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Editor added 14 photos to Stream Photos album in Featured page 4 years ago

19th April 2021

(There are about a dozen photos but the site only shows the first five - click on any to browse through the all of them).

Spring sprung on us all of a sudden so finally there's stuff to put on the Featured pages again (small yay).

So far we've had three events - a couple of eight... Show more

19th April 2021<br /><br />(There are about a dozen photos but the site only shows the first five - click on any to browse through the all of them).<br /><br />Spring sprung on us all of a sudden so finally there's stuff to put on the Featured pages again (small yay).<br /><br />So far we've had three events - a couple of eight mile beach walks to ease in to an active summer and today a gentle and very scenic 12 mile bike ride across the AONB that is Studland, and down to South Beach.<br /><br />The ride started in Sandbanks around 11am, just as the sun was burning the morning fog off the harbour (you could hear the occasional fog horn in the night).<br /><br />Then along Banks Road past my usual fin/wade launch point - North Haven Yacht club - the boats are all coming back to roost after their landlocked winters on people's driveways and disused industrial estates.<br /><br />Obligatory shot of the ferry against a blue sky, plus a photo of the fog lifting off Studland beach whilst I did some deliberate fannying about on the Studland side to let all the cars and 'sport riders' get on their way - road to myself from then on, which worked out well as I spent some time with four [insert the type of animal here to sound knowledgeable about country matters.. ] pre-venison by Knowles Beach. They are truly well camouflaged judging by all the cars that passed by obliviously but no amount of defensive colouration covers up the sound of one of them farting - us cyclists are attuned to those kinds of things don't you know.<br /><br />Next stop was The Pig on the Beach - even more impressive than usual with a quite beautiful marquee in the garden - currently rented but it works so well and is so popular that they will probably keep it year-round. The view is as epic as ever, the hotel rooms are closed but the garden cottages are open.<br /><br />Then down to South Beach and along to the wonky turret - someone must have had a lovely war manning that!<br /><br />Finally a map of the route. I takes about two hours if you really take your time - the Bankes Arms is a good place for refreshment and the ferry is £2 return if you bring a bike - a cheap day out and always memorable.<br /><br />.. Show less 19th April 2021<br /><br />(There are about a dozen photos but the site only shows the first five - click on any to browse through the all of them).<br /><br />Spring sprung on us all of a sudden so finally there's stuff to put on the Featured pages again (small yay).<br /><br />So far we've had three events - a couple of eight mile beach walks to ease in to an active summer and today a gentle and very scenic 12 mile bike ride across the AONB that is Studland, and down to South Beach.<br /><br />The ride started in Sandbanks around 11am, just as the sun was burning the morning fog off the harbour (you could hear the occasional fog horn in the night).<br /><br />Then along Banks Road past my usual fin/wade launch point - North Haven Yacht club - the boats are all coming back to roost after their landlocked winters on people's driveways and disused industrial estates.<br /><br />Obligatory shot of the ferry against a blue sky, plus a photo of the fog lifting off Studland beach whilst I did some deliberate fannying about on the Studland side to let all the cars and 'sport riders' get on their way - road to myself from then on, which worked out well as I spent some time with four [insert the type of animal here to sound knowledgeable about country matters.. ] pre-venison by Knowles Beach. They are truly well camouflaged judging by all the cars that passed by obliviously but no amount of defensive colouration covers up the sound of one of them farting - us cyclists are attuned to those kinds of things don't you know.<br /><br />Next stop was The Pig on the Beach - even more impressive than usual with a quite beautiful marquee in the garden - currently rented but it works so well and is so popular that they will probably keep it year-round. The view is as epic as ever, the hotel rooms are closed but the garden cottages are open.<br /><br />Then down to South Beach and along to the wonky turret - someone must have had a lovely war manning that!<br /><br />Finally a map of the route. I takes about two hours if you really take your time - the Bankes Arms is a good place for refreshment and the ferry is £2 return if you bring a bike - a cheap day out and always memorable.<br /><br />.. Show less 19th April 2021<br /><br />(There are about a dozen photos but the site only shows the first five - click on any to browse through the all of them).<br /><br />Spring sprung on us all of a sudden so finally there's stuff to put on the Featured pages again (small yay).<br /><br />So far we've had three events - a couple of eight mile beach walks to ease in to an active summer and today a gentle and very scenic 12 mile bike ride across the AONB that is Studland, and down to South Beach.<br /><br />The ride started in Sandbanks around 11am, just as the sun was burning the morning fog off the harbour (you could hear the occasional fog horn in the night).<br /><br />Then along Banks Road past my usual fin/wade launch point - North Haven Yacht club - the boats are all coming back to roost after their landlocked winters on people's driveways and disused industrial estates.