Friday, August 28, 2020

IN PRAISE OF LONG PAINTERS, CROCS, ISLANDS AND POHUTUKAWAS

If you look closely you can see that 'Scout' has a very long painter. Today it came in very useful.

"Why is the skipper looking so happy?" I hear you ask. Because he's sailing of course!

Today I did two circumnavigations of Limestone Island, stopping off on the way to check on the 20 plus Phohutukawa trees that I helped plant and maintain a few years ago. The wind was around 4 knots, gusting to 7 which made for very pleasant sailing conditions.

On the low lying island opposite Limestone Island I tied 'Scout' to a large white steel pole with the boats long and very useful painter.

With incoming tide there was no chance of 'Scout' being left high and dry. So I put on my ubiquitous Crocs which were made for boating but not for walking in sand which irritatingly seems to find its way into the shoes with a vengeance. But I put up with the sand to protect my feet.

I was glad to see the Pohutukawa trees doing so well. They were luxuriantly green and healthy. Ten of the twenty original trees have survived.

Limestone Island is a bird sanctuary with a permanent caretaker living on the island. On the second circumnavigation I sailed close to the shore. It was heartening to hear the calls of a number of native birds.

In the distance is the remnants of the old brick works that was active on the island in the early part of last century.

Voyage completed and back at the launching ramp. Limestone Island in the distance.

4 comments:

Bursledon Blogger said...

Looks like a near perfect day out

Alden Smith said...

Yes Max, one of those rare winter days with no rain and a reasonable amount of sun.

Steve-the-Wargamer said...

I love my Crocs.. my wife just raises her eyebrows when I am seen in them... :o)

Alden Smith said...

Yes, I love my Crocs too. They make so much sense around water. They have good cushioning soles and are easy to slip on and off. My wife also has eyebrow raising propensities (the reason are legion) but not about Crocs. Lately I have been getting veritable panzer eyebrow attacks through my wearing of track pants. She tells me that only old people wear track pants with the frequency I do. My reply is that at 69 years of age I AM old - ish.