Where are you good people walking DURING the week?

[richardh1905]

Gorgeous sunset, buzyg

[BuzyG]

It certainly was

My WhatsApp was on fire and the Plymouth ramblers fb page were full of amazing photos. I was on the cliffs at Otterton point so it stretched across a wide area of the south west. Just fabulous.                 

Plenty of sky there to share such a wonderful sight.   

What a contrast Fur tor was the following evening and no surprise, no one there to share it with.  Yet magical in it's own way for exactly that reason.

One last picture from Thursday, before it is left to fade into memory.

[GnP]

A gorgeous sunset captured. 

[richardh1905]

Reminds me of some of the sunsets that we enjoyed in Orkney. I remember one in particular, viewed from the deck of the Shetland Ferry as it approached Orkney at around 11pm one summer evening....

[Warbler]

Had a local stroll along the shore of Southampton Water today. As I was walking close to the water at Weston Shore I heard a very unfamiliar sound, and it was getting louder by the second. I turned around and spotted this Royal Marines hovercraft heading toward the shore, and pretty soon it had beached, right beside the waterside path.
Four chaps donned in battle fatigues hopped out onto the shingle, had a quick conflab, re-embarked, and then they were gone.








Not what one would expect see on a mundane Tuesday morning local walk 

[Bigfoot_Mike]

That’s an interesting thing to see, Warbler. I remember Weston Shore well from my youth, but never saw any hovercrafts landing there. I did regularly see them on the Southampton side of the floating bridge departing to and arriving from the Isle of Wight. I never had the chance of travelling on them, but have gone to the Isle of Wight by Red Funnel Ferry, hydrofoil and yacht.


I have since visited some better beaches than Weston Shore, but back then it was the only beach we could walk to and my parents didn’t have a car.

[Dodgylegs]

Seeing a Hovercraft always brings back memories...


Went to Spa Francorchamps for F1 weekend, long time ago... it was Michael Schumachers first ever F1 win!


The hovercraft came into the never to be forgot memory on the return trip across the Channel...


Captain had a tricky decision to make as sea was rough.... oh and hovercraft had lost one of it's bank of engines!


He decided to go for it as there was only a few passengers and home port was where he needed to be.


As might be imagined there was a lot of loud noises and banging with massive vibrations as he fought the conditions.


I tried to just read a book to keep my mind away from any possible disaster, unfortunately I ran out of pages so just read the last one over and over until calm waters were reached.


Never had the opportunity to go on another Hovercraft since!

[BuzyG]

Had a local stroll along the shore of Southampton Water today. As I was walking close to the water at Weston Shore I heard a very unfamiliar sound, and it was getting louder by the second. I turned around and spotted this Royal Marines hovercraft heading toward the shore, and pretty soon it had beached, right beside the waterside path.
Four chaps donned in battle fatigues hopped out onto the shingle, had a quick conflab, re-embarked, and then they were gone.








Not what one would expect see on a mundane Tuesday morning local walk 

Well snapped sir.  I would love to know what they where up to.


Is that the front of a landing craft in the aback ground? Or just my brain playing tricks.

[Warbler]

Well snapped sir.  I would love to know what they where up to.


Is that the front of a landing craft in the aback ground? Or just my brain playing tricks.

I'd also love to know what they where up to, and where they came from. I'm not aware of an RM base anywhere close by.
 
A few weeks ago a local character mentioned to me he'd heard of immigrant landings in the area, so that could have something to do with it. However, said character is well known for his fabricated tales 


Oh....and I think your brain is playing tricks.

[Dodgylegs]

I'd also love to know what they where up to, and where they came from. I'm not aware of an RM base anywhere close by.

In an attempt to find something, discovered Elite UK Forces site.


They state:-
'539 Assault Squadron Royal Marines (539 ASRM) provide 3 Commando Brigade (3 Cdo Bde) with an amphibious capability. The unit specialises in small boat operations. Their role is to deliver Royal Marine raidng parties onto land from water and to carry out patrols on the sea and along waterways. Based in Devonport Naval Base.'

[Warbler]

In an attempt to find something, discovered Elite UK Forces site.


They state:-
'539 Assault Squadron Royal Marines (539 ASRM) provide 3 Commando Brigade (3 Cdo Bde) with an amphibious capability. The unit specialises in small boat operations. Their role is to deliver Royal Marine raidng parties onto land from water and to carry out patrols on the sea and along waterways. Based in Devonport Naval Base.'

That's interesting. Thanks for taking the time to look it up.

[BuzyG]

In an attempt to find something, discovered Elite UK Forces site.


They state:-
'539 Assault Squadron Royal Marines (539 ASRM) provide 3 Commando Brigade (3 Cdo Bde) with an amphibious capability. The unit specialises in small boat operations. Their role is to deliver Royal Marine raidng parties onto land from water and to carry out patrols on the sea and along waterways. Based in Devonport Naval Base.'

Yes indeed. They are based about 800 yards from our office in Devonport.  We see them playing at Tregantle Fort.  Still love to know what they were up to in Southampton water.

[Bigfoot_Mike]

The SBS are a bit closer to Southampton than Devonport. Perhaps it was an exercise. Southampton Water has a major refinery and an oil terminal. The is also the docks and Marchwood military port. When I lived in Southampton we got used to the sound of Chinooks flying overhead. The double rotors were quite distinctive.

[BuzyG]

Went of in search of snow on Dartmoor this afternoon and found more than I was expecting.  How quickly you forget how hard it is to walk between tussocks when the gaps are filled in with soft fluffy snow. I met a couple heading out towards Cranmere Pool and planning to wild camp.  Not sure tonight was a good night to choose.   The next person I met was Nordic skiing. Another fun day up on the moors. 

[Mel]

Dropped my car off for its MOT this morning and headed into town to do my Xmas shopping.  I racked up a quite amazing 5.8 miles which really surprised me.  It was blummin’ cold though.  Got talking to a guy selling The Big Issue – they’re struggling because nobody carries cash anymore.  Managed to avoid talking to another guy ranting about Covid and Brexit to nobody in particular.  Heard the “F” word 26 times and the “C” word (and I don’t mean covid, christmas or cancer) once.  Found a riverside path I’ve not walked down before, aaaand I won’t be walking down it again..that’s for sure!  There was a stall on the outdoor market that had a load of what looked like codpieces hung up – turned out they were face masks.
 
Anyway, that’s all my Xmas shopping done now.  Just got to wrap it and put it in solitary confinement.
 
.. And my car passed its MOT