<br /><br />Obligatory shot of the ferry against a blue sky, plus a photo of the fog lifting off Studland beach whilst I did some deliberate fannying about on the Studland side to let all the cars and 'sport riders' get on their way - road to myself from then on, which worked out well as I spent some time with four [insert the type of animal here to sound knowledgeable about country matters.. ] pre-venison by Knowles Beach. They are truly well camouflaged judging by all the cars that passed by obliviously but no amount of defensive colouration covers up the sound of one of them farting - us cyclists are attuned to those kinds of things don't you know.<br /><br />Next stop was The Pig on the Beach - even more impressive than usual with a quite beautiful marquee in the garden - currently rented but it works so well and is so popular that they will probably keep it year-round. The view is as epic as ever, the hotel rooms are closed but the garden cottages are open.<br /><br />Then down to South Beach and along to the wonky turret - someone must have had a lovely war manning that!<br /><br />Finally a map of the route. I takes about two hours if you really take your time - the Bankes Arms is a good place for refreshment and the ferry is £2 return if you bring a bike - a cheap day out and always memorable.<br /><br />.. Show less 19th April 2021<br /><br />(There are about a dozen photos but the site only shows the first five - click on any to browse through the all of them).<br /><br />Spring sprung on us all of a sudden so finally there's stuff to put on the Featured pages again (small yay).<br /><br />So far we've had three events - a couple of eight mile beach walks to ease in to an active summer and today a gentle and very scenic 12 mile bike ride across the AONB that is Studland, and down to South Beach.<br /><br />The ride started in Sandbanks around 11am, just as the sun was burning the morning fog off the harbour (you could hear the occasional fog horn in the night).<br /><br />Then along Banks Road past my usual fin/wade launch point - North Haven Yacht club - the boats are all coming back to roost after their landlocked winters on people's driveways and disused industrial estates.<br /><br />Obligatory shot of the ferry against a blue sky, plus a photo of the fog lifting off Studland beach whilst I did some deliberate fannying about on the Studland side to let all the cars and 'sport riders' get on their way - road to myself from then on, which worked out well as I spent some time with four [insert the type of animal here to sound knowledgeable about country matters.. ] pre-venison by Knowles Beach. They are truly well camouflaged judging by all the cars that passed by obliviously but no amount of defensive colouration covers up the sound of one of them farting - us cyclists are attuned to those kinds of things don't you know.<br /><br />Next stop was The Pig on the Beach - even more impressive than usual with a quite beautiful marquee in the garden - currently rented but it works so well and is so popular that they will probably keep it year-round. The view is as epic as ever, the hotel rooms are closed but the garden cottages are open.<br /><br />Then down to South Beach and along to the wonky turret - someone must have had a lovely war manning that!<br /><br />Finally a map of the route. I takes about two hours if you really take your time - the Bankes Arms is a good place for refreshment and the ferry is £2 return if you bring a bike - a cheap day out and always memorable.<br /><br />.. Show less 19th April 2021<br /><br />(There are about a dozen photos but the site only shows the first five - click on any to browse through the all of them).<br /><br />Spring sprung on us all of a sudden so finally there's stuff to put on the Featured pages again (small yay).<br /><br />So far we've had three events - a couple of eight mile beach walks to ease in to an active summer and today a gentle and very scenic 12 mile bike ride across the AONB that is Studland, and down to South Beach.<br /><br />The ride started in Sandbanks around 11am, just as the sun was burning the morning fog off the harbour (you could hear the occasional fog horn in the night).<br /><br />Then along Banks Road past my usual fin/wade launch point - North Haven Yacht club - the boats are all coming back to roost after their landlocked winters on people's driveways and disused industrial estates.<br /><br />Obligatory shot of the ferry against a blue sky, plus a photo of the fog lifting off Studland beach whilst I did some deliberate fannying about on the Studland side to let all the cars and 'sport riders' get on their way - road to myself from then on, which worked out well as I spent some time with four [insert the type of animal here to sound knowledgeable about country matters.. ] pre-venison by Knowles Beach. They are truly well camouflaged judging by all the cars that passed by obliviously but no amount of defensive colouration covers up the sound of one of them farting - us cyclists are attuned to those kinds of things don't you know.<br /><br />Next stop was The Pig on the Beach - even more impressive than usual with a quite beautiful marquee in the garden - currently rented but it works so well and is so popular that they will probably keep it year-round. The view is as epic as ever, the hotel rooms are closed but the garden cottages are open.<br /><br />Then down to South Beach and along to the wonky turret - someone must have had a lovely war manning that!<br /><br />Finally a map of the route. I takes about two hours if you really take your time - the Bankes Arms is a good place for refreshment and the ferry is £2 return if you bring a bike - a cheap day out and always memorable.<br /><br />.. Show less
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Editor added 2 photos to Stream Photos album in Featured page 4 years ago

