Happy New Year

About to head off to Dawlish to spend new year with friends. The end of 2013 can't come soon enough for me, 2014 can only get better.

Wishing family and friends a very happy new year xx


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Location:Dawlish

Merry Chrinklemouse Everyone!

It's not been the greatest year for me, but without the love and friendship from my amazing family and friends it could have been a whole lot worse.

Thank you everyone for all the tlc over recent months it's meant a lot to me.

Merry Chrinklemouse xxxxx

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Jam Therapy

After a hard day yesterday at work, this was just what the doctor ordered. I forget sometimes how therapeutic this is. Hubble bubble in the witches cauldron....muddled berry jam (blackberries, blueberries, red currants and raspberries).....done!


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Ships Cat

I shouldn't laugh at someone else's misfortune so apologies now....BUT the cats face was hilarious and I have never ever yes never ever see one run so fast and it's facial expression was a picture. It went like an Exocet missile.

Ships cats may be part of naval and boating history but I have a real aversion to them and its deep seated after been peed upon in the middle of the night by the infamous Dave The Cat. Dave did survive his midnight misdemeanours but I have been scarred for life ever since!

This morning whilst out for a stroll along the pontoons, from the peace and quiet erupted a scream as a very loved ships cat that we have seen from time from sunbathing aboard a liveaboards bot jumped onto the pontoon. Next thing like a rocket he whizzed by, shot up the gangway and was gone....a family in hot pursuit. Don't know what spooked it, but it wasn't a happy pussycat.

A family went in hot pursuit but he is currently still missing in action.

Stunning day here, out for a spin later as have recovered from our fun escapades of Saturday.

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Making Some Shapes!

It's amazing how an hrs worth of clearing up after the night before can cure you of most ailments. Do or die, I am now definitely back in the land of the living!

The Red Arrows made some shapes and I definitely made some shapes dancing away on the green last night disco dancing away to Dave Can't Dance. Note to self......making shapes next to a loud speaker is not good....still can't hear a darn thing this morning!

Cracking cracking day in beautiful blighty sunshine with good company....off to das bot for a rest now!

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Looking Forward To The Weekend

On call tonight and then tomorrow we,re off......yayyyyy. It's that whacky time of the year again called Dawlish Airshow. Red Arrows and the Vulcan tomorrow with a barbie, balcony sea views, lots of bubbles, good company and a bit of disco dancing later on the Green to DaveCantDance....wicked!

After a night on the tiles we,ll be off to das bot on sunday to recover, with some swailing...perfect bank holiday.com.


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Mmmmmmm......It's Nautical But Nice Time Again

There may be no sloes this year but blackberries are in abundance and after work last night, off I went with my partner in jam and chutney making on a blackberry picking fest!

She picked 7 kilos at the weekend, we made do with 4 last night, and these beauties shall be turned into bramble cassis and muddled berry jam!

Das captain is groaning......oh god it's that time if year again where you are boiling the what'sit out of anything....oh yes I replied plus das captain Great British Bake Off is back! Another loud groan as followed. I love this time of year for my guilty pleasures...bring on the jam pan!


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Naughty Girls!

A quick trip to pick up some BBQ meat ended up with an impromptu catch-up with little sis, and a lunch and bubbles date.

We had a great laugh, lunch was lush and sharing an umbrella to dodge the lashing rain in between shops was even funnier.

The photos speak for themselves.....a swooper Saturday!










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Time Flies By

Where have the last few weeks gone.......

We are both back to work with a vengeance, no rest for the wicked. Me to my old job as my secondment has finally come to an end. Finally in the sense that it was only meant to be for four months and ended up being twelve.

Twelve great months working with the most amazing teams and twelve months of real challenges but fantastic achievements and equal fun and banter as well. So back with my old team and its all go....wouldn't want it any other way.

Not much swailing over the last few week, wretched wind and lots of rain, our swailing season only has about another 6 weeks as RedSnapper is coming out onto dry land at the beginning of October. It's been very short for us this year due to the engine refit, so here is hoping we can get some more nautical miles in before October. I can't believe it nearly September already, this year has just flown by....surreal! Must be my advancing years.


