Not all Penarth this time.....

The Welsh weather was amazingly good to us. In fact it was often too sunny for the captain to polish the hull. So far only the transom and starboard side have been treated to some winter protection. The port side means working from the RIB and single handed that is trickier. Yes, the crew still has a grumbling back restricting her fun. If you can call polishing fun that is.

There were some great days, and some dramatic skies too. Spot the Nordhavn game again:

The crew was having regular osteopath visits and had been confined to 15 minute walks so the captain occasionally broke free to do exciting things like visit Tesco or walk up the big hill into Penarth. One walk was the first time he crossed the barrage locks since arriving 4 weeks earlier - unheard of before! In the bay, plenty of duckweed had accumulated near the trip boat pontoon - rare to see here:

It was a hint that Cardiff had enjoyed a way sunnier and warmer summer than we did. The little excursion was one of "ugly boats". This monstrosity does trips across the bay and is based in Penarth marina:

A few years ago there had been all sorts of fun when the upper seats were added without getting the MCA certification for stability. I never quite understand why you would want to sit outside on the boat anyway as the engine exhaust is SOOOOO noisy. We can always tell when she returns to Penarth and is turning around.

Loitering near the barrage locks that take you out to sea, this "craft" arrived:

A most strange concoction too. The captain continued the ugly boat fest by heading to Hythe, seeing the toddlers and spending a day at the Southampton Boat Show. Sadly no Nordhavn on display there, just one nice Fleming to admire (although their fuel bills would terrify us). There was one aluminium (no polishing!) Dutch built trawler yacht style thing but the interior fitout was more B and Q kitchen fitter than boatbuilder quality and finish. Shame. However, despite that the captain enjoyed his "day out".