So West Ham have finally done what was on the cards since the takeover and sacked Gianfranco Zola. I for one am not very happy about it.
Yes Zola was inexperienced and yes he sometimes shows tactical deficiencies, but from day 1 you could see what he was trying to do. Every player on the pitch needed to be comfortable receiving the ball wherever he was and most have become so. Even when we were losing there were often good signs.
No-one will ever know if given another season it would be more like last season or the one just finished, but I think Zola will be one who got away. I can see him becoming a very good manager and even leading Italy to the World Cup Finals someday. On top of that he is a true gentleman, unfortunately for him at least one of his employers isn't and he paid the price.
I hope he has success in his career (unless of course he ends up at Chelsea, Spurs or Arsenal) and I hope that West Ham can pick a suitable replacement. Sadly most of the names mentioned so far would be a backward step from where we were this morning. Lets hope the new incumbent quickly wins the support of the players that Zola clearly had.
Tuesday, 11 May 2010
Sunday, 2 May 2010
Proof That I Am An Idiot!
A strange title perhaps? I didn't even realise what an idiot I was until after I'd got home some time later.
Anyway, lets start at the beginning. This morning at archery we had a novelty American shoot. The weather was not good and only 6 turned up to shoot, five of whom shot this round. The American bit is easy enough - 2½ dozen arrows at each of 60, 50 and 40 yards - the novelty bit was that the winner was the nearest person to scoring 627 rather than the highest score. Also misses count as 10 not 0, otherwise scoring is as normal 9, 7, 5, 3 & 1. The best way to get it is apparently 88x7, 1x1 and a miss. 7s were the tie break if needed.
So at 60 yards I shot as normal. Shooting in a rainjacket isn't helpful and the weather was a factor in me scoring just 166 at that distance with only two 9s. At 50 yards it all became much more fun as we were trying to get our scores 'on par' by having a few misses. With two bosses set up, after one particular end one of them had every arrow in it (except one in the green) whilst the other was completely empty.
40 yards was strange, I was cursing myself after the first end which were all in the gold bar one 7. Perhaps I should aim for the 7 in future? I'd got my score into odd values by having an odd number of misses, so I just had to keep an eye on my scoring now to get as close as possible to 627. With a dozen to go I needed 84, so all 7s would do it for me. Two golds didn't help, but I did equalise that by putting two in the blue as well as actually hitting two 7s so in the final end I still needed 7s all the way.
My first two arrows of the final end were gold. Damn! But, the third I scored just a 1 (although aiming at 3). As the second detail shot their first three arrows I worked out that I was going to try and finish with 9,7,7 to hit the target score. With 23 needed the first of my final three arrows went low into the 3. I was really annoyed. Even two golds now would leave me two short. Pleasingly though I did hit those two golds, so finished on 625. Roy and Fliss both finished on 627 and took the spoils. It was something different and despite the poor weather was great fun.
So have you spotted why I am an idiot? I didn't till I was telling my Henry and Fran about it when I got home. For those who haven't, the three I scored with my fourth arrow of the final end left me needing 20. Two misses with the final two arrows would have seen me reach the target score exactly. D'oh! For the record I would still not have won as Roy hit 38 7s to my 28, but still very annoying.
Anyway, lets start at the beginning. This morning at archery we had a novelty American shoot. The weather was not good and only 6 turned up to shoot, five of whom shot this round. The American bit is easy enough - 2½ dozen arrows at each of 60, 50 and 40 yards - the novelty bit was that the winner was the nearest person to scoring 627 rather than the highest score. Also misses count as 10 not 0, otherwise scoring is as normal 9, 7, 5, 3 & 1. The best way to get it is apparently 88x7, 1x1 and a miss. 7s were the tie break if needed.
So at 60 yards I shot as normal. Shooting in a rainjacket isn't helpful and the weather was a factor in me scoring just 166 at that distance with only two 9s. At 50 yards it all became much more fun as we were trying to get our scores 'on par' by having a few misses. With two bosses set up, after one particular end one of them had every arrow in it (except one in the green) whilst the other was completely empty.
40 yards was strange, I was cursing myself after the first end which were all in the gold bar one 7. Perhaps I should aim for the 7 in future? I'd got my score into odd values by having an odd number of misses, so I just had to keep an eye on my scoring now to get as close as possible to 627. With a dozen to go I needed 84, so all 7s would do it for me. Two golds didn't help, but I did equalise that by putting two in the blue as well as actually hitting two 7s so in the final end I still needed 7s all the way.
My first two arrows of the final end were gold. Damn! But, the third I scored just a 1 (although aiming at 3). As the second detail shot their first three arrows I worked out that I was going to try and finish with 9,7,7 to hit the target score. With 23 needed the first of my final three arrows went low into the 3. I was really annoyed. Even two golds now would leave me two short. Pleasingly though I did hit those two golds, so finished on 625. Roy and Fliss both finished on 627 and took the spoils. It was something different and despite the poor weather was great fun.
So have you spotted why I am an idiot? I didn't till I was telling my Henry and Fran about it when I got home. For those who haven't, the three I scored with my fourth arrow of the final end left me needing 20. Two misses with the final two arrows would have seen me reach the target score exactly. D'oh! For the record I would still not have won as Roy hit 38 7s to my 28, but still very annoying.
Sunday, 11 April 2010
It's Been A Long Time
It's been a very long time since I posted anything to my blog and plently has happened in the meantime. My computer has died, West Ham have continued to struggle, the entire indoor archery season has come and gone and I even got my camera out a few times.
So a good weekend all round, apart from the sunburnt head that I got for my troubles on Sunday. When the sun is out and there is a cool wind you just don't notice it's strength.
The good weather this weekend though seemed to bring good fortune with it, it was a good weekend.
