Wednesday, August 05, 2009

Sailing in the Scillies

While over in the Scilly Isles we hired a Wayfarer for a day, and it was a lovely place to sail.

On the more sheltered north-east side of the islands you are protected from the Atlantic swell that can be seen breaking on the reefs further out. And on the Saturday the weather was just right - a gentle 15 knots of wind under blue skies turning the sea a translucent turquoise.

In the picture above you can see the "we're on holiday we'll de-rig the boat later" approach we took around lunch time. In fact there was a half a plan to sail again in the afternoon but was put off having soaked one set of clothes diving for a missing shackle and the key crewing nephew had other plans.

But in the morning we had a lot of fun!

4 comments:

O Docker said...

The isles certainly look pleasant enough.

But every time I see that name, I can't help but think it was invented by John Cleese.

Carol Anne said...

The main thing I know about the Scilly Isles is that they're supposed to be a great place for bird-watching.

Shortly before I left to spend a year in England, I had had a discussion with my friends about what the most boring televised sport was, baseball or golf. Then I arrived in England and thought I had a winner -- cricket test matches, which go on for days and are even slower-moving than baseball.

Then I found out that bird-watching in the Scilly Isles was a televised sport. Now, THAT'S slow-moving.

I do have to agree with O Docker that the name makes me think of John Cleese every time I hear it.

JP said...

O Docker - yup, lots of silly talk over the weekend. My uncle got a bag that had "Don't be Scilly - Recycle!" on it.

Carol Anne - cricket boring? Perish the thought!

Ok, fair comment, though don't say it too loudly.

More on silly wild life and sports to come.....

Pat said...

Let's see ... is cricket the one where people bring picnic hampers and watch grass grow around a wicket?