CATCH UP

Back on board having returned from a break to attend Max's birthday party and Dartmouth Term of '65 Reunion.

Blogging

I deliberately did not take my tablet with me as I felt I needed a break. So I was very annoyed to discover the two posts I had scheduled were not published.

Boating

Yesterday, went for a lovely trip down the river and out to the Woodbridge Haven buoy. Local chum Tony came too and did much of the driving, so I had a better chance to admire the view and check out Lady Cate's performance. The weather was perfect; fluffy clouds in a bright blue sky. A strong easterly wind had built up a massive swell during its long fetch from the Dutch coast, so we had an exciting time leaving the river through the very narrow channel out to sea and bounced around for some 20 minutes rounding the buoy and returning up the narrow channel again. Lady Cate is happily seaworthy but does seem to be rolling wildly when we stand on the upper deck.

As I mentioned earlier, a small four legged jacking rig has been set up in the river about a mile from the bar. Apparently it there to establish a power cable link between the national grid and the offshore wind farm. It all happens up here in Suffolk!

Great news for me. Tony is an electrical and electronics engineer and got much of Lady Cate's instrumentation working at the connection of a multi-channel SeaTalk plug hidden under the instrument panel. A lot of stuff ticked off my to do list. Nevertheless still have to connect up the masthead instruments and check all calibrations.

TO '65 Reunion

BRNC Courtesy The Britannia Society

The Reunion of Dartmouth's Term of '65 was also judged a great success. Imagine a gathering of some two hundred 68 year old pensioners catching up on old times! Many came from Australia and a long term chum , Norman Sawyer, came all the way from New Zealand only to be staying in the same B&B as me. It was a massive memory fix. Some of us met at The Floaters pub on Friday evening; tripped up the river Dart to Totnes and out to sea before the main dinner on Saturday; Chapel, with all the great sea hymns, followed by a short guided tour and a BBQ on Sunday. This gave us good time to chat. Great to have the ladies with us. Very happy weekend.

Max's Birthday Party

Max's birthday party was wonderful. Apart from the simple joy of some twenty 6 year olds screaming around with apparently endless energy, there were animals brought by specialist entertainers, which kept adults and children enthralled alike. Tarantula, fruit bat, skunk, an 18ft albino python and many more. 2 year old Iris more than held her own amongst these great big 6 year olds; sweetly self-assured. Most impressive. Party a great success. And the promise of another grandchild due next month.

Open skies

East Anglia is famous for its open skies. This I took on a bleak rainy day mid-September, looking through rigging.