Saturday was the next installment in the West Ham's relegation scrap. Having been dismal in the three home games previously I was hoping for something better. The draw at Everton gave us hope and in the end three welcome and deserved points came our way against a niggly Sunderland team. The referee was poor (for both teams), in fact as poor as I can remember a ref being for quite some time, and Sunderland were very sly with lots of tugs of shirts and arms putting players off balance, and getting away with it. A win against Wigan in our next home match should, I hope, be enough to ensure survival.
Sunday morning I went to our archery club for my first outdoor shoot of the season, a Western. It took a bit longer than I had 
thought it might to shoot 8 dozen arrows. The first four dozen at 60 yards and the remainder at 50 yards. My gear can just about cope with this distance although others were shooting up to 100 yards. The sun was out but there was a chilly breeze. Without really having anything to compare it with I had no great feeling of achievement nor of disappointment at my final score of 577, but I'm told it is a good score for someone in their first year.
thought it might to shoot 8 dozen arrows. The first four dozen at 60 yards and the remainder at 50 yards. My gear can just about cope with this distance although others were shooting up to 100 yards. The sun was out but there was a chilly breeze. Without really having anything to compare it with I had no great feeling of achievement nor of disappointment at my final score of 577, but I'm told it is a good score for someone in their first year.Straight afterwards I had to whizz off to Newport Pagnell, via home, to photograph the MK Dons ladies team in their final match of the season against Norwich City. 
I managed to get there just after kick off, about 10 minutes late. I found myself a spot behind the goal at the edge of the penalty area. Conditions were not ideal as the sunlight and the Dons white shirts can cause metering problems. I decided to shoot with the camera on manual to try and get around that. The Dons took the lead around midway through the first half, and although I did get a shot of the player shooting, it wasn't great and the ball wasn't in shot. Norwich equalised a few minutes later, but at the other end of the pitch, so no shots of that!
I managed to get there just after kick off, about 10 minutes late. I found myself a spot behind the goal at the edge of the penalty area. Conditions were not ideal as the sunlight and the Dons white shirts can cause metering problems. I decided to shoot with the camera on manual to try and get around that. The Dons took the lead around midway through the first half, and although I did get a shot of the player shooting, it wasn't great and the ball wasn't in shot. Norwich equalised a few minutes later, but at the other end of the pitch, so no shots of that!The second half saw three more goals, but all for Norwich who won comfortably in the end. A shame for me that I didn't get
the chance for more goal shots at my end. My Canon 70-200mm f2.8 really isn't quite long enough for football, even with the 1.4x extender, but I just can't afford the 300mm or 400mm f2.8 prime lenses that you really need for those sports with a bigger pitch. Nevertheless, if you can anticipate the action you can still get some decent shots with this kit. You can also get
away with a fair bit of cropping when they are viewed on the web too, making them look better than they really are. I am looking forward to getting my new computer next week though, as my old one died in early November and it's almost impossible to do anything worthwhile with photos on my netbook. Photoshop will be a welcome sight after months making do with the GIMP. A few of the best shots from the match are shown here. I hope to get the chance to shoot more photos for them next season.
the chance for more goal shots at my end. My Canon 70-200mm f2.8 really isn't quite long enough for football, even with the 1.4x extender, but I just can't afford the 300mm or 400mm f2.8 prime lenses that you really need for those sports with a bigger pitch. Nevertheless, if you can anticipate the action you can still get some decent shots with this kit. You can also get
away with a fair bit of cropping when they are viewed on the web too, making them look better than they really are. I am looking forward to getting my new computer next week though, as my old one died in early November and it's almost impossible to do anything worthwhile with photos on my netbook. Photoshop will be a welcome sight after months making do with the GIMP. A few of the best shots from the match are shown here. I hope to get the chance to shoot more photos for them next season.So a good weekend all round, apart from the sunburnt head that I got for my troubles on Sunday. When the sun is out and there is a cool wind you just don't notice it's strength.
Monday, 5 October 2009
OK, Now I'm Worried
Yesterday afternoon at Upton Park started well and then went downhill....fast. The first two home matches both ended in defeat (to Tottenham and Liverpool) but the performances were good and I felt we deserved at least a point against both.
Yesterday Fulham were the visitors. A side, like us, in the bottom 3 and on paper one that we ought to have beaten comfortably. We looked bright enough at the start, although I felt Hines didn't give the same level of performance that he had done against Liverpool. We did take the lead after 16 minutes after a Diamanti free kick from the right was header powerfully into the top corner at the near post by Carlton Cole.
While Andrew Johnson did show brief flashes of perhaps being able to get Fulham back into the game they offered little else. Then with 5 minutes to go before half time an off the ball incident resulted in a red card for Fulham's debutante midfielder Dikgacoi. Half time came and we looked at the table and tried to work out how high we'd move up with the win that was inevitable now.
As the players re-emerged for the second half Fulham replaced Johnson and it seemed any hope for them getting anything from the match was gone. Hmmmmmmm. Within a minute of the re-start Fulham got a penalty and were level. To me the challenge was a 50:50. Upson and Kamara tussled for the ball and both went down. Neither was at fault, but these things usually go in favour of the defender and when the ref whilstled I assumed that was what was happening. When he pointed to the spot I was gobsmacked. Seeing it on TV later I still can't see how it was a penalty.
OK, so back at parity but we still have the extra man against a side we were better than in a first half when they had 11. It'd be alright. No it bloody wouldn't! 10 minutes later Green came for a corner and didn't get there leaving Gera a fairly simple tap in. Disaster.
We then looked a bit devoid of ideas and urgency. There was little creativity and the spectre of relegation (yes, even in October) was very real, and hovvering over us. This just wasn't good enough. The players we have are capable of so much more, but they must start showing it. And soon.
In injury time we got lucky. Finally when we got a shot away we got something. Stanislas's drive was deflected past the helpless Schwarzer saving us a point with a 2-2 draw that we really didn't deserve. Even so, 1 point from 9 at home is nowhere near good enough and leaves us in the relegation zone (albeit with a big pack within a win from us).
