Remember Snow?!?

Cricketer at Priory Meadow

I own up, the sun and summer and me just don't get along, Factor 50 costs a bit too, but the heat is what really does me in! And we haven't had proper snow for ages... 😓

Fishing Beach

I'll cope...

Pirate Minigolf

Somehow! 😉

Beach Huts, Pier behind

Miniature Railway

Fishermen's Museum

The Stacey Marie RX134

Enjoy the sunshine folks! 😎

Missing Snow in Hastings? A Few Photographs...

Cricketer at Priory Meadow

Whilst much of the country has had snow today it's rained here, but dry mostly, indeed we haven't had proper snowfall for a while, so here's some images not taken today. Maybe not to everyone's liking, snow, but I love it, enjoy the images if you do too! 

Adventure Golf & West Hill

Fishing Beach & East Hill

Beach Huts and Pier

Be safe folks, and wrap up well! 😉

Fishing from Hastings Pier, plus nearby Beach Huts!

Hastings Pier 

This morning I had a few miles wander along the seafront, I saw a Red Admiral... on the 6th of November! Also a few people fishing, walking westwards earlier, I had made a detour to the end of the Pier and chatted to a few lads fishing there, and as I turned up, one of them caught a small Bass, I'd brought them luck, their first fish of the day!

On my way back later I thought I'd see if I could bring them even more luck and, as you can see, the five of them were still there when I returned just before midday. Whilst I'd been gone, they'd caught a couple more bass, couple of plaice, whiting and sole, and another fish that I can't remember what it was (I'd taken no notes). Then, there just for a few minutes chatting, they were very friendly gentlemen, and another bass succumbed to the bait, slightly larger than the earlier one I hadn't taken a photograph of!

Bass, just before being returned to the water

Anyway, details of current fishing hours from the Pier can be found on the Hastings Pier Fishing facebook page, together with other information and photographs of even more impressive fish, and are: 

8am – 5pm Sunday to Thursday 
8am – 10pm Friday & Saturday’s

If you would like to fish from the Pier, permits can be purchased from Paul's Tackle, 38 White Rock TN34 1JL (facebook page and tel no: 01424 433404), just a couple of minutes walk eastwards from the Pier, and you can also find out up to date information from him, not to mention fishing tackle and bait is available there too, you may not be surprised to discover! I had a short chat with Paul earlier too, and he said hours of fishing from the Pier may change soon, so keep a check on the facebook pages.

As you can see from this photograph, twelve new beach huts have arrived on the beach east of the Pier, newly built and newly painted (I saw them being painted there, last week I think). I doubt they'll be used now until next spring/summer, but I wonder if they'll remain in situ over the winter, or will they find a place to hibernate, like the St Leonards/Azur Pavilion beach huts do? 😉

More beach huts!

More beach huts east of the Pier?!? I've not seen anyone occupy those at St Leonards, west of the Azur Pavilion, opposite the Royal Victoria Hotel, yet, this year!

One Step Beyond...

The Azur Pavilion, which was used as the older peoples' home in the film Byzantium.

Our very own Banksy...

We could be living on the Cote d'Azur!

The Winter home of the St Leonards beach huts!

And this was "one step beyond" - as in, one step further than the sign that tells you you're entering the Combe Valley Countryside Park.

The wonderful De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill...

On my way back...

Here, I met a couple of older lads (my Devonshire coming out here!) who fish from boats launched from the beach here by Bulverhythe, and we had a great chat, and when I was advised that cod hasn't appeared this winter, and whiting is quite small, but this was a couple of weeks ago, indeed, confirmed by a Hastings fisherman I know since, but, some cod has since been landed by Hastings' boats...

And I ate the last locally caught cod and chips that they had at the Dolphin this lunchtime, excellent piece of fish, and the chips weren't bad either! Looking forward to some more locally caught cod soon, I hope, but I do like huss, and plaice too, for that matter

A wee walk to Cooden Beach...

Yesterday, my brother and I had a wee stroll to Cooden Beach and back, remarkably warmer than we thought it should have been walking there, less so coming back! We went onto Hastings Pier and enjoyed a coffee, and shared a Topic bar, sitting right at the end of the Pier, watching a few sea anglers fishing off the west side; more of the fishing in another blog soon, and some exciting catches having been made! However, also on our way, we noticed the peripatetic beach huts had left their summer site in front of the Royal Victoria Hotel, and again found them, here, at their winter resting place!

And, a big cheers to the skills of the cellar manager at the Cooden Tavern, part of the 1931 built Cooden Beach Hotel, built for the same gentleman, Earl De La Warr, who sponsored the construction of the rather splendid De la Warr Pavilion in nearby Bexhill, whilst he was mayor of Bexhill in 1935 (website). More about the ale itself, brewed by East Sussex brewer, Long Man, can be read at the Beermeister blog.

Then we walked back home...

Nomadic Beach Huts!

I first saw these 10 beach huts here a couple of years ago, I think... then, last year, they had moved to just west of the toilets by the beach huts at Cinque Ports Way/The Haven, near to Bulverhythe... now they are back where they started to the west of the Azur Pavilion, opposite Marine Court, and I have never seen them used! 

What's it all about?!?  

Coastal Currents Arts Festival – Beach Huts!

I wandered down to Bulverhythe yesterday and came upon a part of the Coastal Currents Arts Festival at The Haven, Cinque Ports Way TN38 0FD, that is, in beach huts!  

This included hand printed textiles and felt work at Beach Hut 4, by Cara Hornett, Annika Jasse and Kate Dyer (I was a bit early, so not everything was set up yet, and not everyone here yet, so may well return next week, weather permitting).

See www.bumblebeasties.com and www.etsy.com/uk/    

I also popped into Beach Hut 10, to see the ceramic work of Andrew Topliss, paintings and ceramics by Andy Young, paintings by Mary Young, and cards by Rachel Tomlin.

The Beach Huts will again open next weekend, 12^th and 13^th September, probably best to go after 11.00, not the nearer to 09.00 when I visited yesterday!  

For more information of all associated events go to the festival website.