Santorini (revisited)

4/12 in the ‘Places & Pleasing II’ series

Into the caldera at dawn
Golden tinge to the sky
Santorini all around
with Thira way up high

Anchors weighed, we drift
The tenders to the sea
Ferries to the waiting land
Sheltered in the lee

©Jemverse

[Santorini was the third port of call on our ‘Aegean Shores’ cruise in August 2017]

Away again

We've booked another cruise
it has been quite a time
since we have been on holiday
so here that feeling's fine
Before pandemic was the last
time that we left this shore
but that's now set to change again
in twenty twenty-four
Canary Islands wait us there
twelve weeks or so away
so soon the days we'll start to count
down to the sailing day

©Jemverse

Photo – Jempics

The Waverley

On the world's last ocean-going paddle steamer we sailed
from Shoreham to the Isle of Wight
A day on the The Waverley starting at nine
and returning much later that night
It was the best day we could ever wish for
and we both had a wonderful time
sailing the waters of England's South Coast
on a day in September, sublime

©Jemverse

Built in 1946, The Waverley is the world’s last ocean-going passenger-carrying paddle steamer. On 13th September 2023 we had the very great privilege of joining a daytime cruise from our home port of Shoreham-by-Sea to the Isle of Wight and then on to Southampton.

Photo – P.S. Waverley departing Shoreham (Kingston beach in background)

Jack’s boat

Moving slowly along under power we saw
Jack's sailing boat just off the coast
Watched as he motored closer to shore
making like us here, the most

Weighed anchor out there so I pinged him a poke
PM'd him to wish him good day
Took a pic of the boat and sent it out there
as it seemed the right thing to say

©Jemverse

Photo – Jempics

Fading Now

It's fading fast but still remains
a shadow of its former shine
and yet this forlorn memory
is something I still cherish, mine

For though its owners are long gone
and its superstructure fails
there are some precious memories
which passing time quite oft regales

And as they fade there into time
the vista north steadfast and true
of precious Shoreham by the sea
remains there in its fading view

©Jemverse

Photo – Jempics

The Gut

Part of the ‘Past to Present’ series from Jemverse

The beach Ted Bunker launched his
boat from sadly is no more
once called 'The Gut' its gutted now
no more a shingle shore
Filled in to make a car park
the beach where once we played
is another loss to history
and to the fishing trade

©Jemverse

Photo – Jempics (the Fisherman’s Beach [aka ‘The Gut’], Albion Street, Southwick, Sussex).

[‘The Gut’ was a small beach immediately behind Albion Street in Southwick, West Sussex. It was used by fishermen for many years and I can vividly remember playing there as a boy and talking to the fishermen as they pulled their boats ashore at high tide. But now – for no sound reason that I can imagine – the beach has been filled in to make way for a public car park].

This is what ‘The Gut’ looks like today

Imagination’s made

The harbour lit and sparkling
exuberant at night
the wind farm on horizon
glinting just in sight
and nestling on the quayside
the survey ship rests true
across the road from where I stand
beneath the azure blue
This is a thing of magic
as although a port of trade
scene's like this are always
where imagination's made

©Jemverse

Photo – Shoreham Harbour – Jempics

Greenship

There's a green ship in the harbour
up the river quite a bit
much further on than usual
so I took a pic of it
Rarely dredged of course these days
the building silt means most
will rarely venture up this far
at Shoreham on the coast
A far cry from my yesterdays
when every berth was full
so good to see the odd one still
with time's incessant pull

©Jemverse

Photo – Shoreham harbour – Jempics

Pretty Sails

Nestling in the harbour
at the yacht club yesterday
a jolly pretty sailboat
I espied whilst on my way

So I made a little detour
across the Adur Ferry Bridge
so that I could take a photo
as a special privilege

For this was something special
canvas sails a-hoisted high
just waiting for the tide to turn
as we all wandered by

Sadly that was hours away
so I couldn't see it sail
but the sight I captured of it
makes for smiles here to regale

©Jemverse

Photo – Jempics

Two Days

Two days to go
until summer returns
for eight days for Sally and I
As packing our bags
to Dubrovnik we’re bound
on Thursday morning to fly

And it will be good
at least for a week
to feel warmth from the sunshine once more
Relaxation sublime
with weather so fine
and one or treats I am sure

©Jemverse

Photo – dawn over Dubrovnik, Croatia – Jempics