Oh For A Life On The Rolling Sea

Given the day and the date, it's a little uncanny that Gibraltar should join the readership (as the 152 country to do so) on this of all days. I have lost count of the number of times we made 'landfall' off 'The Rock', followed by the continued hospitality most mariners enjoyed as result of a visit to this most famous harbour and naval Base. A huge welcome and hope, if you enjoy the read, you will pass the link to all other Gibraltarians.

The coincidence arises as I reach the 50th Anniversary of passing through this gateway at HMS St Vincent, Gosport, Hants on joining the Royal Navy. At the tender age of just 15 years and 50 days I embarked on my most life changing experience, a career at sea that lasted 48 years, and cannot think of a better way to have made a living.

Bell-bottom trousers, coat of navy blue.
Let him climb the rigging, as his Daddy used to do!

My fist ship, albeit for a short 2 months, HM Minesweeper Wilton. From there, I joined

the Type 14 'Blackwood Class' (all named after Admiral Nelson's Sea captains) Frigate HMS Keppel on the Fishery Protection Squadron. Not at all a comfortable sea going vessel, we spent most of that years service inside the Arctic Circle and other northerly latitudes. The real godsend was most of the sleeping arrangements were 'hammocks'.

The following 2½ years, by sharp contrast, were spent on the Persian Gulf Squadron in HMS Eskimo one of half a dozen Tribal Class Frigates 'built for purpose'. This was a commission full of great adventures, not least

assisting with the pull out of Aden, Yemen. It was also to provide me with the most indelible view of anywhere on earth as I went to bed under the cover of dark and woke to the sight of the paradise Island of Mahė, Seychelles. With no airport in those days, we had the place to ourselves and got a real taste of what Captain Cook's crew may have experienced.

HMS Undaunted came next, showing me the less glamorous side if the RN, as 'senior ship' of the 2nd Frigate (Training) Squadron at Portland, Dorset. There followed a dramatic career change as a number of us volunteered to join the Submarine Service.

There followed a arduous spell of training at HMS Dolphin the Submarine Training Base in Gosport, Hants including several runs through the 100 foot 'escape Tank'. From there HMS/M Tiptoe, the oldest Submarine in the RN at the time, was my new home for 6 months before

completing a full year on the Ampheon Class 'boat' HMS/M Alcide, which in turn was to be her last months in service.

'Spare Crew' in the Submarine Base was the springboard for Peir-head Jumps, the colloquial term for having to relieve a colleague at short notice on sea-going commitments, serving short periods in a number of 'boats' as a result. Of these HMS/M Ocelot the most frequent and for a while thought I was permanent crew.

By now my service in the RN was reaching an end but there was still time to serve in HMS/M Porpoise before my demob and starting a new lease of life in the Merchant Marine.

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Of all my years on the Ocean Waves my fondest memories are for the Submarine Service where only very few ports were visited, but it was a most exciting way of life if you 'fitted the bill'!

The annual Submarine Reunions were an ideal way of reliving these years, while meeting new shipmates (here Sam Dodds, who I didn't know in the service turned out to be almost a neighbour living just a short distance from me),

refreshing the taste buds with a drop of Grog and seeing old shipmates.

Local man Sid Dolton was in 'boats' long before I but we served for a number of years together in Ocean salvage Tugs. Bless you Sid wherever you are.

Former Alcidians Billy Gibson and Charlie Peace - see you both next time!

Flag Officer Submarines 2001

From 1971 to 1990 I served in a whole list of different types of vessel, when in that year another career break saw me join Semi-submersible Oil Rigs in the North Sea. All of that is a story for another day!

Reference yesterday's Bees, John Gifford gave the wrong telephone number, it is
01305 813736

I-Spy - Pulp

Compared to the rest of the Dorset Coastal Path, my track today was but a small part but none the less interesting for all that.

The full length of The Fleet Lagoon runs from Ferrybridge in the east, a full 18 miles to Burton Bradstock in the west with my starting point being the quaint village of

The sun had once again given way to complete cloud cover and with a stiff south westerly breeze foiling over the Chesil Beech, like the wing of a Boeing 737, it was no less chilly. Just before entering the village and looking towards Abbotsbury in the west, Herring Gull, Common Starling, Magpie, Jackdaw, Wood & Feral Pigeon, Carrion Crow, Pheasant, Swallow plus Common Whitethroat started off the day list.

This is such a pleasing part of the world not only for the splendid views, more enjoyable on a clear day, but its diversity of habitats. Decent sized tracts of woodland pepper mile after mile of arable and pasture land, many well appointed gardens in the hamlet, unending sea coast and the less saline Fleet are just part of this magic place.

