Comments on: At The 41st Swale Sailing Barge Match https://spitalfieldslife.com/2013/08/04/at-the-41st-swale-sailing-barge-match/ In the midst of life I woke to find myself living in an old house beside Brick Lane in the East End of London Sat, 10 Aug 2013 09:53:08 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 By: Bob Telford https://spitalfieldslife.com/2013/08/04/at-the-41st-swale-sailing-barge-match/#comment-133308 Sat, 10 Aug 2013 09:53:08 +0000 http://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=95021#comment-133308 Brilliant Photos, and great prose.

]]> By: Wiard https://spitalfieldslife.com/2013/08/04/at-the-41st-swale-sailing-barge-match/#comment-131236 Tue, 06 Aug 2013 10:35:58 +0000 http://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=95021#comment-131236 Hi GA,

I’m insanely jealous. We don’t have barges here in the west, only some elegant and fast pilot cutters, but have not managed to sail on any of these either, so far. I used to sail on a Tjalk ( a Dutch Barge) in the Netherlands in a past life and still savour the memory. Cumbersome and inert as they may look when moored, they really move with a good breeze on open water. In Friesland they are called a Skûtsje and they race them seriously http://www.holland.com/global/tourism/article/skutsjesilen-championships.htm.

My own sailing endeavours are now limited to taking Rebellion, my small Waarschip 725, out on Cardiff Bay and the Severn Estuary, but we sadly got demasted in a race last week (not my fault, I hasten to add). Now hunting for a replacement to get me back on the water asap, which may well have to come from the Netherlands, from where she originates.

Great blog and fantastic pics. Hope to hear more about the Repertor in future write-ups.

Best,

Wiard

]]> By: Brian https://spitalfieldslife.com/2013/08/04/at-the-41st-swale-sailing-barge-match/#comment-131148 Tue, 06 Aug 2013 00:33:17 +0000 http://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=95021#comment-131148 I recall as a boy just after the war we would go play ‘over by the Thames’ near Barking Power Station and we would see these barges sailing up and down the river. I imagine back then they were working boats.

Thank you again for reviving old memories 🙂

]]> By: Lisa Severino https://spitalfieldslife.com/2013/08/04/at-the-41st-swale-sailing-barge-match/#comment-131127 Mon, 05 Aug 2013 22:27:32 +0000 http://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=95021#comment-131127 Gorgeous Photos. Wonderful story. Thank you!

]]> By: Adrianne LeMan https://spitalfieldslife.com/2013/08/04/at-the-41st-swale-sailing-barge-match/#comment-130976 Mon, 05 Aug 2013 08:22:21 +0000 http://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=95021#comment-130976 Great pictures, particularly the Lady of the Lea.

]]> By: jeannette https://spitalfieldslife.com/2013/08/04/at-the-41st-swale-sailing-barge-match/#comment-130937 Mon, 05 Aug 2013 04:50:46 +0000 http://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=95021#comment-130937 heaven! i had occasion to think about henry dodds last week — he was the golden dustman on whom dickens modelled noddy boffin in his wonderful novel *Our Mutual Friend*. noddy being one of the few nouveaux riches dickens did not eviscerate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Mutual_Friend

]]> By: Ros https://spitalfieldslife.com/2013/08/04/at-the-41st-swale-sailing-barge-match/#comment-130855 Sun, 04 Aug 2013 21:49:27 +0000 http://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=95021#comment-130855 marvellous photos, every one – though it didn’t sound very restful to me!

]]> By: John McVey https://spitalfieldslife.com/2013/08/04/at-the-41st-swale-sailing-barge-match/#comment-130786 Sun, 04 Aug 2013 13:09:55 +0000 http://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=95021#comment-130786 The word “glorious” emphatically comes to mind.

]]> By: Margaret https://spitalfieldslife.com/2013/08/04/at-the-41st-swale-sailing-barge-match/#comment-130776 Sun, 04 Aug 2013 12:11:48 +0000 http://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=95021#comment-130776 I’m by no means a seafarer. I don’t think I’d ever willingly do a day’s sailing. But this account, and particularly the pictures of a day spent in fresh salty air, with the sun shining and the – on this occasion – gentle waves, almost convince me I’m missing out.

]]> By: david porter https://spitalfieldslife.com/2013/08/04/at-the-41st-swale-sailing-barge-match/#comment-130771 Sun, 04 Aug 2013 11:27:20 +0000 http://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=95021#comment-130771 I watched from Shellness, beautiful skies and wonderful boats.

]]>