Dartmouth 2007

[Nasher]

This years annual camping trip to Dartmouth with a load of other families went surprisingly well considering the weather.
Mrs Nasher joined myself and the boys this year for her first camping trip, and was well and truly christened with 60mph winds two nights, and a couple of inches of rain one night. Still says she enjoyed it though.

Start Bay ignored the winds as usual and we had several days where the sea was completely flat right in the bay, but the trips back to Dartmouth in the evenings did get quite interesting.

The smaller Nashers also got to use their SIB quite a lot, cruising up and down the beach and taking all the other kids for rides. Plus taking the adults in and out from the various RIBS anchored off the beach.
I found the SIB and engine stowed very nicely on ‘The Nashers Revenge’ the only downside being the need to blow it up with the stirrup pump when we reached the beach in the morning. Must invest in a 12V air pump.
The little Johnson 4.5 seahorse didn’t miss a beat, and used so little petrol it appeared to run on air.

Pic 1 – Look how flat that sea is despite a stiff breeze.
Pic 2 – Getting ready to launch ‘The Nippers Revenge’. Our Friends 4 year old(smallest in pic) appeared as if by magic for his ride each time we went near it.
Pic 3 – Off on an adventure, Middle Nasher at the Tiller, Little Nasher navigating in the bow, and their friend Connor sat on the tube wondering how safe he is.
Pic 4 – Back safe and sound.

Must show Mrs Nasher how to adjust the resolution on her new camera.

Nasher.

[codprawn]

My God how could you be so irresponsible - letting kids go to sea in an inflatable - they could have been swept out - and no adults with them........

Seriously though looks like they had great fun and that's the best way for them to learn. I used to take our speedboat out on my own when I was about 10 - usually without anyone knowing!!!

Those kids are very lucky - especially these days - many never get the opportunity to enjoy themselves anymore.

[Nasher]

Sorry, I know you are not having a go, but to keep some happy, I did forget to mention that as a large group on the beach, we always had an eye on them, and of course there were always a couple of proper sized boats that could get to them quickly.

At Ten and Eight my two are quite sensible, and very confident sea swimmers. Although I overprotect them from some aspects of life at times, I believe they should have the same experiances I had at that age, and as you say they learnt a lot at the same time.

Rules included the obvious, such as lifejackets, and always two in the boat, plus the helm to shout neutral before anyone left the boat when coming in to shore.

Nasher.

[toby4594]

I agree there is a fine line between what makes you an irresponsible parent etc, I,m rather a fan of your approach Nasher I remember earlier this year when I took a rather public rollicking from a chap as we were all
locking into the mariner together in rather cramped circumstances ,about my 13 yr old at the helm etc etc albeit under my supervision he then proceded to berth the rib under said a######s nose into the tightest spot ,could not have done it better myself, enuf said .Good on you they need their space as long as they are supervised
thats fine.