Tag Archives: sailing

The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Flotilla

28 Monday Nov 2011

Posted by in England, Sailing, The Royal Family, Travel, Uncategorized

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There is a major press event this evening (Monday 11/28) – a reception hosted by the Queen at Buckingham Palace for journalists expected to cover the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee next year.

According to the UK Press Association release, “In honour of the guests the palace’s East Gallery will be renamed the Tweet Suite for the night – for those who want to post online messages – and the space will also contain displays about the Queen’s Golden and Silver Jubilees.”  A Tweet Suite. You’ve got to love it! It’s a new age.

The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are expected to attend and mingle with the press.

June 2012 is the celebration of Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee in honor of her 60 year reign. There are many special events planned, but the one that I feel has the potential to be the most memorable will be the Diamond Jubilee River Pageant at high water on the afternoon of June 3rd.

Photo by Azeri

As the London mayor’s press release reveals, the Queen will lead a massive flotilla of up to one thousand boats beautifully dressed in streamers and union jacks. The boats will be assembled from across the UK, the Commonwealth and around the world.  The event organizers are planning for well over one million people lining the banks of the Thames to join in the celebration and witness the grand parade of boats.

Canaletto, "Westminster Bridge from the north on Lord Mayor's Day" oil painting, 1746

The flotilla is expected to measure 7.5 miles from end to end and will be one of the major focal points of the celebration during the special Jubilee Bank Holiday weekend. The plan is that there will be a diverse mix of historic and modern; from rowed boats to sailing ships, steamers to wooden launches and larger motorized craft.The flotilla specially aims to “capture the diversity of Britain and the Commonwealth’s proud maritime history”.

The Diamond Jubilee River Pageant will have music, and fireworks and special effects. The flotilla will be made up of 5 special sections, each separated by a “herald barge” the first of which will be a floating belfry of eight new bells.  Their peals will be answered and echoed by chimes from riverbank churches along the route. There are even plans for special daytime fireworks and a mechanical flame spitting dragon. Yikes! What fun!

It promises to be a spectacular event, and even though the deadline for boat entries passed on October 31st, it makes me want to find a boat and join in the excitement. Maybe we’ll have to settle for a spot on the shore.

If you want information on this extraordinary, historical event, go to the Thames Diamond Jubilee pageant site for full details.

Cheering the sailors on, Burnham-on-Crouch

01 Tuesday Nov 2011

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

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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.

Little Boat, Big Boat

24 Monday Oct 2011

Posted by in England, London, Sailing, Uncategorized

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My Beloved Brit’s cousin saved many of the photos of him growing up in England, and a few years ago put them all on a disc so we could enjoy them. I love looking through them, and did just that on one of the first cool evenings of fall.

These two are especially telling.  He’s always loved being on the open water, and nothing makes him happier than being out with his mates sailing.  The boats may get bigger but the joy remains the same.

My Beloved Brit as a young boy fell in love with anything that floated. That's him and his dad.

He got older, but his love of boats just got stronger. This was a few years later on “Gandalf” in Burnham on the east coast of England. Bigger boat, lots of mates.

 

 

Sail Away

13 Thursday Oct 2011

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

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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

The art of sailing

07 Friday Oct 2011

Posted by in Art, England, Sailing, Travel

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When we go to England, we enjoy exploring the country together.  But always during these visits there are those days when My Beloved Brit loves to take off sailing with his mates in one of the many regattas on the east coast of England.  He sailed for years with close friends when he lived in London BP (Before Pat), and relishes the thought of being tossed around on grey seas for hours trying to find the right bit of wind and win the race. Not my cup of tea, so to speak, but it gives me time to explore the local countryside on my own looking for art inspiration.

My Beloved Brit (center) dressed for the chill with his sailing companions.

On just such an occasion a few years ago we went to West Mersea on the east coast of England so he could participate in the Dabchicks Sailing Club’s Sail East Regatta. We had been living in the caribbean, so, as you can see, he avoided shorts (unlike those sturdier souls still living in “the grey country”) in favor of several layers of clothing.

He headed out to sea, and on his advice I searched out Cudmore Grove Country Park on the east end of Mersea Island.  This time I had my sketchbook with me and a #05 pilot V ball pen as I dove into the mist to see what I could find.

Parking the car and heading out across the open fields on foot, it was the wildness of the sky that really caught my attention.  I just tried to capture the energy of the environment with a few quick strokes.

Wandering down towards the edge of the park, I came across this tidal area with posts in odd rows.  I found out later that they were oyster beds.

Sorry the sketch is so faint.  I was working in a sketchbook that had varied colored pages, which was interesting, but is now harder to reproduce.

I continued along the shore…

… and saw these few boats clinging to the mud waiting for the tide to come back in.

Further along, a lone shed watched over the masts.  This is such a typical east coast scene with the inlets and the mud. I never get tired of it.

Back up through the fields, the blackberries filled the hedgerows.

The skies had finally cleared, so I put my sketchbook away and took out my trusted camera for a few shots of the swans heading up stream. I drove back to the west side of the island to meet my sailor, home from the sea, and join the crew for a few pints and to hear the day’s tales of glory.

Art and sailing…we were both totally satisfied with our day.

Back home in my studio, I relived the adventure in a singular painting called “The Clearing”.