Cracker IMX 40 at Cowes

We returned to Shepards Wharf after completing the Round the Island Race in record time. The crew and boat came back in one piece, unlike so many other boats one of which sank, another capsized and the rest with broken masts and the like. We got off lightly with just (!) a torn spinnaker sail which didn't quite stand up to the 24knots of wind.

....and whilst we have tied up, had showers and had a few drinks to rest and recuperate, other boats are still finishing.

Backwoods Cooking and firelighting

Scouts at 3rd Billericay learnt how to light fires using nothing more than cotton wool and a flint and steel. Scouts prepared jacket potatoes, chicken drumsticks, sausages, fish, baked apples, and chocolate bananas for cooking on the fire. If you think that sounds delicious, it really was!

The outdoor classroom - Danbury Park

Year 3 pupils visit Danbury Park today and find themselves reinforcing their understanding of the Core Values of Kings Road Primary school. As one of the rangers commented with wide open arms, "This is your classroom" and he was exactly right.

The children came alive when they began building shelters, jumping across streams and collecting leaves and moss for their nature weaving frames.

A bridge too far?

A bridge over troubled water?

Eco Warriors lead the school in going 'green'

One of the newest clubs at Kings Road Primary School is the Eco-Warriors. This club is open to Year 2 children who are learning about energy saving, energy conservation and recycling.

Here, the pupils are planting their seedlings into the new raised beds - another new addition to the school.

Pupils are continually amazed at the extensive root system when they remove the seedlings from their pots. Pupils lack opportunities outside school to discover for themselves how plants grow, which is even more reason why Kings Road Primary School are working so hard ensure pupils have practical opportunities to learn about plants within the curriculum.

Early morning at Shepards Wharf marina, Cowes

Day 2 of the RORC IRC National Championships here in the Solent. After sleeping up on deck overnight, the 11 strong team woke to a sunny, blue sky morning. I wish I could wake up every morning in exactly the same way. So peaceful.

Pioneering project

One of the highlights of the scouting calendar is the construction of pioneering project. This year we made a climbing frame with tyres for clambering across. This could only be achieved with the pioneering skills developed over the past few weeks. A range of knots and lashings held the two A frames together.

Homegrown

Imagine the delight as I discover a fully fledged cauliflower growing
in my garden! A perfect end (?) to a long day.

Sun is laughing

Rock o mint

Sherbet

Chocolate eggs

Dulux

Paul Disley got a soakin' at Summer Fayre

Chocolate box

Chocolate box

Caramel deluxe

Adventure bar

Steam Power

We have been learning about how a steam engine works.

Fields of gold

What a stunning scene.

Cracker Development Weekend in Brightlingsea

A development weekend at Brightlingsea consisted of winching Cali up the mast so that she could complete the task of marking the spreader positions on the new #1 and #2 sails before we applied patches to the kevlar and carbon fabric. Whilst she was there, she also lubricated the blocks with MacLube.

Luckily it wasn't me up the mast, or my phone!

St George's Day Jousting Horse

Almost complete. The boys turned up on a sunny Saturday afternoon to put the finishing touches to the horse. They loved spray painting - it was almost as if they'd done it before some place else.. !?

Read about the winning success of the St George's Day Jousting Competition.

ANZAC Day

Besides making a plywood cut out of a jousting horse for St George's Day, we also made ANZAC biscuits. ANZAC day remembers those in the Australian and New Zealand Army Corp who fought in the 1st World War.

Bird box

My nephew and I built a bird box last weekend. He wanted me to put it in my garden, so here it is. I'd quite like to refocus the webcam on the box to capture any comings and goings.