afternoon, more because I was passing than in hope of seeing many salmon as the water was still in full spate.  Yet as I stood up on the bank looking at the water thundering down the falls there they were, fighting up the lower fall with grim determination, salmon about every two minutes.  There were a mix of sizes so it wasn't all the same fish.  Some small enough to be sea trout (were they?) but some I would guess to be at least 16 to 18 pounds.  All seemed light and uncoloured recent arrivals in the river brought up on the floods of the past few days.

And, you don't have to take my word for it.  This time I got a couple of pictures.  This was far from easy in the conditions especially with a digital camera so the results will win no photography prizes.  But, they are the first shots of leaping salmon I have managed to get despite numerous attempts in the past.  The better shot shows one of the larger fish. Scale is difficult to judge but this must be all of 16 pounds. I have posted them up in the wildlife folder.

The river is still in spate this morning after some rain late yesterday, but the weather looks to be a bit more settled today despite a pretty strong south westerly wind.

Yesterday I mentioned the road closure on 16 & 17 October.  By coincidence I had a letter from the contractors in yesterday's post.  This tells me that the road to the Tarn will be closed on both days between 8.30 am and 3.30 pm weather permitting so a full days fishing will still be possible provided that you arrive before 8.30 and don't need to leave until after 3.30.

Ian