My Poor Barometer

I know that being British we are naturally at one with the weather. However after the last two weeks I am giving up with it, My Barometer has spun off its dial and how come we can have extra warm off season weather one day and typhoons the next. I use to pride myself on my knowledge of the weather. When I took my Glider pilots licence I even sat an exam on weather, but this lot has me completely Flummoxed

In the past week the boat has taken a right old bashing, yesterday quite early we took Buggerlugs for a pump out, Early as I take the opinion that the wind gets worse as the sun heats up the land. So before the wind really got started we were off. Noreen was on the bow dressed in all her weather safety gear looking like the man on a packet of fisherman's Friends, I was on the tiller when I heard her shout "turn her into the wind helmsman, drop the foresail, get ready with the anchor (I love old Naval Films) but honest it was like rounding the horn, all we needed was Capt Ahab on this whaler Piquod cutting across our bow shouting “their she blows” the rest of the marina must have been waiting for some fool to test the wind and the immobility of a 60ft craft (yes I was it) I have just done a quick calculation 60ft boat minus 7ft of cratch and 3ft of trad stern that leaves 50ft x 5ft of boat equating to 250sqft of sail to assist in sending the boat where you don't want it to go. Anyway because they saw that I managed to get there and back to my mooring without hitting anyone. Well actually We let the wind take us back I could have cut the engine. The upshot of all this was I finished up assisting another three boats across before the wind got really angry, then even polling was not an option, So every one now has been pumped out and filled with fuel lets hope in two weeks time the gales have subsided so we can do it all over again. Today we had four hours of torrential rain and 70mph winds I have sent a video of the best part of the storm. Today the waves were so high they were washing water over the stern, broadside on water was over the gunnels’ and washing the windows. I believe that's what they call the Joys of Boating one thing about this boating lark is you never get bored

As we are now in Advent I am starting to get the excited about Christmas and jobs we have to do, by we that I mean me and my boss (Noreen) are doing the Christmas fate on Saturday at least I have not been volunteered for Santa just the food I would rather clean gutters than do Santa I am looking at solar Christmas lights for my new garden we are even decorating the outside of Buggerlugs I don’t normally like too many Christmas decorations but hey lets go for it. Lets celebrate.

All of you keep well

Big Al

Settling down for winter

Settling down Mind and Boddy


Today being Remembrance Sunday I was on parade its the day that brings many memories not only remembering my comrades, but many other memories come to the fore.

Its that time of year, for me its a very melancholy time of, We now put the summer behind us the autumn with its wonderful colours has almost gone and left us with mere memories and past us on to winter I know its not officially winter yet but I have scraped my car of ice twice this week, slipped on frosty leaves, though the other morning we were treated to a beautiful mist rising off the marina, I know you can get Misty mornings in the summer but not with the mist smelling of cordite mixed with bon fire smoke it always reminds me of a live firing exercise in the army.
Autumn began with a subtle change in the light, with skies a deeper blue, and nights that suddenly become clear and chilled. The rustle of leaves under your feet, For me the Autumn comes to a halt with the first frost, the flocks of migrating birds becoming much larger and now they seem to have an urgency about them , the harvesting of the of the last of the years crops is in, The time of year when settling down is in order when travelling is done,. Time now to remember the Spring, Summer and Autumn just gone. Also for me its a time to remember absent friends , not to be too Maudling but this time of year or more precisely the first two weeks of November I put aside to remember; as most people know I never look behind only forward except for these two weeks, In these two weeks we celebrate All souls day and Remembrance Day. Both of which give me the opportunity to pay my respects, and remember those who did not share my luck, But hey what a year ???? I am still available for tips on Blacking your boat or tips on health and safety?????

Now most of nature is starting bedding down for winter which is only just weeks away, I always feel I should be doing the same and getting myself bedded down.

This winter though I intend to stay ahead of the game Next week I shall concentrate on the boat engine and car engine getting them ready for what ever winter throws at us I am not looking at forecasts if it happens it happens there is nothing I can do about that except be prepared, One fantastic thing about the boat as long as you are prepared you can sit out any winter, I know continuous cruising is different but even that can be

“fun” at times ?? As long as you are prepared So my tip for the day is “be a good scout and Be Prepared)

Noreen’s brother Bob and his wife Norma are coming from Canada for a visit at the beginning of December

Only for a day on the boat ,so we have lots of vacancies in the social calendar this time of year we are always short of visitors so if you want a visit just give me a call we would love to see you .

Sorry no pics you must be fed up of the sight of me

God Bless

Big Al