Still Life

 Even on those cold, grey, short winter days there's always some uplifting beauty to be seen along the river.

Winter days on the water

When it's grey and overcast as well as cold with hardly any wind then it must take a lot of motivation to get out on the water.

However when the sun comes out, everything looks better, and the juniors were out in force

 The local wildlife seem to have found a safe sun trap.

Langstone cutters out for a winter row at Emsworth.

A couple of boats were running engines in the Elephant boatyard, later heading out under motor, good opportunity to charge the batteries and maybe go over to Cowes for lunch

A perfect early morning for rowing, morning sun, river like glass and not a breath of wind

 

Changing seasons

Changing seasons seen from the view point in  Old Bursledon where I took the original blog header photo

 

Very different with the stark contrast in winter

 

Bizzar conversations or technical overreach

 Mrs BB -  "Alexa play U2 Still haven't found what I'm looking for"

Mr BB muttering under his breath - "You'd know where it is if you'd put it away properly Alexa"

Alexa - "Sure"  then proceeds to play Beyonce.

Winter Flugel

 I've written about friend Greg and his fast Memory 19 sloop The Flugel several times - just type Memory into the search box over on the right to bring up all the Memory posts. 

Here she is safely ashore at Nettley SC for the winter, which hopefully will be less eventful than 2022

The previous trailer was wrecked when a neighboring boat fell over during storm Eunice.  That was a a write off now replaced by the substantial and rather useful four wheel trolley "Whizzy" which should cope with the 2500lbs displacement very well.

Sincere Thanks

 I'd like to say a big and sincere thank you to those who helped Joseph with his World Scout Jamboree fundraising appeal. Especially Patrick who was the first and apologies I clearly have an out of date email for you.

If you haven't helped there's still plenty of time  and please the biggest help you can give is to publicise to your Facebook, Twitter and Instagram contacts - Joseph's Facebook here

World Scout Jamboree - South Korea

 If you’ve enjoyed reading Bursledon Blog during the past 14 years I have two favors to ask.

•  Please share this appeal with 10 friends or family and ask then to share with 10 of the people they know 

• If you can please chip in a contribution on Joseph's  GoFundme 

 Joseph is a Hamble Sea Scout and qualified for a place to attend the 2023 World Scout Jamboree where 40,000 scouts from all over the work will meet in South Korea.

Wight Views

It's only a few miles away but we haven't been to the Isle if Wight nearly enough in recent years so it was nice to revisit old haunts and some of the quirkiness of the island.

Below was the shared garden where we were staying adjacent the floating bridge and opposite Cowes

Unusual view of the landmark Cowes Hammerhead crane.A trust was formed in 2006 seeking to preserve this iconic tribute to England's early industrial design engineering and as a symbol of the importance of Cowes' engineering and shipbuilding heritage, the view from the alley between these presumably Victorian workers houses seemed to capture the historical perspective.

Riverside residence near Newport, makes a change from garden gnomes and windmills.

No one is going to mistake the address of the Odessa Boatyard.

The Walled Garden cafe in Newport is WW2 themed throughout, lots of less explosive memorabilia inside well worth a visit.

 

World Scout Jamboree - South Korea

 If you’ve enjoyed reading Bursledon Blog during the past 14 years I have two favors to ask.

•  Please share this appeal with 10 friends or family and ask then to share with 10 of the people they know 

• If you can please chip in a contribution on Joseph's  GoFundme 

 Joseph is a Hamble Sea Scout and qualified for a place to attend the 2023 World Scout Jamboree where 40,000 scouts from all over the work will meet in South Korea.

 

To get to Korea this year he must raise over £4,000 not just for himself but to assist a scouts from a third world country and those less fortunate in Hampshire to attend. It’s a great opportunity for young people to rise to a huge challenge, realise their dreams, meet, and make friendships with people from different cultures around the world.

You can follow Joseph’s progress on his Facebook page here.

I’ve never monetised Bursledon Blog in the 14 years I’ve been writing, so hopefully you allow me this one request – many thanks

Wandering around

Some interesting boats, a couple with unusual rigs seen in Emsworth yacht harbour on a fine and settled winter's day

Ocean Pearl originally a motor zulu/fifie fishing from Peterhead in Scotland until the 1960's, restored and rigged as a lugger  by local boat builder Nick Gates who's workshop is just a few yards away.

 Looks to be a steel offshore cruiser, which might be an Alan Pape design? Junk rigged with the signature free standing masts. I'm not a big fan of whale back decks, but they do keep the water off, and that cockpit with solid dodger looks like a good place to be when it's rough.

Nothing unusual about the rig on this Cheoy Lee 36, we had the opportunity to go on board one on the way to the Caribbean, solid built, good design lovely boats but a bummer having to pay full marina rates for that bowsprit.

 

 

I'm guessing the accommodation is about the same as those Japanese cabin hotels, but goes to windward rather better.

Mellonseed Three Cheers

 Thanks to Roger who once again sent a Christmas card featuring a pastel drawing by Roger, of his Melonseed skiff Three Cheers, which I hope he won't mind me sharing

Roger writes "There she is! A pretty, little skiff, heeled on the edge of the breeze - a taut, striving creature alive with energy and purpose."

The Melonseed is an east coast US gunning skiff, recorded by Howard Chapell in his book (I think) American Small Sailing Craft and is a stunningly pretty example of American flare in boat design and building.

Many thanks Roger.

Open water swim

Brother in law had done a charity swim on Christmas day down in Dorset, so in support Boxing day saw us down on the windy, shingle beach at Salterns, near Lee on Solent, at high water wondering if it was such a good idea.

There were about a dozen or so regular swimmers all women, who turned up and were very encouraging and giving helpful tips.

 Despite a 3mm wet suit, cloves and keeping my woolly hat on (the dot in the sea below is me), I only managed about 80 maybe 100 meters of crawl. It was quite hard going as can be seen the sea was a bit lumpy when there's only your head sticking out above the water. I couldn't make much headway doing breast stroke and I tired out really quickly with the crawl.

I must admit after getting out and changed I did feel really well and alive, but I also had an afternoon snooze later on to recover. Don't think I'm going to become a regular somehow.

Winter wildlife

With the recent freeze the wildlife food bank went into overdrive with fat balls and seeds.

The happy recipients are just outside the window of the new garden room which makes it a really nice place to be if a little distracting for work.