• About
  • Contact Me
  • Disclosure

accentBritain

~ a romance with art and all things British

accentBritain

Tag Archives: Burnham-on-Crouch

Cheering the sailors on, Burnham-on-Crouch

01 Tuesday Nov 2011

Posted by pat in Art, Burnham-on-Crouch, England, paintings, Sailing

≈ Leave a Comment

Tags

art, Burnham-on-Crouch, sailing

The first time I was introduced to racing in Burnham-on-Crouch on the east coast of England, it was a wonderful experience. My Beloved Brit was up early in the morning and down to the sailboat to join the rest of his crew. I packed up my camera and sketch book, and went out to watch.

I was told how to get the best vantage point to see the races.  It meant a walk (remember that means hike it Brit speak) down the shore of the Crouch River along the high grassy banks.

I made my way to the end of the seawall in town…

and headed out along the walkway to where the town ends and the fields begin.

This is how it looks on a quiet day.

And this is race day.

The people gather by the river.  They bring binoculars and snacks for the duration of the day of racing.  This is serious business.  There is much yelling and cheering for a favorite boat.

And across the water, you can hear the sailors screaming at each other and at other boats.  They have no voices left by the end of the day.

At one heated moment a boat trying to position itself for the start of the race got stuck in the mud. You are not allowed to motor off.  Everything is wind or man power.  One of the young men stripped off his clothes and jumped over the side to push the boat free. The cheers went up from the crowd on the shore. “Well done! Give ‘er a push then!” Within minutes the boat was free. the young crew member was back on he boat and dressed in his dry clothes, and they were off. Such drama. Such fun.

I spent the day out on the banks with the crowds of fans…

then slowly, end of day, walked back to Burnham.

The pastel I made of the day hangs in our bedroom.  I wake up to it every morning. Of course, MBB says his boat is first in the picture.  I keep reminding him he was actually in 3rd place at that moment. But I’m sure he won the race.

Sail Away

13 Thursday Oct 2011

Posted by pat in Burnham-on-Crouch, England, Sailing, Uncategorized

≈ Leave a Comment

Tags

Burnham-on-Crouch, sailing

I was looking through my art files today thinking about what to paint next, and found this lovely photo of sailing in England. I believe I took this photo in Burnham on Crouch, on one of our first visits there together after we were married. Burnham is a small village on the East Coast of England not too far from London where MBB (My Beloved Brit) sailed many a race on the Crouch River.

This year’s sailing season is coming to an end, but the memories linger on.

A Wet Sheet and a Flowing Sea

 A wet sheet and a flowing sea,

A wind that follows fast,

And fills the white and rustling sail,

And bends the gallant mast—

And bends the gallant mast, my boys,

While, like the eagle free,

Away the good ship flies, and leaves

Old England on the lee.

“O for a soft and gentle mind!’

I heard a fair one cry;

But give to me the snoring breeze

And white waves heaving high–

And white waves heaving high, my boys,

The good ship tight and free;

The world of waters is our home,

And merry men are we.

There’s tempest in yon horned moon,

And lightning in yon cloud;

And hard the music, mariners!

The wind is piping loud–

The wind is piping loud, my boys,

The lightning flashing free;

While the hollow oak our palace is,

Our heritage the sea.

Allan Cunningham

♣ Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 27 other subscribers

♣ Archives

  • September 2022
  • May 2022
  • January 2022
  • November 2021
  • August 2021
  • May 2021
  • January 2021
  • September 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • March 2020
  • December 2019
  • October 2019
  • July 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • August 2018
  • March 2018
  • January 2018
  • July 2017
  • April 2017
  • February 2017
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • July 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • January 2016
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • March 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011

♣ Recent Posts

  • Autumn Stroll on the C&O Canal
  • A Winter’s Project
  • A Walk In The Park
  • An Adirondack Pond
  • Golden

♣ Categories

  • Art
  • Art Museums & Exhibitions
  • Bath
  • Books
  • British Virgin Islands
  • Burnham-on-Crouch
  • cars
  • Cornwall
  • Cornwall
  • England
  • entertainment
  • Fashion
  • Food
  • Gardens
  • Grasmere
  • Guana Island
  • History
  • Lake District
  • Lake District
  • London
  • movies
  • Music
  • National Trust
  • Olympics
  • paintings
  • Peak District
  • Sailing
  • Scotland
  • Shopping
  • sketching
  • The New Forest
  • The Royal Family
  • Travel
  • Uncategorized
  • United Kingdom

♣ my button

accentbritain.com
<a href="http://accentbritain.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://accentbritain.com/accentBritainbutton.jpeg" alt="accentBritain.com" width="125" height="125" /></a>
Copyright 2011 accentBritain LLC. All rights reserved. All original photos, text and art is copyright protected.

Proudly powered by WordPress Theme: Chateau by Ignacio Ricci.

 

Loading Comments...