Wonderful Weekend Sailing at Killington

What a wonderful weekend sailing.  It started off slowly, fitting the floorboards and seats after their stay in the shed over winter. Then Ellie arrived and we had a cup of tea, before fitting the main sail to the boom and seeing how the goose neck worked on the new bracket attached to the mast. When all the sails were up satisfactorily..... we took them down again while we got changed.
Then the sailing began.  It was a beautiful day, bright sunshine and a steady force 2 wind.   We sailed back and forth and up and down, round the buoys, and practised our man overboard procedure.  Ellie had just been on a rudderless sailing course, and demonstrated how to turn the boat using the jib and leaning the boat. We had the lake to ourselves in the morning, and at lunchtime we were joined by one laser and one scorpion - a beautiful boat with polished wooden deck.  The sun kept shining, the wind kept steady and it was glorious afternoon.

The next day looked dark and gloomy, and quite uninviting, but I was glad to give my new spray top and salopettes an outing.  The wind was a little stronger and there was a group kayaking from the nearby Bendigg centre.  There was also a group from the scouts getting their boats ready, and they got on the water while we came in for lunch. It is great now that there is more water and we could leave the boat in the water tied to the jetty. The wind was stronger after lunch, and the scouts had already capsized some of the of their smaller boats.   We sailed amongst them for a bit and then charted our own course up and down the lake, while the wind grew stronger. There were more white horses about so I guess it was force 4, and the waves were coming over the bows and giving our spray tops a run for their money.

It was me at the helm when we capsized. The annoying thing is that it is difficult to remember exactly what happened. It was just after going about.  With Ellie's dry suit and the thermals under my wet suit it was no great shock to slide gently into the water.  We were both well trained at Glenridding, and righting the boat, and getting both of us on board went like clockwork.  Limping back to the jetty with the boat full of water was not too difficult. The real problem was when the boat was on the cradle pulling it out of the water.  Even with a lot of help it was no mean feat. we got it up enough to bale water out without it flowing back in, and then, when it was light enough, up further to let the water drain.  Thank you to all you helpful people at Killington Sailing Association.

Altogether a wonderful weekend

Bootle Tow-bars

I don't expect to meet John Fletcher again for a few years, which is a shame, because he is a nice fellow.
He also provides a very good service fitting tow bars. You can contact him on 07966477009.
It is a mobile service, he came and fitted the tow bar while the car was parked at work.  He was recommended by a local garage, and would have fitted it there had that been easier. 
His prices are very reasonable, his fitted price was not much higher than the price shown on the manufacturers web site. He was also prepared at my request to fit the Witter product, that did not require cutting the bumper, rather than PCT, his favoured product.
A great service and definitely recommended.

The Blind Side

This is a a moving and heart warming story, beautifully portrayed.  Sandra Bullock plays a successful interior designer, who is moved by the plight of a disadvantaged older black boy who attends their children's school. They let him sleep on the couch for the night instead of sleeping rough, and eventually end up becoming his guardians, and him becoming part of the family.
There are problems, but resentment from other family members is not one of them. Attitudes of friends, and visits to his old neighbourhood cause problems, but here marriage and family life are seen in a wholly positive light, which is wonderful.
The film is also a lot about American football, because the lad is Michael Oher, and it based in the true story of his life.  I am none the wiser about the sport having seen the film, but it does provide both raw excitement, and personal interest as the mother understands the key to his performance that his coach has missed.
The film starts with a football injury he caused in a game to another player, and what appears to be an investigation about it, but is in fact about his choice of university, and the injury is never referred to again.  That leaves a slight loose end feeling at the end of the film, but the abiding memory is of a humble gentle giant who can turn it on on the football field, a proud younger brother, a loyal sister, and proud fiercely protective kind and understanding Mum. Or should I say Mom?
The father deserves a mention as well, but Sandra Bullock won the Oscar, for a great performance of a great character.

