lofty

Are they not rechargeable batteries?

Plenty of this sort of footage?

Got to go to the smoke. Not sure on your schedule for editing, but the Swanage Classic is only two weeks away. Could get some good footage? You can have a bit of my footage if it's easier. I guess you only need about 5 seconds?

Here you go

Not my film. Pressume go pro

They seemed much more interested in the sand kick up. Also there on the drop down. Might pay to drop and pay out as the drift starts.

Love the left over ropes. That's why I don't touch mechanical things. Where do all these spare nuts and bolts go back?

Interesting stuff

Squid and sandeel was doing the honours Worms pretty much untouched. 400 yards out from the secret Mark

Watched a window and shuffled a job to get a launch to look for early black bream in Swanage Bay. Hooked up with non locals Mark, Rich, and Martin. Didn't get any bait the night before so wasn't on the water until gone 10 am with rag and sandeel Headed out to a famous navionics bream mark, but I wasn't getting a nibble, so headed out to where Mark was catching plenty of Rays on the sand. Started to catch the usual pests so changed over to big baits for Ray fishing First up and thought I was into a small eye as the rod had a good bend in it. I was surprised to see a good sized spotted Ray,bigger than I've had before, so I got the scales out and it went between 4lb 6 to 4lb 8 so calling it 4lb 7 I watched Mark catch a bream, so decided to head to Ballard to try for one. Was joined by Rich who proceeded to catch one right in front of me. I then made a rookie mistake. My anchor was stuck and I want to free it. Unfortunately it came out and I wasn't prepared and I drifted quickly into Rich who was 60 feet down tide , where my anchor line snagged both his lines and snapped him off. Sorry chum. Nothing doing for me on the bream so drifted back over the bay and dropped the pick for some Ray fishing First up a small thorny of a couple of pounds Plenty of dogs, a wrasse I didn't photograph so I won't count it in my species hunt, and towards the end of the day a good pull down and a small eyed Ray around 7ish Back on the beach we said our farewells and I was happy to only have a 30 minute drive rather than the 2-3 hours my chumrades had Cheers

The 2nd of April 2016,Sandbanks, Poole.Id been watching the weather on an hourly basis for the last week, and decided a bay launch was just about OK . The best thing about this for a venue is there are options to fall back into the harbour As this is a Poole Bay Small Boat Angling Club run competition, and the clubs chosen charity is HOW, there is a fine line between running, moving,or cancelling the event. According to the forecast it was doable, and with the promise of Kingfisher and Safety One as support boats to be sea shepards,I gave a green light. On arrival at the car park,the first thing I did before saying hello to a rapidly filling carpark was check the sea state. I was rewarded with an amazing sunrise. It's a go. Registration was £5. This got you a raffle ticket for the draw. Additional tickets were available for an extra fiver( last minute lofty light bulb moment) With the support boats in position the first of the kayak anglers took to the water. It was soon obvious to me that the numbers were up massively on previous years. Many of the UKs elite and many new faces all with plaice goggles on. By 9 o'clock everyone was afloat. It was also pretty obvious that the sea was fighting back. With recent sand replenishment work on Bournemouths beaches, and Storm Katie just 4 days previously, the water was very coloured, and it's my theory it's pushed the fish back out to better waters. The week before I easily caught six plaice with four ragworms( after losing my bait to Davey) Fishing was going to be much harder. It turned out launching and landing were too. Within a few hours the wind and lumpiness had began to see some early arrivals back to sign off. Some to warm up.Some with seasickness. Then the radio and a call I'd been dreading.Man in the water.Steve Williams in a Hobie had water ingress through a hatch not closed correctly and the support boats were quickly to him. Safety One had him on board and Kingfisher bought the yak in close. Simon Adams proceeded to wade out to chest height and assisted back to the beach , where Steve had a much needed warm up. He was also on hand to assist in the retrieval of Lucky Johns kit following his early bath not far from the breakers. Some had had enough, and by lunchtime I had a fair bit of company. Some should have stayed on the beach and not gone back out. Steve and Lucky John Then a call that bought my nerves down a level. "Plaice on board" Just don't lose it in the drink on the way in. Many didn't make it back dry, and Davey Jones had a red letter day. It was great that there were many on hand to assist and also catch those lost moments on film A saved rod By 1.30 most of the competitors were ashore and although very few had bought fish in, I'd heard of seven catching plaice,whiting, flounder and dogfish. Last year seventeen had come to the table and many had multiple catches. With Neil Wilson the very last to hit the beach( upside down I believe?) the PBSBAC support boats were stood down. 56 launched and signed off the water The competitors and myself would like to express massive thanks to those that gave up time and effort in keeping us safe. As everyone knows, a U.K. Kayak fishing event is 50% fishing, 50% banter on the beach. I love seeing chumrades making plans and arranging get togethers. I can honestly say everyone I've got to know through my time kayak angling are absolute diamonds. And we had a winner This is one of the hardest uk competitions to win. The main prize is to get your name on The Cam Clearie Sheild. This year that honour goes to a man from the home of a Plaice fishing, the Midlands, on his sleek and fast fishing platform , a Nu Canoe! Bill Billingham is the2016 champion. Second was Adrian Lewis Third Si Ebborn Fourth Dan Cooke The added draw for all participants saw prizes going to Si, Steve( woodnut), Darrel( ironman),Steve( nevets) and Bill Billingham. I may decide to grow the raffle next year? A huge thanks to all the made a huge effort to take part. The event kicks off our salt season of meets each year, and I hope it's wetted a few appetites? It also raises money for Heroes on the Water, and you'll be happy to know that I went home with a pocket full of scrunched up fivers, totalling £345. This will go to our treasurer to add to other funds that PBSBAC have raised throughout the year. I would love a few more of you to join the club. A brilliant bunch of blokes that will put you on the fish. PM me for info. Here's to a fantastic,enjoyable and safe summer afloat Lofty