Posted on the Club Blog December 19th 2020

If you've looked at the surf forecast and wondered why the stars shown are different colours, then this Saturday Night & Sunday Morning's forecasts for Bournemouth are a really good example of how that works.

In the screenshot below of Saturday's surf... Show more

Posted on the Club Blog December 19th 2020If you've looked at the surf forecast and wondered why the stars shown are different colours, then this Saturday Night & Sunday Morning's forecasts for Bournemouth are a really good example of how that works. In the screenshot below of Saturday's surf forecast (from MSW here https://bit.ly/34rxijN) it's showing five stars throughout the day - the number stars reflect the height of the swell. Some of the stars are shown in dark blue, some are light blue and some have faded to grey - the reflects the effect of the wind - offshore is best: "Onshore winds produce mushy, choppy and spilling waves. They rarely bring good news. However, onshore breeze can be a good thing when the all you've got in front of you is a flat ocean. That is because they make waves. And it's better to ride two-foot rollers than to wait in terra firma for a dream session. Offshore winds are the real deal. They have the ability to soften the face of the waves and make it easier for surfers to draw lines and perform tricks on them. Offshore winds will also delay the breaking of the waves. In extreme cases, they will only break when they reach the shore because the wind coming from land is "holding" up the liquid walls. Surfers usually use the terms "glassy," "oily," "clean," and "silky smooth" to characterize the quality of the waves and the surf under light offshore breezes. So, we often say that offshore winds clean up the ocean, and bring quality waves." - SurferToday.com (https://bit.ly/3asJJQa) Back to the screenshots - we can see that on Saturday the wind swings from dead onshore 20-30mph to cross-on 15mph, and as a result the stars get coloured in a darker blue. The wave separation (the second figure in the Primary Swell column) increases dramatically from a horrible eight seconds where you are getting smashed continually trying to get out past the break, to seventeen seconds when you can take a more relaxed paddle/wade through the swash or sprint out in just a few waves rather than being hit by dozens (or give up entirely!) Those conditions prevail through Sunday morning (second image) with noon on Sunday showing probably the best conditions - lower wind with few gusts, cross-on, 14 sec separation and a 6.5 ft primary swell which is plenty for most people. And it's sunny and 10 degrees C to boot! .. Posted on the Club Blog December 19th 2020If you've looked at the surf forecast and wondered why the stars shown are different colours, then this Saturday Night & Sunday Morning's forecasts for Bournemouth are a really good example of how that works. In the screenshot below of Saturday's surf forecast (from MSW here https://bit.ly/34rxijN) it's showing five stars throughout the day - the number stars reflect the height of the swell. Some of the stars are shown in dark blue, some are light blue and some have faded to grey - the reflects the effect of the wind - offshore is best: "Onshore winds produce mushy, choppy and spilling waves. They rarely bring good news. However, onshore breeze can be a good thing when the all you've got in front of you is a flat ocean. That is because they make waves. And it's better to ride two-foot rollers than to wait in terra firma for a dream session. Offshore winds are the real deal. They have the ability to soften the face of the waves and make it easier for surfers to draw lines and perform tricks on them. Offshore winds will also delay the breaking of the waves. In extreme cases, they will only break when they reach the shore because the wind coming from land is "holding" up the liquid walls. Surfers usually use the terms "glassy," "oily," "clean," and "silky smooth" to characterize the quality of the waves and the surf under light offshore breezes. So, we often say that offshore winds clean up the ocean, and bring quality waves." - SurferToday.com (https://bit.ly/3asJJQa) Back to the screenshots - we can see that on Saturday the wind swings from dead onshore 20-30mph to cross-on 15mph, and as a result the stars get coloured in a darker blue. The wave separation (the second figure in the Primary Swell column) increases dramatically from a horrible eight seconds where you are getting smashed continually trying to get out past the break, to seventeen seconds when you can take a more relaxed paddle/wade through the swash or sprint out in just a few waves rather than being hit by dozens (or give up entirely!) Those conditions prevail through Sunday morning (second image) with noon on Sunday showing probably the best conditions - lower wind with few gusts, cross-on, 14 sec separation and a 6.5 ft primary swell which is plenty for most people. And it's sunny and 10 degrees C to boot! ..
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Editor added 4 photos to Stream Photos album in Featured page 4 years ago

From the Club's internal blog on the 3rd of October ..

"..Sandbanks yesterday had an impressive art installation on it as part of the 2020 Arts By The Sea. It's bedsheets primarily which weren't faring well against recent high winds but it's definitely worth checking out"

From the Club's internal blog on the 3rd of October .."..Sandbanks yesterday had an impressive art installation on it as part of the 2020 Arts By The Sea. It's bedsheets primarily which weren't faring well against recent high winds but it's definitely worth checking out" From the Club's internal blog on the 3rd of October .."..Sandbanks yesterday had an impressive art installation on it as part of the 2020 Arts By The Sea. It's bedsheets primarily which weren't faring well against recent high winds but it's definitely worth checking out" From the Club's internal blog on the 3rd of October .."..Sandbanks yesterday had an impressive art installation on it as part of the 2020 Arts By The Sea. It's bedsheets primarily which weren't faring well against recent high winds but it's definitely worth checking out" From the Club's internal blog on the 3rd of October .."..Sandbanks yesterday had an impressive art installation on it as part of the 2020 Arts By The Sea. It's bedsheets primarily which weren't faring well against recent high winds but it's definitely worth checking out"
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SimonR
Editor
Editor added 2 photos to Stream Photos album in Featured page 4 years ago

Photos posted yesterday on the club's internal blog

Photos posted yesterday on the club's internal blog Photos posted yesterday on the club's internal blog
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Editor added 2 photos to Stream Photos album in Featured page 4 years ago

Posted on the Club's Internal Blog, September 14th,

God what a perfect day today was.

After the usual wade I lay in the shallows by North Haven for half an hour with my head on my tow buoy (had be careful not to type 'toy boy' there) with hundreds of tiny fish nibbling at me - it must be spawning... Show more

Posted on the Club's Internal Blog, September 14th, God what a perfect day today was. After the usual wade I lay in the shallows by North Haven for half an hour with my head on my tow buoy (had be careful not to type 'toy boy' there) with hundreds of tiny fish nibbling at me - it must be spawning season for some harbour dwellers. Home and showered then packed some beers and a snack to watch the good folk of Parkstone Yacht Club crash their boats into each other - I could do that over and over. September is always good to us - I hope you are enjoying it as much as me. . Posted on the Club's Internal Blog, September 14th, God what a perfect day today was. After the usual wade I lay in the shallows by North Haven for half an hour with my head on my tow buoy (had be careful not to type 'toy boy' there) with hundreds of tiny fish nibbling at me - it must be spawning season for some harbour dwellers. Home and showered then packed some beers and a snack to watch the good folk of Parkstone Yacht Club crash their boats into each other - I could do that over and over. September is always good to us - I hope you are enjoying it as much as me. .
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Posted September 10th on the Club's internal Blog.

Poole Harbour today was flat as an out of tune lasagna.

