As we left the lighthouse, the container ship MV Canopus J was making her way down the Firth of Clyde from Greenock to Bilbao. She was built in 2004 and measures 140m x 20m. She is equipped to carry dangerous cargo in hold 2.
Back at sea level we had time for a second luncheon and enjoyed the silence of our isolation and escape, from the everyday World...
...before hitting the sea again. As we
Goodies
Today was the day of my town's annual Lions Christmas Fair. This is held in the local Corn Exchange, and is used by the townsfolk to recycle stuff. The quality of much of it is surprisingly good and the fair is a chance to pick up some bargains and Christmas presents. Sure enough I managed to bag a few goodies myself including:
The Olympia looks well-used; it has a Swindon dealer's decal (complete with five-digit phone number), not to mention a correcting fluid stain, which has subsquently been lined with blue ball-point, presumably by a bored typist, or perhaps a novelist. This brings my typewriter "collection" to two: the other being a 1970s Olympiette, a present from my mother-in-law. My wife thinks I am mad to entertain such beasts when I already possess a PC, but sometimes it is nice to get the manual typewriter out and bash out a few lines of meaningless prose. I have an idea of typing notes onto 3"x5" cards - have another look at the picture which adorns this blog. This would be useful if and when I ever get around to persuing academic research again, perhaps for a master's degree. After all, if it's good enough for the historian David Starkey, it's probably good enough for me. I use index cards a lot to write down to-do lists or just notes in general, because I don't like Post-it notes much. (The paper is crap and it doesn't take fountain pen ink at all well.) The 3"x5" card is an ideal size, I think; big enough to write quick notes on, but small enough to fit inside a diary, Filofax or book. I keep a bunch of them held together with a large clip.
Obviously, a good day; and I'll be back again next year.
- a Marksman wooden ruler (which was made in England, but graduated only in metric units)
- a yellow-and-orange Fila Temograph H pencil (stamped "Florence Italy") which looks completely unused
- a few other pencils including a no-name primrose yellow round pencil and two Conté Evolution HBs
- a black plastic 3"x5" card index box full of blank cards and indexed dividers
- a genuine Anglepoise fully-articulated desklamp complete with low-energy bulb
- and last but not least, an Olympia SM-3 portable (if you have a team of porters) mechanical typewriter in grey, complete with carry case.
The Olympia looks well-used; it has a Swindon dealer's decal (complete with five-digit phone number), not to mention a correcting fluid stain, which has subsquently been lined with blue ball-point, presumably by a bored typist, or perhaps a novelist. This brings my typewriter "collection" to two: the other being a 1970s Olympiette, a present from my mother-in-law. My wife thinks I am mad to entertain such beasts when I already possess a PC, but sometimes it is nice to get the manual typewriter out and bash out a few lines of meaningless prose. I have an idea of typing notes onto 3"x5" cards - have another look at the picture which adorns this blog. This would be useful if and when I ever get around to persuing academic research again, perhaps for a master's degree. After all, if it's good enough for the historian David Starkey, it's probably good enough for me. I use index cards a lot to write down to-do lists or just notes in general, because I don't like Post-it notes much. (The paper is crap and it doesn't take fountain pen ink at all well.) The 3"x5" card is an ideal size, I think; big enough to write quick notes on, but small enough to fit inside a diary, Filofax or book. I keep a bunch of them held together with a large clip.
Obviously, a good day; and I'll be back again next year.
The decay of the Little Cumbrae lighthouse, does anybody care?
We approached the Little Cumbrae lighthouse from the sea. It is positioned...
...on a raised beach which lies behind a low cliff rising from the current sea level. The "Nature Reserve No Access" sign was put up by one of the previous owners who was more interested in privacy than nature.
A large winch hauled supplies from the landing stage up a light rail track to the base of the cliff.
A jib
...on a raised beach which lies behind a low cliff rising from the current sea level. The "Nature Reserve No Access" sign was put up by one of the previous owners who was more interested in privacy than nature.
A large winch hauled supplies from the landing stage up a light rail track to the base of the cliff.
A jib
The far side of the Cumbraes.
