Views of Cherbourg (could be anywhere really)

Cherbourg on a calm day

Is that a nuclear submarine I see behind the van? it wasnt there a moment ago, was it?

Cherbourg trip

The forcast was 3-4 rising to fives and we left at 08.35 on friday the thirteenth (tee hee) the wind was threes directly on our stern with the sea state calm ( wierd) by the time we had reached half way, about two hours plus , we were in fives but still with a fairly calm sea ( 18 inch waves) at 20 kts plus we still had about five knots of wind overtaking us. (a strange sensation) the wind reducd during the second part of the journey and when we were approximately a mile off Cherbourg we entered a fog bank and slowed towards the unseen Cherbourg eastern entrance. with still no sight of land, we came across some sailing boats and eventually the eastern entrance came into view. we entered and called the Marina who pointed us onto pontoon H where we tied up for the rest of the day! the boat behaved brilliantly with a max speed over the ground of 20.8 KPH the engines stayed at the working temperature and we used less than a half a tank, each engine, of diesel. The journey was 89 nautical miles and on a course of 210 ish degrees from Brighton! We spent a day at the marina and got the owners sorted out for their domicile in La belle France and then on Sunday we took the ferry to Poole arriving back at Brighton around 17.30! the owner and his wife stayed with me on my boat for the night and sorted out their situation here in the UK and will be staying again tonight and going back to Cherbourg and thier life in La Belle France on thursday! for which I wish them well. For me it was a good trip and a new experience to have such a clam crossing in such high winds, which reinforce that I was right to take the descision in spite of several attempts by a couple of sailors and their wives ( armed with the latest weather forcast, which I had) to dissuade the owners not to go because the winds were too high! Ho Hum! nobody likes a smart ass :o)) (or wa I just lucky)

Wow great weather (for powerboaters!) -

Crap for sailors! sorry about that Fuff. all the guys in the marina with sailboats are wingeing this weekend as they can`t sail off for the weekend, I can but have to visit Brighton and more specifically M& S with the wife (well lifes a compromise isn`t it) I`m now off to Cherbourg around Thursday or Friday (when the weather will , I jave no doubt about it, be crap) I hope the owner will have everything sorted by then, he still has a lot to do.

Happy Easter to you all and may all your dreams come true!

Cell ready for insertion into water jacket

simple dry cell construction

Hard to believe that the "dry cell" in the photo with the right harmonics and correct flow of warm salt water will power a "60 hp petrol engine" but only If I have done my job correctly, the cell doesn`t short out, my electronics stand the test and my engine is converted correctly will it of course work, am I optomistic? of course I am :o))

Dry cell construction

Posting in Brighton!

Well here I am sitting in the internet cafe in brighton prior to taking a boat across to france (Cherbourg,within the next few days, weather permitting)

I am still trying to locate a reasonably priced sheet metal worker that will cut me some 1/16 inch thick "316" stainless steel sheet into 8 inch by 2 inch pieces, (fifteen of them) They make up the fabric of the "cell" that I am trying to get operational. I can`t believe that it is do difficult to find somebody to carry out the work ? after all its only a sheet of 315 ss and a guillitine that are needed. Why should it take so long to get anybody to come back to me! I am hoping to get a reply soon (via Squiffy) re the electronics expert, to help me with the electronics and then all will be """""""""spiffing"""""" As has already been said wait for the banGG!

Brrr its cold here at the moment and the weather is ideal ( sea state calm) for the trip but the owner informs me now that they would like to go between the dates 12 to 20th of April! :o(( so I am now ,not , sitting here waiting to go! ho hum, some other day then) Mexico looks great this time of year, doesn`t it just.

Friends of mine are off!

They have got fed up with the UK and are off to the La belle, France in May, they have the same boat as mine and will pay exactly half what I pay in mooring which includes power and all fees! I am sick as a pig as I would also like to leave the UK but by sail, buuuuuuuuT Grandchildren and the like keep me here as well as a need for some health insurance!

Of late I have been involved with an electronic system which will help me to economise on fuel and so I have comissioned an electronics engineer to design and build a small simple circuit, but he seems to be afraid and qoutes such comment as "this is dangerous"-" you will kill yourself "-"I am a member of an institute and the ethics won`t allow me to do this!" So I have kicked him into touch not as a result of the previous comments but the final comment which was:- "if I do do this it will start at £500 and be £500 for every mod that I do"" ??????? Coughs outloud Phew!!!!!! so everyone does have their price!!

I will build the circuit myself if I can get my act togeather and glean the knowledge that I need to do so, from the relevant books etc. Butttttttt If you do know of an electronics (design) engineer or just anybody that would be interested in building a simple circuit ( I have the drawings) for me I would be pleased to hear! I`ll even share my thoughts of how I expect to be able to run a car on water with them! (truly).

No I`m not some mad professor type! but I do have an enquiring mind and a mentality to go with it and don`t take "impossible" as a word that fits into my vocabularily, and what I have in mind isn`t perpetual motion or even over unity, as some power is needed! Ho hum! back to my laboratory (garage) for more development ( polish the car) please bear in mind my possible need for an electronics engineer if you think of it! By the time you read this I will have the the production cell finished and the electronics will be needed urgently!!!!!!

Am I wrong?

I believe:-

That nothing is impossible if you firstly have the right attitude and then a modicum of the correct technology to achieve it!

That every time you fail you are getting closer to achieving your goal!!!!! ("the man that didn`t fail didn`t achieve anything", or "the man that didn`t make a mistake didn`t make anything").

That I would rather learn from anothers mistake than my own, but that I would learn a better lesson from making my own mistakes?

That, redundancy can be the enema of industry (ardie 1978)

That I`m just about to go off and make a few mistakes!!!!!! :o))

Breeding Jo cell producing ?

All that gunge and crud has been produced by the electrolysis effect set up by the positive and negative plates within the cell. With the sealed lid on and a tube to the carb of my mower it would start it but not run it. as the production rate is inadequate. I`m happy with the project and n0w on to something else! been there done that got the "T" shirt, Yawn I`m boored! Must get down to the boat and check it out (that will take all of the summer LOL!) Einstein was reputed to have said that " Not everything that counts, can be counted and not everything that can be counted, counts!" Sounds good to me! I was alway nemerically challenged, Tee Hee!

