Time for a Break

Hi folks,

well it's time to slow down a bit. Holiday time is looming, work is now finished and it is time for US . Lots to do before Wednesday and lots of people to see.

Ah, that's better, when we get to where we are going I will surely do loads of  blogs.

Keep watching, lot's more to follow.

nite nite, luv Mike XX

Chatham Marina

Hi folks,

after my walk I strolled across the road bridge to have a look at the boats.

My car was parked behind the white marque. This is a Cassoon according to that Trevor, it's a lifting bridge with a lock to retain the water when it is closed.

A view from the bridge across to the new houses on St Mary's Island.

One working boat.

One Luxury boat, still some money in the Medway Towns.

Whats this a reflection off??

You guessed it, those towers again.

Autumn is coming, first time I have seen leaves on the water.

Going fishing.

Lock gates all hydraulically operated all the chap in the building has to do is press some buttons to let the boats out of the Marina into the river.

Last shot down the river.

Well I hope you enjoyed my little jaunt around the Marina, thanks for looking.

nite nite, Luv Mike XX

Unexpected Walk along the River

Hi again folks,

Working again today but managed to sneak a couple of hours off this afternoon as I had to look at cases for the pending holiday, after wrecking the shop I left empty handed. All was not lost as I ended up walking along the river, it's path goes right around St. Mary's Island but I only did a short distance as it looked like it was going to rain yet again.

I looked across the water to Upnor Castle which I had photographed many times but each time the light strikes it at a different angle.

I walked along the path with not a soul in sight but I must admit it was nice and peaceful on my own.

Then my peace was shattered with this craft doing an exercise on the river creating a lot of noise and wake.

On I went past the Yacht club on the other side before I turned around to head back to the car.

Back past the concrete rope at the end of the walkway.

Looking across the river the clouds were starting to build up as the sun started to disappear, if you look very closely you can just make out the Castle and the Cathedral in the distance.

Back in the car I gathered my thoughts before deciding to go over to the Marina and take some more or just go home. You will have to wait till tomorrow to find out.

Thanks for looking.

nite nite, Luv Mike XX

We are Sailing, we are Sailing.......

Hi again folks,

Right this is a combined photo shoot with our Sue in the right corner, well over the wall actually and me on the beach.

Jolly Roger still flying.

Meanwhile on the beach the females were still hard at it!!  That's right you hold the boat whilst the misses pulls the wheels up the beach.

"Come on dear this boat won't sail itself".

Meanwhile the first crew were well underway, thanks to the grey haired lady at the back.

More and more set sail, looks like we may have a race on our hands.

One of Sues, love the reflection, she is doing great.

And off they jolly well go into the sunset which was soon to be appearing.

Time to go home, thanks for looking.

nite nite, Luv Mike XX

Seaside and the Cats!

Hi folks,

on Saturday they, that is the weather people were telling us that Sunday would be a right off so after the bridge naming we shot off to the seaside. Down the A2 we trundled and headed into Seasalter which is next to Whitstable and a walk along the seafront.

First off we spotted the Thames Barge on it's return trip back to Faversham going past the forts. It was a bit far away and the sun was affecting the image giving it a shimmer. Well that's my excuse.

I thought about a theme for the afternoon and decided on posts, well there is a lot of them at the seaside propping up the groynes.

This one was nice with a variety of plants around it's base.

This one had it's own decoration.

Well we were getting bored with posts so we went in the cafe for a cup of tea and a piece of bread pudding, lovely it was too.

As we left the cafe we noticed the tide was fast coming in and the was a lot of activity in the yacht club, they had raised the Jolly Roger so it looked like some action was about to start.

I'm not a chauvinist but I must say the girls on the beach certainly worked hard getting the boats ready.

Here's a bloke checking the ropes before they set sail.

That's right girl, get your back into it and get those wheels back up the beach..

Just to please you women, she is still at it whilst he seems to be doing the easy work.

It took and hour and a quarter for them to get launched but it was worth it, pop back tomorrow to see the spectacle on the sea.

Thanks for looking.

nite nite, Luv Mike XX

The Quays, Chatham Maritime.

Hi folks,

thought I would just play around with my post processing programme and try to straighten these towers up. Under normal view with the eye they would lean and with a camera lens the distortion would be even greater.

These two towers would normally have the tops pulling together but with this bit of kit in the computer I can make them straight, does it look right?

The top of the tower is the same as the bottom, that's wrong.

Again the tower is straight.

Well that's the end of my obsession to straighten them.

A few shots of one of the boats nearby.

Now would you believe the last one I didn't correct, it was just at a different angle and I was standing on a bank a bit higher up.

These were taken before the bridge naming ceremony on Saturday and before the rains came, hope you like them.

Thanks for dropping by.

nite nite, Luv Mike XX with his new nearly £17 keyboard.

Daisy came to visit

Hi folks,

well what a Sunday we had, Sue, Claire, Ian, Daisy and I were all going to take a picnic to Capstone park to see the kites but the weather put pay to that. Not deterred we had lunch here and enjoyed the families company whilst the rain came down.

Daisy is now at school and starts full time tomorrow and as we are going away, time was even more precious and her visits less frequent.

She spent some time with her sketch pad drawing a "Monster".

Close up of the drawing done in her own hand as Daddy has been giving her instruction on how to draw. Note the arms sticking out of it's head.

Here he is after some tuition having a well earned rest.

Mummy catching up on all the news.

Just a note, Daisy took all the pictures except the two with her in them, what a clever girl.

Well that's the end of another week but not to long before the holiday.

Thanks for looking.

Ps mus  pick up a new keyboard  omorrow, his one keeps loosing i ,s TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT's

nite nite, Luv Mike XX

Naming of the St Mary's Island Bridge.

Hi folks,
something special for you today, amongst all the rushing about on a Saturday morning, a ceremony was about to take place at the bridge which was once a lifting one but is now fixed shut. The Bridge joins St. Mary's Island to the mainland.

The lady Sea scouts were in attendance, I caught them having a joke before the proceedings.

Stand by, the Guard of Honour was about to arrive before the special guest.

Here he comes, 20 minutes late, bless him, Cdr Simon Huntington who was in charge of HMS Chatham during her final visit to Medway in November 2010.

Flags being lowered during the ceremony, with Naval War Veterans in attendance.

Speeches before renaming the bridge, HMS Chatham.

Well this was what it was all about.

One of the many Naval War Veterans.

Finally on of my favourites, this young lass as part of the guard of honour.

Well that over we headed for Boomers the local shop for a drink.

Thanks for looking.
nite nite, Luv Mike XX