At the north end of Great Cumbrae we entered the broader expanse of the Firth of Clyde. The Arran mountains soared above the lower hills of Bute.
Alan was just as keen to capture the scene as me! You can see his photos on his blog here.
We now paddled down the west coast...
...of Great Cumbrae before the short crossing of the Tan, ...
...the channel which separates it from Little Cumbrae. Our
Alan was just as keen to capture the scene as me! You can see his photos on his blog here.
We now paddled down the west coast...
...of Great Cumbrae before the short crossing of the Tan, ...
...the channel which separates it from Little Cumbrae. Our
It's behind you, on the Clyde
In Scotland the snow tends to arrive with the Pantomime season. It was quite cold when Tony, Alan and I arrived at Largs marina on the Firth of Clyde. I didn't dare take the short road over the hills, I took the long way round by Kilmarnock, Irvine and Ardrossan. In the distance, the mountains of Arran rose above Great Cumbrae island.
The "pencil" celebrates the Battle of Largs in 1263.
The "pencil" celebrates the Battle of Largs in 1263.
CURLEY'S CORNER - NEWS & NOTES
SOURCE: ACT CURLEY’S CORNER NEWS & NOTES DEC 2010 First, a very happy holiday season to all ACT members and your families and teams. Thanksgiving is now past and we look forward to the Christmas holiday season with gratitude for all the support we have been given over the years, especially during these past couple of difficult economic years. We look forward with a great deal of optimism toward the coming race season. |
NEW HAMPSHIRE MOTOR SPEEDWAY We announced in early November that ACT Late Models would be returning to NHMS for a second event over ‘Indy weekend’, August 12 & 13. This has come about as a result of the great effort that many teams have put into having successful Late Model events in the ACT Invitationals over the past two years. New Hampshire is posting over $100,000.00 in purse money for this ‘short track’ ALL STAR event next August. What is really going to create a lot of interest, besides just the opportunity to compete at the Magic Mile, is that the purse and format will be unlike anything ever seen at New Hampshire, let alone in the short track Late Model division anywhere in the country. There will be $40,000 of the posted purse dedicated to just the heat racing and last chance races! That’s right, this will be a ‘short track’ kind of event with everyone having an opportunity to race your way into the feature event. That will leave the feature with a lucrative $60,000 purse! Our goal at ACT with this event is that every team that attempts to qualify will have a great race experience and also make enough money to help defray some expenses even if not qualified for the main event. We will have complete details and entry information available to Late Model competitors in January. Eligibility will be fair but strict in the interest of safety. There is an optional open practice at NHMS for ACT Late Model teams (not mandatory for anyone who has participated in either of the first two ACT Invitational events or practice sessions over the past couple years). This one day practice is scheduled for Tuesday, August 2, 2011 and the only charge will be a team fee of $100 to pay for the safety equipment and daily costs at NHMS. (Goodyear has agreed once again to pay ½ of the practice fee on behalf of all competitors, thus it is only a $50 per team fee). Practice tires can be used from the August 2 session for practice at the ALL STAR event on August 12/13. There have been a few changes to the Invitational to be held again on NASCAR Chase Cup weekend, Saturday, September 24, 2011. The only difference in 2011 will be starting time will be pushed up to afternoon for tires, etc. Hopefully, this should make for a more reasonable time frame for teams to be able to schedule their participation in the third annual Invitational. More information on both the NHMS events can be expected in January 2011. OXFORD TD 250 The next big announcement that has come out of the ‘off-season’ came from Oxford Plains Speedway. The announcement that there would be a PASS event on the eve of the ‘250’ certainly got the rumor mill flying. Let me assure you that Bill Ryan continues to be a strong supporter of Late Model racing, both weekly at OPS and also the ACT US. With that said I do think we supporters of Late Model racing should make an extra effort to support this great event. It still is the richest event on the Late Model calendar and an experience unlike any other short track race. I remember what a great thrill it was when the announcement came several years ago that the ‘richest one day short track race in America’ was being changed to a Late Model race. As one of ACT racing’s strongest allies, we hope that many teams will take in the TD 250 in 2011. Oxford management has made a number of changes over the past few years to make this event more in keeping with Late Model teams overall racing philosophies. I still believe that this event can be done very economically as a one-day event, like most other ACT events. Arrive Sunday morning, practice for a couple hours and then go through the process. We fully support the changes made last year - that teams could purchase tires after qualifying