The fixtures coming up look daunting. The next 6 visitors to Upton Park are Arsenal, Aston Villa, Everton, Burnley, Man Utd then Chelsea. It wouldn't be a surprise of we only picked up another 4 or 5 points from that lot. We are gonna need one hell of a run in at home to repair the damage that could get done in the next couple of months.
The one thing might be that we do tend to raise our game against the bigger teams when they come calling. We need to!
Yesterday Fulham were the visitors. A side, like us, in the bottom 3 and on paper one that we ought to have beaten comfortably. We looked bright enough at the start, although I felt Hines didn't give the same level of performance that he had done against Liverpool. We did take the lead after 16 minutes after a Diamanti free kick from the right was header powerfully into the top corner at the near post by Carlton Cole.
While Andrew Johnson did show brief flashes of perhaps being able to get Fulham back into the game they offered little else. Then with 5 minutes to go before half time an off the ball incident resulted in a red card for Fulham's debutante midfielder Dikgacoi. Half time came and we looked at the table and tried to work out how high we'd move up with the win that was inevitable now.
As the players re-emerged for the second half Fulham replaced Johnson and it seemed any hope for them getting anything from the match was gone. Hmmmmmmm. Within a minute of the re-start Fulham got a penalty and were level. To me the challenge was a 50:50. Upson and Kamara tussled for the ball and both went down. Neither was at fault, but these things usually go in favour of the defender and when the ref whilstled I assumed that was what was happening. When he pointed to the spot I was gobsmacked. Seeing it on TV later I still can't see how it was a penalty.
OK, so back at parity but we still have the extra man against a side we were better than in a first half when they had 11. It'd be alright. No it bloody wouldn't! 10 minutes later Green came for a corner and didn't get there leaving Gera a fairly simple tap in. Disaster.
We then looked a bit devoid of ideas and urgency. There was little creativity and the spectre of relegation (yes, even in October) was very real, and hovvering over us. This just wasn't good enough. The players we have are capable of so much more, but they must start showing it. And soon.
In injury time we got lucky. Finally when we got a shot away we got something. Stanislas's drive was deflected past the helpless Schwarzer saving us a point with a 2-2 draw that we really didn't deserve. Even so, 1 point from 9 at home is nowhere near good enough and leaves us in the relegation zone (albeit with a big pack within a win from us).
The fixtures coming up look daunting. The next 6 visitors to Upton Park are Arsenal, Aston Villa, Everton, Burnley, Man Utd then Chelsea. It wouldn't be a surprise of we only picked up another 4 or 5 points from that lot. We are gonna need one hell of a run in at home to repair the damage that could get done in the next couple of months.
The one thing might be that we do tend to raise our game against the bigger teams when they come calling. We need to!
Monday, 28 September 2009
Competition Time
Yesterday was our archery club's final outdoor shoot of the season. To finish the season off it was a barebow (no sight allowed) competition shooting a Portsmouth round (5 dozen arrows over 20 yards with a 60cm target face).
Yet more firsts for me - first Portsmouth, first barebow attempt and first club competition. Also a first for Henry who joined in and shot his first 'proper' round.
I was advised beforehand that instead of pulling the bowstring back to a point under the chin I should draw it to my cheek so that I could look along the arrow to aim. A couple of misses with my sighters showed me how different, and hard, this was going to be.
Then we got underway and every one of the first dozen scored, which was pleasing, and there was even a nine in amongst my score 54. My second dozen was slightly better (55) and included a 10, but also a couple of misses. The final three dozen were better still (64, 73 & 68) and included three more 10s and only the one more miss. My final score then was 314 (with 57 hits out of 60). This placed me second of 4 on my target, but I have no idea how the scores were on the others - much better I suspect.
Henry didn't fare so well. He struggled a lot with drawing to his cheek and after the first two dozen (with no hits) reverted to his usual draw and was rewarded with two scoring arrows in the next set of 3. The smaller target face and no sight made it much harder than he was used to, but he enjoyed himself which is the main thing.
Afterwards we decided to stick around for a bit to practice. Another club member offered me his flatbow to try (45lb to pull compared to the 28lb I'm currently using on the recurve). Obviously there were a good number of misses in the dozen arrows I shot, but also a 10 amongst them!
Adding the sight back to the recurve to practice in preparation for the indoor season took a bit of getting used to. The mornings habit of drawing to the cheek was hard to shake, but after half a dozen completely useless arrows I managed to shoot a dozen that were reasonably well grouped, leaving me looking forward to the indoor season. It had been a glorious morning weatherwise, and a great finish to the outdoor season, even though for us it only started a couple of months ago.
Yet more firsts for me - first Portsmouth, first barebow attempt and first club competition. Also a first for Henry who joined in and shot his first 'proper' round.
I was advised beforehand that instead of pulling the bowstring back to a point under the chin I should draw it to my cheek so that I could look along the arrow to aim. A couple of misses with my sighters showed me how different, and hard, this was going to be.
Then we got underway and every one of the first dozen scored, which was pleasing, and there was even a nine in amongst my score 54. My second dozen was slightly better (55) and included a 10, but also a couple of misses. The final three dozen were better still (64, 73 & 68) and included three more 10s and only the one more miss. My final score then was 314 (with 57 hits out of 60). This placed me second of 4 on my target, but I have no idea how the scores were on the others - much better I suspect.
Henry didn't fare so well. He struggled a lot with drawing to his cheek and after the first two dozen (with no hits) reverted to his usual draw and was rewarded with two scoring arrows in the next set of 3. The smaller target face and no sight made it much harder than he was used to, but he enjoyed himself which is the main thing.
Afterwards we decided to stick around for a bit to practice. Another club member offered me his flatbow to try (45lb to pull compared to the 28lb I'm currently using on the recurve). Obviously there were a good number of misses in the dozen arrows I shot, but also a 10 amongst them!