What historically has always been a 'good pub' still stands at the centre of this tiny community while as well as fine ale and good grub it has seen some notoriety. During the late 50's Harry Houghton and Ethel Gee, later to become known as the Portland Spy Ring, hatched their plots to pass secrets on to the People's Republic of Poland in The Elm Tree pub. They were both given a 15 years prison sentence in 1961.

There were a number of additions here as Common Starling, House Martin, Chaffinch, Collared Dove,Black-headed Gull and a 'calling' Yellow Wagtail entered the log.

In the garden of Langton Cottage Willow Warbler, Wren along with Great & Blue Tit were seen,

and in the nearby fields adjoining the fleet there were a flock of

Rooks, the first 2 Mammals by way of Roe Deer and Rabbit, a Jay, Common Buzzard, Chiffchaff, 2 Raven and a Green Woodpecker. There is a choice of 2 tracks here to the waterside, and luckily I took the first. No more than a few paces across the field a flock of Linnet with a few House Sparrows took to the air in alarm and arrival of a Merlin. This tiny raptor didn't stop, but in its wake it also left fleeing Stock Dove and Greenfinch while I happened on a hedgerow full of ripe Plums. A great addition to breakfast to come, I was already re-sharpening my pencil in anticipation of the wealth of Wildfowl to come at

Rodden Hive - I need not have bothered. Great disappointment, as even armed with the trusty Mighty Midget telescope all that could be seen were a few each of Wigeon, Teal, Mallard. Gadwall and Coot, not a Wader or heron in sight!

West Fleet from Rodden Hive.

Walking toward this sign post at the Langton Slipway Dunnock, Mute Swan and

Red-legged Partridge were added to the list, but at

Herbury Gore, where again great things were expected, nothing happened except for a lone Wheatear.

Shaping up for the Moonfleet Manor Hotel there was a family party of Stonechat, but the

real bonus was a family of Chinese People. The lady centre, who lives in London, is flanked by her parents over from Shanghai on a holiday. It always gives me such pleasure to welcome people from other lands as I get such warm welcomes when travelling myself. We talk for a time about my 2 visits to their country and their visit to mine then parting company all the better for the meeting. Please continue to enjoy England.

There are still at least 3 Grey Partridge in the field between East Fleet Farm and this

Race Horse training Track. I have never seen this in use but guess it is as

it was being raked as I passed this morning.

In or on the Fleet looking towards the Bridging Camp were Great Crested & Little grebe, Great Black-backed Gull, Grey Heron, Goldcrest, Little Egret, 2 squawking Peregrines, only one Pied Wagtail (all day), Curlew, Blackbird, Oystercatcher.Kestrel, Skylark, Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Long-tailed Tit plus

3 'first winter' Mediterranean Gulls which brought the birding to and end with a total of 60 species.

There were a few Frisians heifers in the field leading to Fleet Village

as Moonfleet Church came into view.

There I met another 2 lovely people visiting the County from neighbouring Hampshire. Unfortunately they had left their camera at the camp site, but 'never fear, Bagsy's here', it won't be difficult to send a couple of shots via e-mail will it?

and finally, I received this e-mail from my mate John Gifford which may be of interest to the Apiarists among you:-

Lately there have quite a few dead or comatose worker bumble bees just past the bridge on Icen Lane, Upwey, and today there is at least 10 and a large wasp, all within 20ft of each other, @ 16.30 today, and that's just on one side of the lane.

Would any of your contacts be interested, and if so please pass info on, plus my details if would be helpful. Landline No. 01305 813736.

A Quiet Day At The Office II

By recent standards, today has been fairly quiet but after something of a chilly start the became 'hot' the first time for a while.

Even at 06:30 the Grey Squirrels were already chasing each other around the cemetery, but that was all there was to see.

Across the road, Radipole remains 'muddy' and still holding some of the Waders of the past couple of days including Little Ringed Plover, Black-tailed Godwit and Dunlin. Waterfowl numbers now seem to be on the increase and while Mallard predominate, Shoveler have reached double figures.

The Brown rat of yesterday was still scavenging at the Visitor's Centre, but it wasn't the only one. This juv/first winter Herring Gull was making a meal of a dead adult bird showing no signs of cause of death.

Water Rail were also making their presence 'heard' with 2 venturing out of the reeds, and there were a couple at Lodmoor too later in the morning. Talking of which it was soon time to walk there stopping as I did to check out this

rather nice Daimler Dart sports car parked at the railway Station.

On the Moor, Red & Greenshank quickly showed themselves as did a few Dunlin, Common Sandpiper, a single Ringed Plover plus 3 Sandwich Tern.

Good numbers of Migrant Hawker Dragonflies were also on the wing

but unusually only one Little Egret was seen today.

Walking north along Beachdown Way the reed-beds to the west seemed full of Bearded Tit and for the first time this week both Reed and Sedge Warblers were recorded.

Snowberry has also appeared along the hedgerows, but this is a popular garden shrub from the Americas that has escaped to the wild.