Evening light falls on the lighthouse that stands at the entrance to Portpatrick Harbour. Situated on the southwest corner of Scotland, if you look out across the water, you can see Bangor and the Belfast Lough. And if you hike further down the peninsula, it’s just a short skip across the water to the Isle of Man.
Continuing my virtual Scottish junket (as a hat tip to Cop26), I find myself dwelling upon the fate of coastal regions as sea levels rise. This Guardian article suggests that by 2050 sea levels will have risen by between 2 and 3 feet, and between 20 and 30 feet within the next century. It is conceivable that within the next century the scene I have captured here will no longer exist. A future photographer will still be able to reach my position, but they will confront a very different scene. Maybe open waters and the mostly submerged ruins of a once vibrant coastal village.