Hydrogen producing cell

Alternative energy

Oh yes` I wish I had some! I`ve been reading quite a lot this winter about the above subject and carried out an experiment or two, one in particular was where I electrolyzed water to produce hydrogen. It went well for a first one, as it were, but only produced enough Hydrogen to start my mower let alone run it. My aim ( one has to aim high after all the neuclear subs produce their breathing oxygen in a similar manner and what is the by product of oxygen production by hydrolysis????? Come on think back to when the teacher used to ignite the other by product, for effect, not knowing that you had left the electrolyser switched on during the break, only to have it blow itself to peoces and stick bits of glass in the hair of all the other pupils Te Hee! Hydrogen!! ) is to run my two diesel gulping 235 Hp Volvos on sea water, Problem is to get rid of the chlorine gas produced in an eco friendly manner. It would ne sometjing if I could manage it! or even a car?

well I had to keep out of trouble during the winter anyway so copius reading was one way, Far*ing about in my workshop was another. I don`t know if anybody has researched the miriad of websites on this subject (I have only read a very small percentage of them and note that there are humungous amounts of politics and conspiracy theorists in the forums! That reminds me I ought to lock my workshop up before an oil baron has me "topped" and nicks my Biscuit tin experiment :o)) Dont laugh at the biscuit tin experiment some day I may rule the world with its technology.

Even though I think I may go bankrupt long before I even get to the bare bones of a working test model I can dream can`t I?

Its intersting to note that water fueled vehicles do exist but nobody is really keen to discuss the techniology only that of possibles in the hope that other "Popular mechanics" out ther may strike lucky and achieve the goal! Stan Myers died at 53 from food poisoning and he was one of the few who did but his car was lost and his technology in the form of registered patents exist, but sorting the wheat from the chaff requires a neuclear physicist versed in the ways of thermodynamics not an ex chippy from Surrey!! Ho hum!

I will start to build my perpetual motion wheel this week, if I can get the enthusiasm (spelling) togeather. If it works there will be no photos and if it doesnt there will be a copious amount :o))

Well today I got my first invitation to the Beauleiu Boat Jumble

Do I go or do I stay? what a trauma I have loads of tat to sell or give away. I haven`t missed one for ten years. Of late (four years) I have had a double stall there. I arrive the day before and set up the stall and then off to the pub for a meal. arriving back at midnight. Then its spread my bedroll out on the ground and fast akip by 0.05 or sooner (I do like to sleep in the open.) At around sun up I have a quick trip around the stands that have arrived and already set up and buy whatever I can for the day or for personal use later (which usually all ends up at the next years Beaulieu BJ)and then its off to the abloutions and on to Breakfast! I usually have a good day with some fundmaking in evidence but its the ambiance of the place, all mates all with similar interests all trying to get a bargain. I guess I will be there again this year! Ho hum what a booring and predictable life I lead ? ahh! theres another thing, I guess that I will also be at the SBS this year too Mmmmmmm.

About time I posted something

Else you will all think Im dead!

cyberworld improvements

SL is now ready! have a look at this, could even replace blogging? Incredible site where Your Avatar can be teleported to your next meeting, you can build homes ,offices,boats, whole communities,anything you want, How long before all business will be conducted this way? Scary eh! check it out at . http://www.popsci.com/popsci/technology/7ba1af8f3812d010vgnvcm1000004eecbccdrcrd.html
Maybe Ill buy the patent for boats? or perhaps my Avatar will :o)). Where to go next?

To all the Engrish teachers out there!

Have a look at these visdeo`s on MV Katherine Janes site at
http://lifeonkj.blogspot.com/ :o))

thats it for another (boat show) year well until SBS at least!

I was surprised that the train journey went so well, £9.50 all the way! trains empty-ish on the way there but like cattle on the way back! A friend drove up from Brighton and left his car at my place and we went together on the train, Arriving at "Exel" in docklands at about 10.30. We had a cup of coffee togeather and dissapeared off in different directions. I hate to be tied by others and prefer to look around alone. I bumped into several people that I know, both from my time in the boat industry and my boating exploits and talked at length with the liferaft servicing company MD re my own requirements (I didnt know he was the MD until I was asking him who the guy was that I spoke to on the phone and he called him over and h, the guy that I had talked to on the phone, then introduced me to his boss , the guy I had been talking to! Yawn!

I went onto a selfs teering stand that was displaying my favourite windvane the Monitor and a salesman (always keen on the first day) came over and I explained that I felt that they were the only one to have these days unless you already have an aries (Mmmmmm) he was delighted as he owned the company that made all of the vanes displayed on his stand ( three different sorts) . He asked me what sort of boat I had and was delighted to find out that I had a power boat as he had one too. I did explain that I intended to go back to sail and delighted again he explained that he was going too also when he retired (he had done a circumnavigation in sail already some years ago).

As there wasn`t anything particular that I wanted for my boat I wandered from stand to stand playing with the various plotters until I got shooed off by a salesman that knew I wasn`t going to buy it. I took a cup of coffee out to the guy protesting outside Exel ( wearing a red bow tie and dress suit) standing with a placard in the cold and rain. I met my friend for a late lunch of fish and chips (which I have to say were fabulous ) I was tempted to climb onto a couple of boats but didn`t and really got most of my enjoyment of the day in the entertainment (food and general company) and checking out the latest "Boys toys" The journey back was OK but crowded as it was the tail end of the rush hour, arriving back at home about 19.00.

My general observation was that as there weren`t many people on the press day, although it may get better in the following days, the show in general was quiet and that the industry (even though the mags and industry publications and marketing will say that it was prosperous and successful) it won`t actually be so!

Will I go again? You bet I`ll be at SBS without fail! Why? don`t ask such stupid questions! I`m a boater! do you actually think that I know why myself? eh! do you! :o))

Wooho Boat show here I come!

What sparked up that outburst I have been to a thousand boat shows from Anerheim to Palma to SBS and LBS and they are all pretty much the same. whith their smiling failed car dealers in their thousands,grinning in their cheap and not so cheap Blazersand off white slacks, approaching everybody before they are ready. They eminate an air of success and I guess I`m hoping that rubs off a little! big bouys toys/ Yes I guess so, will I buy? I doubt it (anyway I can`t find my credit cards). I shall pay my homage in much the same way that I make my other annual pilgrimages, arriving home knackered from a four hour journey on londons great service (not) and take a couple of days to loose the aching legs and other things, from refusing to sit down and relax whilst eating a £20 sandwich and cup of tea, (served by an extremely polite , pleasant and customer service orientated Polish person, no doubt)

In such a large show one has to have tactics and I do have mine, no its not make for the Guinness stand first, I tend to go to the static displays like the RNLI or the Royal Navy frigate, soon to loose the title "Royal" as Bliar has it changed to the republic of the UK! Bstd, (Sorry about that) then I will watch all the demonstrations and entertainment, possibly dancing a little to the glorious sound and sight of the dancers on the promo stage, well its not really dancing (mine that is) its more a small squirm as I watch another punter sucked in by a failed car dealer (FCD)to be told that he sell million of these each year and they are the most popular and we have sold out of this years production but if you put a deposit (non returnable of course) today you can have a discound on the already inflated retail price! omne of my usual visits is to the Beta marine engine stand where I find an unsuspecting FCD and ask him if I can deal direct with the company and not through a supplier, to which they usuall give a wink and a nod and agree that it may be possible! Then I pounce and berate them telling them that I was once a supplier and got really Pis*ed off by having to do the guarantee work on engines that I or any other supplier hadn`t supplied. Well I have to get some entertainment somewhere dont I More to com upon my return.