Kendal

We went up on Friday afternoon and spent the early evening at Grange over Sands, where we saw the Ornamental Park with the duck collection, the community orchard, and the promenade, looking out over the Kent Eastuary towards Arnside Silverdale and Morecambe bay.
The Crooklands Hotel was very comfortable did a great meal and served both Black Sheep beer, which was good, and Radical Beer, which was even better. Crooklands has that wonderful arrangement with mobile phones, so that you can phone out if you want, by going out top the car park, but the signal is too weak for people to phone you from inside the hotel.
In Kendal we parked in Kirkland, where the church and Abbott Hall are,  and walked up towards the town centre visiting shops as they caught our eye. We had a nice up of tea at Farrer's, and then later had another cup of tea at 1657 Chocolate House together with a sandwich.  They have an interesting selection of hot chocolate and gateaux to look forward to another time.  In between we bought some Lancashire cheese from a very market stall, from a stall-holder who was very enthusiastic about good cheese.
We walked back along the the riverside to Abbot Hall but we decided the leave that for another (more rainy) day. Instead we drove out to Troutbeck where we enjoyed the later afternoon sun first at the Queen's Head which we often pass on the way up to Kirkstone Pass, and then at The Mortal Man with great views looking down the valley.  We drove the length of Troutbeck village from the Queen's Head at Townhead to the Townend and from there on the road toward Ambleside, which had some spectacular views of Lake Windermere, in the early evening sunshine.  Then we drove past Bowness and back through Crook back the Kendal bypass and home.

Sailing a Nimrod with Tom

It is always good to call in at Glenridding, not only because Steve makes coffee almost as good as Costa do, but you also meet some great people.
Tom was not sailing on Saturday, as he does not like the rain, in fact when sailing his Nimrod he does not get wet at all.  No wet suit, no capsizing, such are the joys of sailing a boat with a keel.  What is great about the Nimrod, is that it is fast and handles more like a dinghy.
Sailing on Sunday looked unlikely, as there was thick fog at Kendal, all the way up to Kirkstone, but it seemed to change at the top, becoming cloud rather than fog. Then a quarter of a mile past the top there was .. sunshine.
Tom is a retired teacher, and he was soon instructing me on how to handle things when I fumbled with the sheet and tiller extension when going about; he demonstrated turning the boat without using the rudder; and was teaching me a thing or two about sailing up wind.
There are three ways of flattening a boat when it is healing (leaning over), and they are not interchangeable in Tom's book. We had learnt to continually test how close we could sail to the wind, but he put a different gloss on it. First of all, you lean out to reduce the heal, and when it gets too much you turn into the wind, the third option, loosing the main sheet, he never does, in fact he keeps it cleated. Sure you lose some speed as you turn into the wind, but what you lose in speed you gain in direction by getting up wind further.
I found not loosing the mainsail quite hard, both from a panic point of view, and because it tugged quite hard, with only one pulley. Tom likes to feel the responsiveness at low wind speeds, and is happier using a cleat.  By contrast the rudder was not pulling away from you sailing upwind, as Tom has leaned the mast forward slightly, to lessen the pull towards the wind from the mainsail.

So, what is a Nimrod?  A Westerley Nimrod 18, is a small yaught, eighteen feet long, a small cabin, and a retractable keel.
You can stand in front of the cabin, and there is a railing, but there is no railing at the back, you are able to lean out just as much as any dinghy.   The cabin is quite small, plenty of space for storage and space to sleep, if you really have to.  The keel is raised and lowered by a hand winch, so that the boat is very stable when it is down, and quite tippy when it is up.  The boat launches from a normal trolley, and sits low, like a dinghy when on shore, but it still weighs half a ton so you need a tow to launch and recover. The hull is quite flat, so that the boat can be made to plane like a speed boat, which adds to the excitement, although we did not quite manage it.
Tom chose it because it gives him all the excitement of dinghy sailing, with the bonus of not getting wet. It extends the season, sailing when it is too cold to risk capsizing, and he has even sailed it in gales off Whitby.
Thanks Tom, for a great day.

