From Itchenor

I went out as early as I could this morning because the neap tides mean high water was 0636 or 1939, both very antisocial times. I have been rowing with Langstone Cutters rather a lot recently and had forgotten just how beautiful Itchenor is early in the morning.

The picture was taken with the 5 megapixel camera in the Motorola Defy phone I am playing with. Far superior to the 3 megapixel camera in the Nokia E71, but the Defy's Android OS means I have to use the Endomondo GPS tracking software which is OK but won't tag pictures with the workout. Sports Tracker on Nokia is far better. Not only does it position your photos on the track, it links the track with the speed graph, so if you place the cursor on any point on the track you get the speed. Very cool. Unfortunately only available on Nokia phones.

Curse this wind! No more curried eggs for me!

It was westerly F5 gusting F6 and close to low tide as I went to Itchenor to meet up with Martin, Cliff and Len of the Dinghy Cruising Association. Cliff's plan was to go with the ebb to East Head, have lunch and come back up with the flood, but the wind would have meant a long beat for the sailors and a long hard slog, so we headed up the relatively sheltered Bosham channel.
I usually go out at or near high tide so the water seemed unnaturally cramped and the banks of mud on either side were less than inviting. On the other hand, there were flocks and flocks of wildfowl feeding.
Curiously, the wind was not a big problem until I got Snarleyow on her dolly for the long trudge up the ferry causeway, which at high tide is a short stroll. The wind kept blowing her off her wheels, so I had to hold the bow with one hand and the windward gunwale with the other to keep her from flying off into the mud. Very uncomfortable and backbreaking.
When I got back I looked up Cambermet, the weather station inside the harbour mouth, and discovered there was a 35kt gust at the time. I took the picture with my phone - you would never believe that was midday.
Anybody recognise the quote in the title?

Winter Morning Rows

The low slanting morning sun in December produces some lovely photos. And now the autumn gales have died down it is a fabulous time for getting out on the harbour. On Saturday I had a brisk row in Snarleyow from Itchenor to Dell Quay (the picture is at Itchenor) and on Sunday I went out in one of Langstone Cutters' Teifi skiffs with Mr and Mrs Rooke, who squabbled over where we were in the middle of the harbour just like my mum and dad trying to navigate round Watford on a wet Bank Holiday. The photo shows Gladys on the buoy as a seagull flies overhead.