Teddington Head
San Francisco and Sea Ranch
I met Karon and Anne Marie in SFO for a long overdue reunion. Karon met me at the aiport and we headed straight up to Sea Ranch to stay with AMQ’s friends Jimmy and John for the weekend on the beautiful Pacific Coast. Amazing drive up – stunning views of the coast from a very windy road. Then back down to SFO for a night on Karon’s gorgeous Beneteau 37 (and some burgers too) before heading into SFO and our hotel on Union Sq. AMQ and I hired bikes and cycled the city side of the bay, over the GGB and down into Sausilito, spotting Larry Ellison’s Americas Cup boats training in the Bay too. A meal out in North Beach and the chance to use the famous trams up the truly steep hills. Next day we headed on the bus (bit of an experience!) to Golden Gate Park to the De Young and a general wander round to catch the atmosphere, as it was again, a beautiful day and we wanted to be outside. Then we headed to the Patagonia store for some retail therapy and continue my search for some rather fetching Converse Allstars (there was success). Last day I TRIED to get a iPad but both stores did not have the one I wanted, these things are dam hot! We met Jimmy again close to the airport before having some wonderful Dim Sum and being dropped off at the airport to come home.
I had so much fun and we packed in a huge amount. SFO you are great – I am coming back soon. Great to see my gals again – was too long and hope to see you next year for the big 40 party!
Bourne End Week 2011
Over for another year. Wonderful to see all our friends and fellow sailors. Great to be helming the Merlin Rocket for the first time too (slightly nerve racking at times mind you, but with a super cool Ben Marshall in the boat all was going to be well). Afternoons were spent with my favourite A Rater team Lady Jane.
Album on Yachts and Yachting too
Iconic Thames Images
This is an image I have wanted to take ever since I’ve been a member at Thames SC.
The one thing I think is so iconic and unusual about our reach of the Thames are the boats; driving along Portsmouth Road only to encounter the image of a huge sail, it always made me think – how would others view it; strange, beautiful, or just weird…. anyway, Sunday… a bit delicate from another TSC cocktail party I was driving along Portsmouth Rd, saw Osprey (sail no. 16) and thought… this was my opportunity and along came Wings (sail no. 19), captured forever in her photographic elegance and beauty.
I hope you like it.
Tranquil Suburban Thames is threatened by MORE Moorings
The stretch of the Thames between Kingston and Hampton Court Bridge is one of the most tranquil parts of the suburban River Thames. A property developer wants to add moorings to the Open Metropolitan Land that is the Seething Wells Filter Beds on the side of the River, narrowing an already restricted stretch of the Thames.
My sailing club; Thames Sailing Club; has been sailing that stretch of the river for over 140 years; in fact the reason the club is in it’s particular location is because of the prevailing winds that occur. It’s an already busy stretch of the river and narrowing it will cause even more congestion to current river users from sailors, rowers, skiffers, punts, dragon boats, motor launches and other commercial vehicles.
See the articles on the ES and watch out for a piece on London Tonight this evening (Wednesday 27th April).
Busy April on the River
Only three weeks into the 2011 sailing season and it’s already very busy on the Thames.
Islington Walks
The first foray to discovering my new surroundingss up in Islington included a walk along the Regents Canal today with the trust new HTC Desire in my pocket to navigate me….. however all the tall buildings around me dampened the GPS, so I had to use the old fashioned method… “wingin it”