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Father Ted

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In fairness to the Transit lads they were just trying to help someone who was stranded. Probably not the greatest idea they've ever had, but at least they tried.

Absolutely.

 

I was born and inbred - but left 15 years ago. I’m ashamed of how much scoffing there has been from various people (some high profile) about what was - essentially - an innocent mistake on the part of the RR owner.

 

They, along with the transit drivers, have been publicly ridiculed and I just think it’s terribly sad - and indicative of what a horrible bunch of voyeuristic bastards we’ve become.

 

Sadreactsonly

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Absolutely.

 

I was born and inbred - but left 15 years ago. I’m ashamed of how much scoffing there has been from various people (some high profile) about what was - essentially - an innocent mistake on the part of the RR owner.

 

They, along with the transit drivers, have been publicly ridiculed and I just think it’s terribly sad - and indicative of what a horrible bunch of voyeuristic bastards we’ve become.

 

Sadreactsonly

I was brought up with boats and one of the first things I was warned about was knowing the tide times before attempting any marine activity. My sympathy is deeply limited, I’m afraid. The Transit guys I’ve got a bit of time for but the jet ski owner? None. None whatsoever.

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I grew up on the coast. It's become a conditioned response to look at the tide line before attempting anything requiring access along the shore. Tide times and boats/vehicles is number one priority. To some degree you learn by an expensive mistake or a bit of embarrassment brought on by general piss taking.

 

 

My favourite 'tide cock up' story:

 

My Mum and Dad used to be members of Gravesend Sailing Club when I was a teenager.  I was on the fringes and an occasional visitor and knew my way around a boat or two, so every now and then I'd crew for a race, etc.  

 

I was about 19, minding my own business at home (probably noodling on a guitar) and I got a call from my Mum.  'D, we need you to grab blankets and clean clothes, don't care what it is, just bring it down to the sailing club now'.  So I did that, jumped in the Ka and made my way over there in about 5 minutes.

 

Gravesend Sailing Club is a bit odd in that to get boats in and out, you have to use a crane because it's built into a sea wall that is part of the canal basin complex that leads into the Thames.  In effect, when the tide gets down, you get a small river that leads to the lock (we called it 'The Cut') and that can take you up to one of the cranes at relatively low tide levels.  There's another crane on the front wall.  If the tide gets too low, though, there's just river mud - and you can't traverse that at all.  When your boat is secured to the crane, you just climb up the ladder on the wall until you're back at ground level.

 

A tender had been out and mis-timed the low tide.  They were rowing back in with about 4 people on it and were about 25 feet short of the wall when they just ran out of water.  Stranded.  Nothing they could do.

 

By the time I got there, the air-sea rescue helicopter was just on the way.  They hovered overhead and winched everybody off the tender.  It really was quite a sight - the second helicopter winch I've seen in the flesh and they're really something  Bear in mind, this is 25 feet away from safety - it really is that marginal.  The worst/best part of the whole affair was that it was during Gravesend Regatta so the entire town is now watching from behind the fence.  Much laughing and pointing and 'helpful advice'.

 

Got in the Commodore's car, drive to Gravesend Grammar School, shout for the caretaker to open the gate so we could get to the helicopter that was landing there (he still remembered me, fortunately) and we all go in to give them the clothes that I'd brought down before the ambulance arrived to take them off for checks.  They all had mild hypothermia in the end - and it was around early August.

 

Gravesend Sailing Club have since installed a floating pontoon that solves the low-tide access issues.  It really is a great, very friendly and down-to-earth club if anybody around there wants to try out sailing.  Lovely place.  And quite cheap beer if you're a member...

 

The point remains, however:

 

Always check what the tide is doing before you commence any kind of marine activity.

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You see tidal creeks and rivers that when the tide is out there is no possible way to traverse. Mud is so deep and gives way to the slightest pressure, then restrains any boot, dagger board or wheel with a vacuum so intense you wouldn't think possible. Just to see water at different conditions on different days should give a person an indication that planning and know how is needed. With the situation of the tender being stuck, a bit of rain and wind in the colder months death would have been scarily close.

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Yeah.  There was another air-sea rescue incident with club members that year but it was near Orkney and that really was life-or-death.  He'd decided to risk the weather forecast sailing to Shetland, got caught in a storm and all of his systems except his emergency beacon went out.  Only knew it had worked when the helicopter and offshore lifeboat turned up.  Got rescued and they managed to recover the boat.

 

Didn't arrive in Fair Isle in time for his honeymoon, though...

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Moderate success!  The veneer has glued on 99% of the dashboard with just one fiddly corner and one really skinny bit needing to be reglued, which it is doing now.  Annoyingly, in one spot the veneer took great but the plywood the dashboard panel is made of delaminated, so I'm having to reglue that too.

 

Now to see whether or not it withstands my efforts to sand all the edges tidily once these minor touch-ups are dry.

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I agree with Morris, the telltales with the windows, C pillar vent, bumper style and even the colour are all correct for a Mk1.  Front end looks a bit off because of the bump and it looks like that popped the glass off the headlight in the process.  What I can't figure out is how they've tipped over there, perhaps they were given a helping nudge by a passing motorist.

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I keep walking past past this house (with my dog) with the roof ornament on. I am sure I have seen it on this forum before but I'm on holiday up here staying with family and am not allowed to spend all day trawling the forums, and it's driving me mad now.... f293eb7d4494f4c0d2ba04fd9b12099a.jpg

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'Tis pissing down and has been since yesterday, also blowing hard enough to keep a dockyard tart in business for a decade. So, lots of slippery roads, leaves and mud. I was looking forward to some sideways action (as I am a BIG child and as miserable as fuck and mega grumpy with it at the moment) and discovered this rotten Mercedes has traction control that kills ALL the fun! I can't seem to find a button to turn it off either, which is a pain. Just starts to spin and then big triangle comes on the dash and all fun ends.

 

P'ah!

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