Adding the sight back to the recurve to practice in preparation for the indoor season took a bit of getting used to. The mornings habit of drawing to the cheek was hard to shake, but after half a dozen completely useless arrows I managed to shoot a dozen that were reasonably well grouped, leaving me looking forward to the indoor season. It had been a glorious morning weatherwise, and a great finish to the outdoor season, even though for us it only started a couple of months ago.
Friday, 18 September 2009
Going for Gold
Back in the summer, at the local carnival, Henry and I had a go at Archery. It was a stand that Henry kept wanting to go back to, and the members of the club running it were quite impressed with him, for a 7 year old.
As he had enjoyed himself so much I thought I'd look for a club that we could go to. Due to the nature of the sport, and it's potential for danger if you don't know safety procedures, etc. you have to do a 'beginner's course' before you can join a club. To cut a long story short this is an 8 hour course (usually over a period of weeks) where you are taught the basics of both safety and technique.
It is quite difficult to find a club that will start anyone under 9 years old, so although there are clubs nearer to home we ended up having to travel about 40 minutes to find one that would allow Henry to take part. Anyone wishing to take up the sport in the UK should look at the GNAS website to find an affiliated club.
We did our beginners course throughout August and joined our chosen club 3 weeks ago on completing the course. We have been to club shoots on each of the three weekends since we joined, although only practicing at shorter distances to those shooting recognised rounds. We are both using club equipment and will continue to do so for a while yet, although I have to say I'm itching to get my own!
Anyway, on Sunday morning there was a good turnout of around 20 or so. Whilst I asked for a boss (a target for the uninitiated) to be set out at 20 yards for Henry to shoot at, I felt that with so many there I should join in and shoot my first proper round rather than ask for another boss to be set out for me to practice on.
As I said I'm using a club bow, which comprises of a wooden Samick handle and Samick Polaris limbs which are 28lb to pull the bowstring back. Also I'd never shot more than 40 yards before (and only then for a couple of hours). Oh, well. "In for a penny...." I thought and decided to shoot a Short National round (4 dozen arrows at 50 yards followed by 2 dozen at 40 yards). I was pleased to be hitting the boss with my sighters and when one of them landed in the gold (the centre of the target face), I thought perhaps it wouldn't be as hard as I thought to hit a reasonable (yes I know that's relative) score at 50 yards.
Being my first 'proper' club shoot and my first time (other than the beginners course) sharing a boss I didn't think to keep my own score for reference, but wish now I had. I do know, though, that my final score was 356 and was the highest on my boss, which I shared with two other newcomers and someone shooting longbow after not shooting for some time. At 50 yards I hit a handful of golds (about 4 I think, worth 9 points each), although also as many whites (1 point)! I hit more 5s (the blue ring) than anything and the fact that my average score per arrow was 5 suggests that I hit as many blacks (3 points) as reds (7 points), but I don't remember it that way! I guess it's the same as cricket in that you remember the good shots.
I was disappointed when the distance dropped to 40 yards not to hit any more golds, but I did have quite a lot of near misses which landed in the red at 12 o'clock. My grouping was also much better at the shorter distance, but then again I suppose it should be! I was pleased that I only missed with 2 arrows (both at 50 yards). Those came when a more experienced archer gave me some tips about my release which, when I tried to put into practice in the next end (set of 6 arrows), resulted in the misses. But still I'd rather be doing it right early and getting better from there.
Archery is similar to golf in that it is essentially an individual sport where you try to improve your own ability. Competition against others can be 'levelled' by a handicap system (like golf again). I suppose most club members would regard 356 (equating to a handicap of 62) as a poor score, but we all have to start somewhere, and it gives me a benchmark from which to measure myself in the future.
As the outdoor season draws to a close I'll probably run out of time to get a handicap for this year (you have to shoot three recognised rounds), but I hope that having the whole indoor season ahead I can attain a half decent handicap by the end of that. I aim to build up my poundage (the weight of bowstring I can pull back comfortably) on club kit over the next month or two before getting some of my own. By then I hope to have a reasonable idea of what will/might suit me, as well as giving me time to learn what some of the things I've seen in catalogues actually do!
As he had enjoyed himself so much I thought I'd look for a club that we could go to. Due to the nature of the sport, and it's potential for danger if you don't know safety procedures, etc. you have to do a 'beginner's course' before you can join a club. To cut a long story short this is an 8 hour course (usually over a period of weeks) where you are taught the basics of both safety and technique.
It is quite difficult to find a club that will start anyone under 9 years old, so although there are clubs nearer to home we ended up having to travel about 40 minutes to find one that would allow Henry to take part. Anyone wishing to take up the sport in the UK should look at the GNAS website to find an affiliated club.
We did our beginners course throughout August and joined our chosen club 3 weeks ago on completing the course. We have been to club shoots on each of the three weekends since we joined, although only practicing at shorter distances to those shooting recognised rounds. We are both using club equipment and will continue to do so for a while yet, although I have to say I'm itching to get my own!Anyway, on Sunday morning there was a good turnout of around 20 or so. Whilst I asked for a boss (a target for the uninitiated) to be set out at 20 yards for Henry to shoot at, I felt that with so many there I should join in and shoot my first proper round rather than ask for another boss to be set out for me to practice on.
As I said I'm using a club bow, which comprises of a wooden Samick handle and Samick Polaris limbs which are 28lb to pull the bowstring back. Also I'd never shot more than 40 yards before (and only then for a couple of hours). Oh, well. "In for a penny...." I thought and decided to shoot a Short National round (4 dozen arrows at 50 yards followed by 2 dozen at 40 yards). I was pleased to be hitting the boss with my sighters and when one of them landed in the gold (the centre of the target face), I thought perhaps it wouldn't be as hard as I thought to hit a reasonable (yes I know that's relative) score at 50 yards.