Wouldn't be without my Plb . Carried with me on the water at all times Fits in the bottom pocket

Met up with ten members of the Solent Kayak Fishing forum at Warsash , paddling the 5.6 miles up the Hamble with tide assist to Curbridge creek for lunch at The Horse and Jockey. Following a huge burger and a pint( NA) we came back with tide assist . A great day afloat with good chums,without rods,and plans made for future fishing trips. A few photos of our trip in land

But the fishing and the general gist is there I'm glad the only taxman I'm bothered by is hmrc

Saw a little window and had a diary gap, so headed for Southbourne launch as I'm fed up with being confined to the harbour, armed with a box of squid and some frozen blacks. It was a stunning morning with a bit of a shore dump. Launching and landing at Southbourne is all about timing, and my watch must be slow. The sea was flat but had the occasional gnarly wave thrown in. I dragged into the surf zone, holding the front handle,and waited, but unfortunately a big breaker came in and twisted the yak on its side and all my gear went everywhere in the surf. Recovered and paddled out to a mark. Both reels where really gritty and it took most of my drinking water to free them up. One big bait One small bait. Big rig caught me Dogs, small rig caught pout, big pout,very big pout, etc Whiting also made an appearance Saw Alun and said our good mornings, and he reckoned I might get a plaice. So I put a plaice rig on A few whitecaps started to show and that's my cue to head in. The Kaskazi Dorado 2 absolutely loves this type of sea. I swear it paddles better in a choppy sea. Headed for my launch ,and , once again, completely screwed up the wave timings. Suddenly the yak is ploughing in at 45 degrees with the nose right down and me on the top of a wave , and then it hit the front of the dump and rolled me on my side. Lost my anchor and chain, but not the reel as it was stowed along with everything I could stash. So a good session despite my tomfoolery, and nice to see the spottys before the Plaice Chase in April

Been watching and waiting, watching and waiting for a weather window.Its been so duff for so long, and finally a little window showed up to coincide with a day off. Ideally I wanted to launch in the bay and look for a codling, but it wasn't a great or long forecast, so a flounder hunt was the specifics of the day. Got some nice worms from Jay at Wessex the night before for an early start at Lake pier. Cracking flat calm harbour,Spring tides, and overcast sky was looking promising for flatty bashing. Paddled across the bay to the marshes at Holton point and dropped the anchor in 6 feet of water. 1 rod , the Hart spin, had a running ledger with beads and size 2 kamasan match hooks The other rod, Shimano Aernos spin, had a 35g float with a spoon, beads and same hook. Within 10 minutes of fishing I had my first, and smallest of the day, flounder on board. For the next 4.5 hours it was great flounder fishing, with most of them around the 2lb mark, and one closer to 2.5lb. Nearly all of them were stuffed with roe, and they all were returned nice and strong. A few photos This one had a big old lump? I'm not sure if it was its fanny ready to disperse its eggs? This one had its tail missing and although big was super thin In all I had around a dozen.The darkening sky informed me it was time to head home. Stopped at a couple of marks for " the fish you dare not say it's name" for the species hunt, but the SBS had other ideas and after doing loads of donuts near by , I decided to leave them playing on the RIBs and head on in. A perfectly planed , timed and executed kayak fishing trip. I love it when a plan comes together Lofty

Could be a lot of fun

Happy birthday Brian

Lovely bit of decking

more like a radical imam.

Maplin, not napkin

Mine are the swann view system from napkin You can check on your iPhone as well But as you can see it details are limited

I have cameras covering my property when we were vandalised. Not much help as need really to be within 10 feet to get a recognisable face

Signed 405