Dandelion 116

 

There is something of the East Coast, about Cobbs Quay. Where Stargazer has moored, on the western shore of Holes Bay.

It is reached by a serpentine channel, leading up from the RNLI building. From where the sprawling organisation is managed nationally. The in-house capability, to build and service its fleet of offshore, all-weather, craft, was added shortly before I moved to Kent, in 2016.

Poole harbours the production of state of the art, planing, power boats deep in its DNA. With Sunseeker's yard dominating the Quay waterfront, and its satellite workshops, brokerage and offices dotted liberally about the town’s byways.

Between the RNLI and Sunseeker lie two lifting bridges. The second added whilst I still lived here. To enable a continual flow of road traffic, on one bridge, whilst the other is raised. As well as to provide some 'redundancy,’ should the elderly Town Bridge (pictured) falter.

Below the bridges, Poole Quay bustles. Thronged with ferries, trip boats and a milling sea of sightseers.

Who queue for rides around the harbour's channels, upriver to Wareham, to Brownsea Island and (in fair weather) to Studland Bay, Swanage and Bournemouth.

 Or set off, on foot, to explore the Old Town, its hostelries, boutiques and cafes. On streets made for sedate strolling.

Eulogy

The muted tones, of this post's pictures, mark the sad passing of the camera which brought you them. My loyal cruising companion, of the past seven years. Whose recent, intermittent, screen blackouts went terminal yesterday. (Whilst capturing Pip's arrival). Leaving me only the optical viewfinder (which, for a spectacle wearer, is a far inferior tool) to sight through. Worse still, it deprives me of access to the 'menus,' which control the many modes and settings, of this veritable light computer. Farewell old friend. Thank you for holding out, until we came within range of the London Camera Exchange’s couriers; and had put ourselves beyond the self-inflicted complexities, of post-Brexit, cross-border, trade.