Being my first 'proper' club shoot and my first time (other than the beginners course) sharing a boss I didn't think to keep my own score for reference, but wish now I had. I do know, though, that my final score was 356 and was the highest on my boss, which I shared with two other newcomers and someone shooting longbow after not shooting for some time. At 50 yards I hit a handful of golds (about 4 I think, worth 9 points each), although also as many whites (1 point)! I hit more 5s (the blue ring) than anything and the fact that my average score per arrow was 5 suggests that I hit as many blacks (3 points) as reds (7 points), but I don't remember it that way! I guess it's the same as cricket in that you remember the good shots.
I was disappointed when the distance dropped to 40 yards not to hit any more golds, but I did have quite a lot of near misses which landed in the red at 12 o'clock. My grouping was also much better at the shorter distance, but then again I suppose it should be! I was pleased that I only missed with 2 arrows (both at 50 yards). Those came when a more experienced archer gave me some tips about my release which, when I tried to put into practice in the next end (set of 6 arrows), resulted in the misses. But still I'd rather be doing it right early and getting better from there.
Archery is similar to golf in that it is essentially an individual sport where you try to improve your own ability. Competition against others can be 'levelled' by a handicap system (like golf again). I suppose most club members would regard 356 (equating to a handicap of 62) as a poor score, but we all have to start somewhere, and it gives me a benchmark from which to measure myself in the future.
As the outdoor season draws to a close I'll probably run out of time to get a handicap for this year (you have to shoot three recognised rounds), but I hope that having the whole indoor season ahead I can attain a half decent handicap by the end of that. I aim to build up my poundage (the weight of bowstring I can pull back comfortably) on club kit over the next month or two before getting some of my own. By then I hope to have a reasonable idea of what will/might suit me, as well as giving me time to learn what some of the things I've seen in catalogues actually do!
Wednesday, 26 August 2009
West Ham 'Aggro
I suppose my opening statement should be that I don't condone the events at Upton Park last night. It's sad that I have to point that out, but I feel much of this post will go against what is appearing in much of the media and could therefore be taken a support of those involved. Make no mistake, it isn't.
I should say that I am a West Ham season ticket holder, so my views may well be a little biased, but I will try to put that aside. This is my 12th season as a season ticket holder and while I don't know the exact figure, I have attended around 300 matches. I am not therefore a casual observer, or occasional supporter. I know what it's all about and have been to matches between West Ham and Millwall on a number of occasions, even back to the old Den.
Geographically the two nearest clubs to Upton Park are Tottenham and Millwall. By pure chance the first two home matches of this season have been Tottenham and Millwall. What that does mean is a comparison can be made. On Sunday we hosted Spurs, and whilst we really don't like them, and they are the team to beat each season what happened last night just wouldn't arise against them.
Why not? Well for a start the Spurs fans are generally amongst the quieter and more reserved to visit. They are more akin to a theatre audience than a football crowd so the confrontational element just isn't there. It's like having an argument with someone who doesn't argue back, it can't escalate.
On the other hand you have Millwall. A club who's only chant is "no-one likes us...". I wonder why. Their fans always try to be confrontational. Now Millwall are a small club, there is no getting away from that. In their history they have spent 2 seasons in the top flight and reached 1 cup final. There are even smaller clubs, sure, but Millwall are pretty insignificant to many people. The only way they could ever be regarded as a 'big' team was in the hooligan stakes in the 70s and 80s. As this is their only 'claim to fame' they try to live up to it.
It strikes me that recent lapses in behaviour at football have tended to involve Millwall (think Birmingham and Hull for two such), when playing other teams which had a well established 'firm' or hooligan element in the past. West Ham 'fans' were far from innocent in those dark days, with their own ICF being feared countrywide. Add this to a local rivalry and you can imagine the tinderbox waiting to be lit last night.
All matches that I have been to involving West Ham and Millwall have been league encounters. The kick offs have always been moved to a time before pubs open. Alcohol certainly has it's part to play. An evening kick off was bound to add complications to the security, but (excluding the final) this competition is played exclusively in the evening and the crammed fixture lists just do not allow for this game being switched to a weekend morning.
I can't (or won't) pass an opinion on what happened outside the ground as I saw nothing untoward there. That's not being blinkered, just not wanting to rely on hearsay as many are doing this morning.
Inside the Millwall fans were in the lower tier of the Sir Trevor Brooking Stand. Sensibly West Ham left the upper tier empty. Perhaps with hindsight more of the West Stand lower tier should have been left empty too to give more of an exclusion zone. Not so sensible was that fact that tickets were on sale until 5pm yesterday. I know it's not quite the same as paying on the gate, but it's a bit too close to kick off in my opinion.
Millwall fans were vociferous. West Ham fans were vociferous. Chants were exchanged. The atmosphere was building, but there was an underlying feeling of hatred that just doesn't exist for any other match. Nothing new though.
The first sign of any trouble was Millwall fans throwing bottles onto the pitch, and fighting with stewards and police at the front. Millwall scored, and their fans were goading their West Ham counterparts. The underlying hatred was increasing. Now a scuffle started at the front of the West Ham section in the West Stand lower. It seemed that the verbal duelling now wasn't enough and the crowd wanted to get at each other physically.
While this is all unsavoury, and we do not want to see it, it does happen occasionally and it was dealt with fairly well by those in authority. The two sets of fans never came together inside the stadium. Millwall's lead in the match enabled their supporters to continue their incitement. When West Ham finally equalised with 3 minutes to play relief outpoured.
I believe the stewards were taken a bit by surprise, as those who now came onto the pitch did so from all sides. This was not, in my opinion, an attempt to storm the Millwall section and riot. It was a combination of celebration, relief, and a will to get back at the Lions fans for their taunting. I'm not defending it, and those who did it will know they face life bans. It's the way things are, and they can have no excuse when they are identified and punished.
