Eccentric Man - Groundhogs (Revisited)

 My chest is a 36, my overcoat is for a 42.
My trousers end 6 inches from the ground, 3 inches from my shoe,
Tied up with a piece of string and held together with fish-bone glue.

 Call me an Eccentric Man, I don't believe I am!

No one said being of 'no fixed abode', a 'tax exile' and 'without possesions' was going to be easy but the truth of the matter is the ramifications are already creeping up on me. Unfortunately, after a fantastic 5 months, it is now becoming clear that there are things that 'must' be done rather than doing just what the hell I like. To that end I fear the Blog is going to have to take some of the brunt as on the face of it there will be little time to publish a 'daily' post or for that matter find material. As from today (and hopefully for a limited time only) it will become more of a periodic on an 'as and when' basis, or simply one 'weekly' issue. Wednesday's have historically seen the highest number of readers, so at the very least we should be able to publish on that day.

Anyroadup, since my return there has been opportunity for a couple of 'birding' forays which have been moderately successful with

COOT

CANADA GOOSE

GREAT CRESTED GREBE

and GOLDFINCH

added to the initial dozen spotted in the English Channel. Those thus far not photographed include BLACK-HEADED and HERRING GULL, PEREGRINE, CARRION CROW, WOOD PIGEON, OYSTERCATCHER, LITTLE EGRET, GREAT and BLUE TIT, HOUSE SPARROW, FERAL PIGEON, SONG THRUSH, BLACKBIRD, SPARROWHAWK, ROOK, WREN, CHAFFINCH, CHIFFCHAFF, BLACKCAP, RAVEN, MAGPIE, DARTFORD WARBLER, NIGHTINGALE, ROBIN, JACKDAW, SEDGE WARBLER, STOCK DOVE, MALLARD, GREENFINCH, SHELDUCK, JAY, CORMORANT, MOORHEN, LAPWING, CETTI'S WARBLER, GADWALL, REDSHANK, COMMON WHITETHROAT, SHOVELER, TEAL, DUNNOCK, CUCKOO, RINGED PLOVER, TURNSTONE, GREEN WOODPECKER, SANDWICH TERN, TUFTED DUCK, HOUSE MARTIN, LITTLE GREBE,

 If ever I want to I can have the comfort of my country home.
But until that time I'm quite content to have walls made of gravestones,
  A carpet of moss, a ceiling of sky and a brown rat for a watch-dog.

Call me an Eccentric Man, I don't believe I am!

PEACOCK BUTTERFLY

COLLARED DOVE

WHIMBREL

MUTE SWAN

PHEASANT, GARDEN WARBLER, PIED WAGTAIL,

SMALL TORTOISHELL BUTTERFLY

COMMON BUZZARD

MAGNOLIA

COMMON KESTREL - bringing the Year Total to 73.

My bed is a park bench and my sheet and blankets are newspaper pages.
The people think I'm crazy, but I know I'm wiser than all the sages,
'Cos I have money they think that I'm a fool for doing what I do, but I know it's right.
Call me an Eccentric Man, I don't believe I am!
Eccentric Man - Groundhogs 

Lionheart - Kate Bush

The Captain's Farewell Cocktail Party and Dinner had been moved back one night due to the increasing sea state, so safe in the calmer waters of the English Channel the revelers gathered.

Ukrainian Captain Alex Tkachuk welcomes his guests,

after which I had chance to say my final farewell
to my new found shipmate and ex
Chief Gunnery Instructor Royal Navy Kevin (Flash) Gordon.

Only 9 of the 450+ passengers were invited to dine at
The Captain's Table
of which I was one.

Intrigued about the 'selection process' it turned out that the Captain
selects 'interesting only' with a Marine background also helping
(their words not mine). It was a great privilege to be there

Oh England my Lionheart 

 Peter Pan steals the kids in Kensington Park

  You read me Shakespeare on the Rolling Thames

  That old river pool where that never, ever ends

  Our thumping hearts hold the Ravens in

  Keep the tower from tumbling

Well, that's that over and done with, arriving at Spit Head at 07:00.

Ryde, Isle of Wight

M/V Voyager arrived at Spit Head, the confluence of the Solent and Portsmouth Harbour, at 08:00 this morning and with the Pilot embarked started the passage to our berth at Flathouse Quay some 4 miles to the north.

Low Water Spring Tide and the first reminiscence was the 'mud' off of Ryde Pier. As a 15 years old Boy Seaman we left HMS St Vincent in a Sailing Whaler under the commend of a Leading Seaman and soon anchoring at this location. Just a short paddle to shore we were soon enjoying the delights of the Isle of Wight but returned to find the boat over on its keel and the sea nowhere to be seen. With no radio communication we were soon reported missing with a search aircraft and Lifeboat being launched. Perhaps no need to mention the bollocking that followed.

 HORSE SAND FORT

SPITSAND FORT

Having been my Home Port for most of the 60's, some of the 70's and many, many visits thereafter there was much nostalgia during this short run.

SOUTHSEA COMMON

which for reasons not to be reveled always puts me in mind of

See My Baby Jive - Wizzard

FORT BLOCKHOUSE

and the old HMS DOLPHIN

home of the 1st Submarine Squadron

in which I served for 5 years.

The 100 foot Submarine Escape Training Tower.

Every Submariner was required to undertake 3 x 30 foot escapes, 1 x 50 foot, 1 x 100 foot in 'escape suit' and 1 x 100 foot 'free accent' (one breath of air).

The GOSPORT FERRY

aka Seagoing Jesus Boot (sandal)

HMS WARRIOR

a fabulous part of the Portsmouth Maritime Museum

a 'not to be missed experience'.

French Navy Hydrographic Research Vessel FS LAPLACE

c4 of the new generation 'Stealth Destroyers' of the

'Daring Class' were alongside.

HMS EDINBURGH and HMS ARK ROYAL (background)

The Destroyer HMS BRISTOL now used as a 

Seamanship Training School.

then back into the same berth we left on 04/12/2012

Cargos - John Masefield

Dirty British coaster with a salt-caked smoke stack,
Butting through the Channel in the mad March days,
With a cargo of Tyne coal,
Road-rails, pig-lead,
Firewood, iron-ware, and cheap tin trays.

The alarm didn't sound this morning so was a little late 'on watch' this morning as the ship passed a point 40 miles south of the Scilly Isles so geographically well placed to start the GB Year List. 

Coffee in hand while still partly under the cover of darkness

these c16 GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULLs

were first on the 2013 List.

As we continued up the English Channel the first ship of the day

was spotted, a Ferry of sorts,

followed by a brace of GUILLEMOTs.

NORTHERN GANNET was soon to follow

with 200+ seen before close of play.

MANX SHEARWATER numbers only reached 6,

as another c4 GREAT BLACK-BACKs joined the previous 16.

 

 

GREAT SKUA numbers only just reached double figures

as GANNETs started to get bolder

as a lone ARCTIC SKUA hurried past.

c3 NORTHERN FULMAR joined the throng just after 

midday as did Lesser Black-backed Gull, Kittiwake,

Sooty Shearwater, Razorbill and Swallow that didn't

fall to the camera.

Quinquireme of Nineveh from distant Ophir,
Rowing home to haven in sunny Palestine,
With a cargo of ivory, apes and peacocks,
sandalwood, cedarwood, and sweet white wine.
Stately Spanish galleon coming from the Isthmus,
Dipping through the Tropics by the palm-green shores,
With a cargo of diamonds,
emeralds, amethysts,
topazes, and cinnamon, and gold moidores.