Must look

http://www.allcapecod.com/shoptillchristmas.cfm

Inspiration for a cold dismal day

SEA FEVER

I MUST down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,
And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea's face and a grey dawn breaking. I must down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied; And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying, And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying. I must down to the seas again to the vagrant gypsy life. To the gull's way and the whale's way where the wind's like a whetted knife; And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover, And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.

John Masefield

Playing with Banners

They say that you dont loose too many brain cells as you get older, well! I have been trying to set up a banner on my site and so far have managed to delete my header, destroy all my replied comments and generall Fa*t things up! I do, however, now have a modified site, but that wasn`t my initial intention. So what to do? I think I`ll just put it down to experience and carry on as it is :o(( "Pillock", Grumble grumble! Ah!!!! I have just spotted the Label box at the bottom perhaps I`ll try a label? Oh dear!!!!!!!

I`m dreaming of a white christmas!

Worth a look, and a listen!
http://www.thecompassgroup.biz/merryxmas.swf

Seasons Greetings

May I wish you all a very merry Christmas!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LH7vrLlDZ6U&NR
Kindest regards
Rob

Silent thought for Sunday!

Its 14-00 and I`m just getting ready to collect and deliver a wooden sailing Ketch from the south west coast of the UK to just downstream of tower bridge on the Thames. The weather has been pretty bad for more than a few days now and even today the forecast is for following winds up to 50 miles an hour but at least they will be from astearn so if I can keep the tide, for the best parts of the initial trip, I will be OK as far as Ramsgate (10 hours plus) . Also I will get some shelter afforded from the Goodwins too as I intend passing on the downwind side of them (offshore side, no inshore channel for me this time). If the weather reduces and is suitable I will give Ramsgate a miss passing "The elbow" and enter into the princes channel seaward of Margate sands and on past the new wind farms, down to "Sea reach 1" and up into the better shelter of the Thames itself. The vessel has just had a new engine installation so it is a bit of an unknown, and the sails may be real handy. I reckon the trip will take two days, be fairly riotus and not warm, not to mention wet!

The joys of boating eh! why do we do it? is it for adventure? My reason is because I just love to be at one with nature. It has to be the closest one can get to it being alone in the middle of a sea (even the english channel with no land evident) OK so it gets a bit windy and a bit bumpy its still a great feeling to achieve your goal and make your port safely! Think of me while you are tucked safely up in your beds tomorrow morning or tomorrow night :o)) bye 4 Now!

Aren`t some people nice!

A mate of mine gave me a GPS for my car yesterday, he had broken the bracket and instead of just buying a new bracket he purchased an upgraded system, which now, incooperates his phone (Wow!) bloody BMV drivers, don`t you just love em? tee hee! So I set about making a suitable metal bracket to fit into my dash.

One hour later it was finished, sprayed in primer and fitted to my dash on Velcro pads, "no its not, yes it is, no its not, yes it is? they keep falling off? Ah! read the instructions, Doh! they have to be left for 24 hours? for maximum security! Pillock !!! I did that and now its there in all its glory working away! Now what do I do? I don`t go anywhere strange ? Ive been around long enough to know everywhere :o(( ?

Wow I`ve just found out that I can link my phone to this one too ( I bet he didn`t realisethat Id better tell him!) through Blue tooth, but I haven`t got them so ? out with the poster paints! thats better now I have! I recieve a strange look from wife as I pass the kitchen( unintentional cheauvanistic comment) but I explain to her that I am linking my phone to the GPS, whilst licking lips clear of spilt blue paint! eugh! tastes horrible, much nodding of her head and muttering of " if you had a brain you could rule the world!" What would she know?:o))

What it is, not to be a Technophobe eh? gosh!!! this paint is getting everywhere, must change my shirt, Oh sh*t it all over my hands now and the car door handle as I go to look at my new work of art!

Its gone! Oh B*llocks the velcro has fallen off again! I find the GPS resplendant with quick release, specialist designed and manufactured bracket, in the foot well, Now happily telling me to Turn around at the next available roundabout! Mental note to get some cloth and get the blue paint of the dashboardbefore it sets, and the GPS case. Two screws seems to be the order of the day I think now! Isn`t it always the case ;o)) Second mental note:- book seats for the Blue man show and go in costume, I`ll never get all this paint off :o))

Wow!

More people are murdered in the UK each year. by mentally disturbed people released back into the community, than were ever killed by privately owned hand guns since the second world war!

why did the government forbid the ownership of a self protection item that they could at least have kept track of, and why do they still allow inadequate descisions to be made, re the mental health act/return to community "sensor" those making such bad descisions shouild be imprisoned themselves!

In Fact, Exponentially, more hand gun crimes are occuring each year now, since the ban but now there is no track on the weapons! and little or no recourse against the guilty, due to lack of police funding!

Who the!

not only am I "in need of Maintenence" and repeating myself( Oh bye the way Compliments of the season) I`m changing physically, Here is a recent photo of me at work!

The Compliments of the season to you all!

About the Origami Holiday Tree: The Origami Holiday Tree has marked the start of the holiday season at the Museum for over 30 years. The theme of this years tree is Origami Safari, and is represented by a bountiful array of exotic creatures, created by 40 of the 1,600 members of Origami USA. Lions, tigers, bears, elephants, giraffes, and camels hang from and surround the base of the tree. The volunteers begin folding in July to complete approximately 500 creations displayed on the tree. During the holiday season, volunteers will be on hand to teach visitors of all ages the art of origami folding.

I fancy a trip to learn how to fold a Tiger? or an Elephant. Oh! the photo is from the New York Natural History Museum, bye the way!

Compliments of the season! December 25th is nearly here!

Oslo's Christmas tree for London ready, Thursday, Oslo's traditional gift to London, a Christmas tree for Trafalgar Square, will be cut. The 26-metre tree is 100 years old, and the 60th tree to cross the North Sea.The Lord Mayor of Westminister, Alexander Nicoll, and Oslo Mayor Per Ditlev-Simonsen will be present at the traditional cutting ceremony in the Oslo forest.Chidren from the Oslo International School and the local Korsvoll Primary School will sing Christmas carols.The Oslo tree will be lit on Trafalgar Square on December 7th.The tree is a gift to London in gratitude for what the city did for Norway during the Second World War, housing Norway's King and Government in exile.Oslo is also sending a Christmas tree to Rotterdam and Reykjavik

As a kid, each year I would be taken up to Trafalgar square by my Grandfather to see the tree and to look at the model boats, in the shipping companies windows all around the area, I guess I got my great love of the sea from those experiences. The tree never looks as big now as it did then, funny that isnt it?

