It stops you in your tracks and makes you stare.
At the bottom of the picture, on the right hand side that figure, just barely visible, is my wife Christine heading in for her daily early morning swim. This is something I couldn’t even contemplate. The air temperature was around 2 or 3°C and the sea about 8 or 9°C. This sort of cold weather doesn’t put off the many extremely hardy cold water swimmers. From this time until 10amish there are nearly always small groups braving the chill, often without wetsuits.
Much of my time in winter is spent getting the boats all spruced up ready for the coming season. However, working outside, trying to do jobs like repairs, cleaning and painting, have been very difficult this winter due to the warming climate which means endless gales and rain. There’s about a month to go before Easter and we will be ready to launch before then because we always are! But we’ve had no settled weather for four months which does make it very interesting at times. A week of sunny days would be perfect.
Watch out for Marie F’s and Sunbeam’s return to the water around Eastertime for Lyme Regis deep sea fishing or Lyme Regis mackerel fishing trips from Lyme Regis Harbour.
As you can see, hundreds of brave souls dressed or undressed for the occasion and, I have to say, the filming is that good it feels like you are there without having to get extremely cold! The build up started at least two hours before the event with the arrival of groups, singles, couples and whole families dressed in Dry Robes taking their places on the beach. It was a grey day with the ever threat of rain but as the video shows that didn’t put anyone off, even the knowledge of what South West Water pump into our rivers and oceans did not deter too many.
Marie F and Sunbeam are now out of the water until Eastertime but will be backthen for Lyme Regis deep sea fishing or Lyme Regis mackerel fishing trips from Lyme Regis Harbour.
View Harry May on the Coast programme talking about the loss of his family home in 1963.
Click HERE to view
Just on its own, it’s a very special picture but it actually zooms right in on my store on The Cobb with the huge waves breaking just behind. My store is right where the orange/red superstructure on the fishing boat meet. Apart from the giant waves that battered the coast for several hours that morning, the tidal surge that showed itself at high tide meant the sea came in much further than it normally does.
If you know the area, the water poured into the lifeboat station. The water came right up to where the powerboats are stored and the Sailing Club carpark/boat store was nearly overwhelmed. Along Marine Parade the sea reached the Cart Road and pebbles were thrown all over the roadway, something rarely seen since 2005 when tons of stones were brought in from the Isle of Wight to build up the beach and stop that happening.
This photo was taken by Richard Austin, Lyme’s very well known photographer who has managed to take so many dramatic pictures of Lyme in gales. I can guarantee he has had pictures on the front page of your daily national.
Marie F and Sunbeam are now out of the water for the winter but will be back in the Spring for Lyme Regis deep sea fishing or Lyme Regis mackerel fishing trips from Lyme Regis Harbour.
On the show ‘the castaway’ talks about their life and chooses eight records they would take with them if marooned on a desert island. I agreed immediately but August is a very busy time of the year for us with our boat trips. So it wasn’t until things quietened down in late October that I got together with Neil Charleton who presents the show to tell him about my life and which eight records I’d like to take with me to my desert island.
Neil took lots of notes as I talked and then he went away. The next time we met it was the real thing. In no time at all we were ‘live‘ in the very professional studio tucked away behind the stage in the Hub in Church Street Lyme Regis. I have to say I was a bit worried just before the show began but Neil is a true pro and, minutes in, it was like having a chat with your mate over a cup of coffee. The hour flew by and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
You can hear the whole of Harry’s Desert Island Discs session with all his song choices by clicking on the link below.
For now Marie F and Sunbeam are out of the water for their winter overhaul and maintenance but they’ll be back around Easter for Lyme Regis deep sea fishing or Lyme Regis mackerel fishing trips from Lyme Regis Harbour.
It’s on the endangered list and thanks to global warming there are more and more of them off the southwest coast of England!
As the sea around here gradually warms up, we have seen a huge decline in shoals of mackerel and the brown crab that make up so many people’s favourite sandwich. However, for the last few years, there have been more and more reports of huge tuna off South Devon and Cornwall. They inhabit the ocean between Plymouth and Falmouth and the nearer you get to Falmouth the more there are.
Twenty-five boats that usually go out charter fishing have got licenses to catch these monsters on a catch and release basis. The boats have to follow strict rules and cameras are on board every licensed boat. This photo shows Burt of Mobile Marine who has looked after my engines for years smiling broadly after catching this 200 lb beauty. It took him around an hour and a half to get it alongside the boat fishing off Falmouth. They caught five that day but he told me there were hundreds in the area where they were fishing. Its £1000 a day to hire the boat with up to four fishing. One rod and reel needed to catch fish of this size cost £2000.
Please Google Tuna Fishing Cornwall for more details and videos and before the season ends why not take the opportuity to join us on a Lyme Regis deep sea fishing or Lyme Regis mackerel fishing trip from Lyme Regis Harbour.
View Harry May on the Coast programme talking about the loss of his family home in 1963.
Click HERE to view
Having just done the morning Lyme Regis deep sea fishing trip in rather thick fog aboard my boat Marie F, I dropped off David and his family who were on the way to Herbies Fish and Chip kiosk to have their catch cooked for lunch. The first Lyme Regis mackerel fishing trip of the day followed and as I held the boat in against the boarding steps on the end of the Cobb a very, very happy, cheery bunch of eight 30 somethings, men and women, climbed aboard and looked like one big happy family.
It was only later on after we had the lines out that I learnt who they all were. They were part of the group who were hired by a publicity firm to celebrate something with T Mobile and some of the people on the boat were part of the ‘ instant ‘ party that took the diners and visitors surprise in the video. I learnt from Lena that they have done this sort of thing in various parts of the world. They were great company and move in a completely different world than the one I live in.
This is the time of day when I leave home with my lunch box, my flask and my oar to walk down to the harbour to row across to Marie F. to get ready for the day.
On the way I say “Good morning” to the ladies that swim, the dog walkers, the holiday makers pitching their spot on the beach, the dads with crying babies in push chairs, the ‘ old codgers ‘ taking their daily constitutional round the Cobb , the yoga class on the main beach, the joggers and our wonderful cleaners picking up last night’s mess. What a great way to start my day.
Why not come and join us on a Lyme Regis deep sea fishing or Lyme Regis mackerel fishing trip from Lyme Regis Harbour.
It stops you in your tracks and makes you stare. At the bottom of the picture, on the right hand side that figure, just barely visible, is my wife Christine heading in for her daily early morning swim. This is something I couldn’t even contemplate. The air temperature was around 2 or 3°C and the […]
Read MoreThe annual New Year’s Day fancy dress charity dip in the sea organised by the Rotary Club of Lyme Regis was this year in aid of The Alzheimer’s Society and Asthma + Lung UK. Hardy souls braved the chilly waters, many in wonderful outfits. Click on the photo above to see the video with thanks […]
Read MoreView Harry May on the Coast programme talking about the loss of his family home in 1963. Click HERE to view
Read More