New Year raft race

The Hamble Raft Race takes place on a typically cold and grey New Year's day.

The assembled teams launched from the foreshore, heading out onto the river.
Below the all women ambulance team chase the firemen ,while the police and Hamble lifeboat teams took a different course through the moorings.

The Hamble lifeboat team heading for the finish line, the Firemen finished second, third place the Police and the Ambulance crew coming forth.

What a good way to start the year.

Calm sea

Winter sailing - an all to rare opportunity between the rain and gales we've had this year.

Wishing that 2020 brings calm seas and good winds as we voyage through the next decade.

Sailiing on the mill pond

With the boats laid up for winter members of Emsworth Slipper YC were taking the opportunity for Sunday racing on the mill pond.

Rounding the mark, despite the skippers sailing from the shore a few looked cold, with their radio control sets tucked into a sort of giant mitten and no doubt keen to get back to the club house.

Local mud

While we can't compete with the east coast, Emsworth is one of our better low water locations.

Safely settled on the soft mud, it looks like this dinghy is in need of a scrape and clean below the waterline.

The 1960's and 70's were a boom time for small bilge keel yachts like this one, still looking in good shape and hopefully giving pleasure to it's owner.

Merry Christmas

Wherever you are and whatever you're doing have a great time.

Lobster pot Christmas tree -Emsworth quay

Winter Solstice

Which apparently happened at 04.19 today Sunday 22nd December in the northern hemisphere.

Taken a few hours after along the millpond in Emsworth

And out along Fisherman's causeway.

The mill pond.

Dory

Traditional dory sadly now doing duty as a roadside exhibit at Courseulles Sur Mer.

The dory was a popular, traditional beached launched fishing boat with a long history along this part of the Normandy coast. There is an Association des Doris at nearby Hermanville Sur Mer. Loads of good photos on their Facebook pages.