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Reef Reunion

Well that two weeks flew by and despite the lack of swailing das captain and I have had a blast......just chilllaxing.

Work for both us pre hols was pretty mental to put it mildly and no doubt will be again when we go back tomorrow, but we totally forgot about it until it came up in conversation over a few beers on Thursday night....another sign of a good holiday!

Our last night in the marina was rocky, rolly, with a good mix of thunder, lightening and lashings of rain thrown in for good measure! At least the weather has been consistent over the last two weeks! Yesterday was tres windy but the sun was shining and after my last morning walk off awaiting das captain to awake we packed up and headed for home for the Barrier Reef Reunion.

The tank looked in pretty good shape, no-one sulking at not having our total love and devotion over the last two weeks. Looks like a wreck fish has been a casualty though unless he is hiding well, the Nemo,s have grown, (don't be sooo ridiculous said das captain!).....but they have and the corals are thriving. Our fish sitters have been swooper duper and anyone else wanting to take up this challenge have a hard act to follow!

Salinity checked, (notice salinity not sanity), das captain then spent the remainder of the day, lavishing and treating them to new water and lots of other lotions, potions and salt.

Reunion complete.






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Location:Roffe Towers

Night Time Views

We wandered into Plymouth in daylight last night for supper. Lovely evening with lots of folks about.
Fab walk back and these were the views and landmarks.




















Plymouth at its best.
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Mackerel & Bass Mayhem

Post the rain (we had lots of it yesterday) it has breathed new life into the Marina. The mackerel and bass are here in abundance and going bonkers.

I could hear them for hrs last night splashing and jumping about and awoke to them at sparrowfart today.

They are in all parts of the marina so it is a whacking big shoal. It's keeping the workmen on Princess Yachts amused no end.

They are fun to watch, wonder if they,ll entice George the marina dolphin back for a feeding frenzy?

Now if only we had our rods....despite packing the kitchen sink for our hols we failed miserably on the fishing gear front!

Unusual that we haven't brought it down this year as that is usually a mainstay from the start of the season. It,ll just be a case of watch and smile and salivate over what could have been for supper tonight!




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Under Offer

Guess who I saw yesterday being towed to the fuel pontoon? Yep Promise, looks like she is about to change hands again.
















I have written about her being up the Tamar River a few years back, never sailed and generally unloved until last year when we came across her in the Marina and out on the water being very loved up.

Looks like Steve & his dads old boat is about to exchange hands again. Hope she gets cracking new owners, who look after her and make the most of her.



I didn't know das captain when he had Promise but by all accounts she was a swooper swail!
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Pootling About!

It was a case of getting outa Plymouth to avoid the rain yesterday. The marina has though a very international feel about it, with lots of French
, Dutch, Norwegian and Swiss boats holed up with us.

We hit the road trail by car yesterday to Dartmouth & Salcombe, leaving the rain in our wake. Both were basked in lovely sunshine. First stop Dartmouth where there weren't many bots on their way in but the river was full to bursting with all the tourist river trippers.

We sat on the river wall watching the world go by. I am sure that Dartmouth must have run out if bacon yesterday because if you weren't on a tourist bot then you were out with your crabbing bucket and bacon...crabs were in abundance!





A late lunch was had at the Royal Castle....gorgeous Dartmouth cracked crab before a quick peek around the shops and then off round the coast to Salcombe.

Das captain calls Salcombe the tax on being stupid, as he reckons everything costs twice as much there as anywhere else. A haven for second homes, the masses swarm there in summer, and I love it there too, we don't swail there often enough for my liking.




Salcombe may have been heaving from a people point of view yesterday, but visitor bots were very few. Southerly winds gusting 7 you could see why looking out to sea with the waves crashing in over the sandbar at the entrance! It's regatta weekend for them this weekend, not sure the situation will change that much before then.




We pootled about around the town amongst the masses, sat and watched the world go by and re-provisioned on the pasty front for das captain......HOW MUCH!? he declared when informed of the price...KER CHING, KER CHING!
Although later having devoured it he declared on his pasty rating scale that it was right up there on the leader board, simply the best yet!

So not a drop of rain in sight and a lovely day spent, it was windy and cold back at the marina where we battened down the hatches again before the rain came back with a vengeance.

