Merry Christmas

 This years advent beer calendar from Mrs BB has come up with an interesting collection of winter beers.

 Things have been a little hectic over the past few weeks so I am going to make a start on these today.

 In the meantime I did manage  to get out into the New Forest where Minstead have a fine Christmas tree on the green. I thought it was a nice change from the Emsworth Lobster Pot Christmas Tree although I'm not sure about the juxtaposition of the historical stocks.

Speaking of which the Emsworth Christmas lobster pot is looking nice this year and the day boat alongside and dressed all over is a nice addition.

 

Guessing this might be Emsworth Slipper SC, but whoever this Christmas dinghy is a nice touch, presumably looks better at night when the lights come on.

Have a great Christmas 

Winter Visitors

No not those unwelcome family or friends who have descended unexpectedly over Christmas, just some of our water fowl who have presumably arrived from colder climes and seen enjoying a spell of unseasonably warm weather.

Being somewhat worse at identifying birds than I am at boats the long bill waders look maybe like Godwits? Certainly not redshanks or curlews.

 The geese at the rear are most probably Brent geese enjoying a bit of shelter in the lee of teh old MFV wreck.

Keyhaven History

 Lovely old view of Keyhaven, slightly more crowded these days but still one of my favorite places in the Solent

 And a rather lovely painting which I think was courtesy  of a member of Hurst Castle SC

 

swans

 A pair of black swans have joined the winter visitors to the river

 

Waiting for the crane

A find day boat waiting to be craned out, just presumed it is coming ashore for winter, but maybe just launched, either way looking really nice

At first glance I thought it was an XOD, but looking at the photos it has two sets of spreaders and those intermediate stays to the top spreaders which I'm pretty sure aren't part if thestandard XOD.

 

Winchester Christmas Market

Winchester Christmas market and the town were lit up for Christmas on Saturday and looking rather wonderful. 

 

Perhaps as reaction to the doom and gloom and financial catastrophe we constantly hear on the news or may be it was just a nice thing to do on an early Saturday evening but people were out in crowds. 

 

The Christmas market was absolutely jam packed

Even some of the side streets were decorated.

I can never decide if this shop is upmarket goth but it certainly has a Dickensian Christmas feel. 

The cathedral was spectacular, the colours changing constantly,  red was by far the most dramatic and I almost lost my place in the queue waiting for it to come around for the photo.

Looking up in the high street.

SCOWs in the West Solent

 SCOWs  from Hurst Castle SC making progress with the light airs in Keyhaven