Drascombes and Cobles

Coble at Newbiggin-by-the-Sea

I was in Northumberland this weekend, visiting my son who is at the university in Newcastle.  Whilst waiting for him to discover the meaning and value of mornings, my wife and I took a breakfast trip to Newbiggin-by-the-Sea.  Amongst the many things which make a visit to this charming seaside town utterly worthwhile, I happened upon a yard of Coble boats.  Native to the north east, these historic boats are very much the spiritual antecedents of John Watkinson's Drascombe design.  It's not difficult to see why when observing that familiar rake on the stern transom.  Further discussion can be garnered from this thread from the Drascombe forum.

Today seemed a good opportunity to take some snaps of these fabulous looking boats.

Another coble, with the distant view out to sea.

Later the same day, my son did surface and we took a trip to Kielder Water which is the former stamping ground of Daisy II in her former guise of Aquarius prior to my purchase of her.  Indeed, my only previous visit to this place was in November 2006 at the invitation of her previous owners, in response to their advertisement, viewing Aquarius before discussing terms.

We didn't find much boating going on today - it would have been cold and wet, albeit a pleasant northerly breeze - but, after a pleasant shoreline walk, we popped into a pub for a very welcome mid afternoon meal.  It's remarkable, in the bleakness of the surrounding countryside with so few people around, to find such an oasis: The Boat Inn at Leaplish Waterside Park.  Recommended!