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Location:Dartmouth & Salcombe

Swooper Fishy Lunch @ Hugh's Canteen Deli

Dodging heavy rainfall yesterday we picked our moment and headed off for lunch. Too rough to take the tender across we walked across to William Yard for lunch at Hugh,s Deli & Canteen.

We,ve eaten here once before (when storm bound) last year so a good bit of deja vu was well in order. The place was buzzing, service fabulous and food delicious. We both opted for the fish platters, a feast of mackerel in various guises and it didn't disappoint. Yum Yum!







Well fed and watered and no further rain in sight we headed for a hike around the hoe via the scenic waterside route. We were stopped in our tracks via the ferry port as couldn't go any further unless we dived into the sea and swam the next bit. Boy was it rough out to sea yesterday with nothing but the warships at anchor to see and tons of white horses from the big seas.

Still no rain we hiked our way back round again and decided to take the Cremyll Ferry across for a walk and pint in Cornwall!







Dark clouds were on the horizon but we managed another hr or so outdoors and made it safely back to base before the rain lashed down and down as we battened down the hatches for the remainder of the day.



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Location:Plymouth

Happy Happy Birthday Pops!

My gorgeous pops out with us a few weeks back in the River Yealm. Hope you have survived the night glamping with your granddaughter et al.

Have a swooper duper birthday and sending you lots of love from us both x

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Here Comes The Rain!

After a week of gorgeous sunny and swooper hot weather it has finally turned for the few days at least.

Whilst warm yesterday, the blue skies were gone and on the horizon you could see what was coming. We spent the day out on the water, bot under sail not the digeridoo just mucking about. Bar some gig racers and Gypsy Moth, The Sound was pretty quiet. We anchored up in Jenny Cliff for some lunch and then headed back for base camp as the rain began to fall.

The wind has picked up again, another creak creak night with fenders and I almost got the bolt cutters out to some rogue halyard that was clinking a few bots up from us.

So it's intermittent grey out there at the mo with the old glimpse of blue, we have a brief respite from the rain for the time being but it will be the case of dodge em showers for the next few days. Time to catch up on some laundry today and venture out by car me thinks plus my last remaining episodes of Fawlty Towers which has had me in stitches. Happy days.

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A Barmy Summers Evening Aboard Das Bot!

I laughed 'til I cried last night. It was beautiful here in the marina last night and we opted for supper aboard cooked by my good self aka the galley slave. My in-laws arrived tired after a week of painting and decorating so some r n r was in order.

You can't beat el fresco dining in the great outdoors, bubbles and beer cracked open we sat outside on deck and bantered away putting the world to rights. The gourmet supper prepped by my good-self was salmon nicoise with some swooper king prawns that I picked up when on my re-provisioning run yesterday.....delicious.

We caught up on the pontoons with an old friend from our old pontoon fresh back from France (by ferry) and the banter continued, you could probably here our laughter at the breakwater we were that loud! Time flew by as it does when in good company, 'twas great fun and even better the 'ole head is remarkably fresh this am.

It's really peaceful here this morning just the gulls squawking from time to time, no workmen on Princess Yachts this am so the pontoons are quiet. It looks grey and overcast outside but no rain as yet......can't believe we have been on holiday for a week now. Time flies when you are having fun, feel totally chilled.


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The Love Of Suntan Lotion

Das captains number one dislike is candles (they can never be lit whilst he is in the house) followed by a close second, the dreaded suntan lotion or even in this case spray.It causes him major trauma in terms of smell and just the 'gunk'!

I added to that dislike even more yesterday when the Piz, debuined itself after I accidentally leant on it whilst snoozing over one of the rope bags! At least it smells nice now!

Lazy day here in Plymouth just catching some rays. Cooking a fishy supper later for the fish sitters, as they are heading down to their bot later and have survived wk one of their duties.



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Swell & Dodge 'Em!

The wind and rain came in last night as forecast but thankfully no thunder or lightening. Give me rough seas, torrential rain and chuck it at me continuously but not thunder or lightening, it terrifies me on das bot.

So with the wind came creaking fender city against the pontoon and the bot that rafted up against us late last night. Creak, creak made for a restless nights sleep.