The model boats once the pride of the various shipping companies, as their fleets representations in London, have mostly gone now but a couple still remain. The Science Museum was always an alternative and from the Age of about seven years old, I would walk from Battersea to Exhibition road each day (when not at school) to see the models there too, and wind the many brass handles of the exhibits to make a model archemedian screw irregation pump work, with its little Arab gentleman working the actual pump`s handle! or a model train, move along a track, or many other wondrous displays. Ah me!

Some 37 Years later at the Tecnology in leisure exhibition, convention in Maastrict I presented a paper to some, one thousand industry leaders, on "The benefits of Planned preventative maintenence in the day to day use of Technical ride park machienery" (Booring) In it, I referred to Museums as having the oportunity to gain revenue and increased funding by becoming the "Themeparks of the future" and the Science museum, London, certainly took that commment on board. What goes around comes around! Eh? Now I need maintaining!!!!!!!!! Hee Hee!

Extinction is for ever! well almost,

I was going to put photos of the tasmanian Tiger and the Dodo, here but I could only find one and that was pretty bad! :o))

Sharks! the red corpcuscles in our life blood sea.

Shark Fins stored fins aboard a longlining vessel captured off the US coast!

Sharks are the real cleaners of the sea, they rid the oceans of the sick and dying, preventing the stagnation of the seas, in much the same manner as the red corpuscles in our Blood, for without them our planet will die. (A 1968)

It's a pretty gruesome practice. Net a shark, slice off its fins, then throw the bleeding, limbless fish back into the water. This is the source of the primary ingredient in shark-fin soup, a pricey staple of Chinese restaurants throughout Asia and parts of the West.
A tiny portion of the fins on board the King Diamond II when it was stopped at sea by the U.S. Coast Guard 2 years ago.U.S. Coast Guard
The problem is not that people eat cartilage-rich shark fins, but that most of the crews harvesting those fins discard the rest of the huge animal—wasting its protein in a remarkably inhumane fashion. In the West, where the allure of shark fins is low, nearly everyone from shark conservationists to U.S. government officials has condemned the practice. Indeed, 2 years ago the National Marine Fisheries Service, part of the Commerce Department, formally banned shark finning throughout U.S. waters.
However, those rules applied only to fishing vessels flying under a U.S. flag while at sea. Foreign vessels continued to plunder sharks throughout the seas, including U.S. waters, with impunity.
At least in the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea, that situation may be about to end. On Nov. 23, 63 member nations of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT)—an intergovernmental fishery organization that concerns itself with large fish in the open seas—unanimously agreed to ban shark finning in those two bodies of water.
The decision had been prodded by measures from several influential bodies. In May, for example, the American Elasmobranch Society, made up of biologists who study sharks and related species, passed a resolution urging an international ban on shark finning by the United Nations General Assembly at its fall meeting. And on Nov. 17, the General Assembly complied by "urging" member nations to ban "directed shark fisheries conducted solely for the purpose of harvesting shark fins . . . and to encourage the full use of dead sharks." Who are we to make this descision?

I miss my old Vixen!

Good ole Sam T !

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (another one)

As idle as a painted ship Upon a painted ocean.
The Sun came up upon the left,
Out of the sea came he!
And he shone bright, and on the right
Went down into the sea.

The moving Moon went up the sky,
And no where did abide:
Softly she was going up,
And a star or two beside.

The fair breeze blew,
the white foam flew,
The furrow followed free;
We were the first,
that ever burst ,
Into that silent sea.

Alone, alone, all, all alone,
Alone opon a wide wide sea!
And never a saint took pity,
opon My soul in agony

Samuel Taylor Coleridge

John Masefield (ah me!)

SEA FEVER

I MUST down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,
And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea's face and a grey dawn breaking. I must down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied; And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying, And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying. I must down to the seas again to the vagrant gypsy life. To the gull's way and the whale's way where the wind's like a whetted knife; And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover, And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.

John Masefield

Soon be winter

Yes, its getting colder! Yes, it will soon be winter!, Yes, I miss the boat ! Yes, I will be on her in a day or too, so I will be less Pi**ed off. As you might have guessed, I have my Mr Grumpy head on today don`t ask me why? I said don`t ask me !!! alright! Ok I`ll tell you In my previous life I was quite athletic and with the cold weather comes the pain! I ache like B*ggery most of the winter, I am lethargic and as a result boored. I guess I have had life too easily.

I should probably think myself lucky that I have all I could want from life, and should enjoy that in its entirety. But Hey!! I`m human and I want more, what do I want ? I haven`t got a clue, I guess I am searching for the not so holy grail, when I find it I will know. Have I got it already Probably but I don`t recognise it as such. Boored boored boored!

Indiginous Specis (ten years hence)

I woke early today (05-00) and thought I would stretch myself a little with a post I have considered but not really thought about fully.

As the indiginous specis of the british Isles the early Populace, kelts , saxons etc are already a mixed bunch and so we start in confusion, with all factions believing that they are the true Indiginous specis.

Recently (in say the last 60 years) things have changed quite dramatically. People have migrated south (our government is predominently scottish) landed here from overseas and now we are an even more "watered" down society! Is this a bad thing I have to ask? as I am a believer that the mongrels of this world survive longer are healthier and providing close interbreeding is avoided we will survive!

The Indiginous peoples of USA ( the american indians) after all lost their country to the imigrants and look what that "great super power" has achieved (give or take a few wasteful wars) in the short time following the indians loss.

Is the UK to go the same way, The UK immigration laws, and its blatant abuse, bothers me, not so much for myself but for my children and their children. We are developing areas of high unemployed and low income where all manner of crime is increasing. We have forbidden all hand guns, ( due to one incident perpetrated by a mad man) yet the incidence of (hand ) gun crime is rising rapidly. Our values are depreciating, no longer do we see people standing up to allow a less capable person take their seat on the bus. More often are we hearing of another robbery, too little funding. over zealous Stealth taxation. poor hospitals. In fact the whole UK and its systems are depreciating rapidly. What is the way forward I ask myself. Change the government? bring a halt to continued immigration?.

Increasing numbers of Brits are emigrating fed up with the situation they find themselves in, so they too are guilty of becoming the next generation of immigrants to wherever they decide to settle, and so it goes on.

As a "Norman" ( not am Eric :o)) ) myself I guess I cannot say too much but I have to ask will the UK go the same way as the USA in that the indiginous specis will be minimalised (if its not the case already) or will there be some room for the remaining Brits to lead a good life in a secure established society?

Summat 2 ponder upon!

To be truly challenging, a voyage, like a life, must rest on a firm foundation of financial unrest. Otherwise you are doomed to a routine traverse, the kind known to yachtsmen, who play with their boats at sea - "cruising," it is called. Voyaging belongs to seamen, and to the wanderers of the world who cannot, or will not, fit in. If you are contemplating a voyage and you have the means, abandon the venture until your fortunes change.