The sun still has power in it so, despite the occasional cloud, it was warm on my back for the entire 90 minute wade – so lovely in fact that I forgot to fin, I just had the best time... Show more

Posted September 10th on the Club's internal Blog. Poole Harbour today was flat as an out of tune lasagna. The sun still has power in it so, despite the occasional cloud, it was warm on my back for the entire 90 minute wade – so lovely in fact that I forgot to fin, I just had the best time zoned-out listening to music and wondering how much longer I get to do this. I’m 52 you know. [Perhaps overly-] seasoned yachters were coming in off the water around six just gobsmacked by how calm and peaceful it was – we all just drifted around and at times I was probably the fastest engine-free person out there. It was absolutely idyllic tonight, as the photo would clearly show had it been taken by anyone else. It did occur to me that to encourage others to discover the Joy of Wading, a medium sized remote-control floating bar might do the trick – if your beer is moving gently away from you at 1mph across the harbour then you’re damn well gonna follow it. Bit of music, a few lights.. it’s hard to see what laws I’d be breaking but I am sure they will write new ones just for me. We have more good weather next week tho let’s not put any money on it as we are on the brink of what I tactfully refer to as the godawfully **** season when the skies go grey, the water goes cold and I go to Gatwick. . .
Editor
Editor added a photo to Stream Photos album in Featured page 4 years ago

Posted on the Club's travel group September 8th

Well allllllllrighty then.

It's travel season and yes I am fully aware that The Event makes it tricky (there's a metric fuckton of information about travel advisories etc. on the BeachPeople Travel page here bit.ly/328dpgQ).

But..

Bournemouth to Faro for... Show more

Posted on the Club's travel group September 8thWell allllllllrighty then.It's travel season and yes I am fully aware that The Event makes it tricky (there's a metric fuckton of information about travel advisories etc. on the BeachPeople Travel page here https://bit.ly/328dpgQ).But..Bournemouth to Faro for £16 one way.Bournemouth to Tenerife for £20 one way.Bournemouth to Paphos for £20 one way - that's practically Syria!.. right now the skies are open (the bars and hotels are closed when you get there admittedly but at least it'll be warm and sunny) and September only has a few weeks left - October is when it gets grim here.£16-£20 one way for a trip in October has to be worth a punt - then keep bouncing to non-quarantine countries until you can find a pathway home once the freezing drizzle/riots/quarantines etc have all abated.Sounds fun no?
Editor
Editor added 3 photos to Stream Photos album in Featured page 4 years ago

Images posted on the Club's internal Blog Sept 1st following a bike ride from Sandbanks to Hengitsbury and back

Images posted on the Club's internal Blog Sept 1st following a bike ride from Sandbanks to Hengitsbury and back Images posted on the Club's internal Blog Sept 1st following a bike ride from Sandbanks to Hengitsbury and back Images posted on the Club's internal Blog Sept 1st following a bike ride from Sandbanks to Hengitsbury and back
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Editor added 6 photos to Stream Photos album in Featured page 4 years ago

Posted on the Club's blog during Storm Francis, August 25th 2020

A few shots of the sea conditions as the 'warm storm' hits - its actuallly really pleasant to be out in the high winds.

The shots are in order - Bournemouth Pier West side, Boscombe car park, Boscombe Pier West side, Boscombe Pier... Show more

Posted on the Club's blog during Storm Francis, August 25th 2020A few shots of the sea conditions as the 'warm storm' hits - its actuallly really pleasant to be out in the high winds.The shots are in order - Bournemouth Pier West side, Boscombe car park, Boscombe Pier West side, Boscombe Pier East side from the hill, Southbourne and Branscombe beach.The sand is everywhere - people are shielding their eyes and it filled up the car in the short time I parked by Boscombe pier - its blowing up the hill to settle in mini sand drifts in exactly the same way that water doesn't.Tommorow should be calmer but the energy will still be in the water to its a matter of picking a beach and surfing what's left once the 60mph wind has dropped. Posted on the Club's blog during Storm Francis, August 25th 2020A few shots of the sea conditions as the 'warm storm' hits - its actuallly really pleasant to be out in the high winds.The shots are in order - Bournemouth Pier West side, Boscombe car park, Boscombe Pier West side, Boscombe Pier East side from the hill, Southbourne and Branscombe beach.The sand is everywhere - people are shielding their eyes and it filled up the car in the short time I parked by Boscombe pier - its blowing up the hill to settle in mini sand drifts in exactly the same way that water doesn't.Tommorow should be calmer but the energy will still be in the water to its a matter of picking a beach and surfing what's left once the 60mph wind has dropped. Posted on the Club's blog during Storm Francis, August 25th 2020A few shots of the sea conditions as the 'warm storm' hits - its actuallly really pleasant to be out in the high winds.The shots are in order - Bournemouth Pier West side, Boscombe car park, Boscombe Pier West side, Boscombe Pier East side from the hill, Southbourne and Branscombe beach.The sand is everywhere - people are shielding their eyes and it filled up the car in the short time I parked by Boscombe pier - its blowing up the hill to settle in mini sand drifts in exactly the same way that water doesn't.Tommorow should be calmer but the energy will still be in the water to its a matter of picking a beach and surfing what's left once the 60mph wind has dropped. Posted on the Club's blog during Storm Francis, August 25th 2020A few shots of the sea conditions as the 'warm storm' hits - its actuallly really pleasant to be out in the high winds.The shots are in order - Bournemouth Pier West side, Boscombe car park, Boscombe Pier West side, Boscombe Pier East side from the hill, Southbourne and Branscombe beach.The sand is everywhere - people are shielding their eyes and it filled up the car in the short time I parked by Boscombe pier - its blowing up the hill to settle in mini sand drifts in exactly the same way that water doesn't.Tommorow should be calmer but the energy will still be in the water to its a matter of picking a beach and surfing what's left once the 60mph wind has dropped. Posted on the Club's blog during Storm Francis, August 25th 2020A few shots of the sea conditions as the 'warm storm' hits - its actuallly really pleasant to be out in the high winds.The shots are in order - Bournemouth Pier West side, Boscombe car park, Boscombe Pier West side, Boscombe Pier East side from the hill, Southbourne and Branscombe beach.The sand is everywhere - people are shielding their eyes and it filled up the car in the short time I parked by Boscombe pier - its blowing up the hill to settle in mini sand drifts in exactly the same way that water doesn't.Tommorow should be calmer but the energy will still be in the water to its a matter of picking a beach and surfing what's left once the 60mph wind has dropped.
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Editor added 2 photos to Stream Photos album in Featured page 4 years ago