This morning it's fair weather with some sunshine forecast for later.

Some interesting bot manoeuvres this am off the pontoon and rafted next to us, thankfully no damage done but it was a close run thing.....phew!

So off we set out to sea, life jackets and lifelines firmly on as we headed up the river to a huge swell.

It didn't get any better as we turned the corner and headed out to sea the swell was huge and it made for a roller coaster albeit run fun back to Plymouth.

It was definately dodge em weather as the waves broke over the boy and spray over the cockpit. The forecast was bang on and we pitied anyone going through Bolt Head to Salcombe as it would have been as rough as rats and no fun at all.

As we crossed the Breakwater and into The Sound it petered out a bit and we dropped the pick in Barnpool which was very tranquil indeed.




The sun was now out full pelt and we,ve spent the afternoon watching the world go by.

The kids were out in full force at Mount Edgecombe, mucking about in the water. The schools are well and truly out for summer. I declined a dip this pm as a tad too chilly for me.




Going to make the most of the evening here, it's beautiful. We,ve just scrubbed the ole salty dog down so she is gleaming again and it's time to relax with a large glass of chilled white SB. Don't mind if I do!


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Location:The River Yealm

Mob Happy!

So much for Salcombe today, the rain and fog came in overnight as predicted!

Having woke up at sparrowfart after another good read on my latest chick flick novel via the kindle I awoke at sensible o'clock at 0930, the same time albeit early o'clock for das captain.

Bots had gone out and come back in again, no-one was going far today, so the dingy was launched at lunchtime and ashore we went.

The Dolphin was our destination at Newton Ferrers where as we arrived the sun came out and where we spent an indulgent afternoon in the sunshine between cloud bursts. I love the moules their and whilst the fish pie is no longer on the menu, das captain enjoyed the "posh fish & chips"!

A hike up the hill (yes it is a hike up a mountain) for some provisions, we were back to das bot for the royal birth naming announcement....it's fair to say Derek wasn't even in the running aka Prince Del Boy much to das captains disappointment... he and I don't mean the royal we has consoled himself with a Cornish pasty and a Crunchie bar for supper this evening!

More rain is forecast for this evening and the harbour master has informed us....it's awful for tomorrow! As always despite the lack of swailing weather, we have enjoyed today.




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Digderidoo

That is the name of our new bot engine as of today as that is what she sounds like as we go along.
No putt putt noises from her just the purr of an Aboriginal beat, so didgeridoo she is!
No fog yesterday and by mid morning the sun was out. A lazy morning spent watching the world go by and catching up on the madness and mayhem of the royal birth.
No dramas in the marina this morning just an abundance of bass jumping around for several hours which entertained the Princess Yacht workmen.
After lunch with everything stowed away we headed off for The Yealm. The sea was twinkling and we were off on our first epic voyage of the hols.
Not many bots about and an hr or so later we were here. We were on the pontoon near Kitley as all the mooring bouys are full. A fair few bots were here.
A tranquil remained of the day spent with supper aboard and a few beers. Das captain has been speculating on the new princes name, he feels its a dead cert for Derek, I blame it on the beer!
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Never A Dull Moment!

So after a brief sojourn of sunshine the fog came in thick and fast producing zero visibility at the breakwater, all hopes of movement yesterday abandoned for the day.

Never a dull moment here though as the day unfolded. First we had a newly launched yacht attempting its berthing manoeuvres crash bow into stern of another yacht opposite...ouch I felt their pain as they eventually berthed and clambered aboard to check the damage.

Then a quicksilver fishing boat that we know from our old pontoon was brought in under police escort. There had been calls put out on the radio for him all morning with an approach with caution tag put on from the coastguard.

When eventually located he was brought in. Not sure what had gone on but he looked pretty disheveled was soaking wet and staggered up the pontoons with the help of some police officers!

After all that excitement we headed off for a waterside hike around Plymouth. It's a great walk with fab views and a great way to stretch the legs.

On arrival at the Barbican we came across Gypsy Moth (photo above) recently refitted again after her last mishap on a reef. She is looking good and was undergoing manoeuvres from one pontoon to another thankfully without mishap!