Only then will you know what the sea is all about."I've always wanted to sail to the South Seas, but I can't afford it." What these men can't afford is not to go. They are enmeshed in the cancerous discipline of "security." And in the worship of security we fling our lives beneath the wheels of routine - and before we know it our lives are gone.What does a man need - really need? A few pounds of food each day, heat and shelter, six feet to lie down in - and some form of working activity that will yield a sense of accomplishment. That's all - in the material sense. And we know it. But we are brainwashed by our economic system until we end up in a tomb beneath a pyramid of time payments, mortgages, preposterous gadgetry, playthings that divert our attention from the sheer idiocy of the charade.

The years thunder by. The dreams of youth grow dim where they lie caked in dust on the shelves of patience. Before we know it the tomb is sealed.Where, then, lies the answer? In choice. Which shall it be: bankruptcy of purse or bankruptcy of life?-

Sterling Hayden

Don`t know what his dvd is like but!

His site is worth a read and, inavertantly, contains some very good tips that Mmmmmmm might concider using for funding her world cruise? http://www.projectbluesphere.com costs nothing to join but you might like to contribute by purchasing a dvd of his cruise so far? having availed yourselves of his daily log entries. (fousands of them)

What a well thought out statement

"I have always had the feeling that these long journeys act upon my system as a thorough cleansing of all the nastiness that accumulates during a period on shore. Once out of sight of the coast, a man is all alone in the presence of his Creator, and he cannot remain a stranger to the forces of nature that surround him. Soon he will be part of these himself, regaining his simplicity and refining himself in contact with the brute forces that embrace him and swallow him up.
And it is this, I believe, this need not simply for novelty, but for physical and spiritual cleanliness which drives the lone sailor towards other shores; there, his body and mind are freed from their terrestrial ties and bondage, and can regain their essence and integrity in the natural elements which the ancients deified. Wind, Sun and Sea: the seaman's triune god!"

Bernard Moitessier

Written before there were as many Woman sailors evident

Good Man is RKJ

Here he is pictured at the Dinkirk little ships meet ( in guess where!) Dunkirk on an old diesel powered steam Tug.

Piccie for Mmmmmmmm !

Notice how straight it is too, except for the "designer" kink in the end! that is :o))

Are those seagulls swimming or walking number one?

They appear to be walking Captain! "Oh Shite! full astearn number one"

Dancing on Tables this weekend!

Well I crossed the solent (both ways this weekend) to the Isle of wight and stayed with a mate on his boat (you know the one whose landing stage we rebuilt). I had a great time and ended up on the Saturday night at a certain hostilery where dancing on the tables is not ony condoned its encouraged. We ended up finally going to sleep at 02.30 Sunday morning Wow!! very late for me. I enclose a photo of the place so those of you who can recognise it might comment as to what its name is (Fuff??)

And the amount left in the dingy

look at the size of that compared to the power plug

Am I a Jonah!

I delivered a 45 foot princess from Brighton to Shepperton last week. We left brighton at 22.00 hours arriving at Hammersmith bridge at 16.00 approximately. As we were about to pass under the bridge we picked up a rope on the starboard engine, stopping it dead and refusing to operate in gear, this caused the boat to turn broadside, I tried to correct this by going astearn on the only operational engine and picked up the rest of the rope causing that engine to stop too. I announced that we had a problem and immediately headed for the anchor to stop the boat from continuing with the tide and impacting with other moored boats close by, whilst the owner and friend who were lowing the radar arch at the time, tried to regain control of the engines ( without any luck).

The pin that released the anchor was firmly stuckin in and no amount of my cursing and pulling would let it free, so I called to the owner, that we would need plenty of fenders to prevent damage in the impact with the by now fast closing moored vessels. I grabbed a large ball fender and fitted it to the most advantageous point and then instructed him to to throw me a long mooring line which he kept on the fly bridge and made my way to the bow (we passed under the bridge broadside with 300 mm to spare and were now able to straighten up the vessel with the use of the bow thruster only, but were travelling astearn in the current of about three knots) I fixed the line to the Anchor winch via the port fairlead and as we were about five metres off the first lot of passing boats, but heading straight for a group of plastic small boats (moored to a footbridge type pier) I instructed the owners friend to take the wheel and the owner who had by now lined the rest of the boat with fenders, to get another long rope ( all though this was unneccery as he was on the case already) and deal with the stearn should he get along side first. I spotted a large mooring ring on the roof, of a soon to pass, canal boat and instructed the owners friend to forget our attitude and just get the boat as close to canal boat as he could with the use of the bow thruster, which he did. We were just about to pass the canal boat when I jumped onto the roof and ran for the ring passing the rope through it with two turns. The flimsyg ring (about 8 mill in diameter) didnt seem strong enough but that was all we had for the moment, I took a quick look around as the rope took the strain, and the boat pulled around to face into the stream. and spotted a stronger cleat on the bopw of the canal boat should I need it in an "emergency". The fenders did their job and the owner jumped off the stearn onto another vessel.

After a few ajustments we breathed again, and our pulse rates returned to normal. The pier "superintendant" immediately appeared (as they do, looking for fees) and asked how long we were intending to stay as we couldnt moor where we were. He was dispached with a king size hornet in his ear as out plight was pointed out to him. we checked the depth of the water and found that it was reducing rapidly which would mean that the vessel would ground in about an hour (something that Princess 45`s cannot do as the rudders are forced through the hull and the integrity of the hull is breached. We called the coastguard explaining our plight and that the vessel was in imminent danger of being holed who dispached the RNLI river rescue to our aid.

Within about four minutes of the call the sirens were heard and the blue light was approaching fast. they pulled along side assesed the problem and we affixed our lines to them for a tow to their station at Chiswick pier, where we could sit quite happily until we fixed the problem (as it didn`t dry out) I have to say that the Lifeboat crew acted with the greatest of proffessionalism, they were well trained and cheerful and their equipment was of the highest standard, they did however pickup a blockage to their port water jet whilst they were towing us and were forced to reduce speed to barely more than the surging current, we all looked at each other with a single thought, would we and they now be sent off down river ajoined, without any control power? It didn`t happen and with good spirits we arrived at the pier where two of the crew were waiting for us, to take lines etc. They (the lifeboat) went alongside inbetween us and the pier and acted as an actual buffer to the pier and lines were exchanged. They then went out astearn and down the pier to their berth, where they commenced the clearing of their jet drive.

We telephoned for the services of a Diver as the owner refused to let me have a go at clearing the blockage when the tide was slack, the current was by now running well. He arrived at slack water the next day and managed to clear the port prop and shaft, but the tide beat him and he wasn`t able to clear the starboard one. We waited for the tide to be suitable ( draft wise) for passage along Sion reach and on to Richmond half tide lock where the barrier would be open and progressed up river on one engine and entered the non tidal waters above Teddington lock where the diver could work with impunity having little worries about the tide.

