Arwen's meanderings

Hi everyone and welcome to my dinghy cruising blog about my John Welsford designed 'navigator' named Arwen. Built over three years, Arwen was launched in August 2007. She is a standing lug yawl 14' 6" in length. This blog records our dinghy cruising voyages together around the coastal waters of SW England.
Arwen has an associated YouTube channel so visit www.YouTube.com/c/plymouthwelshboy to find our most recent cruises and click subscribe.
On this blog you will find posts about dinghy cruising locations, accounts of our voyages, maintenance tips and 'How to's' ranging from rigging standing lug sails and building galley boxes to using 'anchor buddies' and creating 'pilotage notes'. I hope you find something that inspires you to get out on the water in your boat. Drop us a comment and happy sailing.
Steve and Arwen

Sunday, 26 August 2012

an empty slapton beach

Number one daughter was doing conservation work this morning and it gave me an opportunity to drop her off early at her volunteering placement and head on down to Slapton Beach.

the only time I'll get to be a giant and 'larger than life'!

With such an early start I almost had the whole beach to myself. Sadly no mackerel and during four hours of spinning I only saw four landed in my stretch between 10 anglers.


I remember times on Slapton when the mackerel were in you could almost catch them by just throwing in a bucket and pulling it back to the beach!

 
It was nice however to listen to the hiss of retreating backwash as bubbles and froth dissolved; to watch dried out seaweed be picked up and dropped by the gentle breeze and to watch the waves break along a beach.
 

 
For much of the early morning I was kept company by oystercatchers and four cormorants who dived and bobbed along my stretch of the beach. pebbles were picked up and carried up the beach at an angle by breaking waves only to be rolled back down by the backwash. I wonder if pebbles ever get frustrated at being constantly translocated along a beach?

It was nice to get out again and soak up what will be the last of the sunshine before I start the new year. Not catching any fish was immaterial!

Steve

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