if they made the show, and the ‘no going down in the pits after the pits are open on a yellow”. In fact, we only had two teams that raced at Beech Ridge the following weekend that used tires from the 250. There is a message in there somewhere. Mark July 24, 2011 on your schedule of races to support this coming season. It is the ultimate ‘catch the golden ring’ event! FLORIDA—NEW SMYRNA SPEEDWAY (NSS) This was one of those promotions that was the true ‘flyer of an idea’. I remember throwing out the idea of taking teams to Florida as a ‘racing holiday’ during Speedweeks at Daytona. I really did not think we would get a lot of commitment. I thought this would be a fun way to break up the long winter months, and also show a whole lot of people, from many disciplines of asphalt racing who participate or watch the World Series of Racing at New Smyrna, what Late Model racing with heats to qualify really is. I am especially anxious to showcase the respectful kind of racing we have enjoyed over the past years. There will be a lot of attention for this effort. Over 700 promoters from throughout the country will be attending the national convention in Daytona over the two days we will be racing, and many will be at NSS to watch our shows. Modifieds, ASA Late Models, Super Late Models etc. will all be part of the marathon that is the World Series. We were very surprised to get over 30 teams to commit to this project!! It certainly put me on the hot spot to try and get the races booked after we received support from so many teams. It took some doing and some help to get the purses put together. Realistically, with the program NSS has, it was not like they were looking for another event to fill an already full schedule over the 10 days of the WSASCR. But they have been gracious enough to slot us in for a couple of 100 lap events, which certainly puts some pressure on their schedules and also complicates an already filled pit area, but we will make it work. Entries for the NSS events will be going out before Christmas, but we encourage teams to make some reservations as soon as possible. Daytona and surrounding areas have ‘relaxed’ their room requirements from years past…and during this time frame there are some great events to take in at the Speedway, ARCA race, Bud Clash, and Twin 125’s if you stay until Thursday, etc. Obviously Disney World, etc. is down the road if you are planning a family kind of winter vacation. NSS World Series opens on Thursday, February 10th and runs through the 19th. The ACT events will be Sunday and Monday nights, February 13th and 14th respectively. We have heard from some teams that they have rooms for as little at $57 per night on Daytona Beach! ACT has booked officials rooms in the Orange City/Deltona area (about 20 min from NSS) for around $75 from Friday-Tuesday. Hopefully this will give teams an idea of what to expect. Again information will be sent to teams that committed before Christmas break. Any other teams that are still interested please contact the office as soon as possible. 2011 SCHEDULES Late Models Putting together the 2011 schedules has been a difficult process. We appreciate all the responses that we received to the survey we sent from the office at the conclusion of the 2010 race season. After reviewing them, we have tried to stay as close as possible to requests for events that the majority of teams (as well as the ACT staff and officials) indicated they felt were do-able for them in 2011. The final schedules, as of Friday, November 19th, for both the US and Castrol Series actually ended up being 12 each, plus the four specials (250, Invitational, Showdown, Milk Bowl). We had requests for a half dozen more events in 2011, but could not reasonably schedule them in the best interest of teams, and weekly racing, which still remains a priority at ACT. The combination events at Riverside, QC, the August 13th event at NHMS, and the Airborne Fall Foliage 200 are partially as a result of honoring prior commitments, as well as providing the most assurance for success at showcase events like the NHMS event and the Fall Foliage at Airborne. Bond/Wix Tiger Sportsman Series The TS Series has some changes to its schedule coming out before Christmas. It now looks like there will be 5 events in the TS series this coming season, including a date correction. I will be holding a ‘pre-season’ meeting sometime in late March or early April with TS teams to see if we can work out some of the issues that are currently affecting the TS division. I have every confidence that we can make 2011 into a great race season for TS teams if we address some of the problems of the past couple seasons. I am looking forward to seeing this division get back to the positive spirited division it has been known for over the past 40-plus years. RULES LATE MODEL Rules meetings have been completed and rules should be published on the ACT and Thunder Road web sites, hopefully before Christmas. The Late Model division had very few changes. A couple of issues that need to be dealt with are noted below: FORD There has been lots of discussion about the Ford project now being the ‘car of choice’. This project is and continues to be a ‘work in progress’. It took a full three years to get the Chevrolet crate to its successful state, and I anticipate that by the end of 2011 we will have the Ford program exactly where it is needed within the philosophy and guidelines of ACT racing. 