Alan Whitehead's Pictures of Studland

4 of 4, Hercules Sea Drop

I was walking along the cliffs of Dorset's Studland coast and noticed a group of men who were set up with some very professional kit for filming, when suddenly this Lockheed C-130 Hercules transporter aircraft appeared, flying low and slow, a few hundred yards off the cliffs. As it was passing in front of us, something appeared out of the tail end and as parachutes began to deploy, it became obvious that it was a boat. The boat very quickly separated from the sled on which it slid out of the plane and I noticed a couple of fast boats were speeding towards what would be the splashdown area. As you can see, the Hercules was not displaying any identification marks, but the CAA will give exemptions to the rules on aircraft displaying Registration and Nationality markings, for the purpose of filming (whether it be fictional or factual) so I didn't know what was the purpose of this exercise but out of curiosity, I walked up to the film crew and asked what was going on, to which one of them uttered the famous words that I never thought would be spoken to me in real life - "We could tell you, but we would have to kill you" I'm sure I saw a twinkle in his eye but, at that point I thought "I've got my photos, it's time to go"

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Studland

Camera Make: NIKON CORPORATION Model: NIKON D300S

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3 of 4, Hercules Sea Drop

I was walking along the cliffs of Dorset's Studland coast and noticed a group of men who were set up with some very professional kit for filming, when suddenly this Lockheed C-130 Hercules transporter aircraft appeared, flying low and slow, a few hundred yards off the cliffs. As it was passing in front of us, something appeared out of the tail end and as parachutes began to deploy, it became obvious that it was a boat. The boat very quickly separated from the sled on which it slid out of the plane and I noticed a couple of fast boats were speeding towards what would be the splashdown area. As you can see, the Hercules was not displaying any identification marks, but the CAA will give exemptions to the rules on aircraft displaying Registration and Nationality markings, for the purpose of filming (whether it be fictional or factual) so I didn't know what was the purpose of this exercise but out of curiosity, I walked up to the film crew and asked what was going on, to which one of them uttered the famous words that I never thought would be spoken to me in real life - "We could tell you, but we would have to kill you" I'm sure I saw a twinkle in his eye but, at that point I thought "I've got my photos, it's time to go"

This picture appears in the following picture tour:
Studland

Camera Make: NIKON CORPORATION Model: NIKON D300S

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2 of 4, Hercules Sea Drop

I was walking along the cliffs of Dorset's Studland coast and noticed a group of men who were set up with some very professional kit for filming, when suddenly this Lockheed C-130 Hercules transporter aircraft appeared, flying low and slow, a few hundred yards off the cliffs. As it was passing in front of us, something appeared out of the tail end and as parachutes began to deploy, it became obvious that it was a boat. The boat very quickly separated from the sled on which it slid out of the plane and I noticed a couple of fast boats were speeding towards what would be the splashdown area. As you can see, the Hercules was not displaying any identification marks, but the CAA will give exemptions to the rules on aircraft displaying Registration and Nationality markings, for the purpose of filming (whether it be fictional or factual) so I didn't know what was the purpose of this exercise but out of curiosity, I walked up to the film crew and asked what was going on, to which one of them uttered the famous words that I never thought would be spoken to me in real life - "We could tell you, but we would have to kill you" I'm sure I saw a twinkle in his eye but, at that point I thought "I've got my photos, it's time to go"

This picture appears in the following picture tour:
Studland

Camera Make: NIKON CORPORATION Model: NIKON D300S

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1 if 4, Lockheed C-130 Hercules Sea Drop

I was walking along the cliffs of Dorset's Studland coast and noticed a group of men who were set up with some very professional kit for filming, when suddenly this Lockheed C-130 Hercules transporter aircraft appeared, flying low and slow, a few hundred yards off the cliffs. As it was passing in front of us, something appeared out of the tail end and as parachutes began to deploy, it became obvious that it was a boat. The boat very quickly separated from the sled on which it slid out of the plane and I noticed a couple of fast boats were speeding towards what would be the splashdown area. As you can see, the Hercules was not displaying any identification marks, but the CAA will give exemptions to the rules on aircraft displaying Registration and Nationality markings, for the purpose of filming (whether it be fictional or factual) so I didn't know what was the purpose of this exercise but out of curiosity, I walked up to the film crew and asked what was going on, to which one of them uttered the famous words that I never thought would be spoken to me in real life - "We could tell you, but we would have to kill you" I'm sure I saw a twinkle in his eye but, at that point I thought "I've got my photos, it's time to go"

This picture appears in the following picture tour:
Studland

Camera Make: NIKON CORPORATION Model: NIKON D300S

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Enjoying the View at Old Harry Rocks, Studland

Old Harry Rocks at Studland on the Dorset coast are owned by the National Trust and are consequently popular with walkers and those who just enjoy being by the sea.

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Studland, English Coastal Scenes

Kayaks at Old Harry Rocks, Studland

Much of the Jurassic Coast is popular with Kayakers and other small boats, as here at Old Harry Rocks in Studland.

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Studland, English Coastal Scenes, Dorset

Old Harry Rocks at Studland

These white cliffs at the eastern end of the Jurassic Coast are popularly known as the Old Harry Rocks, but the name actually refers only to the chalk stack that stands furthest out to sea.

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Studland

Camera Make: NIKON CORPORATION Model: NIKON D300S

Queuing For the Poole Harbour Ferry

This small ferry is a popular way of crossing Poole Harbour between Sandbanks and Studland in Dorset.

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Studland

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Poole Harbour View From Studland

The View eastwards from the RSPB nature reserve at Arne in Studland shows Brownsea Island on the right, which is also a Nature Reserve.

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Studland

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Approaching Studland on the Poole Harbour Ferry

Officially called the Sandbanks Ferry, but more popularly known as the Poole Harbour Ferry, this is one of the few remaining Chain Ferries still in service in Britain. The chain is laid along the seabed from Sandbanks to Studland and is looped over a powered cog in the bottom of the boat, leaving lots of slack so that the entrance to Poole harbour is not blocked to other boats and ferries.

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Studland

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