In the marina the wind was howling through the rigging of all the boats. It doesn't take particularly high winds to set this off and it's such an eerie sound that I reckon it contributes to many boat owners' reluctance to leave the pontoon. However, today sea spray was coming up over the breakwater wall, so not going out seemed to make a lot of sense.
Despite the conditions, a few hardy soles were out there, but apart from the 4,which seemed to be having a Sunday morning race, the handful of others were motor sailing with several reefs in the main and most were heading into the marina.
However,no matter how firmly I have decided to stay in harbour, when I see boats out there, it makes me feel I should be trying harder. This is more likely when the sun is shining and there is a spell between the gusts.
In the park next to the Royal Pavilion I had a coffee and noticed what looked like samba instruments being assembled on the grass. It turned out to be my second samba band in two days. This one was called "Silver Sound" and they introduced themselves as an elderly samba group.
They lacked a bit of oomph and wandered off the rhythm a bit, but it was good to see them having a go and being able to get such a big band out.Many had to sit down and the surdo drums were raised on apple boxes rather than being carried, so they would always have to be static, but they were having fun and the crowd was enjoying them. One of the agogo bell players was blind so the leader had to tap her as she couldn't follow the usual hand signals.
I spoke to their leader and she says they are usually led by Paul Dodd, who was the leader of the Maracatu lot I saw yesterday, but he gets too much money money elsewhere sometime to turn up. Brighton and Hove Council were paying them £200 to do their bit in the park, which isn't bad..
Next to the park is a statue to max Miller, who used to live in Brighton.
At lunch time there was a lunchtime meeting of the Max Miller Appreciation Society.There were quite a few celebrities that I thought I recognised. The only one I was certain about, though, was Michael Aspel, who is their chairman.
After a pasty lunch on the beach, I went in the free fisherman's museum in the arches at the back of the beach. Originally, this was where the fish market used to be.
The display included a piece on the "hoggies" that used to be commonplace here. They were wide fishing boats for their length, with a shallow draught so they could be dragged up the beach. Finding out how the sea conditions have influenced the design of local boats has been a fascinating aspect of this trip.
I liked to see the not so old British outboards.There are many I've never seen before.
The museum also had a section of the plans to build a contemporary alternative to the damaged west pier. It is called the 360i and has been designed by the same husband/wife architect team who designed the London Eye.David Marks and Julia Barfield's idea is for something that looks a bit like a glass doughnut, which would rise up and down a pole. It also seems to have an unavoidable sexual connotation, such that if it gets built will result in a name being given to it. If London has the "Eye", Brighton will have the...?
Back at the marina, the Fair Trade market was on again and a chef was giving demonstrations for a salad, involving mango, avocado,pine nuts, oil and balsamic vinegar and lime juice. So simple but delicious, as there was enough for the audience to have a taste..
The sea was still breaking over the marina wall. Though the wind was dropping, the forecast was no better for tomorrow, but I'll see if its changed tonight.
no
No comments:
Post a Comment