Posted 24th August in the Windsurfers Group

A couple of shots from David over in Bognor using a GoPro strapped to his mast

Posted 24th August in the Windsurfers GroupA couple of shots from David over in Bognor using a GoPro strapped to his mast Posted 24th August in the Windsurfers GroupA couple of shots from David over in Bognor using a GoPro strapped to his mast
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Phil
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Editor added 4 photos to Stream Photos album in Featured page 4 years ago

Posted on the Club's internal blog August 21st 2020 (paraphrased)

Boscombe is currently singled out as the only beach along the Dorset Coast to have had a pollution warning following the heavy rains (for three days in fact) - first two images.

Things get odder as you dive into the data - according to... Show more

Posted on the Club's internal blog August 21st 2020 (paraphrased) Boscombe is currently singled out as the only beach along the Dorset Coast to have had a pollution warning following the heavy rains (for three days in fact) - first two images.Things get odder as you dive into the data - according to the Environment Agency website the water hasn't had a weekly test since August 3rd (18 days ago - third image) and when you look at the historical data it's striking how suddenly clean the sea off Boscombe has become - dropping from 20 incidents each year to just two so far this year (last image).Does that seem likely to you?Right now the surf is up and Boscombe is a good surf spot - I am sure surfers check the webcams but I'm not quite so confident that they check the Environment Agency Website so we have created a public set of public Water Quality pages to make that a little easier - just look on the main menu under 'Info -> Water Quality'. Posted on the Club's internal blog August 21st 2020 (paraphrased) Boscombe is currently singled out as the only beach along the Dorset Coast to have had a pollution warning following the heavy rains (for three days in fact) - first two images.Things get odder as you dive into the data - according to the Environment Agency website the water hasn't had a weekly test since August 3rd (18 days ago - third image) and when you look at the historical data it's striking how suddenly clean the sea off Boscombe has become - dropping from 20 incidents each year to just two so far this year (last image).Does that seem likely to you?Right now the surf is up and Boscombe is a good surf spot - I am sure surfers check the webcams but I'm not quite so confident that they check the Environment Agency Website so we have created a public set of public Water Quality pages to make that a little easier - just look on the main menu under 'Info -> Water Quality'. Posted on the Club's internal blog August 21st 2020 (paraphrased) Boscombe is currently singled out as the only beach along the Dorset Coast to have had a pollution warning following the heavy rains (for three days in fact) - first two images.Things get odder as you dive into the data - according to the Environment Agency website the water hasn't had a weekly test since August 3rd (18 days ago - third image) and when you look at the historical data it's striking how suddenly clean the sea off Boscombe has become - dropping from 20 incidents each year to just two so far this year (last image).Does that seem likely to you?Right now the surf is up and Boscombe is a good surf spot - I am sure surfers check the webcams but I'm not quite so confident that they check the Environment Agency Website so we have created a public set of public Water Quality pages to make that a little easier - just look on the main menu under 'Info -> Water Quality'. Posted on the Club's internal blog August 21st 2020 (paraphrased) Boscombe is currently singled out as the only beach along the Dorset Coast to have had a pollution warning following the heavy rains (for three days in fact) - first two images.Things get odder as you dive into the data - according to the Environment Agency website the water hasn't had a weekly test since August 3rd (18 days ago - third image) and when you look at the historical data it's striking how suddenly clean the sea off Boscombe has become - dropping from 20 incidents each year to just two so far this year (last image).Does that seem likely to you?Right now the surf is up and Boscombe is a good surf spot - I am sure surfers check the webcams but I'm not quite so confident that they check the Environment Agency Website so we have created a public set of public Water Quality pages to make that a little easier - just look on the main menu under 'Info -> Water Quality'.
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Phil
Phil So Boscombe pier has not one but two outfalls - one for land water and one further out for sewer overflow.

Right by one of the two best surf spots on the Dorset coast.

Don't swim after a storm certainly holds true. 4 years ago
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August 20th - a few photos from the club's internal blog - it looks like wakeboarding may be on the agenda again soon!

