Sunset over Lesley

We were away at the coast again at the weekend and are just about settled in to our caravan.

The highlights of the weekend were the full moon on Saturday and the low tides and sunsets on Sunday and Monday evenings.

You also you meet some very strange people on the beach!

The low tides were apparently exceptional, and, as reported in the Daily Mail:

“Coastguards at the Needles, on the western side of the Isle of Wight, dealt with five ships in distress at the same time.

Among them was the 2,900 tonne cargo ship Paula-C, on its way to Cowes with a crew of nine. They were forced to wait for a high tide to lift them clear of a shingle bank.

A coastguard spokesman said a 25 foot yacht had also run aground and three other vessels were also marooned by the unexpected turn of events.

He said: ‘We checked them all and there were no injuries, just some surprise at being caught out like this. Blame it on the Moon.’”

However, the full moon on Saturday night, wasn’t just any old full moon. It appeared much larger and brighter than usual as it made its closest approach to Earth in 18 years.

Scientists estimate that the “supermoon” was 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter at its peak.

Full moons vary in size because of the oval shape of its orbit. On Saturday, the moon was 221,565 miles away — the closest to Earth since 1992.

This type of full moon tends to bring a range of high and low tides, but experts say that’s nothing to worry about. Nor, apparently, is there any truth to the superstition that supermoons cause natural disasters.

Try telling that to the Japanese!

‘Oh swear not by the moon, the fickle moon, the inconstant moon, that monthly changes in her circle orb,’ wrote Shakespeare in the 16th century, reflecting his long-held fascination with the cycles of our nearest satellite.

I think he was spot on.

On a lighter note, our daughter Karen and her family visited us at the caravan last weekend and our eldest grandson, Ryan aged 7, on seeing the sign “Welcome to Selsey” decided he would call the town Lesley.

No, he is not dyslectic; he just has a good sense of humour, (sometimes), and perhaps he will go on to be a future Countdown champion.

I’ll have to pass on some tips from the Welsh Bard.

Heres a shot of Janice and I having a picnic on the beach:

Off to Lesley again tomorrow for the start of the geriatric entertainment season.

Bet you wish you will be there!

Sussex by (under?) the sea

Last Tuesday, with the car loaded up to the roof, we set off for Selsey to set up shop in the new caravan.

When we arrived we found that most of what we had taken, (duvets, pillows, crockery, cutlery, saucepans, bowls, bucket, waste bin etc.), had been delivered to the van and included in the purchase price, so most of what was in the car I would be taking back home.

Moral - Read the small print!
A couple of days earlier we had watched a program on BBC2 about the storms at Selsey in 2008, which did nothing to reassure us that our little holiday home, just 2 minutes from the beach, was a good investment.

This video was taken from the costguard station, which is adjacent to the caravan park, on March 10th 2008, and yes, it was a "Stormy Monday" but according to the blues classic, "Tuesday's just as bad".

All I can say is we are fully insured.

While we were there we got down to the serious business of checking out the local hostelries and here are the results of the Farnborough jury, marked on a 1 (Undrinkable but there was a hand pump) to 9 (As good as it gets) basis. Incidentally 10 is the same as 9 except the beer is free.

Fountain Inn, Chichester

• King & Barnes Sussex Bitter - 9
• Hall & Woodhouse Badger – 6

Neptune Inn, Selsey

• Arundel Bitter – 7
• Greene King IPA – 7
• Fullers London Pride – 6

Anchor, Siddlesham

• Courage Best – 6

The Seal Hotel, Selsey

• Youngs Bitter – 8
• Greene King Abbott – 8

Ships Bar, Bunn Leisure, Selsey

• Sharpes Doombar – 8

Lifeboat Inn, Selsey

• Adnams Lighthouse – 9
• Brakspeares Bitter – 8

I think I’m going to like Selsey!

While we were in the Neptune Inn we came across the most bizarre pub competition.

It was called “The Death Race – Who’s next?”

There was a list of 40 ageing celebrities ranging from Zsar Zsar Gabor to Prince Phillip to Tom Finney and for £5 you sponsor your chosen victim - first one to pop their clogs rewards their sponsor with £200.

Exactly what happens if you, the sponsor, pop your clogs first is unclear!

Somewhat disrespectfully, I thought, Selsey’s most famous living resident, Patrick Moore, was included on the list. Perhaps he uses the Neptune and is just a good sport!

Sadly the competition was fully subscribed so I will have to wait for the next one, which looking at the list of names shouldn’t be too long.

Whilst looking down the list of entertainment at the various club houses on our site it dawned on me that “The Death Race – Who’s Next?” could equally be applied to the geriatric bunch of rockers and rollers who are appearing throughout the season.

Booked so far for a veritable wheelchair extravaganza of geriatric entertainment:

Ben E King (72)
Gary US Bonds (72)
Alan (Animals) Price (69)
John (Status Quo) Coghlan (64)
Chas (Chas & Dave) Hodges (67)
Tony Christie (68)
Alvin (Shane Fenton) Stardust (68)
The Manfreds - Paul Jones (69), Mike Da'bo (67), Tom McGuiness (69), Mike Hugg (68)
The Searchers - Johh McNally (70)
Marmalade - Graham Knight (67)
Cliff (Rebel Rouser) Bennett (71)

plus the Ivy League and The Dreamers (less Freddie of course!)

Sadly my drinking mate Jack Scott is not yet booked. I’ll have to have a word with the management.

Mind it’s not all bad. Also appearing are Brand New Heavies, Incognito and Tight Fit.

Whoever's appearing, Gary US Bonds or not, I can’t see Janice and I dancing 'till a quarter to three!