The diver returned at 08.30 the next day and cleared the rest of the rope ( which was 9 inch circumference, green and white barge rope, about thirty feet of it, Ouch! Thankyou Mr Cory) We returned up river to Shepperton where the owner was supposed to be attending a Commodores sail past and was by now a couple of hours late he did however make a run past the other moored boats whith the commodore aboard and we dipped our ensign in salute, whereupon the commodore replied with his own salute. God only knows what they all thought of the ragamuffing crew in heavy weather gear, no blazers and white slacks for us that day. We settled on the owners mooring about ten minutes later as the torrential rain stopped. The boat will be lifted out for drive train inspection, on Tuesday and the gearbox integrity investigated for damage.

As a "govenor", and full supporter of all things to do with the RNLI and having now had to call them twice in my boating life ( the first time whilst diving off Selsey Bill and watching the boat sink past me in mid water) I have to say that they provide a brilliant service, their crews are fully dedicated and professional, and their tea is brilliant! thanks again Guys for a job well done.

Lifes never dull is it?
"Am I really a Jonah?"

Where`s this then

Yesterday (Sunday, just so you all know when I wrote this post)

The usual flock (squillions of the b*ggers) of starlings arrived at the marina this afternoon and in "orderly fashion" as if there were some sort of school teacher ordering them to do so, they settled on the rigging of all the marina sail boats, whilst waiting their turn to roost in the area under "Wheatherspoons" which they do each night (while their number grows ready to emigrate to Morocco and then mid Africa). My next door, but one, neighbour decided that she would go to the boat next to me and shake the rigging to dislodge them, this she duly did and they flew off and circled around, but not before they Shat great amounts of blackberry sh*t all over my newly cleaned white GRP boat. Why do people do such things, what a bloody pillock that woman is. I have just spent another hours trying to get blackberry stains out of my gell coat, She walked away without a mark.Her boat which was next door, on the other side to me, to the boot whose rigging she shook was completely missed by them as was she. I wish I was a starling I wouldnt miss her! Oh well! I`m getting used to being in the Sh*t these days.

01-52 still no progress with postings whats going on?

Ho hum! I guess I`d better allow for at least four days to get a posting?

15.00 Friday wheres my posts?

Why is it taking me so long to get anything posted now? Chatting with a mate, he is writing a program to copy the blogger site system! I am tempted to fund him and use him ! so get your a8ses into gear please!

This post was entered at 22.40 today thursday 12th September

please comment when you see it first so I can get an Idea of when it actually gets on to my site in view!
thanks!

Off to SBS today

I quite look forward to a boat show visit, or do I? really! do I? There are so many boats ,so many dreams and perhaps just too much marketing hype. The show organisers don`t exactly tell the truth re the amount of sales, they never really come out and say that the boat industry is drying up or that sales were bad this year or that year, perhaps its just my wrong instincts and they are not? and its only certain manufacturers that are the ones on the bread line, (certainly not Janneau or Beneteau with their cheap productioin costing, spray glass systems).

I shall walk around, as I have done for very many years (not Southampton of course) and look in awe at the large cruisers, Nordhaven etc, the latge sailboats, Swan nautor etc, and the electronic boys toys, sure I have computer navigation and Radar but the forward scanning sonar now available (if one has the money) is incredible. Mind you at fifty knots does it work :o)) (who the hell does fifty knots, well the "Super seasick" does, the sea cats).

I shall eat the burgers and drink the plastic cupped (foul) tea and during the break I shal contemplate why the hell I made the effort to come, then its off to wind up a few stand holders. to watch the man that each year demonstrates the drill bits that can drill right through a file( I wonder what he will be drilling through this year) Oh! and the large bearded gentleman that has a renown bench vice system and carves large eagles and such like, Oh! and the diamond file seller she will be there too, again I ask myself why do I go as I shall see the same boats mostly, certainly the same stalls, (I`m not interested in the diving, sail training, canoeing, ditch crawling,etc so I have cut my required exposure to about 20%) why do I go? the journey is 60 miles the parking absymal! with transfer buses or large amounts of money if you can find a space.

Oh well! its 07.35 here and time to get ready for the two hour journey and to ponder further just why? Why the "hell" do I bother?

answers on a post card to the show organisers please :o))

Well today started off OK but!

Yesterday evening I arrived at the delivery boat , carried out all the usual checks, safety equipment vessel, compitence etc, although a couple of points were border line( old flares but just in date) . I agreed to take her through the lock and on to the fuel pontoon, having her ready, fuelled, for the off by 06.00 today.

Today I duly arrived on time and started up the vessel, the owners PA was still asleep (can you believe) cast her off ( the vessel not the PA you understand) duly spun her around and took her out through the lock into the main Marina area and on to the fuel pontoon. The fog horn was wailing and the sea was like glass, Ideal sea state for this sort of vessel (60 foot plus Hatteras. with about 1000 metres of bimini and side walling two stories up) which I expected to "sail" like a sideboard. This is the second time that I have tried to deliver her having encountered some failing or other in the past.

At the pump I found that the port filler would not recieve fuel and appeared to be full (I knew it wasnt the case) and so I fuelled the starboard tank with about £400.00 of fuel giving the vessel a decided lean to starboard, confirming that the port tank was pretty much empty. The Balance pipe was located and opened and the vessel levelled herself as the fuel transferred itself across. I again filled the starboard tank also with another £400.00 plus until the port was also full. By now the owner (but not his PA) was fully awake and up and about, the fog horn had silenced, although a bit of mist was evident (we have great Radar if needed) so off we went. all seemed OK and I ran a few checks once again, only to find that the nav lights tripped out and wouldn`t stay on (dead short) not too much of a problem as I anticipated an overnight in Ramsgate and so no night passage, having an ETA there at 05.30. I contacted an engineer who works out of Dover to have the problem sorted , so that was OK. everything else was going OK the owner went below to check out the engines, Humungous great MTU circa 60s diesels newly serviced etc, only to have him return wight faced to tell me in a high pitched babble that I had to switch off the starboad engine as we were sinking and that there was water everywhere in the engine compartment, I shut down the engine and asked the mate ( who was by now settled, dozing in a steamer chair on the rear deck) to investigated, He returned to say that I had shut down the wrong engine (good job it wasnt a 747, it has happened). The owner having negotiated a rather splendid spiral staircase, and now disorientated, before stating which engine it was,had told me the wrong one, I started up the stopped engine and closed down the offending one, but not before the mate had opened the engineroom door and got a full soaking with sea water from the source, he is a grumpy old sod anyway! :o)). The problem seemed to be that the water pump airbleed elbow/ had broken off.