August 20th - a few photos from the club's internal blog - it looks like wakeboarding may be on the agenda again soon! August 20th - a few photos from the club's internal blog - it looks like wakeboarding may be on the agenda again soon! August 20th - a few photos from the club's internal blog - it looks like wakeboarding may be on the agenda again soon! August 20th - a few photos from the club's internal blog - it looks like wakeboarding may be on the agenda again soon!
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Posted 15th August on the Club's internal blog

Somewhere in that first photo is one of the huge Cruise Liners that has been moored off Boscombe for months but shrouded in a torrential downpour that you could probably have strolled away from had it been on land - there was practically no wind (this... Show more

Posted 15th August on the Club's internal blogSomewhere in that first photo is one of the huge Cruise Liners that has been moored off Boscombe for months but shrouded in a torrential downpour that you could probably have strolled away from had it been on land - there was practically no wind (this was Thursday, taken from the Studland ferry).The plan was to fin from the terminal along the beach for an hour so then back - the new urgency was in getting into the water before I got soaked. The water was clear and warm as it is everywhere right now, the sandy bottom is perfect for wading and the beach rapidly emptied as I cut along in flat water tho a few people had little pop up tents. I could smell the rain on the sand even across the salt water and when I finally got out it was damp and deeply pockmarked.45 minutes got me as far as the nudist signs so I flipped and headed back as I wasn't in the mood to go all the way - my bike looked like it had been through a car wash when I got back to it.£2 well spent (cash ofc) - taking my total contribution to the post-covid economy to £26 in 146 days. Stuff your free burgers Sunak. Maybe you should suggest cake? That ended well for the French... Posted 15th August on the Club's internal blogSomewhere in that first photo is one of the huge Cruise Liners that has been moored off Boscombe for months but shrouded in a torrential downpour that you could probably have strolled away from had it been on land - there was practically no wind (this was Thursday, taken from the Studland ferry).The plan was to fin from the terminal along the beach for an hour so then back - the new urgency was in getting into the water before I got soaked. The water was clear and warm as it is everywhere right now, the sandy bottom is perfect for wading and the beach rapidly emptied as I cut along in flat water tho a few people had little pop up tents. I could smell the rain on the sand even across the salt water and when I finally got out it was damp and deeply pockmarked.45 minutes got me as far as the nudist signs so I flipped and headed back as I wasn't in the mood to go all the way - my bike looked like it had been through a car wash when I got back to it.£2 well spent (cash ofc) - taking my total contribution to the post-covid economy to £26 in 146 days. Stuff your free burgers Sunak. Maybe you should suggest cake? That ended well for the French...
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Posted 12th August 2020 in the Club's internal blog.

"I de-ferried, looked to the left along Studland Beach (thousands of people all plonked on the sand mooing) and then to the right (silence). The water there looked inviting too so in I went.

Maybe 20 minutes of wading in clear warm water on flat... Show more

Posted 12th August 2020 in the Club's internal blog."I de-ferried, looked to the left along Studland Beach (thousands of people all plonked on the sand mooing) and then to the right (silence). The water there looked inviting too so in I went.Maybe 20 minutes of wading in clear warm water on flat sand including crossing a jetty and then it went to stones so - switch to fins and pick a target.Boy do I smell bad now. It just got more and more rank – the mud was exactly the kind of colour as to probably not be mud and it stank. I daren’t wade barefoot in that as god knows what would get in through a cut (and its Shell Bay at this point so..) so when it got too shallow to swim I stretched out and finned using the tow buoy to lift my torso out of the water.The photo where my fins are in shot I’m sitting in filth just off the beach trying to decide if a barefoot stoney walk back around would be safer than a swim back – as it was I clamped my mouth shut and swam.It’s amazing how it clears as you approach the harbour entrance – flat sand and clear clean water just a half mile away from what smelt like an open sewer – that’s a definite Never Go Back place (assuming I survive the night). I have showered and scrubbed and I still smell like a blocked drain. I could rent myself out to pubs to get their competitors bad reviews on TripAdvisor. Second shower I reckon then beer and pie and forget it ever happened. Uch.On the upside – one enduring memory of this summer will be running for the Studland ferry barefoot with my new red bike in one hand and my fins and inflated tow buoy in the other, still dripping and covered in sand. They let me on barefoot but not without a mask – the New Normal.".. Posted 12th August 2020 in the Club's internal blog."I de-ferried, looked to the left along Studland Beach (thousands of people all plonked on the sand mooing) and then to the right (silence). The water there looked inviting too so in I went.Maybe 20 minutes of wading in clear warm water on flat sand including crossing a jetty and then it went to stones so - switch to fins and pick a target.Boy do I smell bad now. It just got more and more rank – the mud was exactly the kind of colour as to probably not be mud and it stank. I daren’t wade barefoot in that as god knows what would get in through a cut (and its Shell Bay at this point so..) so when it got too shallow to swim I stretched out and finned using the tow buoy to lift my torso out of the water.The photo where my fins are in shot I’m sitting in filth just off the beach trying to decide if a barefoot stoney walk back around would be safer than a swim back – as it was I clamped my mouth shut and swam.It’s amazing how it clears as you approach the harbour entrance – flat sand and clear clean water just a half mile away from what smelt like an open sewer – that’s a definite Never Go Back place (assuming I survive the night). I have showered and scrubbed and I still smell like a blocked drain. I could rent myself out to pubs to get their competitors bad reviews on TripAdvisor. Second shower I reckon then beer and pie and forget it ever happened. Uch.On the upside – one enduring memory of this summer will be running for the Studland ferry barefoot with my new red bike in one hand and my fins and inflated tow buoy in the other, still dripping and covered in sand. They let me on barefoot but not without a mask – the New Normal.".. Posted 12th August 2020 in the Club's internal blog."I de-ferried, looked to the left along Studland Beach (thousands of people all plonked on the sand mooing) and then to the right (silence). The water there looked inviting too so in I went.Maybe 20 minutes of wading in clear warm water on flat sand including crossing a jetty and then it went to stones so - switch to fins and pick a target.Boy do I smell bad now. It just got more and more rank – the mud was exactly the kind of colour as to probably not be mud and it stank. I daren’t wade barefoot in that as god knows what would get in through a cut (and its Shell Bay at this point so..) so when it got too shallow to swim I stretched out and finned using the tow buoy to lift my torso out of the water.The photo where my fins are in shot I’m sitting in filth just off the beach trying to decide if a barefoot stoney walk back around would be safer than a swim back – as it was I clamped my mouth shut and swam.It’s amazing how it clears as you approach the harbour entrance – flat sand and clear clean water just a half mile away from what smelt like an open sewer – that’s a definite Never Go Back place (assuming I survive the night). I have showered and scrubbed and I still smell like a blocked drain. I could rent myself out to pubs to get their competitors bad reviews on TripAdvisor. Second shower I reckon then beer and pie and forget it ever happened. Uch.On the upside – one enduring memory of this summer will be running for the Studland ferry barefoot with my new red bike in one hand and my fins and inflated tow buoy in the other, still dripping and covered in sand. They let me on barefoot but not without a mask – the New Normal.".. Posted 12th August 2020 in the Club's internal blog."I de-ferried, looked to the left along Studland Beach (thousands of people all plonked on the sand mooing) and then to the right (silence). The water there looked inviting too so in I went.Maybe 20 minutes of wading in clear warm water on flat sand including crossing a jetty and then it went to stones so - switch to fins and pick a target.Boy do I smell bad now. It just got more and more rank – the mud was exactly the kind of colour as to probably not be mud and it stank. I daren’t wade barefoot in that as god knows what would get in through a cut (and its Shell Bay at this point so..) so when it got too shallow to swim I stretched out and finned using the tow buoy to lift my torso out of the water.The photo where my fins are in shot I’m sitting in filth just off the beach trying to decide if a barefoot stoney walk back around would be safer than a swim back – as it was I clamped my mouth shut and swam.It’s amazing how it clears as you approach the harbour entrance – flat sand and clear clean water just a half mile away from what smelt like an open sewer – that’s a definite Never Go Back place (assuming I survive the night). I have showered and scrubbed and I still smell like a blocked drain. I could rent myself out to pubs to get their competitors bad reviews on TripAdvisor. Second shower I reckon then beer and pie and forget it ever happened. Uch.On the upside – one enduring memory of this summer will be running for the Studland ferry barefoot with my new red bike in one hand and my fins and inflated tow buoy in the other, still dripping and covered in sand. They let me on barefoot but not without a mask – the New Normal."..
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Posted 11th August 2020

