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 18 November 2012

I think sailing is over for this year

I think sailing is done for this year. Today would have been perfect - winds 4 - 8 knots; one of those crisp cool but very sunny November days. Alas, I have a chest infection. It has been with me for a few weeks now and shows no sign of clearing. The product of having worked 9 70 hr weeks on the trot, there seems to be no let up. I tried to go for a walk with 'her indoors' this morning around the Barbican , up onto the Hope and then down around Millbay docks before returning to the Barbican. I barely made it up onto the hoe sounding like an asthmatic, rattling steam train in need of some TLC. The last time I remember wheezing this badly and having this amount of shortness of breath was when I was eight and Dad had to carry me back from the doctors because my little legs gave way from underneath me as we climbed the hill to go up through the castle wall gates on the way home in Conwy. Then I had been diagnosed with Bronchitis; it's feeling somewhat similar again 42 years later!
Still walking slowly gave me the chance to get a few autumn snaps of the Barbican. I'll have to  hope for a few crisp winter sunny days at Christmas. Poor Arwen, she does feel neglected!

Steve

Looking across from Citadel Road towards the National Marine Aquarium on the far left and the luxurious Queen Anne Flays in the left of centre. The marina is QAB where Arwen gets launched. The footbridge and pontoon in the foreground were put in place a couple of years ago for the tourist 'dockyard tour' boats and supposedly for all the cruise ships that stop off in Plymouth to disgorge their occupants. I'm still waiting to see that bit happen!
 
One of the original cranes preserved in good condition. From a bygone era when I think railway sidings ran along this part of the quay
 
Now the quay serves as a cafe area, nicely done, with cafe installed in the arches under the Citadel Road. A lovely spot always catching the sun and sheltered from the SW winds
 
In the foreground on the left are the 'Mayflower Steps' famous for our intrepid settlers of America! The giant prawn has been there as street sculpture for many years now. The white bridge spans the lock gates which give access to the inner Sutton Harbour marina area. The bridge pivots on its access. The glass building is the Marine Aquarium
 
 
'Mr Cobbles' has become a feature of this part of the Barbican. Same pitch, all weathers. The van, a Morris Commercial dates from the 1950's I think. He has done it rather well.
 
Year in, year out; same boats in the same place. I never see an empty berth where they should be.....do they ever put to sea I wonder?
 
 
 
 
 
 


 

2 comments:

Joel Bergen said...

Hi Steve,
I get bronchitis off and on too, nearly every winter in fact. Nasty, nasty stuff. Best cure I've found is albuterol in a nebulizer. Hope you feel better soon my friend, and try not to work so hard.
-Joel

steve said...

Thanks for the tip joel. I'm hoping that this week it will ease a little. i didn't do any work over weekend for the first time in about 10 years ....so i'm hoping the rest may well have helped.
Take care
Good to hear from you
Steve