Happy Halloween

Lyndhurst in the New Forest had some good Halloween characters on display, this musical skeleton in the doorway complete with backing ghouls was activated by a push button, the manager did admit it he wished there was a more varied repertoire as pretty much every passing child set off the singing to great delight. 

Not sure if this was a scary walking pumpkin or a scarecrow, someone did suggest it was a local politician.

Down in Roly's fudge shop pumpkin is the flavor of the moment and no doubt the spiders keeps away the flies or maybe customers?

Werewolves howl. Phantoms prowl. Halloween’s upon us now." 

– Richelle E. Goodrich

Interrupted Stroll

Should have checked the tide times when I went for my midday walk

 

HW Emsworth

Biggish high water and a rather fine day in Emsworth when we went for lunch in the closing days of summer, in the distance a fleet of Tera dinghies presumably from Emsworth Sailing Club

Down at the quay, the hard had pretty much disappeared under water with just enough space for the canoeist to launch.

 

Classic Motor boat

I spotted this interesting 1960's speed boat on a sunny day on the spit at Keyhaven. It's a classic design of the times when small launches were built using plywood and the modern waterproof glues which had been developed post war.

 

I talked with the owner who's father had indeed built it from plans in the 60's and fortunately she's been in the same family ever since. Power is a marinised Ford 1500 cross flow (as used in the Mk1 Cortina). 

Currently used around the western Solent, it makes a nice day boat but is inclined to slam a little due to the flat sections as the vee bow isn't carried very far aft.
 

Launch Day

I might be a little behind with posts as the season comes to a close, here's a couple of pictures of friend Greg's Memory "The Flugel" in the slips and ready for the start of the season

A fast and able boat she is.

 

Hamble Wrecks

A few more remains of boats on the Hamble, this first one was presumably steel constriction with that very square cabin which lies on the east shore alongside the footpath causeway opposite Port Hamble. There's a great report by the Maritime Archeology Trust which shows this as HAM047 -"a substantially complete metal wreck of approximately 15m in length, consisting of a large amount of hull structure from the bow to just aft of a raised cabin."

Further upriver but in the lagoon by Bunny Meadows la the remains of something larger which may be HAM050 Motor Minesweeper - "From initial observations it is apparent that this hulk is the remains of an incomplete wooden vessel (Figure HAM050-1). It is lying upright, with a list towards the starboard quarter. The bow and stern sections have been cleanly cut and removed, leaving a central section of about 13m in length"

 

 I can't find any reference to this one which is well hidden up the top of Badnam Creek, there's more to see at low water, but the only time to get up there is at highs.

Seems to be in part steel construction with these bollards welded to the rail, perhaps a small tug?

Lutine Brightwork

Passing by Lutine just as the crew were putting her on the mooring, there was the opportunity to grab a photo of her varnished bright work.

 And lovely it is. Normally white she's on her mooring everything is covered with a set of fantastic fitted covers including all along the cap rails. Given the cost and time to get the varnish up to that level keeping it covered makes both financial sense and keeps the boat in commission rather than topping up varnish  every five or six weeks in the summer.

 

Gig racing Swanage

Cornish gig racing was taking place off the beach in Swanage, so maybe that should be Dorset gig racing, then again we were taking to a guy from the Barnstable gig team (Devon), but all racing in Cornish Pilot Gigs.

Whatever the title it was a lively event attracting teams from all around to compete in the settled waters of Swanage bay

The weekend weather was kind with low winds and a goodly amount of sun braking through making it warm enough to bring out lots of spectators and hopefully not too hot for the race teams.

Wikipedia describes The Cornish pilot gig as a six-oar rowing boat, clinker-built of Cornish narrow-leaf elm,  32 feet (9.8 m) long with a beam of 4 feet 10 inches (1.47m). Originally used to take pilots out to incoming ships, whereby the fastest gig would get the pilot duty and fees.

There are also tales (unsubstantiated) of pilot gigs being able to outrun the revenue cutters by rowing up wind, which would have been very handy for smugglers of the day and which is why the gigs sere limited to 6 oars the revenue had boats with 8.

 

Moody Morning

A very changeable morning on the way to get breakfast at Emsworth.

Starting off the harbour was flat calm with not a breath of wind.

 Fantastic light coming under the clouds, to which sadly the photos don't do justice.

Then we had localised rain, you could see patches of rain driving across the water, caught out on a exposed path we were relieved that an especially hard shower passed by as quickly as it came.

Within the hour or at least time for a slow breakfast, the clouds had cleared and things were looking much more cheerful. Summer days are quickly becoming a memory but it's still a really good time of year.

 

Paddle boarding

Passed these paddle boarders in the middle of the Solent, south of the Lepe Spit heading for the Isle of Wight. The Solent is about two and a half miles wide and you can see a couple of the boards have disappeared in the swell.

 They all seem well prepared and equipped, and wearing life jackets, the wind was starting to get up a bit as we passed by, probably hit force 5, hope they had a good crossing

Double ender

I'm still in two minds about double ender's or canoe stern as it's often called. The pro lobby argue that the pointy stern helps breaks large waves coming up from astern. Against is the lack of storage space compared to a wide transom, and there are a few of us who's head is turned by a shapely transom.

Whatever opinion this is a handsome ketch the designer got the proportions just right and the owner keeps her in very nice condition.