Surfladle

It is COLD and even though a customer, called Andy, dropped by this afternoon in his shorts (not even the Postman is pushing it that far) I really believe that going out on the water this weekend could be a less than pleasant experience, unless it is in a heated Gin Palace or on a Ferry heading down to Santander! Yes, I do agree that the winter is a beautiful time in its own right but when we go below freezing in the UK, it has that deep bone chilling ‘grip’ that I have not felt even when staying in Banff, at -20°C! It’s like Rising Damp with attitude! No point in moaning though as it won’t change things and as long as I don’t look at my Smart’Ass Power eating meter telling me I now owe another £300.00.. I will be fine. We do of course have the kit should you wish to go out and play but for now let’s talk.. Snow!

 

Yes, we now have a Warning of possible snow fall this coming Sunday. I doubt whether we will be hit with a lot, which is a shame, as a decent amount allows the snowboard and toboggans to be dug out for a bit of fun, but even a splattering of the stuff is a nightmare when you have to travel and we already have enough disruptions with the Postal system, so any snow will only make delivery times even worse. Anyhow, something to keep your eyes on if you were thinking of travelling on Sunday / Monday. Now, what about the cost of Tide Tables..

 

It is the time of year when we have to arrange the printing of the 2023 Shoreham by Sea Tide Tables and in the last three years the price has jumped from what you would call acceptable to a “sorry, I must have mis heard you” level. We don’t charge people or clubs for them, so it is purely a form of advertising for the shop but we do generally ask people to make a small donation to the Lifeboat, which has raised over £500.00 in past years. It is our way of saying ‘Thank You’ to everybody down at the Shoreham RNLI Station for their time and their ‘help’, every time they are called upon to do so. The Tables are for the whole year and one of the few ways of checking the times that far in advance, as most online sites only show the month ahead, otherwise they have to pay the Hydrographic Office a nice little fee for their trouble. And the point of all this?? Don’t be surprised when I ask for a  meagre £1.00 to go into the Lifeboat this year.  Did I mention staying warm..?

 

We all know about the Change Coats that have made a few companies household names for what was a bit of beach wear that went weirdly viral. They are now coming into their own, as heading into water in these temperatures the water may feel warm but when you get out.. grit those teeth boys and girls and get that fluffy coat on! But not only then,  maybe wear it when watching the kids at football for 2 hours (that is actually worse than getting out of the water!) or when you take the dog for a walk or you just take yourself for a walk as it is so cold in the house, as the furry linings in them are as about as snuggly as a coat can be.  The coats start from £75.95 for a Sola Adults or £65.95 for a Junior version (internet best price) which may also fit a small adult and we also have models from Mystic and Northcore, with the Mystic Deluxe Explore 2 being the most expensive at £144.00. I am sure you will agree that they are a great purchase, especially if this weather continues.. talking of which!

 

Here we go.. the Weekends weather outlook.

Saturday. Windguru and the Met both say that it will start Nor’Nor’West but back West by midday and then go Sou’West for a brief period before becoming East’Sou’East by late afternoon (wonder if they both held their Christmas party last night?). Seems an odd one but there you have it. They do differ on the temperature though , with Windguru giving a decent 5°C but the Met only offering 4°C.

The Tide hits High at 12.15hrs on a 5.9m, so if you do fancy a quick paddle up tut’ River, it’s almost a Good Day for it! 

Sunday.. Arctic conditions prevail with a bright outlook, if you are a Polar bear looking for Ice flows.

The dreaded Nor’East winds arrive and are sadly quite brisk, running at 7-12kt in the morning and then 10- 18kt during the afternoon and evening. The snow is expected at around 9am but it may fall as rain and should finish by early afternoon. That’s the Met forecast and Windguru is approx. the same apart from they say No to Snow or Rain.. we shall see! Both agree that highest daytime temps will be around 2°C but feeling colder due to that wind chill, so a real feel of -3°C.. oh joy! Tide hits High at 12.46hrs on a 5.8m, so if you feel like appreciating how lucky a Polar Bear is to have a decent coat, go for another paddle up the river!! 

 

And what is the current water temperature.. a very balmy 12.8°C, which is described as ‘Fresh’ and not great without a wetsuit (I know some of you will argue that point!). If you want to fill your mind with useful information on the subject, check out this website. https://www.outdoorswimmingsociety.com/cold-water-feels-temperature-guide/

 

And that is it for another week. I am about to don three change coats and head off home, to walk the 3.5 chilling miles to see the wife, who I have to say is worth every frozen mile of mud and encounters with blood thirsty Badgers..  as is the pint of 12°C re-fresh-ing beer. HUZZAH!

 

Have a great weekend and please, be careful when hanging those Bells and Holly.