I spun the boat around to make for out home port and, leaving the owner at the wheel, and instructions to follow the plotted course on the plotter, I briefly went below to check to see if a temp repair could be effected. No sooner had I left the port engine room to report back to the owner that we were going to have to continue to make our way back, than I bumped into him on the stairs, "Whos at the wheel" I asked, "Oh! Pheobe" he replied! I got back to the wheel to find this diminuative lady PA happily sitting in the "Big chair" singing away at the top of her voice, but now heading for France. "How am I doing" she said! "what course are you on" I asked "Oh! the one that Sydney gave me when he asked me to take over" she replied. I "took control"and we turned to the correct course and approached Brighton once again. They as ever were very accomodating and duly took our lines as I brought her into her temporary berth, astearn, with a large vessel to our bow. I have to say the "landing" was as perfect as it could be ( one engine remember, even if I do say so myself particularily as it is a strange, to me, vessel) I tried to switch the running engine off but to no avail, so I had to return once again,to the engine room to locate the solenoid and manually activate the stop on the diesel pump (I wonder if the captain of the QE2 has this sort of problem?) given the amount of hot pipes and my short sleeves I nearly burned myself a couple of times. Ahhhhh poor soul! do I hear you say?

The various works ( by now quite a list) were duly agreed upon and who would sort them out before a further attempt at her delivery be made, the Mate is seeing to that. I duly removed all my gear off the boat, navigation computer charts wet weather gear etc etc and went off with the owner and the mate for breakfast. it was a short trip and an early one. St Katherins have been notified of the delay in arrival as have Ramsgate. I bet when the boat is ready, the sea state won`t be! Oh well thats life at sea. Oh I forget to mention that my back decided to trip out just before all this took place too! sooooo "on the whole" I dont think that I did too badly for a, all be it, temporarily relative cripple :o)) Tee he!!!!!. at least my back will be comfortable by the time the next attempt is made.

A not so lucky sailboat

Run aground in the shallows of the Thames :o((. Its at a time like this that I would get off the boat and start to clean the bottom and prop! lets hope that I never have to do this on a delivery, could get expensive

A little sailboat bimbling along in the estuary

Just before the squall hit us! note the sky, pretty exciting?

More photos of Lulworth

I want one!

I forgot the Buddist shrine photo too

What a magnificant structure! you will never find a piece of litter or grass leaf out of place around it, I swear that a monk appears and sweeps up without one seeing him. It is said that they live in tents at the base of the edifice but I have never seen any presence. beautiful though in a strange sort of manner! He must have been one hell of a guy to have all the followers that he still has. Thats one business I would like a slice of! or was it the holy Roman church? not sure.

The Tower of London

I lost this photo when I was trying to write my "last post" so here it is . I was "stationed" there for a while, mainly spending time in Jankers behind the parade ground clock, polishing shell cases. you can just see the top of the Traitors gate arch, so called because the spikes on the top of the port cullis were used to hold the severed heads of so called traitors! and they say that Vlad the Impaler was bad?

On the way out from Queenborough I spotted

My next project boat (with my Tim Zim head on that is) arriving, I had a call from the tug skipper who didnt know he was driving the wrong way round asking if it was OK to moor alongside? well what could I say but "Strike a light Govenor" (cause thats how all us cockneys start a sentence) you shouldn`t be within a mile of me, but as the channel is only 500 yards wide at this point, I would let him do so! Suddenly the harbour masters launch appeared alongside and stated rather firmly that there would be "no striking of any-bodies lights" otherwise both the gas tanker and the explosives wreck (montgomerie) situated a quarter of a mile to its stern, would blow up and send Canary wharf down town to Shepperton.

Queenborough an inlet off the Medway estuary, made a good tie up for the night and repairs to the starboard engine

Whilst on the next section past the QE2 Bridge

I lost the starboard engine and was hit by a squall where the weather went from nil knots to not being able to look into it in 5 seconds. it was time to turn for a secondary destination and so I found my way to Queen borough! more to follow.

The Thames barrier even though they tried to stop me getting out I swerved through Charlie span and escaped!

On through the Thames Barrier

Even when they tried to stop us leaving I skidded around and went out of the open one (Charlie Span)

The Cutty Sark`s a funding lark!

One could have five like her built new in Turkey for the cost of a minor refurbishment! Wheres your heart Robin! Its certainly not in my pocket! what a waste!!!

Onwards across the international date line!

Not if the French had it their way? they and the Germans own all our commodities now, so why not the date line going through Paris! Over my not so dead Body!!!!! Tout suite portfabour mine frauline mit motor :o))

On past some of the financial institutions of London

Oh!! I nearkly forgot the H.O.P. and "Big Ben"

Ah I remember the days when I could stroll down and watch the ceremony of the Keys for the 500th time such memories!

Whilst serving with the Royal Fusiliers I "spent some time" (behind the parade ground clock, the armory!) here before the regiment were shipped to Cyprus and then eventually amalgamated into the Royal regiment of fusilies etc.

I shouted "Quack-quack! at them like you do in Boston and got told to "desist" (off) by the police fact rib?

Beautiful sculpture on bridges destined not to be seen by most people

The largesr brick building in europe?

dear old Battersea and Albert bridges with the buddist temple before "The Chelsea bridge Hotel"

The Chelsea Bridge Hotel is the red box on the Right hand side! I cant believe that we used to jump off these as Kids!and climb "the Albert towers"

The Chelsea reach Houseboats where Damien Hurst had his

I very nearly bought one of these for £35K god knows what it would cost today! battersea bridge is to the right of this picture.

Battersea old church

I once picked up a stick from these foreshores only to find that it was an eel!

Hammersmith bridge at neaps just off High water

We did get under with the radar arch down!

Boats at the Dove pier just before Hammersmith bridge

Guess youv`e all heard it!

before:-

"Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, But rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting...'Holy S**t...What a Ride!"
-unknown !

Works for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I always think that life is the wrong way round and that we should all die during one great siesmic Orgasm!

I got one of those ( photos) whilst I was down there!

And a speeding ticket for 36 mbh in a 30 zone euuugh! how will I explain that to the IAM without getting a soppy letter telling me how they expect better from thie members?

