Well, its been 5 or 6 days since I've written. I was totally disconnected for most of that time visiting the seaside village of Watchet. It sits on the Bristol Channel. Across the water about 17 miles is Wales. It was a really cute little town set up right along the sea, so close they had to build big walls to keep the high tide waves at bay.
The Gazzards (whom I am staying with, Robert and Lilla and Lucy) got us all packed up in the family van and off we went (Lilla stayed home in the end). We were staying with Roberts mum and dad. Anne and David. They have a cute little flat right up against that sea wall so they have a view of the channel out each window. It was great! In the photo they are 2nd white flat from the right of the pink one.
I am not sure where to start. I guess I'll just cover the highlights. I kept a few notes in my journal of some of the things I didn't want to forget. When we first arrived David told me that the waves used to crash up on the house and so they would keep these metal grids over the windows to keep the rocks from breaking the glass. You see when the tide goes out the whole place is rocky and muddy, no real sand to speak of. When the tide comes in or goes out you can hear the rocks grinding on one another. Just like back home in spring time when the streams are really flowing you can hear the rocks moving.
I went for a walk with David and Anne and their insanly bad mannered dog to a place called Kilve beach. It was fantastic! You park next to this really amazing house (castle sized to me) and then walk between the wheat fields to get to the sea side where you circle back, anyways, very pretty walk for sure. It was nice!
I didn't end up sleeping on the boat. I stayed at the house and slept in a terrific little bed all the way at the top of the flat. I read the entire book "Shrimpy" very good book I recommend it! I also finished Tony's book he lent me "Trade Wind Hitchers"
I walked around town a little bit by myself. Not much to it, didn't take long. I did notice more disgusting scary teeth in Watchet, more than I've seen anywhere else. People always said the English didn't have nice teeth but I haven't really found that to be true until now. Amazing! And Yikes!
The town put on a carnival Sunday (rain or shine they said...they must have known what was coming because it poured rain all day Sunday!!) the carnival included a parade through town and a big Fete up in the park above town. It was great! These people poured their hearts out into these floats adn they were dancing and all dressed up and it was fantastic! I'm actually really serious about it too, they really did a great job. Mostly American music I'll add :)
A few days into the whole weekend I started to panic about the sunshine. Where the heck is it? Blech!!
Friday and Monday both days Robert and David and I attempted to take the boat out for some good hours of sailing only to be met outside the harbour with big seas and high wind. Since the boat is only 18 feet long and Robert had two novice sailors onboard we didn't go very far out either time and came back around and headed home. What a bummer. Not only do you fight the wind and rain (which we had) and the waves but the tide is unbelievably strong there too. How frustrating. You really are at the mercy of the sea. I did really really love going up to the front of the boat in the wind and waves and struggling to take the jib down! (that is the front sail) It was great. Bouncing around trying to tie it down and all while barely hanging on. It was awesome! The second time I went to do it it was really wild and I had to put the tie downs in my teeth so I could use both hands to tie up the sail. So much for germophobe! It was great! The boat would go way up in the air and then I'd feel it go way back down, I kept waiting for the next wave to wash up where I was but it never hit the boat like that. It was great fun, very challenging!
Robert did take the time to teach me some knots and quiz me too and also taught me how to start the engine etc so i would know in case. It was great.
One day Robert drove me up to a place called Minehead which is just another town up the seaside and it was a nice walk around. Felt like a really modern place, they had changed the store fronts and dressed it up more than some towns do it was weird.
I went into the church there and you would not believe it...it had a huge sliding glass door! An old church!!? I mean, really?! And all the old chandeliers had energy efficient bulbs in them! ( Fine, use them but cover them up, they are ugly!) it was really a shock. I didn't like it. I like the old dark damp smelling churches personally! Call me crazy (American)
The best place I saw the whole trip was a place called Dunster village. It was really cool. Nestled into a really pretty bunch of hills and next to a huge castle and I think it was my favorite. Goes to show my internal debate really does exist sea vs. mountains.
So now I am back home. I've done my work for today. I sanded down this big wooden bench and put a coat of primer on it. Tomorrow it will be red! So, I'm learning some things as I go. Which is good. Still not sure what the future will hold.
Rob called from Wales, he is having a great time and will be home Sunday some time. We'll see how long he is around this time. He does stay busy. Tony is volunteering on his tall ship right now, sounds like he is having a great time too.
I think I had more to say but this is really long enough now. Photos above are pretty simple. Watchet Harbour, me on the boat (called Phoenix) and the countryside where we walked the dog. Lucy, Jeanette and Robert on Phoenix heading out of the harbor.
The tale of the boat goes that Robert was looking for a wooden boat to burn in their annual family bonfire so he bid on this boat on Ebay and paid 123 pounds for it. When he got it he discovered it wasn't wood and was in better shape than the one he has now so he put it in the water after all that. Pretty funny.
Later,
K
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