My Cousin who lives in Ongar says 'There is always something going on in
Mersea' and August was certainy no exception. The first week-end, as
always, saw a clash between the Five Parishes Show on the Fingringhoe
Ranges and the East Mersea Fete and Art Show.
As Wendy and I put in entries into the 5 Parishes which have to go in on
the Saturday Afternoon, we don't always get to the Fete but we did just
make it in the last half hour so saw some of it this year. It was very
well supported and, I hear, made a good sum of money. Such a beautiful
venue too.
The 5 Parishes Show on the Sunday I thought was one on the best yet. The
weather was hot and sunny with a good breeze to keep things comfortable.
As well as all the fine exhibits in the marquee which always seem more
'Traditional' under canvas, I found the sort of musical chairs for dogs
and their owners highly amusing. The dogs were walked around a ring of
straw bales and both dog and owner had to jump up onto a bale when the
music stopped.
All six feet had to be on the bale. After each pause a bale was removed
from the ring and caused a very amusing spectacle of two owners and two
dogs trying to balance on one bale - eventually someone has to give in.
This was a very popular event and ran to two heats.
Another amusing event involved a sheep dog rounding up a group of runner
ducks which were also guided through a number of obstacles. This event
was in progress when we arrived so we missed most of it.
The East Mersea art show did well and I was pleased to have sold two of
my paintings.
Round the Island Race 2014. David Green's boat SUGARSCOOP at the Strood - it was the peak a very high tide and there would have been enough water to sail across.
The prize for the crew with the oldest combined age, of 148. Paul Godfrey on the left and David Green on the right.
Photographs by Carole Green.
There was plenty of wind for Mersea Week - too much on the Sunday and
the Dabchicks Regatta had to be cancelled. It was eventually sailed on
the Thursday.
The Round the Island Race on the Wednesday always promised to be a
special one with a 5.9m tide forecast and, as the day turned out, plenty
of wind to go with it. A group of us went to watch and left it a bit
late to get on the high ground for the best view. My friends waded
through but the tide was running up the road so fast that I, carrying a
couple of folding chairs decided not to chance it. I did try another
route which involved climbing over a barbed wire topped fence still
carrying my chairs. I could see myself getting caught up on top of the
fence in front of an audience of people sitting in their cars waiting
for the tide to go so I abandoned that idea.
Congratulations to David Green in his little gaffer SUGARSCOOP finishing
eighteenth overall and together with his crew Paul picked up the award
for the oldest crew, a combined age of 148 years.
Putting all of that to one side, David, who has entered this race more
times than he cares to remember, came he believes, the closest he will
ever get to achieving his ultimate ambition of actually SAILING all the
way round. This includes actually sailing across the Strood. Although he
and Paul stayed in the boat they did get some assistance but the boat
didn't touch bottom throughout the race.
The Cobmarsh Island Marathon on August 16th was well supported and
blessed with fine weather and now lets hope we have a nice day for the
West Mersea Town Regatta on the 30th August
Published in Mersea Life, September 2014
|