My walk to Hayeswater 20 March 2010

This was a low level walk, as the mountain tops were all in cloud, and I had spent most of the morning drinking coffee, but was very rewarding with good views and some spectacular waterfalls.
There is a car park in Hartsop, at the far end of the village, at the start of the footpath up to Hayeswater. There is a detour, past the remains of an old mill, and some mine workings, although I lost the track after the mill and returned to the main footpath.
The path follows Hayeswater Gill, past Hartsop Dodd, which is the one you pass on your left as you drive past Brother Water at the start of Kirkstone pass. After Hartsop Dodd there is a good view up Pastures Bottom, with Raven Crag very prominent part way along to the right.
After crossing the gill, the path rises over the lower slopes of Gray Crag, leaving the gill down the valley to the left.  There is an alternative route, with the gill on your right side, along the track to the filter house, after this it crosses by a foot bridge, and rises sharply to join the main path.
Either way, I wanted to be on the footbridge, because it marked the start of a section where there were a number of waterfalls, and I wanted to get nearer the action, and to take some closer photos.  They were quite beautiful.
On the other bank, above the filter house was Prison Crag, and a number of gills including Sulphur gill, which crossed an expanse of rock where it divides into a series of waterfalls.
All the time the view back over Hartsop was growing more spectacular, seeing Brother Water in the valley, over Hartsop above How on the other side, and beyond to St Sunday Crag on the other side of Deepdale.
Gradually the gill became more gentle, and the climb more level, and the path went alongside the gill until it reached the footbridge at the top.
I suppose Hayeswater is a man made lake, a reservoir created by the dam across the end.  The sky brightened a little making the water sparkle more than I had hoped, but the mountains of High Street and the Knott were lost in cloud.
I did attempt to cross the gill at the point where the map shows the footpath crossing it, some way before the footbridge. There was no bridge there, and not many stepping stones. If you can manage it, you are more adventurous than I am, or there is less recent rain.
Now the weather was not wonderful, but it was not awful either. It was pleasant walking, but not popular. I must have seen no more than 8 or 10 people all the time.
For all the time I took going up, traversing slopes to take pictures, climbing up towards the Knott, the route down took just 20 minutes, which was just as well as I needed to get back.

Christmas Cards

2009 Christmas Cards
27 Nativity Cards, including 11 with 33 kings (three each)
7 Christmas Winter Scenes
5 Winter Scenes
5 Flowers and Berries
5 Cuddly bears
4 Snow Flakes
4 Robins
3 Christmas Trees
2 Snowmen
2 Stars
2 Twelve Days
1 Christmas Sudoko
9 unclassifiable

Or looked at another way
11 Home made or Recycled Cards
38 Charity cards
28 commercial cards

Glenridding Sailing Centre

Glenridding - What a great place to sail.  Lots of space, choice of boats, helpful staff, spectacular scenery, safety boat cover, variable winds to hone you wind awareness, other lake users to put right of way theory into practice, and coming next season - better changing facilities.
What a Great Team.  Steve, always so encouraging, Pete, with such an infectious love of sailing & fun, Linnhe always so helpful.
What a great place to learn. Thanks Neil, thanks Pete. Once you have sailed a Laser Stratos with Jib and Crew and centre sheeted main, you can transfer your skills to most dinghies. Once you have righted a capsized Stratos it takes all the fear away.
Thanks for a great 2009.

Christmas Tree Decorations by Sharon McSwinney

We went shopping in Chester yesterday, and we were very pleased to buy some decorations by Sharon McSwiney in a shop called Counter Culture
We had met Sharon McSwiney last year during Hereford Arts Week, and admired her work then.  Now we have decorations on the Christmas Tree from her as well as Ann's earrings.

The White Ribbon

This is a very bleak film, set in a German village on the eve of the first world war, filmed in back and white, in German with subtitles.
When a riding accident is found to be caused maliciously, the suspicions start to fly, and when a tragic accident follows soon after, suspicions continue, even though they may not be warranted.  There are further crimes, and suspicions, but very few get resolved.
There is no car chase in the film, or chase on horseback, or even on bicycle, because a chase would require some idea of who it is that is causing the mischief.
There is no nudity in the film, because there is no need.  When the characters have already laid their souls bare, in some superbly bleak dialogue, there is little that nudity could possibly add.
The story is told by the school teacher, who is quite an engaging character, and one of only two that I ended up caring about by the end of the film.