As a West Ham fan though it was embarrassing that our supporters were causing the problem. It lowered us to their level, and I'm sure the club will face some penalty for it.
As the players prepared on the pitch for extra time we got news of the stabbing outside, as police vans screamed up and down Priory Road. Our seats, in the centre of the upper tier of the West Stand were probably the safest place to be in the entire area, but the fact that we would have to go past the end of Priory Road to get home, and that Millwall's fans would have to come down that same street caused some worry for after the match. Not so much for me, but for the two kids I was responsible for.
Soon into extra time West Ham got a penalty, which we scored, and this sadly led to another pitch invasion. More this time spilled onto the playing surface. Again it was an embarrassment, and most fans in their seats were chanting 'off, off, off' to those encroaching.
The game was delayed for a couple of minutes while the pitch was cleared, and when it got underway again West Ham scored a third quickly afterwards. Celebrations this time were much more controlled. The opposition fans were deflated and the game was won.
We left the stadium 5 minutes from the end to ensure we could pass Priory Road before the Millwall fans. Although there were many more police around now than earlier, again we saw no violence.
What went on was indefensible, and the individuals concerned will, I'm sure, be identified and punished. I sincerely hope that the rest of us are not. 'Fans' of both clubs are to blame. Millwall incited and West Ham reacted. I haven't seen or heard any mention of the racist abuse given by Millwall fans to Carlton Cole though. Good for him to give them the w**ker sign, but I bet he gets fined for it.
The kids (aged 7 and 13) that I took to the game will remember it forever. It has not, though, stopped them wanting to attend in the future. In fact the difference to the sanitised atmosphere for many Premier League matches was (unnecessary elements excluded) a welcome change. And I do not believe, as many on BBC radio were saying last night, that I am naive for taking kids to this fixture.
Yes, there is more chance of trouble at a game between these two teams than many. But on the whole you have to want to be involved to actually be involved. If you want to avoid trouble you usually can. Football in general, and West Ham in particular, are safe to go to. Safe to take kids to. And I for one will ignore the media hype and comments from those who have never been to a football match with their sweeping generalisations and continue to take my two boys.
For the record West Ham won the football match 3-1 after extra time. The action can be seen here.
Come on you Irons!
I should say that I am a West Ham season ticket holder, so my views may well be a little biased, but I will try to put that aside. This is my 12th season as a season ticket holder and while I don't know the exact figure, I have attended around 300 matches. I am not therefore a casual observer, or occasional supporter. I know what it's all about and have been to matches between West Ham and Millwall on a number of occasions, even back to the old Den.
Geographically the two nearest clubs to Upton Park are Tottenham and Millwall. By pure chance the first two home matches of this season have been Tottenham and Millwall. What that does mean is a comparison can be made. On Sunday we hosted Spurs, and whilst we really don't like them, and they are the team to beat each season what happened last night just wouldn't arise against them.
Why not? Well for a start the Spurs fans are generally amongst the quieter and more reserved to visit. They are more akin to a theatre audience than a football crowd so the confrontational element just isn't there. It's like having an argument with someone who doesn't argue back, it can't escalate.
On the other hand you have Millwall. A club who's only chant is "no-one likes us...". I wonder why. Their fans always try to be confrontational. Now Millwall are a small club, there is no getting away from that. In their history they have spent 2 seasons in the top flight and reached 1 cup final. There are even smaller clubs, sure, but Millwall are pretty insignificant to many people. The only way they could ever be regarded as a 'big' team was in the hooligan stakes in the 70s and 80s. As this is their only 'claim to fame' they try to live up to it.
It strikes me that recent lapses in behaviour at football have tended to involve Millwall (think Birmingham and Hull for two such), when playing other teams which had a well established 'firm' or hooligan element in the past. West Ham 'fans' were far from innocent in those dark days, with their own ICF being feared countrywide. Add this to a local rivalry and you can imagine the tinderbox waiting to be lit last night.
All matches that I have been to involving West Ham and Millwall have been league encounters. The kick offs have always been moved to a time before pubs open. Alcohol certainly has it's part to play. An evening kick off was bound to add complications to the security, but (excluding the final) this competition is played exclusively in the evening and the crammed fixture lists just do not allow for this game being switched to a weekend morning.
I can't (or won't) pass an opinion on what happened outside the ground as I saw nothing untoward there. That's not being blinkered, just not wanting to rely on hearsay as many are doing this morning.
Inside the Millwall fans were in the lower tier of the Sir Trevor Brooking Stand. Sensibly West Ham left the upper tier empty. Perhaps with hindsight more of the West Stand lower tier should have been left empty too to give more of an exclusion zone. Not so sensible was that fact that tickets were on sale until 5pm yesterday. I know it's not quite the same as paying on the gate, but it's a bit too close to kick off in my opinion.
Millwall fans were vociferous. West Ham fans were vociferous. Chants were exchanged. The atmosphere was building, but there was an underlying feeling of hatred that just doesn't exist for any other match. Nothing new though.
The first sign of any trouble was Millwall fans throwing bottles onto the pitch, and fighting with stewards and police at the front. Millwall scored, and their fans were goading their West Ham counterparts. The underlying hatred was increasing. Now a scuffle started at the front of the West Ham section in the West Stand lower. It seemed that the verbal duelling now wasn't enough and the crowd wanted to get at each other physically.
While this is all unsavoury, and we do not want to see it, it does happen occasionally and it was dealt with fairly well by those in authority. The two sets of fans never came together inside the stadium. Millwall's lead in the match enabled their supporters to continue their incitement. When West Ham finally equalised with 3 minutes to play relief outpoured.
