A perfect day in paradise! Today I was joined by paddling friend Barbara, who is kindly hosting me as I write this. Conditions were calm, with a knot or two of tide under us, and the scenery all along this famous "Jurassic Coast" is stunning.
The cliffs are enjoyed by climbers, too:
(but they sometimes come a cropper) (Barbara is chair of IOPCC).We pulled out just past Chapman's Pool for a leisurely lunch in the sunshine:
This part of the coast is famous for landmarks such as Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door, but is simply beautiful...
On the way, we discovered a mutual interest in music ... and then discovered that we have friends in common in that world ... and then that a friend from university days lives a few yards from Barbara's.
Landed on the slip at Weymouth, a short drive, wining & dining, then a surprise catch-up on 25 years of news! Peter will help me recover from the loss of all the data from my organiser (which got trashed at Sheerness) by supplying contact details for our mutual friends. Meanwhile, if you think I should (or might like to) know you, please email your contact details to me (don't post them here).
(And yes, I used to work in IT, and yes, I had a backup, and yes, it was corrupt :-(
Tomorrow: Portland Bill and Chesil Beach. People have lost their sanity paddling along Chesil Beach...
That sounds like an absolutely perfect paddle Graham - Good to see you enjoying yourself and catching up with so many old friends along the way. I will round up a posse to visit you when you approach the whitby/scarborough area later in the summer!
ReplyDeleteHello Graham, we missed you at Snape Maltings, where the audience seemed to like us (so did the Brittney-Spears lot). I expect you have had the lowdown from Izy.
ReplyDeleteWell paddled! and well recovered from the Nasty Experience early on. Lulu has just given us your blog address, and I have enjoyed reading of your progress to date. I shall check it daily from now on. If you haven't passed it yet, say hello to Charton Beach (in Lyme Bay, between Lyme and Seaton) for me - it belongs to the estate where I spent my early years, when it was still Allhallows School, and has many happy memories.
Wishing you good weather and manageable seas - all the best, Ruth H (ABC)
PS Not sure whether this will work, as I am not accustomed to blogs and comments!
Hi Graham Just checking on the sanity level and have you passed Chesil Beach? As I recall many years ago Chesil was a stony peninsula with not a lot to be seen, having said that I was recently paddling an area I hadn’t seen for more years than I can remember and its now full of executive pixie homes. Keep on paddling and hope the electrical tape is holding you together.
ReplyDeleteUncle Steve
Hi Graham,
ReplyDeleteWell done for getting so far. Looks fab. I see Ruth has already told you about Snape - it was fabulous - I am certain I heard corncrake, and we saw a badger on the marshes at Aldeburgh.
Sorry you had such a bad start to your trip, but glad you did not let it put you off.
All the best
Pauline