1.The GM crate is the baseline motor for ACT Late Model racing. 2. Nothing will change on the GM program at the present time. 3. If necessary, the Ford will continue to have changes made as deemed for finding ‘parity’ with the GM crates. 4. If the Ford does not appear to be compatible from a competition standpoint, we will continue to take steps to make improvements. 5. If the Ford appears to have been given ‘too much of an advantage’, we will take steps to bring the program back in compliance with the original intent…that being two different manufacturers’ engines capable of winning races and being competitive with each other. In 2010, ACT sanctioned and/or promoted 48 stock car events. Fords won 4 of those events, GM crates won 44. Some very good race teams converted their programs to Fords in 2010, it would be unreasonable to expect that they would not be competitive or win some races. We will monitor the Ford vs. GM situation very closely during the upcoming season. [It almost feels like Dave Dion and Jr. Hanley have returned to create panic in the age old Ford vs. Chevy debate!!! Can’t we all just get along??!!] CRATE REBUILDS This is a notice regarding the ACT policy on rebuilding your crate motors. The chief architect of the ACT engine program for the past decade was and continues to be Dave MacMaster of Butler & MacMaster in Hallowell, ME. 1. At the present time if you own a MacMaster built crate motor, he is the only authorized dealer to ‘rebuild’ or service your engine program, unless a unique situation comes up and is approved by ACT. 2. The other dealers that have been approved as satellite dealers using the same procedures that MacMaster has developed are: RPM Nat’s Goyette Stefco West Carleton Automotive Please be advised that if you purchased your engine from these satellite dealers they are the dealers to service your engines. At the present time, only Butler & MacMaster is the authorized dealer for the ACT FORD crate engine program. If you have any questions, please contact the ACT office. TIGER SPORTSMAN There are virtually no rules changes in 2011 for the Tiger Sportsman division. STREET STOCK/WARRIORS We have had some meetings during the off-season to address the rules on a regional basis for 4-cyl divisions in general. The response has been very positive from various promoters and we are continuing these discussions. We have targeted January 15th as a date to complete some kind of ‘universal’ rules for five or six tracks in our region that are interested in this project. We will have a meeting with Street Stocks and Warriors in January as soon as these discussions are completed and go over what decisions have been made. We are hoping that this will solve many of the problems in the area that presently exist with the variety of rules that exist and in turn boost car counts and give the 4-cyl teams more opportunities with their race programs. Again this has been one of the busiest and productive ‘off-seasons’ as we try to continually improve our race programs for fans and participants. Thank you for all of your past efforts and we look forward to the coming race season. Best wishes for the holidays and we look forward to seeing you at the up-coming Banquets or when the snow melts in the Spring. |
Airborne Speedway - East Coast Snocross races
For immediate release AS-112910-1 Plattsburgh, NY – Tickets for the East Coast Snocross snowmobile races sponsored by Akwesasne Mohawk Casino January 8-9, 2011 at the Crete Memorial Civic Center, go on sale December 1 event promoter Airborne Speedway announced today. |
Tickets can be purchased at two Plattsburgh locations - Della Motorsports near the intersection of Rte 3 and Rte 190 and Aaron’s on 327 Cornelia St. Single day ($15) and two-day ($25) tickets will be available. Free admission for children ages 7 and under. Della Motorsports and Casella Waste Management are co-sponsoring the event. The East Coast Snocross Series, presented by Woody’s Traction and Control and Amsoil, is the largest regional racing series in the nation. It is expected to draw more than 300 top-flight racers from New England, New York, Pennsylvania and Quebec. Racers will compete in Pro Stock, Pro Am, Pro Open and Semi Pro classes on a winding course with large jumps constructed adjacent to the Crete facility. If necessary, snow will trucked in or made on site. “One way or another, promoter Mike Perrotte has assured me we will have snow,” Mayor Donald Kasprzak said. Sam Rogers, an X games medalist and Rave-X team member from Colorado will perform a back flip during a high-flying freestyle program in addition to the racing schedule. “We wanted to make tickets available in time for holiday shoppers,” Perrotte said. “This is a major touring event with a lot of quality race teams and many types of vendors.” Vendor space in the Crete Memorial Civic Center is available - contact Airborne Speedway 518-561-3208. Contact: Tom Herzig |
Airrborne rules meeting
For immediate release – AS-113010-1
South Plattsburgh – Airborne Speedway will hold a 2011 rules meeting Sat. Dec. 4 at the American Legion on Quarry Road in Plattsburgh.