I believe the stewards were taken a bit by surprise, as those who now came onto the pitch did so from all sides. This was not, in my opinion, an attempt to storm the Millwall section and riot. It was a combination of celebration, relief, and a will to get back at the Lions fans for their taunting. I'm not defending it, and those who did it will know they face life bans. It's the way things are, and they can have no excuse when they are identified and punished.
As a West Ham fan though it was embarrassing that our supporters were causing the problem. It lowered us to their level, and I'm sure the club will face some penalty for it.
As the players prepared on the pitch for extra time we got news of the stabbing outside, as police vans screamed up and down Priory Road. Our seats, in the centre of the upper tier of the West Stand were probably the safest place to be in the entire area, but the fact that we would have to go past the end of Priory Road to get home, and that Millwall's fans would have to come down that same street caused some worry for after the match. Not so much for me, but for the two kids I was responsible for.
Soon into extra time West Ham got a penalty, which we scored, and this sadly led to another pitch invasion. More this time spilled onto the playing surface. Again it was an embarrassment, and most fans in their seats were chanting 'off, off, off' to those encroaching.The game was delayed for a couple of minutes while the pitch was cleared, and when it got underway again West Ham scored a third quickly afterwards. Celebrations this time were much more controlled. The opposition fans were deflated and the game was won.
We left the stadium 5 minutes from the end to ensure we could pass Priory Road before the Millwall fans. Although there were many more police around now than earlier, again we saw no violence.
What went on was indefensible, and the individuals concerned will, I'm sure, be identified and punished. I sincerely hope that the rest of us are not. 'Fans' of both clubs are to blame. Millwall incited and West Ham reacted. I haven't seen or heard any mention of the racist abuse given by Millwall fans to Carlton Cole though. Good for him to give them the w**ker sign, but I bet he gets fined for it.
The kids (aged 7 and 13) that I took to the game will remember it forever. It has not, though, stopped them wanting to attend in the future. In fact the difference to the sanitised atmosphere for many Premier League matches was (unnecessary elements excluded) a welcome change. And I do not believe, as many on BBC radio were saying last night, that I am naive for taking kids to this fixture.
Yes, there is more chance of trouble at a game between these two teams than many. But on the whole you have to want to be involved to actually be involved. If you want to avoid trouble you usually can. Football in general, and West Ham in particular, are safe to go to. Safe to take kids to. And I for one will ignore the media hype and comments from those who have never been to a football match with their sweeping generalisations and continue to take my two boys.
For the record West Ham won the football match 3-1 after extra time. The action can be seen here.
Come on you Irons!
Friday, 14 August 2009
All At Sea
Having not blogged for a while I thought it was about time to write something else, but when I try to come up with something I find my mind goes blank.
So, ..….hmmm……, OK, well, ……
Right, so what do the British talk about most? Ah yes, the weather. What do many British people enjoy? How about a trip to the seaside. How is our nation’s history typically defined? As a nation of seafarers perhaps.
So then the ideal subject matter would seem to be the shipping forecast. The shipping forecast is something that perhaps escapes the attention of many, despite it’s regular broadcast, but is essential to those who use it. As a cricket fan it is something I have been aware of for many years as it always interrupts Test Match Special at six minutes to six on Radio 4 long wave.
The BBC broadcasts the shipping forecast four times every day on Radio 4. For those who are interested you can hear it at 0048, 0535, 1201 and 1754. The seas around Britain (and a little further afield) are divided into 31 regions which all have their own forecast.
The forecast begins with a general synopsis and then the regions are always broadcast in the same order, in a clockwise fashion, although if forecasts are the same in consecutive regions they will be grouped. For each region there are four elements to the forecast: wind, seas state, weather and visibility.
So, for example, today’s forecast (from 1130) would include: Dogger. Southerly or southeasterly, veering southwesterly later, 5 to 7. Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later. Occasional rain. Moderate or poor.
For completeness sake, and for those who think it might come up in a pub quiz, the 31 regions (in order) are: Viking, North Utsire, South Utsire, Forties, Cromarty, Forth, Tyne, Dogger, Fisher, German Bight, Humber, Thames, Dover, Wight, Portland, Plymouth, Biscay, Trafalgar, FitzRoy, Sole, Lundy, Fastnet, Irish Sea, Shannon, Rockall, Malin, Hebrides, Bailey, Fair Isle, Faeroes, South-east Iceland.
There is an excellent book by Charlie Connolly in which he takes a trip around the regions. The first chapter or two explain the traditions and history of the forecast itself before then becoming a travelogue of places within each area. For those interested it can be picked up quite cheaply now, and it is called Attention All Shipping. Oh, and his book Stamping Grounds is a good read too.
There we go, don’t try too hard, just search your national psyche and a post will appear!
So, ..….hmmm……, OK, well, ……
Right, so what do the British talk about most? Ah yes, the weather. What do many British people enjoy? How about a trip to the seaside. How is our nation’s history typically defined? As a nation of seafarers perhaps.
So then the ideal subject matter would seem to be the shipping forecast. The shipping forecast is something that perhaps escapes the attention of many, despite it’s regular broadcast, but is essential to those who use it. As a cricket fan it is something I have been aware of for many years as it always interrupts Test Match Special at six minutes to six on Radio 4 long wave.
The BBC broadcasts the shipping forecast four times every day on Radio 4. For those who are interested you can hear it at 0048, 0535, 1201 and 1754. The seas around Britain (and a little further afield) are divided into 31 regions which all have their own forecast.
The forecast begins with a general synopsis and then the regions are always broadcast in the same order, in a clockwise fashion, although if forecasts are the same in consecutive regions they will be grouped. For each region there are four elements to the forecast: wind, seas state, weather and visibility.
