I shall probably get abused for this but it seems things need cheering up

[tillergirl]

First a valid report: Two East Coast Calenders now grace the walls of offices in the Indian Ocean. They were very well received Kioni and the two recipients were rather proud to know that they were the only two in the Southern Hemisphere to have the calenders!

They loved the colour and the contrasts. I suppose when all you can do is look at lush green vegetation (sugar plants), golden sands and the blue of the Indian Ocean all day, its a beautiful contrast.

Second: Running aground East Coast style. Yes this is the East Coast.

Situation - the cats anchored offshore have been running a day sail within the lagoon. They anchor off the Isle Aux Cerfs (Isle of Deer) and small boats run the visitors ashore for barbe's or picnics and swimming. After lunch (at low water springs), there ain't much water left and the visitors are heavier.

"We have gone aground, can someone get out and push"

"I know we are in the channel but you'll have to push some more".

"Whoops I done the sheer pin on big motor!

"There's enough water now, you can come back on board and I'll use the other motor"

"You're suppose to pull the bananas the same side as you pass me. We're all caught up"

Five minutes of a bit of sorting and not a crossword.

Third: SWMBO and a tasty bird

Fourth: No excuse - gloating. The view on Tuesday. Do you realise how cold it is back here!

Fifth: Spot the illegal flag. Some people are just... well you know...

 

[Mrs Sea Mist II]

Cheered up, well and truly

 

[FullCircle]

Well, your poor attempt to become the Blackwater Bad Boy has failed dismally.
Showing us shots of mud moorings and colregs foul ups in Mersea Quarters just wont cut it.
Whats special about the towed rubba-dubs, they are a regular up at Hullbridge. Nothing to see here, move on.
And as for the beach shots at the top of Salcott Creek, we are not idiots you know. They were probably shot somewhere in the Wash is my guess.
Isnt that Hartlepool in the last photo?

 

[Athene V30]

It may not be Indian Ocean, but at least this time next week (Easy Jet permitting) I will be by a pool in the sun with my first cold beer in my hand.

 

[tillergirl]

Damm FC's found me out. Please don't tell SWMBO. It cost me a fortune to have the pilot pretent to be in the stack for 12 hours!

That looks nice Peter. Where? or should it be Ou? or Qui?

 

[Athene V30]

That looks nice Peter. Where? or should it be Ou? or Qui?

¿Dónde? Sólo Abuela Canaria - ¡No tan agradable como océano Indico pero sólo 4 horas lejos!

Where? Only Gran Canaria - not as nice as Indian Ocean but only 4 hours away!

.........and no, I don't speak Spanish, just know a website to translate for me!

and of course I will feel so guilty as SWMBO wil be at work and I am not working on the boat!

 

[tillergirl]

Anywhere but here! I'm bl**dy freezing.

 

[Saguday]

Nice

Looks like it's compulsory cat sailing out there

Glad your friends liked the calendars. Since the seem to like a contrast with all that tedious blue, green and yellow boring Indian Ocean stuff I reckon we should do a far more representative overcast-sky-with-slate-grey-sea-and-brown-mud themed calendar next year and see if they are still impressed enough to hang it on their walls.

By the way we were supposed to be down this weekend for a testing romp from Tollesbury to Bradwell and back but the weather forecast looks sh*te - any local insights to offer? Wife'n'kids not too impressed at the idea from what we've been able to glean from the weather sites so far.

N

 

[tillergirl]

It's hard to find anything optimistic to say about this weekend.

This is what Metcheck says for my post code which is quarter of a mile from the HW mark.

http://www.metcheck.com/V40/UK/FREE/today.asp?zipcode=CO5

The East England Met site suggests the strong winds will be during the day, ditto Windfinder in contrast to Metcheck which is putting the stronger winds at night.

I think it probably fair to say that it wouldn't take long to cross back from Bradwell!

Yes they need the cats within the lagoon for their shallow draft. Our speedboat kept to a fairly narrow channel marked by scaffolding poles. There was one point where it was marked with two cones and it was about 15ft wide.

My favourite photo is your Bradwell view and I think the Chief over there liked that one particularly as well.

This is their sunset on the west coast (obviously)

Somehow doesn't cut it does it?

 

[FullCircle]

Nice

Looks like it's compulsory cat sailing out there

Glad your friends liked the calendars. Since the seem to like a contrast with all that tedious blue, green and yellow boring Indian Ocean stuff I reckon we should do a far more representative overcast-sky-with-slate-grey-sea-and-brown-mud themed calendar next year and see if they are still impressed enough to hang it on their walls.

By the way we were supposed to be down this weekend for a testing romp from Tollesbury to Bradwell and back but the weather forecast looks sh*te - any local insights to offer? Wife'n'kids not too impressed at the idea from what we've been able to glean from the weather sites so far.

N

If you look into the tea leaves, there seem to be weather windows both on Saturday and Sunday around high water. Check ZyGrib/uGrib.

We will be guesting for the weekend on Dualin,so you had best be there en Famille Mr K.


Here is a picture of a muddy sunset.

 

[Saguday]

Hmmm... that's probably not too far away from here:

 

[MoodySabre]

By the way we were supposed to be down this weekend for a testing romp from Tollesbury to Bradwell and back but the weather forecast looks sh*te - any local insights to offer? Wife'n'kids not too impressed at the idea from what we've been able to glean from the weather sites so far.
N

I've found Windguru for Mersea quite accurate. It is a windsurfer forecaster so lots of stars means lots of wind! This looks slightly better than Metcheck. Not ideal.

 

[tillergirl]

I think the Yacht Club uses Guru but I tend to find Metcheck better. For actuals, see here

http://www.wmyc.org.uk/WeatherStation.php

 

[Saguday]

Well, apologies for the thread drift but we're still here in Somerset and it looks like we're not going to make it to the Blackwater this weekend, despite the fact it looks like there *is* a reasonable weather window in the middle of the day on both Sat and Sun.

Sorry FC, home late, motorways around Bristol were mad this evening, just knackered and can't face a 450 mile round trip starting this evening. Plus son no. 2 has a school event on Sunday that he doesn't want to miss etc etc. Scuppered, I am.

Hope it turns out to be a great event, say hi for us to anyone who may know us or care - tried calling Peter Philpott at TCC to apologise but no luck so far, please pass this on if you see him before I get through. Please post pics!!

In the meantime, here's a soothing east coast sunset panorama - see if you can guess where it is (the clue is in the title ):

 

[tillergirl]

8am, Sounds of the Sixties on, table laid for dinner party this evening and its dead calm here at the moment!

Oh that will be Bridgemarsh then!