Fog in The Channel ......

.......... Continent cut off.

This alleged 1940s newspaper headline has never been tracked down, 

but it probably still sums up the attitude of some of my fellow countrymen towards Europe.

The ferry Armorique has just left the terminal in Millbay Docks and is heading out of Plymouth Sound 

into a wall of fog, at the start of her daily 115 mile crossing between Plymouth and Roscoff.

The Riverside Reader

A great spot for a quiet, morning read, on what promises to be a beautiful, late summer day.

Gone Fishin'

Fishing from Cornish bank of the River Tamar, close to the rail and road bridges at Saltash, 

on the hot and breathless afternoon of last Monday's Public Holiday.

The spirit of Joey Tribbiani lives on.

No wonder he is tethered.

Click Here to see the master at work.

The Lady in the red hat.

Smeaton's Tower, one of the city's best known landmarks.


Click Here for the basic history of Smeaton's Tower

Running before the wind

A high speed chase across Plymouth Sound towards Mount Batten on the down wind leg

Close encounters of the wet and windy kind.

Yesterday's keen breeze produced some exciting, high speed racing in Plymouth Sound.

This manoeuvre was conducted at, what looked to the layman as, very high speed 

The weather has been splendid these last few days.

But the city centre has been unusually quiet.

Where is everybody?

Perhaps they have gone to the beach.

A watercolour from the waterfront

                                                                                                               Aquarelle No. 6

                                                                                                                      by Yannick Tonnelier

                                                                                                                      From his Barbican Series

Hey! Look what I've found.

Timeless.

The one that didn't get away.

Polychrome versus Monochrome

Colours and Shapes 

at the Gallery Coffee Shop

on the Barbican

Suddenly my early morning stroll took a turn for the worse.

This life sized, sea bleached, tree trunk had been cleverly "truncated", 

and viewed from a distance, as I approached the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club on the Hoe, 

it gave me quite a shock.

Even up close it still looked quite "life like" or should that be "death like".

Take me to your leader!

I come in peace from the distant galaxy of Giacometti

The British Fireworks Championship

On Tuesday night and Wednesday night Plymouth hosted the annual 

British Firework Championship for the seventeenth consecutive year.

The weather was kind and thousands of people enjoyed two great shows on balmy summer nights.

Jack the Dripper

Paintings by influential American Abstract Expressionist artist Jackson Pollock 

came to mind yesterday when I saw this "drip painting" on the tarmac work space

 in the tiny harbour at Mutton Cove, on the bank of the River Tamar at Mount Wise.

Jackson Pollock 1912 - 1956

(aka Jack the Dripper)

died in this week, 11th August, 57 years ago, 

in an alcohol related, single car accident 

in which he was the driver.

Number 18 1950

Untitled 1949                              

In the midst of decay ......

....... there is sometimes beauty.

Rusting metal on the Barbican Fish Quay 

Fortunately Sutton Harbour isn't all ........

............ plastic boats and high rise flats.

There are still a few less well manicured corners of this historic area.

Blue and Grey.

Half way through the paint job.

Reflections of Sutton Harbour

These  reflections, of a strangely coloured sky, preceded a pretty noisy thunder storm.

What is it about pink?

They don't make them like they used to.

A few days ago, the sight of this lovely Lambretta scooter turned back the years, to the summer of 1961.

A scooter like this, was the first motorised transport I owned.

I bought with savings from a summer vacation job when I was a student.

 Together with my friends, scooters opened a new stage of independence in our lives.

Ladies who lounge

The spirit of Beryl Cook lives on.
These ladies were enjoying the sunshine at the Tinside Lido last week.

Beryl Cook OBE,  born 10th September 1926 - died 28th May 2008,

Beryl was, and remains, probably Plymouth's most loved artist. 

Her paintings of  'large ladies' out on the town enjoying themselves were instantly recognisable,

capturing the bawdy atmosphere that characterises the spirit of a major Naval port. 

Here are a few of Beryl's paintings that give a flavour of her work.