I'd like to intorduce you to Jim.....

Some time last year I wrote about Cloch Road huts in Gourock likening them to the seaside version of the garden shed.   This is the link to that original post:

http://avoidthejellyfish.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/gourock-cloch-road-huts.html

Yesterday I walked from Wemyss Bay to Gourock and determined that if I saw anyone at the huts I would say hello.   How fortunate was I to meet Jim who was using his hut alongwith some friends who were busy preparing mackerel which they had caught earlier in the morning.

Keen to know some of the history of the huts it transpires that approval was given to local people to build these huts as a way of helping to improve peoples diets after the 1914-1918 Great War and into the 1920's.     The huts gave people access to fishing in the waters of the Clyde and if anything like todays catch was to go by it sounded like a good plan to me.

The huts are passed down between families and speaking to Jim this hut as been passed through his family since the 1920's.

Eager to catch a glimpse inside Jim invited me in and allowed me to take some photos which I share with you.

Let me give you my impressions before the photos.    From the outside there is a ramshackle look about all the huts and as I entered my first surprise was that it had electricity evidenced by the wiring and plug points - for some reason I didn't think there would be any and Jim pointed out the generator outside.

To the left of the entrance is a storage area for all the bits and pieces needed for fishing and what looked to me a whole host of other odd and ends which might come in useful some time.   Moving on into the hut I entered the living area which was done out with bench seating down each side of a lovely wood burning fire.   A real home from home.

On turning round towards the entrance I could see a small cooker; microwave and TV - all the comforts of home.

The bench seating with shoes warming by the heater.

All the comforts of home

The outside - now I must say on Jim's behalf that he is in the middle of removing this old red paint before sprucing the hut up again.

Thank you Jim for letting me browse round your escape from the hurly burly and long may you enjoy it.

Fishing boat harried by seagulls

I was struck by the seagulls 'mooching' around this fishing boat early morning.   I'm not overly fond of seagulls as I find them a bit intimidating.

However I was taken by the way that the early morning sunshine seemed to capture the white of their wings in such a way that it seemed to sparkle.

Not captured in the photo I'm afraid but I hope you get my drift.

Rock Choir - wins another Guiness World Record

Some earlier posts talked about my experience as a newbie in Rock Choir and the world record attempt well - ITS OFFICIAL!

On Saturday June 23 2012, on the stroke of 12 noon precisely, 7914 Rock Choir members, family and friends from across the UK broke the Guinness World Record for 'The Largest Song and Dance Routine Across Multiple Venues'.

Here is a link to the Rock Choir home page:

http://www.rockchoir.com/home.html

The choir reconvenes after the summer break in September and here in Inverclyde our new theatre is due to open in the autumn which is where we will be carrying on with our rehearsals.  

I wonder what new co-ordination challenges awaits me.   I'll keep you posted.

Largs to Portencross

Not wanting to waste this sunny and dry weather I embarked on another section of the Ayrshire Coastal Path from Largs to Portencross a distance just over 7 miles.   

Passing Largs Marina a sea of masts (sorry about pun!)

...and then an interesting piece of art which I'm sure has been painted by the children of the house.   It made me smile.

Once out of Largs this walk takes you through the village of Fairlie and then on past Hunterston Power station so its not the best section of the path in my view.   However once past the power station Portencross Castle comes into view.

On getting closer to the castle it was obvious that something was happening as I could see a piper on the battlements and just at that moment a cloud passed which made this quite atmospheric.

Now I quite like hearing the pipes and I do know that its not everyone's favourite instrument but what is a piper if you can't hear him.   

The Waverley - the last sea-going paddle steamer in the world

I've mentioned The Waverley before and shared photos in this blog - yesterday I embarked on a 5 island cruise around the west coast which took me up to Arran.  It was a glorious day for a trip 'doon the watter' as they say.


The Waverley berthed and waiting for her passengers.   Please join me on this tour of the boat.

On board looking towards the stern



The captain on the bridge

The engine - not that I'm an officianado but it was fascinating watching the moving parts.





Now this I didn't know - that the original Waverley was involved in the Great War and also saw action in WW2 at Dunkirk.

Internal corridors again with seating of which there is plenty.

and of course the funnel.   I just had to look up

One of the lounge bars where I enjoyed a pint of Bellhaven Beer.

The outside areas where benches run round the full length of the boat.

....and a final shot of the funnels





A fox - putting me in a frenzy

This morning I awoke at my usual 7am and lay in bed thinking about things on the agenda for today such as - visiting the sales at Braehead Shopping Centre and then meeting Geraldine for lunch to catch up.

Since my flat is on the 4th floor and at the top of the apartment block I don't tend to close my curtains and it is nice at this time of year to see the bright day ahead.   Anyway I usually head to the window to look out over the Clyde estuary and greet whatever weather comes my way.  

Today the low clouds of yesterday have lifted and it feels a bit fresher than of late.   My thoughts are interrupted when I spy a fox so rushing for my camera from the next room I return in time to grab this shot of him jumping the wall.   It is a bit blurry but I was so excited and wanted to capture the moment.

This is the same fox I'm sure who has wakened me in the middle of the night with his calling - still don't know if there is a name for the sound a fox makes.   If anyone out there knows??????

Reflection on my first 'Saturday job'.

There's lots in the news at the moment about young people and their fitness for the workplace.   Fitness as in understanding how it works as opposed to physical fitness.  

Anyway the discussion has taken off about the benefits of a 'Saturday job' and this of course brought back memories of mine.

In Scotland when I was looking for one you had to be 14 and you couldn't just go and get one. although I'm sure there were many that did working for 'cash in hand.  I had to get permission from school and take this letter to what is now the job centre.   I was then issued with a card which allowed me to work on a Saturday.   From my memory the reason for this was to make sure that working on a Saturday wouldn't interfere with schoolwork.

Once I had this I went off in search going from shop to shop in my local town centre and found a job with a shoe shop.

Of course my reasons for working were to earn some money for myself for clothes and going out with friends and I had the grand total of 17shillings and 6pence (old money) which equates to 75p (new money).   This was a lot back then which was in 1968.

So what did this experience inspire - a love of shoes and bags which I still posses today.

Did you have a Saturday job and what legacy did it leave you with?

Time for lunch.......a story in pictures

Coming ashore

I've been looking forward to this sandwich

Fancy meeting you here....

Needed that rest

Shall we swop?

Just row out far enough to get motor running

Where's the start button?

...and I'm in

onward ho!