Mondays task

Well I have finally signed up for the delivery of a Princess 415 motorboat from Shepperton to Brighton possibly via a few french ports as well! I estimate that I will leave Teddington about 1200 having left Shepperton in enough time to get there by then (approx two hours before for a slow run) High tide at London Bridge is 12-55 and so Richmond half tide lock will be Hightide one hour after (13.55) I should arrive there at 12-55 and have enough depth of water from then on to London bridge! my bioggest delay will be at Hammersmith bridge but the tide is a neep tide and if I get there a while before high water I will clear it with the Radar Mast down. From then on it`s down through Wandsworth reach past Battersea square and its historic church where once the Swan public house stood (and I was briefly a member of the sea scouts across the road) and on through and chelsea reach, past all those house boats where Damien Hurst the "Artist" lived. Under Battersea bridge where as a boy we used to jump off and dive into the thames avoiding the police boats by running along the foreshore and then up the sloping concrete wall by Rank Hovis MC Dougal flour mills (using the expansion joints for climbing holds) no policeman ever came near to catching us but we did cut our feet occasionally on broken glass, even when swimming in my schoo plimmies, I was a regular at the anti vivvi`s (the local hospitals) accident surgery

Albert bridge is the next bridge to pass under and that holds some really good memoris for me! as a kid ( until I got married) I lived off Park Gate Road and Battersea park was my playground.

Albert bridge used to be the point that the Chelsea arts college students used to enter into Battersea on their rag week so we used to climb up the suspension arms of the bridge and sit in the mini towers ready with bags of flour to Zap em as they arrived! I never fell off into the water but often thought that I may. I had a friend called johny who did though! He survived to fight another day.

On down the river between Chelsea and Albert bridges lies the buddist temple? I think, in battersrea park. Chelsea bridge is the home of the Chelsea bridge hotel (a Burger/cofee stall on the battersea side) as a young Biker and indeed more lately with an annual management outing from my theme park, I use to kid people that we would go to the Chelsea bridge hotel, for a meal. On my last visit It was as usual full with bikers and I turned around to find that my Personell manager had hitched a ride on a motorbike and was off down the road doing the fast run , which consisted of a trip down to the roundabout and back as fast as it could be done! bearing in mind that she was fourtyish and wearing a miniskirt she caused quite a stir, with many other bikers offering her a fast ride. The Battersea powerstation is the next object to pass and stands "resplendant" as the largest brick built buildnin in Europe! No insides, as Alan Brown of Alton towers fame had them removed but I guess its classed as a building. With Cadogan pier left far behind, we will continue on down past the Houses of Parliament and "Big ben" the OxO building and st Catherins dock just past Tower bridge and the Tower where as a Royal Fusiler I "spent some time"

The Thames takes us past may famous institutions and buildings and out into the industrial parts of Tilbury and Dagenham (once the home of the Ford motor works UK) Under the Queen Elizabeth bridge and then into the estuary proper at Southend on sea and its great (of late burnt down ) Pier. By now I will be heading for the four fathom channel located south of the Medway channel ( bouy) used by the vessels heading down the princess channel and into the medway to the "Medway docks" there. This channel is never fully four fathoms minimum so it is worthy of note that I shall approach it (on neeps) whilst the tide is filling the thames to ensure that even should I touch ground (it won`t happen as its expensive) I will have enough water to move me off any grounding.

The four fathom channel (is the inshore route to the south coast rather than taking the princes channel, offshore) saves me some time and of course fuel but has its hazards (minimal) it passes Faversham and whitstable ( famous for its oyster beds ending at the Margate sands. From where we will turn south west past Ramsgate through the goodwin sands, where many a ship has been lost, past Deal to Dover!The most famous of the Cinqe (5) ports built to dissuade the french from invading (with the amout of Norman dissentangle lorries and the fact that they now own a large part of out utilities) I think that I can firmly say that the cinque ports were a waste of time. More to follow??????? if wanted

The cricketer!

The Television crew were eating their bacon sarnies compliments of the butty-wagon when the producers "Huray henry" voice suddenly boomed out "come on guys lets get some work done" thin as a pole and obnoxious as he was I guess that he must have been good at his job. The two chimps that were the centre of attention of the crew were suddenly spurred into action by his voice. the male, Simbad! was now threarening to throw an orange out of his moated enclosure and after several pretend throws he finally let the orange go whereupon the producer ran forward and with great dexterity caught the orange shouting at the top of his voice! How Zat!

The old malechimp turned his back and walked back to sit along with the female. The producer now "full of himself" for being so clever as to catch the orange hung on the rail taunting the old chimp who did his best to ignore him. The producer now decided that he should give the orange back to the chimp and threw it into the enclosure where it eventually rolled to the foot of the old chimp. Glad to have his orange back he picked it up and once again threatened to throw it back into the group! whereupon the producer stood forward to catch it. The chimp decided that he wouldnt throw it to him and tried to get someone else to catch it and aimed it at a female of the crew. The producer pushed her out of the way and again caught the Orange, shouting "Hows Zat"! throwing it back to the chimp!

A few minutes passed before the old chimp stirred and the crew had started to film their asignment. He started to jump around and swinging his arm with the orange in it, he once again made a few aborted attempts to get someone to catch it, the Producer decide that he had started this off, he had better "play ball" and as the Chimp loosed off the "Orange" he jumped into the air quite dramatically to catch it, only this time it wasnt an orange as the whily old chimp had swapped it for "Unko" ( Japanese for shit)
the produer caught it and shouting Hows Zat as it squeezed through his fingers the crew to a man laughed as one of them said pretty "shitty"!!!!!!!!!!!!

I still laugh when I recall the old chimp! ( Sinbad) he was a gorgeous chimp very handsome and quite intelligent! He departed this world whilst he was stamping around in his new three dimentional cage, doing his look at me and what a fine specimen I am (which he was ) display, literally falling off his perch. I rather see myself doing that one day! :o))

Who`s the inteligent being ?

The silver backed Gorilla sat "boored" inside his "deep littered" cage, Yes! he was well looked after! he had been checked over by the vet this week and served the very best of food by his attendants and his many "wives" were there for him, when he could catch them (his cage was a three dimentional construction and they tended to take to the high ground to get away from his advances unless they felt otherwise) Today he sat there quietly not making eye contact with the many visitors standing and watching him. The day was warm and he was sitting quietly gently picking sunflour seeds out of the deep litter, (his Keepers had salted them prior to his being let out)With his massive hands he would gently turn over the straw and with his great fingers , collect a single seed from underneath it, popping it into his mouth and relishing it as though it was a "Black Magic Cherry surprise) He was supprisingly dexterous for such an awe inspiring creature, his public stood trance like, as he gently moved his great frame along the cage to a better spot, they moved with him watching his every move. On the corner of the cage there was a shallow pool in which he used to sit on hot days but mainly he would drink from it. after about ten minutes he had positioned himself adjacent to it ,gently dipping his fingers into the cool water and sucking the moisture from them. The public, his public, were fascinated, even more people had gathered around to watch him. When he felt that he had attracted enough he slowly dipped his great hand into the water up to his elbow. Cupping his hand he swung his great arm out of the water in the direction of the crowd covering them all with water. Those that had realised what he was going to do, did so too late and those that didn`t, stood there dripping and giggling at their own stupidity. The gorilla now making eye contact with a few of his public carried on gently foraging for sunflour seeds. I have to say that he didn`t look so boored anymore, bless him!