"A Day At The Beach" Unknown Artist, £1M.

Posted 11th August 2020"A Day At The Beach" Unknown Artist, £1M.
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Posted 11th August 2020 in "Today Tomorrow.."

Found the perfect place to launch from today - a gorgeous [relatively] quiet sandy beach within cycling distance - please excuse the cloudy picture but the phone was in a waterproof case.

The sea was just perfect - ten foot + visibility and crazy warm... Show more

Posted 11th August 2020 in "Today Tomorrow.."Found the perfect place to launch from today - a gorgeous [relatively] quiet sandy beach within cycling distance - please excuse the cloudy picture but the phone was in a waterproof case. The sea was just perfect - ten foot + visibility and crazy warm. I dived down to pick something off the sea floor only to be hauled up short by the toy buoy. Yet another example of interference by the Nanny State.
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Editor ▶ Featured 4 years ago

open.spotify.com/playlist/2VSZkh7alrRFUUpHhq2OW8

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Posted 8th August.

Parking Sandbanks Style ;o).

Slack water today was perfect for a 1k wade/4k fin - zero wind so not all all kitey which means you can just zone out - the only existential threat was a Cornish Shrimper under power 50' away that I could not hear under the water *at all*.

Were they... Show more

Posted 8th August. Parking Sandbanks Style ;o). Slack water today was perfect for a 1k wade/4k fin - zero wind so not all all kitey which means you can just zone out - the only existential threat was a Cornish Shrimper under power 50' away that I could not hear under the water *at all*. Were they designed as sub hunters? . Posted 8th August. Parking Sandbanks Style ;o). Slack water today was perfect for a 1k wade/4k fin - zero wind so not all all kitey which means you can just zone out - the only existential threat was a Cornish Shrimper under power 50' away that I could not hear under the water *at all*. Were they designed as sub hunters? . Posted 8th August. Parking Sandbanks Style ;o). Slack water today was perfect for a 1k wade/4k fin - zero wind so not all all kitey which means you can just zone out - the only existential threat was a Cornish Shrimper under power 50' away that I could not hear under the water *at all*. Were they designed as sub hunters? .
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Posted on the Friday Night paddle event August 7th.

"Am just back from the Friday Night paddle - North Haven to Brownsea Pottery Pier then back via PYC.

Just me, Biker Phil and his beard - he was on his one ton sit on, I was in the little blue squirly boat that so needs a skeg.

