With the changeable weather of late there has been some spectacular light and conditions.
Having watched a brief shower of hailstones I decided that things had cleared up enough to go for my lunchtime walk, about half way around the sky went dark, suggesting heavy weather.
In the event it passed away to the north but it did provide some really interested light.
Sitting on a mooring on the Hamble between the railway bridge and the motorway it's easy to pass this unusual rib.
It has the look of a slightly neglected commercial vessel, perhaps used in the offshore oil or wind generation industry.
With the year warming up and a settled almost windless day in prospect I pulled the kayak out of hibernation and dropped in at the Parish quay at Botley.
There has been a quay or hard at Botley since medieval days, known up
until the 1900's as Horsepool Wharf, these days is a delightful little
park and slipway onto the river.
I paddled up under the road bridge as far as it's possible to get, the over spill was going really well with all the recent rain, but hardly white water stuff.
I like to wander around back lanes and out of the way places which often reveal a fascinating glimpse of history. These two chapels are almost hidden away and so easy to walk past unnoticed.
The first is in Winchester, the Church of St Swithun upon Kingsgate, at the western of the Cathedral grounds, it's been a place of quiet contemplation and prayer for pilgrims for over 800 years.
The second is the King's Chapel of the Savoy in London, located immediately behind and hidden by the hotel of the same name. Dating back to a hospice founded by Henry VII in 1512.
I probably should have done this post in time for Easter, so excuse the poor timing.
An interesting collection of boats spotted while we were walking into Falmouth from Penryn
A pilot cutter or similar, if it wasn't for the motorboat on the adjacent mooring that could be a scene from 100 years ago
In contrast to the traditional I also like the ruthlessly modern, this catamaran probably isn't cutting edge and I'm guessing it might be a Woods design, but it appears to have both practicality and utility and looks great in red.
Finally Falmouth working boat Rebecca, one of 25 or so traditional working boats of the Falmouth Working Boat Association regularly racing in Carrick Roads.
The sudden improvement in the weather has brought the paddle boarders out in force on the river over the Easter weekend.
Local Scouts are doing an Easter Egg hunt at Cricket Camp on Wednesday 5th April
As well as the Easter egg trail through the delightful woods there are games, face painting, food and walking through the park to the Hamble river.
River Hamble Country Park (aka Manor farm)
Pylands Lane
Bursledon
Southampton
SO31 1BH
Please tell your friend and please come along to join in the fun 10.30 to 14.00.
The Scouts and explorers all have places at the World Scout Jamboree in South Korea later this year and are fundraising to get there.
If you can't attend but would like to donate here -
Have a great Easter.
I love visiting Bembridge over on the Isle of wight. The tide was out last time we visited, but there were still a few interesting day boats dried out on the sand.
A fleet of of mostly wooden SCOWs alongside the pontoon at Bembridge Sailing Club
Still afloat just behind one of the houseboats that boarder the southern shore of the harbour a lovely classic gaffer, sadly too far away to get a better look
Local boat builders have taken an interesting diversion, producing an amphibious kit for the older model BMW Z4.
Aimed at the DIY kit car, after market, the kits includes waterproofing panels and flotation together with a drive take off from the power train to a repurposed jet ski jet drive unit.
Shown here in the travel lift ready to launch, the car can also be driven directly into the water if a suitable slipway is available.
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