What a week and a half in the news. Expected but still incredibly sad. You’ve probably all seen enough of it but what a brilliant man. What a marvellous ambassador he was. Well, God bless and safe journeys Sir.
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| Stack Rock fort |
The dear old Beeb spent 2 days playing “quieter” music or “music to cut your wrists to” in tribute to Prince Philip but now we have the inane cackle of Zoe Ball to contend with and all her “luvvie, darling” crap back on air. But it’s OK because they are now offering their staff counselling in case they can’t cope with the news.
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| Dale sailing club |
Harry has arrived back in the UK for the funeral but I hear that Princess Woke has been told not to fly ‘cos she’s preggie. It didn’t seem to worry her too much last time when she flew from London to New York for a 2 day baby shower party!
And what’s our poor old Queen going to say to him?
“Thanks for coming over Harry but we had a private ceremony 3 days ago. Just me, Philip and the Archbishop.”
Enough or it’s the Tower for me!
Other news includes a WOMAN winning the National. How can that be? Dick Francis said it would never happen. Bob Champion said it would never happen and Red Rum said it would never happen. Still, it happened and congratulations to Rachael Blackmore. What a fantastic ride. I wonder if she can reverse park her car!
Weather is beginning to improve here in the Principality. Julia donned her walking boots and is now over a quarter of the way along the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path. She’s cracked out about 80 miles so far. I have done bits with her and can only say what a stunning corner of the world Pembrokeshire is. Even the industrial end of the Haven has a certain beauty to it. The Valero refinery and the “Palmerston forts” all have a certain attraction.
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| The Causeway, Dale. |
The logistics of me driving, her walking and finding suitable “drop-off” and “collection” points becomes more difficult as we get further from home. Maybe I’ll get her a Bivi-bag to go with her new rucksack (which has now arrived minus security tag)
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| Stack Rock, St Ann’s Head and the new ferry |
Talking about the forts, it amazes me just how many Dock defences remain. Some date back to Henry viii right up to the Second World War when Pembroke Dock suffered some of the worse bombing raids along with London and Coventry.
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| South Hook Fort |
To counter this threat from those dastardly Germans we also had several Fleet Air Arm bases, RAF fighter bases and of course those amazing Sunderland flying boats that used the Cleddau as their runway and flew down to the Bay of Biscay to hunt for U boats.
I have never seen one in the air but did get to go round one at Duxford years ago. It had been a night-club moored, wingless, on the banks of the Seine in Paris. They were huge. I must get my bottom up to the Pembroke Dock Heritage Museum when lockdown permits.
Despite rumours about how Brexit would affect our ferry service we have been sent a new ship. The Blue Star 1.
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| Out with the old Isle of Inismore |
The old “Isle of Inishmore” has been sent to Brest for a refit and will then be used as a cross channel ferry. She’s been plodding to and fro from Wales to Ireland since 1997.
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| In with the new Blue Star1 |
Her twice-daily crossings have been part of Pembroke Dock life and she will be missed. Still, a bit of warm French sun on her funnel will do her the world of good.
I’m just a bit miffed that sailing into Milford Haven she was flying the Union Flag and not our national flag. Sailing out a few hours later she had the same flag fluttering from her mast and not the Irish flag. Maybe the driver just couldn’t be bothered.
And today? England opens its retail doors for the first time for ages. No doubt the papers tomorrow will be full of pictures of drunken tarts and pissed yobs as they throw their dole cheques/furlough cash and credit cards at the welcoming pub landlords. What a pity they missed the Grand National.
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