Bright Star

John Keats was a brilliant poet, with a talent that was recognised by just a handful of friends before his tragically early death at age 25 from tuberculosis, or consumption as the disease was known in those days.
There are three characters in the film, Charles Brown, an author with whom he lived and collaborated for a while, and Fanny Brawne, who lived next door.  The story is told from Fanny's viewpoint, and the unconsummated love affair being the main theme.
Very little is made of any other characters; his other literary friends have little more than cameo appearances, and  Fanny's younger brother sister and mother have little more importance than the props.
At one point Charles Brown says to the family that when they see them sitting doing nothing they are not idle; it is all part of the creative process. The initial spirited dialogue gives way to this creative idleness, and we found it to be a slow moving and rather tedious film.
If you are acquainted with and love the poetry of John Keats, you may find the film quite engaging. But we did not.

The Snow Goose

This book by Paul Gallico will get more well deserved attention, now that Michael Morpurgo has chosen it as his neglected classic for the Radio 4 program, Open Book
I was surprised to hear that it was on the list, as I was expecting long novels. It is quite a short story, just four chapters - you can read it in an evening.
It sits alongside Winnie the Pooh as one of the few books I have read to all my children at the same time.  Not that I would suggest that it is a children's book, rather that it is very accessible - Michael Morpurgo thinks he read it first when he was eleven.
It is also a cracking story, of wild open seascape, of an unlikely friendship that develops between a young girl and a recluse living alone in a lighthouse, drawn together as they care for an injured bird she discovers.
As you get lost in a story that could have taken place at any time in the last thousand years, there comes a sharp recognition that it actually is taking place in1940, and the call to take British troops of the beach at Dunkirk breaks into the story.
The mood changes, and the voice of the story teller changes, and the story draws to its conclusion, and my children realise that they have to read the final paragraph themselves, as I struggle to keep reading amid all the emotion.
A great read. Very Recommended.

Sailing on Windermere with Dave

On Sunday of last week I went sailing on Windermere with Dave, the guy who did the RYA level 2 course with us.
His boat is a WildFire, an Ian Proctor designed boat, nearer 20 ft than 15 fit in length, and with a removable keel rather than a centreboard.  The keel is lowered in place, and the weighted down by 6 pairs of bags containing weights, that drape over a central divider, so that they can be lifted out again.
It is berthed just south of Bowness, near the Hawkeshead chain ferry, very close to the footpath that runs along the lakeside, so that you are in view of the passers by as you are floundering around / coping expertly with the cover and rigging etc.
Unlike Glenridding, where it is all sailing and canoes, here there are motor boats and yaughts, and sailing dinghies are very much in the minority.  There is a ramp with space for two boats to be launched at any one time, and a jetty to tie the boat to after launching and parking the car.  There are toilets, and a snack bar, with some tables, and some picnic tables overlooking the slip way and the extended jetty area, where there were many fine yaughts to be admired.
We wore our wetsuits, which was totally unnecessary, as the wind was barely noticeable as we set up. But because I had left my car at Dave's house, I had a choice between the wetsuit and a rather unsuitable pair of trousers I was wearing, and Dave gallantly joined me in wearing a wetsuit.
When we got out to the middle of the lake the wind was reasonably OK, and we had a gentle sail upwind to the south, before we started getting a slightly stronger wind which made it nice sailing.
This was Dave's first time in the boat for several weeks, and after he felt he had got the hang of it, he let me take the helm, and it felt very nice.  After a while we turned back to get some lunch, and it certainly seemed to have a good turn of speed travelling with the wind.
Windermere is very beautiful, and there are some very admirable properties along the banks.  It was certainly a very nice experience, and a little more like going on a public highway, with lots of crafts of various types parading along the same stretch of thoroughfare. All the boats have a permit number in white letters on black background on their side, a bit like number plates on a car.
We ate our lunch back on the side where we launched from, and several folk Dave had met before came over and had very pleasant and encouraging conversations.  I had thought Windermere was all to do with yaughts and quite snooty, so I was quite encouraged.
What I was a bit taken aback with was how long it took to set up and pack away. I was hoping for a further afternoon session, but I had to be back to meet Ann by four, so we called it a day.  It was frustrating that the wind was quite a bit stronger by then, but it was a good sail, and we can always do it again another day.

