Saturday 23 July 2011

Thames Barge Match





Dad has a real treat today, booked with his fellow Cambria painter volunteers onto the trip boat Pocahontas which works out of Gravesend Pier. Normally assigned to river trips, today is is following the progress of the Thames Barge Match which happens to be the first race in which the Cambria is entered. The Pocahontas is a nippy old girl easily able to out-pace the barges and then to run rings round them allowing all the barge fans and photographers on board good views of each barge competing.


Dad's own camera, the trusty EOS was damaged when bounced on the narrow boat mid holiday so is currently in the repair shop, so these are taken on Mum's diminutive Praktica, which does OK-ish. Dad was also given Mark C's (Kess's Dad's) camcorder to play with and got to take over an hour of lovely footage, especially of the Cambria at speed.


To get involved with this, Dad has had to cry off a weekend away with Mum who's visiting chum "Mazy Lou" in Richmond, but Mazy's a sailing nut herself, so she understands Dad's angst and wish to be excused her delicious fish pie (Dad's slumming it on sausages, mash and beans tonight!). Our compensation, when Dad does get home, is a rather poor walk in the Rec.

Courage Brother

Deefs

1 comment:

Mr Silverwood said...

You should keep him awake all night for that, but the pics of the cambria do look good with it all in full sail, so maybe not all night