Couple of photos from last summer along one of Hampshire's chalk streams, the water is crystal clear, filtered by the chalk hills.
Nearby there are watercress beds, cress being one of the traditional local summer crops.
Local Harrison Butler design, I'm never quite sure but I presume the Z denotes the Zyclon design which was a 4 ton 22 foot sloop which the famous Doctor created for production manufacture from an earlier design for Captain O M Watts in the late 1930's.
These small HB boats just look so perfect and with the metacenric shelf hull projection apparently sail really well. Nice.
Further to the local yacht sinking, the boat in question was exposed enough to be bailed out during the LW springs (I believe by the Pink Ferry guys),
and then subsequently re-floated and put back on her mooring.
Apparently sunk due to rainwater after being abandoned or at least severely neglected on her mooring, she looks like a Hurley 22, one of which I seem to recall made an Atlantic crossing some years back.
Above looks like another potential sinking candidate, already sitting very oddly bows down like that probably only a matter of time and a few days of heavy rain before she goes submarine.
The problems of abandoned boats locally appears to be getting worse. With ever rising costs of moorings, running costs and maintenance, while the capital values are virtually nil, owners are walking away leaving the mooring operators and port authorities to pick up the removal and disposal.
With some big spring tides together with combined atmospheric pressure and southerly winds have forced recent high water up by as much as three quarters of a meter above predicted levels (that's almost two and a half feet in old money).
There was no one sitting on the town quay benches over in Lymington on Saturday morning. The flood gates were closed and when we went past they were holding back the water.
No doubt there will be speculation that global warming is involved, but the levels were well below the 2007 big HW, plus there are many other examples such as this and this.
I haven't been upriver for a few months and noticed this MFV on the moorings above Bursledon railway .bridge
Presumably this is an Motor Fishing Vessel, one of the heavy wooden small fishing craft of which there are so few remaining after the EU driven forced scrapping of the 1990's when so many were literally cut up.
You can imagine that sweeping sheer and huge bows slamming into waves in the cold North Sea. The wheelhouse appears to be perhaps a later addition made in steel, but looks exactly right and a safe and secure place for the crew.
Nordic Folk Boat heading home up the river, the colour combination navy blue hull, white cabin and wooden spars is just the best.
Laying alongside the wall on the hard at Emsworth Patricia Tia looks like a lugger, no clue as to whether she is a local boat or build further away.
She's been on the hard for a few weeks, seen here the rudder had been removed so presumably some work or repair is going on. Would be interesting to know more about her and certainly nice to see under sail.
The long keel is perfect for taking the ground a couple of times a day as the tide comes in and out.
I wonder who Auntie Patricia was?
Probably until a big low water spring which could be a while yet.
Seen just off the town quay at Hamble earlier this week, local opinion suggested it might be a Hurley, hopefully it can be recovered with floats or similar.
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