Emsworth Walk Part 2

After a pleasant lunch and just after HW we headed back to the car via the Promenade which circles around the Mill Pond, past the Slipper sailing Club (below) on the way to the delightfully named Creek End.

This yacht was clearly taking water, being buffeted by the waves being whipped up on they're way across the harbour. It was well down on it's waterline and the movement was slow suggesting that it was slowly filling, hopefully the owners got to her before too much damage was done.

Out in the moorings the boats were bounding around in the wild conditions, while those in background were safely tucked up in the marina which is well protected from the westerly's.

Our route back around the harbour path was blocked, so we took the long and safe way around back to the car.

Emsworth Walk - Part 1

We quite often like to walk around Emsworth on a Saturday, wander around the old town, drop into one of the cafes for lunch and check out the interesting boats. With a very big spring tide and westerly gale blowing over winter things were a bit tricky recently.

 I don't know why there's this obsession in England for stopping cyclist from using footpaths, but even the most hardened off road riders might have found this one a challenge.

The causeway across the Slipper mill pond was awash, but it didn't stop these hardy walkers even though the water came over the top of their wellies.

Even in the calm and sheltered creek besides Dolphin quay this boat wasn't looking too good.

Better weather forecasts

It is a fact that Bursledon enjoys a micro climate, as you drop down off the South Downs past Winchester you can often feel the increase in air temperature. Looking back inland on a sunny summer day it’s not uncommon to see a grey cloud line which builds in the afternoon over Southampton while at the water’s edge we’re still enjoying glorious blue skies and sunshine.

Now I don’t know how google profiled advertising works, but on my favourite weather site instead of the more normal adverts for loft ladders or deals at local marinas , just recently I’m bombarded with lingerie adverts. It might be because daughter Katy has been staying with us and doing some internet shopping, but whatever the reason it just goes to prove the point that we do indeed get better weather in Bursledon.

Chouette of Mersey

I spotted this classic a while ago, but haven't had the chance to get up close with good light for some pictures until last week, so here she is.

What a fantastic sheer, those up swept bows must be great for punching into oncoming waves. I thought it was possibly a design by Kim  Holman, with that characteristic transom hung rudder reminiscent of his famous Twister and Rustler designs, were it not for the stepped coach roof. But fellow blogger Patrick has identified it as the work of Alan Buchanan.

Backyard boat

So President Viktor Yanukovych isn't the only person to have a backyard boat (see Proper Course post) admittedly ours is somewhat less ostentatious, but it normally provides a good summer crop of fresh herbs, hence it's name "the herb Boat" and fortuitously the recent floods haven't carried it away - touch wood.

We may not have the private zoo, but with thanks to Mrs BB's efforts over winter, we are approaching a wildlife obesity crisis, there are squirrels too fat to climb trees and birds who struggle to take off having gorged on the daily feeds she puts out in the bad weather.

A brief respite

Last Sunday brought a brief but welcome break to the recent storms, the night sky had been clear and bright, lit by  a full moon, so I took the opportunity to get up and out for an early morning row.

The river was flat calm and I wasn't alone, this group of canoeists had a similar idea.

I was relieved to see that Matilda Emilie was safe and well on her mooring, it had been a couple of weeks since I'd been down to check on her, gusts of 70 knots had been recorded over the preceding Friday night.

Down in Hamble for a welcome cup of tea, things were equally quiet and what a welcome change to be able to sit outside for breakfast in the sunshine, it's been a long winter and I suspect not quite over yet.

Storm Damage

The Hamble River mooring Holders Association sent out a newsletter saying that during the recent storms two boats  sunk and another was swamped. Given the intensity of the storms with 3500 boats packed into the river perhaps that not such an unexpected statistic.

Whether this was one of the sunk or swamped I don't know, it was still stranded up on the hard on Sunday morning, which was warm, bright and flat calm.

The Hamble Harbour Office staff came in for praise and thanks, some coming in to work over the Christmas holiday to help with the emergencies. Apparently over the winter they have replaced some 400 meters of mooring lines, which presumably were broken or inadequate.

The situation a little later at HW suggests that maybe this boat was beyond it's point of vanishing stability.