The four-cylinder divisions session begins at noon. Renegade and Sportsman competitors will convene at approximately 12:30 p.m. Ernie’s Discount Tools DIRTcar Modified meeting follows at 1:00 p.m.
Licenses and season passes may be purchased at the meeting. For further information – call the speedway office – 518-561-3208.
Contact: Tom Herzig
802-882-8131
Five fingers and a long way to fish in Loch Linnhe.
The sun set long before we reached our shuttle car, which we had left just north of the Corran narrows on Loch Linnhe.
Looking back up the loch we got a fantastic view of Ben Nevis. Just below the summit you can see the infamous five finger gully which traps the unwary on their descent of the Ben.
An Irish trawler, W297 Caronia II, registered in Waterford, passed us as she was making her way
Looking back up the loch we got a fantastic view of Ben Nevis. Just below the summit you can see the infamous five finger gully which traps the unwary on their descent of the Ben.
An Irish trawler, W297 Caronia II, registered in Waterford, passed us as she was making her way
Sea kayaking desktop wallpaper calendar, December 2010.
December, resting at Rainbow Rock, Rhins of Galloway, after an exciting trip round the Mull!
The seakayakphoto.com December desktop wallpaper calendar (in a variety of screen resolutions) is available for download here.
The seakayakphoto.com December desktop wallpaper calendar (in a variety of screen resolutions) is available for download here.
We paddled off into the sunset in Loch Linnhe.
The River Lochy discharged us into Loch Linnhe, which stretched away to the SW and the distant Corran Narrows.
We soon came to Fort William, Scotland's outdoor capital. The town is not just a tourist centre it is also an unpretentious working place and so is not, perhaps, one of the most scenic of coastal towns. It is hemmed in to a narrow ribbon of land by Loch Linnhe on one side and Ben Nevis
We soon came to Fort William, Scotland's outdoor capital. The town is not just a tourist centre it is also an unpretentious working place and so is not, perhaps, one of the most scenic of coastal towns. It is hemmed in to a narrow ribbon of land by Loch Linnhe on one side and Ben Nevis
Luncheon on a gravel bed in the River Lochy.
The sea lock of the Caledonian Canal opens to Loch Linnhe beside Corpach pier.
For a little while, the canal follows the shore and we paddled below some fishing boats.
We now crossed the head of loch Linnhe towards...
... Fort William. Unfortunately we turned left instead of right.
The first warning of our mistake was that the kayaks' seam lines were closer to the water, and talking of water,
For a little while, the canal follows the shore and we paddled below some fishing boats.
We now crossed the head of loch Linnhe towards...
... Fort William. Unfortunately we turned left instead of right.
The first warning of our mistake was that the kayaks' seam lines were closer to the water, and talking of water,
Stationery Archeology 4
A bottle of Parker Quink Permanent Blue ink, manufactured in England in the 1970s. One of three I bought this year as a job-lot, after seeing this online. It seems to be the ink used by my favourite author JG B*ll@rd. I've used this recently in the Pilot M90 and it's still good, it dries out to a very respectable darkish blue with no purplue tinge.
I've since departed from the blue-ink policy in the M90 by filling it with Diamine Woodland Green. (See last post.)
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