Thanks for a good day, Dave

Racing at Glenridding

Last weekend I had my first experience of racing.
Twice a year, in June and September, the gaffe rigged boats gather at Glenridding for a day of racing. Always ready to learn from someone more experienced, I offered to crew for anyone without a crew, if they would have me.  So I ended up crewing for Barry.
All the boats were traditional boats, without a keel, and with weights along the ridge which make them very unlikely to capsize.  So much so that Barry had carpet in his.  He taught me how to drain the excess water off my shoes before stepping in, but sadly my rolled up trousers were not rolled up enough, and I dripped quite a bit of water on the carpet. Sorry Barry.
Gaffe rigged boats have a beam attached at an angle to the mast, so that the sail reaches higher than the mast. Barry's was a gunter rig, where the beam rises vertically above the mast.  It was a GRP (glass reinforced fibreglass) body with a wooden trim, well treated and bright.
The boat had two jib sales, one attached to the front of the boat, and the other attached to a short extension bar.  They were my job to look after, the front one had green sheets (ropes) and the back one had brown ones.
Neither Barry nor I had a watch, so Steve lent me his (thanks Steve) and we timed the 5 and 4 and 1 minute hooter, counting down the the start hooter.
I was impressed how much every one trusted each other. The boats were sailing incredibly close to each other, and the ones with the right of way were not tempted to give way themselves, confident that the other boat would indeed do what was required.   While all this was going on they were busy trading banter with one another.
After we turned at the south end of the lake we had a long stretch on a run, and there was more time to talk. We went round an Island near the east and across to the west round a buoy, and then came the stretch sailing upwind toward the finish line.
Traditional boats are not like dinghies, and I was trying to pull the jib sheets too tight.  Linnhe explained to me afterwards that if you try to sail too close to the wind, the boat is blown leeward, and you actually make more progress by sailing less close to the wind.
I think we came in fourth.  A hooter is blown as you cross the line, and you hope that it is blowing for you, and not the other boat that is trying to catch you.   It is difficult to tell, because you can cross the line at any point between the two shores.  After you cross you hold up the page with your number, so that they can make a note of it against your time.
Afterwards, Barry had the job, with some help I think, of keying these times and handicaps, to work out who had won.  In the second race, which he was not taking part, the winner is the one who crosses the line first, but the handicap is quite a different matter.
I took the opportunity to go out in one the Seaflies before I had to be on my way back, and Linnhe lent me her watch so I could finish in time. The staff at Glenridding are certainly very supportive.  I got changed into my (brand new) wetsuit, which was just as well, not that I capsized the Seafly.  Being concerned not to hit the dagger board on the bottom, I pulled it up well before I reached the shore. But as I was sailing into the wind, I soon started drifting without the centreboard.  I thought I was in water shallow enough to jump out, and soon discovered otherwise when I tried, and pulled myself back into the boat.  And that was how my new wetsuit was baptised.

