Never wishing to be far from the sea, my family and I have spent our holiday time this Christmas travelling to various aquatically far-flung corners of the country. Last week it was Whitby (whilst there I purchased a copy of the new book about the Whitby Lifeboats which is excellent and an inspiration).
This week we are spending with another third of the family in Glasgow. We landed this morning in Prestwick having flown from Bournemouth and were collect by my sister-in-law who lives in Troon with her family. Not more than hour later we were ambling by the harbour side and gawping at the Troon Trent class lifeboat the Jim Moffat. Theirs is a very different type of station to ours being located net to the entrance to the rather busy local fishing harbour. Troon is also a pretty busy harbour for pleasure craft as well as a significant ferry port for Ireland. I guess they must have a fair amount of trade?
And so. Please don't expect too much in he way of interesting news over the next few days as I shall mainly be doing the Christmas thing: Panto, Ice-Skating, eating, drinking etc.
The final third of the family live in Northern Spain so we shall not be visiting them this time around though our thoughts are with them.
When I'm working yes I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the man who's working hard for you
And when the money comes in for the work I'll do
I'll pass almost every penny on to you
When I come home yeah I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the man who comes back home to you
And if I grow old well I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the man who's growing old with you
But I would walk 500 miles
And I would walk 500 more
Just to be the man who walked 1000 miles
To fall down at your door
(The Proclaimers - I'm gonna be (500 miles))
3 comments:
Hi John, Troon is my local lifeboat. Fortunately I have not needed their services. Once about ten years ago I broke a windsurfer mast about a half mile to the sw of the ballast bank rocks at Troon point. It was a 7/8 sw wind and there is no way I could paddle my board across wind to where I had launched at south beach sands.
It was near full tide and the waves were crashing over the sea wall. Fortunately there is one area where there are rocks below the sea wall with a natural lagoon in behind. I dumped my rig and paddled downwind towards the break in the rocks. I could see a man on the sea wall watching me. Eventually I got close in and lined myself up with the gap. I surfed over the lip on a large wave and landed in the calm lagoon. I stood up and put my board under my arm trying to look nonchalant but my legs were shaking with relief. The man came over, it was the lifeboat cox. He said he had been going to launch the boat but I was coming in so quickly and he could see where I was aiming for that I would be OK. I was a relief to know my progress was being watched!
Douglas :o)
Happy new year John
All the best to u, your family and crew
lv joan
Nice story Douglas. Being a windsurfer too I also have a few stories like this up my sleeve! (Tarifa on my honeymoon and heading across to North Africa)! Hence my 'no blame' attitude to lifeboating.
Joan, many thanks for your Christmas and New Years greetings. I hope you have a superb 2009 too.
Back home tomorrow so hopefully normal service will resume...
jg
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