On the clubs first group outing we visited St Mary's Island and the surrounding area, our main target being St Mary's Lighthouse which has an incredible grisly history even for a lighthouse.
Micheal Curry was executed on the 4th of September 1739,  after murdering the landlord of the Three Horseshoes Inn at Old Hartley and his body was hung in chains from a gibbet at the spot near the mainland end of the causeway which has been known as Curry's Point. 
Another noteable point in the history of St Mary's is New Years Day in 1861, when the "Lovely Nelly" a brig from nearby Seaham collided with a submerged reef and began to sink. The coastguardsmen were called, who rescued all but one of the crew, a cabin-boy named Thomas Thompson.
We visited at probably the best time of day near sunset with a rising tide. At low tide, the rocky shore is left exposed and offers very little in the way of foreground interest. Higher waters bring waves within easy reach of the island and lighthouse and both can be squeezed into a relatively tight frame.
We also bumped into a couple of members of South Shields camera club who we talked to for some time however it did remind me a little of the scene from 'The Life Of Brian' where the 'Campaign For Free Galilee' meet with 'The Peoples Front Of Judea'.
Again another great night with tuition, questions, answers and plenty of fresh air.

'I know I have a big head because every time I'm in a picture, it always looks like I'm really close to the camera.'

For once the club members were silent. 
David Jamieson started to talk about his time as a press photographer, from his early days learning how to process a black and white film whilst working at Boots, moving on to the dark room for the Evening Chronicle and later becoming a pro photographer working for The Journal, Evening Chronicle, Sunday Sun from where he had one of his images hung in the Municipal Museum of The Hague as part of the World Press Photo 1965 competition, The Northern Echo and Middlesborough Evening Gazette.
Dave gave a pictorial history of his time as a photographer which included pictures of Royalty, the Cannon Street kids, martial artists, elephants as viewed by a mouse, Ella Fitzgerald and an iconic shot of Jack Charlton after he had taken Middlesborough back up to the First Division.
Dave also discussed getting drunk with Lulu, being unable to eat dinner with Tommy Cooper because he was laughing so much, catching Mick Jagger without his pants, why he became a photographer, his thoughts on todays paparazzi, the equipment used before we went digital and also answered questions about photography at the end of the night which came thick and fast from all members.
This was an incredible night listening to a genuinly funny man talk about the ups and downs of photography and what can be achieved if you put your mind to it.

How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that!"