MarkC

Makes a change...

Oh gawds - what have the local pond life done now?

Absolutely, Mike. Those things are big, but they're a pig in a seaway unless going fast enough for the stabilisers to work - and, of course, once in the German Bight, your ability to manoeuvre is limited...

Aye - lying to the wind across the current, you get some serious smacks at times. Still, could have been worse. One of the Aida cattle boats - oops, cruise ships - was steaming about outside for some 30 hours before being allowed to enter the river...

The worst has now passed - 0100 to 0400 was wild. Still blowing a hooley though. Our anchor cable is stretched almost horizontal &  also on the beam, thanks to a combination of wind & tide, & there's an awful lot of clumps of vegetation floating past on the way out to sea. Another 2 hours before low water; will be interesting to see how we'll lie once that happens,

Indeed so - we have the Main Engine running, to keep some of the weight off the cable. Of course, it's (very) tidal here too, which all adds to the fun when it's wind against tide...

Wasn't it Oscar Wilde who said that "The only way to resist temptation is to yield to it?" 

That's ancient...

Except for those with headphones plugged in, wandering about oblivious to the rest of the world...

...a 'Frog Horn' works quite well with them, I find

I didn't think one was. I thought that Mallard was basically handed over 'as is, where is', as it were, to the Science Museum Group on withdrawal?

60026 Miles Beevor, on the other hand, was a donor loco for 4498/60007 Sir Nigel Gresley at Crewe Works in 1967.

Mark

Blue? No, it's quite warm here   Brown ones - dozens of 'em

Hi Ian. Yes, it's just one of those things. Been doing this for 40 years now; this is the first time something like this has happened. Ironically we on board are probably some of the least threatened folk about at present. I've had similar things to yourself happen to me over the years - long trips, short leaves...

Cheers

Mark

Gordon's ALIVE!!!

Captain, you open safe NOW or I shoot you...

Hi Mick. Thanks for your kind offer. I've just acquired a Bachmann V1/V3, and want to renumber it as one based at Whitby/Saltburn/Middlesbrough which would have worked the Whitby - Scarborough line.

Cheers

Mark

Little green workers - full of goodness.

My sympathies

Don't pay the Ferryman

I prefer Famous Grouse to Bells, tbh...

Thanks, Steve and Brit. Just been told we will be going alongside at noon on the 25th... Food - I was on here last Christmas as well - the spread was impressive, it has to be said. Weather looks fair for the next few days, so that's something. It's -8 Deg.C at our destination today - bracing...

Thanks, Ian. Will probably be somewhere on the Norwegian coast. The joys...

*directional - damn these fat fingers

Sadly shooting the things down has been vetoed by the authorities, for fear of hitting someone accidentally. A high power firectional microwave beam would surely kill the radio link from the drone driver to the drone though? And don't bigger drones automatically power down and land if they lose contact with base?

Now that's dedication, Jim

Oops...