The water was... Show more

Posted on the Friday Night paddle event August 7th. "Am just back from the Friday Night paddle - North Haven to Brownsea Pottery Pier then back via PYC. Just me, Biker Phil and his beard - he was on his one ton sit on, I was in the little blue squirly boat that so needs a skeg. The water was glassy flat courtesy of negative wind strengths - we cruised past the Old Ferry that is now a fish processing plant - we could have circled the island and that would have been special but it was the first event this year so I played it safe. We left the beach after a BBQ a little after midnight - 6 hours on or by the water. It wasn't quite perfect as it was so noisy out there with jet skis and power boats but next time we will head around the back of the islands where that won't be a problem." Posted on the Friday Night paddle event August 7th. "Am just back from the Friday Night paddle - North Haven to Brownsea Pottery Pier then back via PYC. Just me, Biker Phil and his beard - he was on his one ton sit on, I was in the little blue squirly boat that so needs a skeg. The water was glassy flat courtesy of negative wind strengths - we cruised past the Old Ferry that is now a fish processing plant - we could have circled the island and that would have been special but it was the first event this year so I played it safe. We left the beach after a BBQ a little after midnight - 6 hours on or by the water. It wasn't quite perfect as it was so noisy out there with jet skis and power boats but next time we will head around the back of the islands where that won't be a problem." Posted on the Friday Night paddle event August 7th. "Am just back from the Friday Night paddle - North Haven to Brownsea Pottery Pier then back via PYC. Just me, Biker Phil and his beard - he was on his one ton sit on, I was in the little blue squirly boat that so needs a skeg. The water was glassy flat courtesy of negative wind strengths - we cruised past the Old Ferry that is now a fish processing plant - we could have circled the island and that would have been special but it was the first event this year so I played it safe. We left the beach after a BBQ a little after midnight - 6 hours on or by the water. It wasn't quite perfect as it was so noisy out there with jet skis and power boats but next time we will head around the back of the islands where that won't be a problem." Posted on the Friday Night paddle event August 7th. "Am just back from the Friday Night paddle - North Haven to Brownsea Pottery Pier then back via PYC. Just me, Biker Phil and his beard - he was on his one ton sit on, I was in the little blue squirly boat that so needs a skeg. The water was glassy flat courtesy of negative wind strengths - we cruised past the Old Ferry that is now a fish processing plant - we could have circled the island and that would have been special but it was the first event this year so I played it safe. We left the beach after a BBQ a little after midnight - 6 hours on or by the water. It wasn't quite perfect as it was so noisy out there with jet skis and power boats but next time we will head around the back of the islands where that won't be a problem."
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For those of you considering travel to the Caribbean islands - here's an extract from an article posted on our travel group about hurricanes - some islands are safer than others.

"Welcome back, so straight in to Caribbean Hurricane History and NOAA have a brilliant tool to visually show you all the... Show more

For those of you considering travel to the Caribbean islands - here's an extract from an article posted on our travel group about hurricanes - some islands are safer than others. "Welcome back, so straight in to Caribbean Hurricane History and NOAA have a brilliant tool to visually show you all the hurricane and storm paths ever recorded (https://www.bit.ly/2Z9TBYU). In the first screenshot I have stripped off anything below category one, and placed a 500 mile ring around Aruba for scale. The second screenshot shows Aruba's history. Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao (known as the ABCs - all Dutch) all pretty much stepped outside the pub before it all kicked off and Cuba doesn't fare too badly either, but the Western Islands like Barbados, Trinidad and Barbuda are right in the flight path - so bad you can barely see them under the coloured hurricane lines. And as for the most dangerous island? Puerto Rico seems to have the most tracks crossing over it (screenshot 3), with the nearby Virgin Islands a close second. As for category 5s (the purple lines) - Puerto Rico has had two hits (one back in 1928) and the the D.R. and Dominica one each (Dominica got hit by the same one as Puerto Rico). Hope that's helpful!" For those of you considering travel to the Caribbean islands - here's an extract from an article posted on our travel group about hurricanes - some islands are safer than others. "Welcome back, so straight in to Caribbean Hurricane History and NOAA have a brilliant tool to visually show you all the hurricane and storm paths ever recorded (https://www.bit.ly/2Z9TBYU). In the first screenshot I have stripped off anything below category one, and placed a 500 mile ring around Aruba for scale. The second screenshot shows Aruba's history. Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao (known as the ABCs - all Dutch) all pretty much stepped outside the pub before it all kicked off and Cuba doesn't fare too badly either, but the Western Islands like Barbados, Trinidad and Barbuda are right in the flight path - so bad you can barely see them under the coloured hurricane lines. And as for the most dangerous island? Puerto Rico seems to have the most tracks crossing over it (screenshot 3), with the nearby Virgin Islands a close second. As for category 5s (the purple lines) - Puerto Rico has had two hits (one back in 1928) and the the D.R. and Dominica one each (Dominica got hit by the same one as Puerto Rico). Hope that's helpful!" For those of you considering travel to the Caribbean islands - here's an extract from an article posted on our travel group about hurricanes - some islands are safer than others. "Welcome back, so straight in to Caribbean Hurricane History and NOAA have a brilliant tool to visually show you all the hurricane and storm paths ever recorded (https://www.bit.ly/2Z9TBYU). In the first screenshot I have stripped off anything below category one, and placed a 500 mile ring around Aruba for scale. The second screenshot shows Aruba's history. Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao (known as the ABCs - all Dutch) all pretty much stepped outside the pub before it all kicked off and Cuba doesn't fare too badly either, but the Western Islands like Barbados, Trinidad and Barbuda are right in the flight path - so bad you can barely see them under the coloured hurricane lines. And as for the most dangerous island? Puerto Rico seems to have the most tracks crossing over it (screenshot 3), with the nearby Virgin Islands a close second. As for category 5s (the purple lines) - Puerto Rico has had two hits (one back in 1928) and the the D.R. and Dominica one each (Dominica got hit by the same one as Puerto Rico). Hope that's helpful!"
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