A few beers later we headed back to base via ferry and in the last sunshine of the day had supper aboard before settling down to a few episode of Fawlty Towers on the IPad......hilarious.
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The Curse Of The Roffeeeeeeeees

We have had the most fabulous weather over the last month...no complaints there it has been glorious and we have made the most of it.

There is though a standing joke now amongst our family and friends built on our summer holiday non swailing adventures not to book your summer hols at the same time as us! Why do you ask well because as soon as we start our hols the weather turns and is has done reliably for the last four years! We call it the curse of the Roffes or Roffeeeeeeeeeees!

After decanting half the house into the car yesterday we made our way down to a right hooley at the marina. The sun was shining but the wind was ripping made a pleasant change after leaving the 100% humidity at home and 30 plus degrees which made for unpleasant car loading going back and forth.

Nothing was out on the water yesterday bar a few Naval ships on manoeuvres. After decanting half the house onto das bot we sat and just chilled watching the world go by and studying the long range forecasts for a glimmer of hope!

The curse is back with storms predicted over the next week and lashings of rain to boot as well. Today looks like we,ll get somewhere although not the direction we wanted to go but a more comfortable ride than being bashed about and then we'll see. We have passports with this and the car is insured so if it's here to stay we'll be channel hopping via the cross channel ferry.

The Roffeeeeeeeees have wry smiles on our faces and after some optimism that this year would be different a new saying ....as Meldrew would say.........I don't ruddy believe it!

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Reef Sitters!

Yep we are leaving our thriving barrier reef for a whole two weeks. With our old fish tank it was simple, drop in some long last pellets....job done. Not this high maintenance machine oh no.

Das captain has rigged up some gizmondo, well it's an automatic dry food feeding machine to the top of the tank and we have instructions for my mother in law who has kindly agreed to be chief reef feeder and cleaner for the next two weeks for the fresh stuff.

The automatic dosing system is working well but they still need their equivalent of red bull to boost coral growth and of course the protein skimmer needs emptying once a week. Thank goodness they make their own exercise!

Wonder if they'll be stroppy on our return after not taking them with us on hols?...

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Game Plan

Phew....holidays are here and boy do we need them....late night working for both of us last night...we r knackered.com.
We should have been on hols the last two weeks but couldn't get time off together so opted for these two instead and whilst the sun is shining its not swailing weather today so that we hope will start tomorrow.
After no wind for several weeks now we have lots of it, so a trip round Start Point in a F7 is not on the plan Fi today. Instead some r n r and a well deserves hair cut for me as have time to do it and boy does it need it.
It's a tad stormy and windy over the next few days as the humidity increases so we are going to have to take our chances.
If we strike lucky and avoid the thunder then Monday looks likely for a swail to he majestic Dartmouth and then we hope across the channel depending on what has blown out.
The bags are packed, the life raft is coming out of the loft and provisioning is done. More importantly as much as I love my job no more work for two weeks!
Yippeeee
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Hot Hot Hot!

And we thought yesterday was hot, well today was an absolute scorcher!
We left The Yealm about 1030 and headed out to sea. No chance of swailing as there was not a drop of wind so run in the motor it was and we pointed das bot towards the Eddystone lighthouse.








The water was like glass, not a ripple to be seen, very tranquil and also very hot. After a good run we headed back towards the madness and mayhem that can be Cawsands Bay. No Timothy Spall today although he was there filming yesterday, just a packed bay and the jet skis were out in force.
Pick dropped and a leisurely lunch I decided to brave the elements and go for my first swim of the season off the bot.
Wouldn't quite call it a swim more a quick dunk as the water was flipping freezing! Cooled off though a by now we were hitting 30 plus degrees.
More chillaxing and then back to port, we made a detour via QAB as Richard Bransons old Virgin Challenger is parked outside, now owned by the Mountbatten ferry owner! Mean machine that in its day set a world record.












So cracking weekend, only five days to go and we have a fortnight off! No plans on where we are going, just pitch up to das bot fully provisioned and go.
We have given the Great Barrier Ref fish sitters their instructions tonight whilst we r away although I am surprised that das captain has not invested in a remote control camera that we can view whilst away to check their well being!
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