‘ The Pink Ferry’  runs regularly between Warsash and Hamble and is a familiar sight, well known to the locals along the Hamble, a stretch of river between Southampton and Portsmouth on the south coast of England.

This beautiful waterway has become very popular over the last twenty five years as the yachting and sailing community has expanded significantly, with busy moorings and yards prevalent along the river.

Back in the sixties it was a different story, it was the perfect place to escape. I often remember grabbing the fishing line and heading down to the shore in some rare hope that I would encounter some legend from the deep.  But normally just the odd Bass, quite a lot of Eels and Crabs. Care free ways to spend your day and fond memories to look back on.

Fishing was a popular activity with most of us, so playing around the river was second nature.  One glorious day in the school holidays a couple of us  had scrambled aboard an old disused and run-down houseboat.  One end embedded in the mud bank, the other protuding up in the air, the perfect playground.  We sat replaying yesterday evenings adventure at the main docks in Southampton.  This was the real deal – Massive ships and machinery, lights from the ships dancing in the evening sky.

Our friends father, a rotund figure involved in the frozen food business I think, had arranged for us to use the dock for an evenings fishing.  There was a group of five or six, and once we arrived we were all roped together and tied to the nearest structure, to keep us from falling in the dark and deadly dock!

Even in the summer the breeze was cool, but then I caught my first fish. The flat fish was flapping and floundering across the dock, and I was desperate to take a closer look.

Then Dixon of Dock green Arrived, a tall intimidating fellow who demanded immediate respect.  I remember him bending down and asking if he could assist, I didn’t say anything, I just stared as he reached for his wooden truncheon and promptly smacked the fish firmly on it’s head. Thwack! No more flapping fish

It was our first ever experience at the Docks and our first encounter with ‘The Law’

We talked for hours that day on the houseboat, never caught a thing, got covered in mud,  and went home happy. Life was just so simple!

Reproduced courtesy of Francis Frith.

My friend decided to dig her old teddy out from the attic and give to her young daughter. With pride of place, alongside her vast array of Disney characters, luscious modern teds, and the soft cuddly rabbits -my friends ted sits on the shelf providing loving glances to her daughter snuggled in her bed.

Well, that’s until Dad comes along!

Now Ted has a few scars from his days as my friends plaything – the wonky eye, the threadbare fur, you get the idea. So Dad, decides to nickname the Ted -ZOMBIE BEAR!  Oh no, this joyful little creature  now bears all the hallmarks of serial killer Ted! Who scares little ones under the bedcovers. What will his daughter grow up thinking!

I love this story – to me its says so much about the inherent child like behaviour that’s just waiting to break-out from us Zombie Adults, and so often it’s children themselves that provide the opportunity for this to happen. So whatever your doing now, go do something childish – you will feel better! (The usual disclaimers apply of course, and don’t go scaring any little kids!)

It’s around 10.30am on the most beautiful day, not a cloud in the sky, and we’ve just arrived in the Gower Peninsula. Not been here before, so don’t have any expectation of the area.

Our friends have told us we are heading to a place called Rhossili Bay, and prepare to be impressed.

Well, I’m not easilly impressed, so once we parked up and we started heading down this narrow path alongside the rear of some dowdy old building, I’m thinking…’won’t be here long’.

Bang!

The impact as you walk through the gate and catch a glimpse of Rhossili Bay, you just have to catch your breath. The view is quite outstanding- I stopped dead in my tracks and just had to stand and stare,  for while… and a while… and a while

The path down is steep but walker friendly, (don’t think about the walk up – and anyway, you just feel you have to get down there) The wind fills your lungs in a second but you cannot escape the draw to this place, it’s quite surreal.

Cows gently meader around the sand (yep, I said Cows) although never straying too far from the fresh water except to paddle their feet in the surf.

The beach stretches some three miles or so, and was pretty derserted, the rolling waves and constantly thundering surf, and the backdrop of the downs just creates an amazing vista, truly qualifying this as a place of outstanding natural beauty.

My mind was playing tricks, I started thinking I was in an episode of ‘The Prisoner’ or expecting to find myself drifting into a scene from ‘Planet of the Apes’.

Strolling along the beach, kicking sand… I’m drawn to this statuesque object protuding from the unspoilt beach ahead.  I’m quickly informed that the remains of a Norwegian Timber ship which ran aground in October 1887. The Oak Ship - Helvetia, carrying 500 tons of timber, was partially recovered, but the bulk of the hull ended up submerged.

The Helvetia, was one of many ships that incurred the wrath of nature in this part of the world.

After a couple of hours gentle strolling we headed back up the steep climb – struggling from time to time to absorb sufficient oxygen, and to be passed by a sprinting teenager

One long final view before we departed – for a well deserved pint!

It’s only a modest 90 minutes before we arrive at the spectacular Durdle Door, by now the weather is looking risky, but what the hell.

I just love being on the coast, don’t mind where, as long as I can see, hear and smell the sea.  I grew up on the South Coast and probably took for granted the environment I had around me. I don’t think you really appreciate what you have until, it’s gone. I remember when I first joined the RAF, I met people that had never ever seen the sea before. But I digress

It’s a fairy steep descent to the beach area from the Durdle Door Holiday Park – (The main access and parking area) and as we stepped down the lightning flashed and the thunder roared, with the clouds looking just a little ferocious. But there was blue sky yonder so no turning back.

Durdle Door is probably one of, if not the most photographed landscapes along the Jurassic coast. Formed as the seas eroded the softer rock behind the layers of Portland Limestone. The Man O’ War beach adjacent to the door is a fantastic place to explore the many layers of rock formed over a mere 140 million years. So if you fancy a little geology, this is a must see place.

The beach looks pretty protected and sheltered by the door and looks the ideal spot for a spot of bathing and a good old picnic. (Don’t carry too much though, it’s a trek up on the return leg)

There are joyous views and walks along the Jurassic Coastline, so give yourself time to really appreciate what the area has to offer.

The walk back up is a great way to test the power and health of your lungs but well satisfying when you reach the top.  Don’t worry about the audience sat in their cars – their not watching you as you struggle with those last few steps, the’re here for the view. (I think)

So I decided to meet myself halfway, and send some virtual postcards to a friend, any friend.

If you like to indulge in some nostalgic thinking. enjoy the beauty of Britain, and recognise some of the positive aspects of our society, I hope you will appreciate some of our musings on Britain, past and present. But if not, thanks for stopping by

As a child I looked forward to receiving a postcard from distant lands – (well in most cases, probably only a stones throw) but I so hated it, when the postman got to read them before me!  But writing them was equally as much fun. Struggling to think what to say, or never enough space to pass on how much fun you were having on your annual jaunt to the coast.

In many ways, I suppose Postcards were the original ‘texting’ or, if you include the fact they were visible to all in the Post Office, probably more like ‘Twittering’.