Thursday 27 May 2010

Iconic Portsmouth

Round Portsea Island - Saturday 22nd May 2010


Liz & Peter Bisset hosted three french paddlers over the weekend and on Saturday Peter led a trip around Portsea Island and it's iconic landmarks. It was a great opportunity to see historic & modern Portsmouth and introduce some local colour in the form of Rob McC, RichardB and Sprucey!

There will be blue Birds over, the White Cliffs of (Do7%r) Portsdown Hill!


The Gosport Foreshore - now all marinas and waterside flats.


As usual, the narrow harbour entrance was busier than the January sales!
Spinnaker Tower and the Lipstick


The Old harbour walls and the New Spinnaker tower


Yes, we got wine too - Haut Medoc, no less!


The Ferry Boat Inn, Hayling Island (even busier than Portsmouth harbour entrance - it was good our guests brought their own wine!)

City of Sails (and Kayaks)


UUmmm?? (You tell me ....anyone for Jacks?)


Tuesday 25 May 2010

Mince alors, nous sommes allés en Angleterre et il n'a pas plu!


Warmth, wall to wall sunshine, the slightest of breezes - Yes it's true (you didn't dream it) our summer has started!..... OK, perhaps it's best not to get too carried away, but it's true to say that for those of us that were lucky enough to join the trip from Lepe to Yarmouth last Sunday; we couldn't have wished for more perfect conditions.















Launching from the shingle beach in front of the beach Cafe at Lepe we made our way across the shallows to the deeper water at the mouth of the Beaulieu River before heading out into the haze of the Western Solent. We were accompanied by three like minded friends from across the Channel with whom Pete, Liz and some other members had spent the previous few days showing off the delights of our home patch (Could it be that they had brought the weather with them?).

















The Solent gradually began to fill with a cacophony of fair weather pleasure craft and we wove our course through the melee, maintaining a respectful distance as we frolicked in the gentle wakes that rippled across the surface of an otherwise flat calm sea.

























Before long we arrived at Yarmouth and finally settled for the beach in front of the Sailing Club, we sprawled ourselves and our 'gubbings' across the shingle. As we prepared our cuisine, right on cue, there appeared a French man with a bottle of Beaujolais!





















With such a glorious day it seemed a shame to head back, so after lunch we extended our trip for a brief exploration of Newtown Creek, some of us feeling compelled to sampling the constituency of the local mud (a seemingly regular theme to PDCC trips of late).






















































































2* Assessment - 23rd May 2010

While the more experienced club members escorted our CK Mer French friends on the trip from Lepe to Yarmouth, three rookies took to the water in Langstone Harbour for their 2* Assessment. Under the watchful eye of Richard Glover and with the enthusiasm of (ex) Chairman Bill's demos, we worked hard in the morning to not get wet and then tried even harder in the afternoon to get un-wet!

Not many pictures - we were a bit busy!

Is this how you do it?


How about this?



Just watch the experts!


Many Thanks to Richard Glover and Bill for their confidence inspiring guidance and leadership on the day and also to Richard S for his coaching on the early season Monday night training sessions - they were invaluable.
Oh yes.................................we all passed! Phew!