Hereford Arts

We missed the launch of the  Liverpool Food Festival in Seton Park on Sunday, choosing instead to go to  opening weekend of the Hereford Arts Week.
We stayed two nights at The Hopbine which was reasonably OK at a fair price, and well placed to explore the county and the city.
We started off in the city centre, where many crafts folk had stalls, so that we could see lots of stuff without walking too far, and I bought some cuff links.  After that Ann had to visit the galleries on her own, as I got waylaid by a visit to Hereford Cathedral and the Mappa Mundi In the same display room was John Wyclif's bible that he translated into English, laid open at the Psalms.  A remarkable place to visit.
After buying some plums at the covered market, we headed south to Galanthus in Wormbridge, where we saw more alloy jewellery and pottery by Stuart Houghton, who we met last year.  The lunch there was excellent, Ann had tomato & basil soup and I had an open sandwich with local bacon and their own award winning blue cheese.
Our next stop was Bailey's Home & Garden, where a family were just leaving with a pair of antlers as we arrived.  This was a mixture of art craft homeware and recycling, as well as a cafe with some very delicious apple cake, which we enjoyed in the sunshine on their terrace. Our next visit took us to a farm where we admired the penstemon flowers on the way in, and bought a casserole dish from one of several potters who have studios there. The next visit also had penstemons on the way in, but sadly that was what we enjoyed most there.   After that we visited an exhibition of pottery, knitware, paintings garden sculptures, where we were made welcome with tea and cake, and there was a Jazz group playing in the field next to the garden.
We had seen quite a bit by then, so we were very pleased to find a pub with a garden where we could enjoy the late afternoon sunshine, before looking or somewhere to enjoy our evening meal.
Our first stop on Sunday was Hellens Manor. I would like to visit it properly one day, but we were there to see the exhibition by the Guild of Herefordshire Craftsmen, where we saw bags, and furniture, and pottery, and mirrors, and more besides.  I bought Ann a jewellery box made by Ken Gilbert.  He was not there that day, but his fellow craftspeople obviously held him in high regard.
After a quick stop to look at ribbons, we went onto Ledbury, where once again Ann had to fend for herself, while I got waylaid at the Ledbury Heritage Centre.  Tinsmiths in Ledbury is always worth visiting, and we enjoyed an excellent lunch in the cafe at the back of Nice Things.
After lunch we visited the best place of all, which was a family home, with a pottery display in the front garden, garden sculptures in the back garden, silk pictures being demonstrated in the kitchen, and finished pictures and furniture in the front room.  Everything was a delight. The silk pictures looked like felt, but finer, and with embroidery that made the trees look quite beautiful.  The furniture was beautifully made, and we bought a brightly coloured pottery dish to use as a fruit bowl.
The H.Art sites were easy to find, with bright sign posts, but they do tend to close at 5pm. So we just had time to visit an African textile and fair trade place before 5, and then we found some stay open until six, so we  got to visit Blue Ginger, over the border in Worcestershire as well, before we began our journey home.

Inglourious Basterds

This is a violent film, and there are some scenes I could not bear to watch.  I would not have chosen to see it, but David wanted me to go with him as he saw it a second time.
I was very impressed.  I enjoyed it from the first scene. There was the rolling French countryside, and an unwelcome visit from German soldiers to an isolated farm.  The tension between the family, polite respectful, but wary, and the German officer, full of charm but observant, was wonderfully portrayed.
The group of American soldiers, which gives the film its name, also gave the most gruesome scenes, but the best part of the story lay elsewhere.  A German war hero, an English officer, a German actress, and a Jewish cinema owner had the most engaging parts of the story, and also gave what I think were the best performances. (Sorry Brad).
Look elsewhere for historical accuracy. You will not find that here. But it was a cracking yarn, well presented.

Blackwell House

Blackwell House was built in 1900 by M. H. Baillie Scott, as a holiday home for Sir Edward Holt, a Manchester Industrialist and one time Lord Mayor. Baillie Scott was part of the Arts and Crafts Movement, inspired by John Ruskin and William Morris, and the house has a more restful relaxed atmosphere than the busyness of the average Victorian home.

It was acquired by the Lakeland Trust 10 years ago, and has been open to the public since 2001. As well as admiring the quite beautifully restored internal decoration, visitors also get to see craft exhibitions as they are housed in the upstairs rooms. It is located south of Bowness, on the hillside affording wide views of Windermere and the Coniston fells beyond. Visitors to the tea room can either sit inside, or on the terrace, enjoying the views.

The house has a large hall, more like a medieval house, but like all the rooms, there is a an inglenook around the the fireplace, for more intimate gatherings. There is a second area of recessed seating with a superb peacock frieze in the opposite corner, and above the fireplace there is a minstrels' gallery.

There are two other downstairs rooms, a dining room, fairly formal with its wood panelling, but facing west, and with views over Windermere is the drawing room. The walls and ceilings are all patterned, but painted white, and the result is very light and restful. There is a recessed seating area around a window, with views over the lake, and as the other rooms, inglenook seating around the fireplace. There is a shelf, at picture rail height around the room, supported by slim columns. It really is a most restful and peaceful room.

Upstairs there is a bedroom with a dressing room, and one smaller bedroom. This room has some pictures of the time the house was used to re-house a school during the war time. The other upstairs rooms house craft exhibitions. At our visit we saw an exhibition of glass made by James Powell & Sons. There were also sculptures by David Nash.

The exhibition changes each few months, so we can look forward to visiting again next year.

