Lets do the time warp again.
Let me take you back to Barton Turf.
On the Sunday we took a trip to Sutton Staithe because we'd heard that the usual pub in Neatishead had gone down the pan a bit so to speak.
Getting there was very enjoyable, there was a bit of wind in the trees and once we got onto Sutton Broad it was a broad reach all the way to the pub.
The pub its-self wasn't much to write and tell your mum about but they were friendly and those that wanted it could have a few slices off the carvery.
Getting back proved to be a little more interesting.
The wind was whistling down the broad, and after a very experienced sailor tested the depth of water with the tip of his mast I decided that discretion was the better part of staying dry and opted to row rather than sail.
I made very poor headway and sometimes I didn't make any at all until eventually I was rescued by my old chum John "Ratcatcher" Lockwood who gave me a tow.
Once we got back into the trees I decided to have another go on my own, and well, it didn't go much better. Thankfully my good friend Phil. was on hand to record the event for posterity on his phone. That's him chuckling away and offering encouragement.
So what's wrong with this picture? Well there is far to much sail and rigging flapping around in the breeze for a start.
You can see why I was getting a bit worried about the Thames Raid !
On the Sunday we took a trip to Sutton Staithe because we'd heard that the usual pub in Neatishead had gone down the pan a bit so to speak.
Getting there was very enjoyable, there was a bit of wind in the trees and once we got onto Sutton Broad it was a broad reach all the way to the pub.
The pub its-self wasn't much to write and tell your mum about but they were friendly and those that wanted it could have a few slices off the carvery.
Getting back proved to be a little more interesting.
The wind was whistling down the broad, and after a very experienced sailor tested the depth of water with the tip of his mast I decided that discretion was the better part of staying dry and opted to row rather than sail.
I made very poor headway and sometimes I didn't make any at all until eventually I was rescued by my old chum John "Ratcatcher" Lockwood who gave me a tow.
Once we got back into the trees I decided to have another go on my own, and well, it didn't go much better. Thankfully my good friend Phil. was on hand to record the event for posterity on his phone. That's him chuckling away and offering encouragement.
So what's wrong with this picture? Well there is far to much sail and rigging flapping around in the breeze for a start.
You can see why I was getting a bit worried about the Thames Raid !
5 comments:
I just love the last second where a gin palace flying the Black Flag looms up behind.
For once, Wayne in Ever Hopeful was way ahead of everyone, making steady progress upwind. He had dropped all the flappy stuff and had a properly set up rowing arrangement. Moral: use the right tools for the job!
He also had ChrisP to row him up through the broad. Moral of the story Shanghai the right crew!
That's approximately what was happening to me when the keeper at Boveney Lock said over the edge of his gate "I can tell you've not done much rowing before".
Listen Crunckle-Chops, it's pissing with rain, there's wind blowing from everywhere and nowhere, you already have a vast, stinking penny-sicker in the lock, my hood is doing its best to negate my hearing and raindrop-smeared vision, the sail is trying the turban act, I'm rowing with the oars half inboard to avoid the lock sides, all my kit is shoved under the foredeck to keep it dry and I haven't had time to lash the tiller, so she has the directional stabilty of a gnat; you come down here and do better....
I didn't say it, but I thought it
Chris W
I didn't want to focus on me, but the fact that I do quite a bit of rowing meant that I had the technique to make headway in those challenging conditions. If sailors would put in a bit of rowing practice occasionally they would find it easier when they actually must row.
That's Sapphi giggling through the wind noise, not me!
Right tools for the job Chris- yup, the canoe worked very well that day ;-) (just to offset the rowing evangelism!)
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