Despite getting the keys to our new house on Friday, the weather was simply too good to waste time moving in. With the hire van cancelled and all plans on ice, the boat was the only thing on our agenda this weekend!
Yesterday was a stunner spent relaxing at Newtown Creek. We were on a mooring buoy there for the first time. We've anchored there a few times, and it's fine, but there's something nice about not having that little nagging doubt in the back of your mind of 'what happens if the anchor drags'. For £9 for the day it's hard to argue too. It almost seems too cheap for such an idyllic location.
With a bit of SUP boarding about the creek and watching the seals lark about on the shingle banks, it was hard to picture a better way to spend a sunny September Saturday.... although, in reality, it really felt more like a July Saturday! If only one of us had remembered the sun cream - bring on the lobster related comments at work tomorrow!.
Of course, when you visit Newton Creek the pub is only a short distance up the river and is therefore begging to be visited. This is not a problem if you've a big enough boat that you can stow a tender on board, but if you're in a 19ft fletcher, what to do? The SUP board of course! One on the back paddling, and one on the front sat down. It's like being punted up the canals of Venice... only more beautiful and less smelly. Unfortunately, the trip back from the pub to the boat was my turn to paddle. Tanked up on some of the New Inn's finest cider, my balance was on on top form! Nevertheless, we managed it back to the boat without falling in!
In all an absolutely fantastic day. "Right! Fun over" we though. "Time to get shifting some boxes tomorrow"... we thought.
It was a foggy start, but the weather forecast was promising good things to come. "What do you think about moving house each night after work?" is how I think the conversation started. About half an hour later, the bags were packed, the dry stack were instructed to drop us back in the water and we were on our way for day two out on the boat. This time, despite a tiny bit of West in the wind, we'd have a go at Alum bay. We'd never been there before and we've never really spent that much time looking at the needles - one of the most stunning sights on the south coast. In fact, the only ever time we've seen them from our boat is when we passed them (in the distance) a few weeks back on our way to see the Bournemouth air show. With the season coming to a close, the weather looking great, it was the perfect opportunity to kill two birds with one stone.
The trip out was smooth. The sea state was calm-slight. Certainly not uncomfortable, but just enough chop to prevent it feeling like you were just boating across a lake. Arriving at Alum Bay, we found just one other boat - a yacht that we'd seem the day before at Newton Creek. Despite the West in the wind, the bay was flat calm, and we dropped anchor and had lunch. The yacht drifted off and despite a Broom cruiser that turned up for an hour or so, we had the place completely to ourselves. Naturally, out came the SUP board, camera and GoPro.
Burned to a crisp by the second day of stunning sun (despite remembering the factor 30, this time!) we packed up ready for home. Of course, we had to take a quick tour of The Needles before heading home. What a sight!
Back at the dry stack we'd resigned the the idea that boating for 2015 was probably up now. Strangely though, it wasn't a bitter feeling. We'd just enjoyed what was probably the best weekend boating we'd ever had. Talk about ending on a high! We had a quick was down and we jumped in the car ready for the 20 minute trip home to get the photos downloaded and the forum posts written!
2 and a hlaf hours later, we were back at home. Note to self... when you're boat is kept by St Mary's stadium and Southampton have just played Manchester united at home, spend an extra 2 and a half hours boatting or prepare for long delays! Ugh... bloody football.
Overall, a stunning weekend of boating to cap off (probably / possibly) our third fantastic season of being bonafide 'boatists'... but then the weather looks like it may be OK next weekend. Maybe we can squeeze in a quick encore!
- 11.jpg (224.35 KiB) Viewed 12677 times
- 22.jpg (182.11 KiB) Viewed 12677 times
- 33.jpg (246.4 KiB) Viewed 12676 times
- 44.jpg (112.54 KiB) Viewed 12678 times
- 55.jpg (193.42 KiB) Viewed 12678 times