Sailing Boats on Ullswater

Here are a couple of pictures I took last summer, of sailing dinghies on Ullswater. I had just turned up on spec, and they were all booked up, so after a chat with Steve I found a quiet spot to enjoy my picnic.

Very restful.

The Little Stranger - Sarah Waters

When Dr Faraday calls to attend a sick servant girl at the Hundreds, he finds the house a little more delapidated than he remembers when he attended a prize giving there once in his childhood. Then he finds himself taking tea with the Ayres, who retain their grace and charm through all the troubles that the post war period presents to the once grand families. So it is that he begins an unlikely friendship with the family for whom his mother once worked as a domestic servant.

But the family have more than a reduced income from the estate, Roddy's injury from the war and a house they cannot afford to maintain to contend with. As they weather a series of unfortunate events they begin to wonder whether, something about the house, some little stranger, is working against them. Or perhaps it can all be explained by an overwought mind and imagination? Dr. Faraday is concerned for their welfare, and has his medical training to guide him.

As the events move on, the slow beginning is left behind, and there is no shortage of drama and excitement. Even Dr Faraday is caught up in his own drama before we reach the end of the story. You might consider the ending unsatisfying, but I don't think so. I hope that, like me, you will have been well entertained along the way.

With thanks to David, who lent me his book, signed by the Author.

Solo Seafly

On Friday I went out solo in a Seafly, and it was great fun.

I remember not liking the Seafly intially, because of the sound of the water splashing near the front of the boat. Peter Lawson, who makes the boats now, told me on Monday that the shape of the boat pushes the water out to the sides, which makes them sail better, especially in the sea. I found the splashing noise annoying again this day at the start, but either it stopped once the boat was sailing faster, or I did not notice it after a while.

There are other things not to like about the boat; there is no cleat to hold the rudder up, which is only a problem when landing on a beach, and I took off and returned from the jetty; The wooden centreboard was slightly swollen, and very stiff to move up and down; the centre main goes round a loop of rope on the transom, which is only a minor problem following a capsize (you have to duck underneath the get to the back of the boat); Following a capsize it comes up full of water.

Having got all my grouses out of the way, I have to say it is a great boat, and it was a great session of sailing. It was a really enjoyable time, and it was great to get to know the boat and to feel how it handled. It was a very different experience to sailing the Laser on Tuesday, even when the wind grew stonger, there was still time to react to situations. It certainly had a good turn of speed, and was a lot more fun than the traditional boat, or Lune Whammel.

I started off with the two jib sheets tied together with a reef knot, but it came undone, twice. Then I reverted to a figure of eight on each end, but it was a struggle to reach. So then I tied the two ends together with a reef knot but the two figures of eight in place, and that worked very well.

I found the yellow buoy and practised the man overboard procedure, generally I stopped too short, but one attempt worked perfectly.

I practised stopping the boat, keeping the boat turned away from the wind so that the boom was over the side of the boat rather than directly over it. I also put it in the hove-to position, which worked fine the first time, but not the second.

The wind was quite strong by this time, my guess is force 4 rather than force 3 that Jonathan wrote in my log later on. There was only me and a Whammell with a family of four still sailing as far as I could see, although there were still a few canooes.

I felt quite cheated, because I had avoided capsizing through all the sailing, and thought that the hove-to posistion was a safe one, and that adopting it was a responsible action to take in winds that had become quite strong. I was quite dissappointed when the boat gently keeled over, and I dropped into the water. Apparently what was needed was less centreboard, as it is the centreboard that causes the boat to heel.

I was pleased to find that getting the boat righted again single handed was no great problem, nor was pulling myself up over the side. However sailing the boat, which was now full of water, was not a piece of cake, and the controls all felt very heavy. I capsized again almost straight away, and managed to lose the scoop, which floated gently away. By this time Steve had arrived in the safety boat.

I sailed, or limped, most of the way back to the jetty, without opening the flaps at the back that might have emptied the boat of water. I doubt they would have done. Steve showed me how to undo the flaps, and then towed me round in a circle at speed, which did the required job.

The lessons for next time? If someone is available, have a crew; use less centreboard; learn how to put in a reef.