Low Water perspective

At low tide when the water has run away it gives a totally different perspective  on the river, wading birds gather at the water's edge and  previously hidden landscape is revealed.

Above the old steamer landing stage at Mercury looking like a the remains of a crashed spaceship, albeit a Victorian riveted one.

No idea what these are or why they are there presumably as supports for a structure but they lead to the saltings and Badham creek which is uninhabited.

Houseboats high and dry at Salterns.

The channel marker showing the tidal range, there is often a cormorant sitting on top but he flew off before I could get the camera ready.

Beaulieu Cutter

Another classic closer to home, a Gaff cutter spotted at Bucklers Hard on the Beaulieu river.

Classic

Classic ketch anchored off the Point de Chevre, Brittany.

Local Dory

Not a typical craft seen around the south coast of England these days, but seems like someone is making them. Looks to be GRP.

Beaulieu walk

This post is in part for Tweezerman who recently commented "I continue to enjoy your writing about your jaunts around the coast of England." It's a jaunt along one of my favorite  New Forest winter walks, from Beaulieu to Bucklers Hard.

Just after leaving Beaulieu the path runs slightly raised and parallel to the river affording some lovely views.

Not that we get too many cold frosty and clear days, but when we do it's best to get up early to see the river at it's best.

Take a short detour down to Bailey's Hard, clearly no one had been ashore on the jetty.

There are some great views as the river winds along with scattered moorings and normally an interesting boat or two.

On the far bank some spectacular dwellings, the best ones are on the eastern shore presumably to get the afternoon sun from the west.

In the woods are a group of stilt cabins, I recall one came up for sale a few years ago at a staggering price for what is essentially a shed on stilts. Fantastic place to spend the weekend.

Further down the path runs along the water's edge, but often in winter it's impassable quagmire, but there's an easier going alternative.

At Bucklers Hard there is plenty of interest and of course the Master Builder hotel and pub await weary walkers.

So if you're visiting this part of the world it's highly recommended, in summer it's really crowded but still worth a trip - four miles from Beaulieu and back.

More details on both Bailey's and Bucklers Hard on this blog -  the search box will take you to those posts.

Fine winter day & Liberty

Between the rain and work I managed to get out for a run on a fine clear day, if I'd had more time it would have been a great day to go rowing but a 30 minute run at lunch was all I could fit in, such is life these day

This Hunter Liberty was looking especially nice on her mooring and it's an interesting boat. Also built  curiously as a 22 and 23 and as the Hunter Minstrel with a gaff rig as sailed by Keep Turning Left author Dylan Winter.

The Liberty as above has an unusual ketch rig, the boat designed by David Thomas used a simplified and loosely based version of Gary Hoyt's Freedom concept. American's often call it a Cat ketch an also similar version is used on the Core Sound dinghies by B&B Yacht Designs.

With no genoa sheets to attend to, apparently tacking and gybing is really simple just a matter of putting the tiller over and waiting for tehe sails to slide across. The Liberty uses conventional mainsail type sails rather than the wrap around an un-stayed mast and wishbone boom of the freedom rig.

Storm Ciara

We were up quite early Sunday to take Joseph to an activity at Sea Scouts and took the opportunity go down to Hamble Point and have a look. Even in the sheltered waters of the Solent things were pretty lively.

More exposed down at Hurst Castle there was a peak around 36meter/sec which is pretty meaningless to most of us old navigators but a quick google revealed as 80MPH and just under 70knots - phew.

Bramble Met showing a peak at 55knots but presumably less exposed in the lee of the Isle of Wight or at least slightly so.

Night before the storm,a fantastic full moon which means spring tides which together with the southerly gale will cause a surge so we expect some flooding.

Dad's tools

The thought came to me as I was doing some work that despite having newer tools, these are my go to tools for pretty much any kind of woodworking project.

They were all my Dad's ,he would let me use them for simple projects when I was a kid. The square and the bevel must be getting on for 70 years old, the ruler was probably bought in the 70's.

Correction - Louie Wills

I got a nice email in relation to my post about the Falmotuh Quay Punt Louie Wills, from owner Charlie, I mistook the boat in my post for Louie which is actually moored further down river from Golant, on a deep water mooring in Wiseman's Reach.

Here's Louie Will's looking lovely.

 Apologies to Charlie for the error and for me taking so long to put up the correction.