Bank Holiday Snaps

With only three weeks until the summer solstice, last week's bank holiday Monday was not atypically characterised by the low grey clouds, high winds and just a bit of rain.

Down on the foreshore the beach huts were closed and securely locked up, with a lone dinghy pulled up on the shingle well above the high tide.

But it's a holiday weekend so we just had to make the effort to go and play on the beach, even if it meant wearing our coats and very definitely not staying too long.

For avid sightseers the USS George W Bush was still anchored out in the grey on grey Solent seascape.

Lets hope for better weather this weekend.

Swanwick Pool

Two of our local pubs have some fantastic, old, black and white photographs showing river scenes from years ago. Walking along by Swanwick pool it's easy to imagine things haven't changed much in the last 70 years or so.

Egret's are still common on the river, this was wading in the peaceful shallows, close by the shore.

You could imagine this handsome motor yacht Bounty, gliding along the river, faint 30's jazz music drifting across the still water in the rippled wake as she steams away.

Sadly the reality is, that you don't have to look very far to see the effects of development and crowding which have characterised the last seven decades.

But it's still a great place to live!

Visitor

So far the bank holiday weekend has been cold, overcast, threatening rain and blowing 25 to 30 knots. Ever the optimist I decided to check out a few of the local weather stations to see if there was any prospect of it improving for a late afternoon sail.

Down at Hurst Castle maximum gusts were up at 34 knots, closer to home Netley Sailing Club were showing gusts of 27-29.5 knots.

As a last effort I went over to Solent Web Cam over at AIS Live where Tony tracks shipping movements on a google earth type image and has a web cam pointing from Ryde of the Isle of Wight across the Solent towards Stokes Bay.

Instead of seeing a few yachts and white caps, the view is obscured by an aircraft carrier, the George W Bush, not doubt there as part of the President's visit.

Now I remember reading something about Mr Obama being asked to pay the London Congestion charge for his motorcade which got me wondering of one of our local harbour masters had been out to collect overnight fees for anchoring?

Royal Lymington Classic & Gaffers

The Royal Lymington YC held their Classics & Gaffers Regatta last weekend. We had planned to take "Tosh" our cat boat over to sail out and watch the racing, but after a long week at work Saturday morning was a slow start, and then we stopped off for breakfast and then Joe went to play on the swings.... Fortunately we were there in time to see some of the fleet making their way out of the river.

Some of the local XOD fleet were joining in, here No 16 sails off her mooring in near perfect conditions.

A local boat which I recognise but can't for the life of me remember what she's called or what her history is.

Above another Lymington boat who's looks disguise her age, she's actually a modern design, built as a one off with a lifting bulb keel and fast, modern hull shape. Just look at that top mast.

This delightful day racer was getting a tow away from the moorings adjacent the RLYC club house.
All the best action took place out in the Solent where a sea breeze had got up, sadly the racing was a bit far away to see even from the balcony at Lymington Town Sailing Club.

I don't know if this boat was racing, but she's certainly pretty and either immaculately restored or a new build.

And while we were watching all the other classics Sailfish went past under full canvass.

There are some great pictures of the racing on the RLYC site.

Clear Sky

It was a perfect still morning today, the river was flat calm with a surface like glass, as I went out for my run.
It was only when I looked up that I realised that the sky was clear as well, not an aeroplane, not a vapour trail to be seen.

Southbank

South Bank is celebrating the 60th Anniversary of the Festival of Britain. Normally I'm too preoccupied with work to pay much attention to what's going on outside, but last week it was lunch time so I decided to walk back from a meeting in the City and strolled along the South Bank where a whole host of events and installations are marking the event.

First thing to catch my attention is the beach that's been installed along the Thames, a few children had brought along buckets and spades.

There was even an interesting boat drawn up on the makeshift beach.

Up on the Festival Hall there was a giant fox which appeared to be made of straw.

All in all a nice distraction during my lunchtime stroll, and then back to work.

Sailfish

Walking through the park in Lymington last week I noticed a boat short tacking through the crowded moorings and snapped a couple of pictures even though it was difficult to get a clear view.

It was only when I got home and looked through the pictures that I realised it was the same classic day boat which I'd posted about last year. I wonder if I'm possibly becoming a boat stalker?

Following my previous post I received an email from David and Marc, members of the family who own her, "Sailfish is a classic. Designed and built locally by the Smith Brothers at Yarmouth Quay, sole survivor in its original state and one of 5 built specifically for the area.

She has a lifting plate from 6 ft to 18", roller jib on goose-wing boom that allows the jib to be held out for following winds. When built she had one of the first unique roll boom reefing systems fitted for the main sheet. Sails were canvas and the seagull outboards were classics too (with manual!!).

She has been moored in the same upper reaches of Lymington river for over 60 years and over 5 generations of family have sailed off the mooring at the town Quay, regularly summer and winter and Christmas day most years!"

Marc also suggested that I might be invited out for a sail - which would be very welcome.