So, for example, today’s forecast (from 1130) would include: Dogger. Southerly or southeasterly, veering southwesterly later, 5 to 7. Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later. Occasional rain. Moderate or poor.For completeness sake, and for those who think it might come up in a pub quiz, the 31 regions (in order) are: Viking, North Utsire, South Utsire, Forties, Cromarty, Forth, Tyne, Dogger, Fisher, German Bight, Humber, Thames, Dover, Wight, Portland, Plymouth, Biscay, Trafalgar, FitzRoy, Sole, Lundy, Fastnet, Irish Sea, Shannon, Rockall, Malin, Hebrides, Bailey, Fair Isle, Faeroes, South-east Iceland.
There is an excellent book by Charlie Connolly in which he takes a trip around the regions. The first chapter or two explain the traditions and history of the forecast itself before then becoming a travelogue of places within each area. For those interested it can be picked up quite cheaply now, and it is called Attention All Shipping. Oh, and his book Stamping Grounds is a good read too.
There we go, don’t try too hard, just search your national psyche and a post will appear!
Wednesday, 5 August 2009
Whale Watching
We have just returned from a week spent in Tarifa in Andalucia on the southern tip of Spain watching whales and dolphins. I thought I'd write a summary of the trip which may be useful for anyone else planning on a similar holiday.
Having seen an advert in the WDCS magazine we rang up and got a brochure from Out of the Blue and liked the sound of their trip to Spain as it offered a variety of species as well as being reasonably affordable.
At Out of the Blue we dealt with Leanne Batty who was very helpful in organising things and keeping us up to date. We learned that the trip would be based in Tarifa with accommodation at the Hotel 100% Fun and using the local whale watching company Turmares. Tarifa is about 2 hours drive from Malaga airport.
When flying we were booked onto British Airways flights from Gatwick. I would strongly recommed checking-in online. Our flight went at 8.10am and online check-in opens 24 hours before. I logged on on the night before when I got home from work and there were only about 6 seats left on the plane, but luckily two of these were together. There is an internet cafe in Tarifa where you can do the same for the return journey if you don't have your own laptop or netbook.
After the booking was made we were sent an itinerary and a suggested kit list. The kit list was very comprehensive, but we found that following it left us a bit short of clothing in some areas but with too much of others. We took some smart clothes and shoes, anticipating wearing them for dinner with the group, but didn’t need them. We dressed in typical holiday clothing of T-shirt, shorts and flip flops mostly.
It was recommended that we took long sleeve shirts for the boat along with waterproof jackets and trousers. Whilst some in the group swore by long sleeve shirts we wore only T-shirts or sleeveless shirts whilst at sea. The first day at sea, when the local wind Levanté was picking up, we did both put on a waterproof jacket later in the trip, but this was for it's windproof qualities as it had become a bit chilly when the boat was travelling. Neither of us once wore waterproof trousers, and I don't think anyone else on the trip did either.
Turmares did supply (bright yellow) waterproof jackets, but other than that first day they were not needed. I wore shorts each day (of the swimming variety which would dry quickly and not matter about sea water) as did our guide Pierre and one of the other passengers. Fran wore either shorts or three-quarter length trousers. Others in the group wore walking/outdoor trousers which would protect from the sun whilst being lightweight.
For footwear one person wore sandals, but the majority went for either trainers or walking boots of the low variety which are very akin to trainers. I wore some Karrimor trainer/walking boots that I bought for the trip, along with black trainer socks, which were ideal.
A fleece and trousers were on the suggested list for wearing in the evenings when it gets cool. This trip is timed specifically for when the Orcas are expected in the Straight of Gibraltar so would only be undertaken at this time of year. We never found trousers necessary and Fran only put on a warmer top when I had the air conditioning too cold for her. We didn't need a fleece/top in the evening, but I suppose putting one lightweight one in would be prudent.
As we didn't wear any long sleeve shirts on the trip we had all those we took clean at the end. This meant that we did run a bit short of T-shirts though, as this is what we tended to wear. In fact we were often wearing two in a day - one on the boat and then a clean one after showering when getting back to the hotel. By the end of the week the one worn in the evening was then sometimes worn the next day on the boat, and I even bought some more while there.
A hat is needed to shield your head from the sun. We both wore baseball style caps which were satisfactory if they fitted snugly, but when the boat was travelling at it's top speed of 27 knots felt as if it might come off. A hat with a neckstrap would do an excellent job. Sunglasses are necessary to protect from both direct sunlight and also from reflections off of the water.
Sun screen is vital. We used factor 30 which gave adequate protection, although we also used factor 15 later in the day when the sun was slightly weaker. Personally I hate having it on my hands so applied it once daily before leaving the hotel and then washed my hands. More ideally you can get sprays which apply in a mist and don't need rubbing in which would be good for a top up (except on the face).
Another item specified on the kit list is a water bottle. Again this is not necessary in my opinion. There is a café a couple of doors down from Turmares where you can get a 0.5 litre bottle (or more) of cold water. Bear in mind that there is no toilet on the Rainbow so drinking lots is not the best course of action, even though you do need to keep yourself hydrated. There are toilets on the bigger boats, and also refreshments available to buy.
The Rainbow is a small boat (only 23ft) and so has a low centre of gravity. We didn't get seasick at all on it. The bigger boats (should you have to use them) do roll about more and could lead to sea-sickness. We had some Boots own brand travel sickness pills that could be taken 20 minutes before travel. We did use them some days, but not others. We also took a Boots small personal first aid kit, which fortunately remained unused.
I transferred my photos to the netbook every day and typed up a report into MS Word. The hotel had a WIFI connection in the (outside) bar area, so having prepared everything beforehand I went over to the bar each night to copy and paste my report and selected photos with a web connection.
While on the subject of the hotel, we found it perfectly adequate. Our room (number 15) had no windows (other than the bathroom) and the shuttered doors opened to the pool area. The room was air conditioned and had a TV (which never once got turned on). The ensuite bathroom had a wash basin, toilet and bath (with shower). There was a small cloakroom type area and built in stone wardrobe/shelf area. I would happily have the same room again (although I didn't see any other to compare it to).
There is a shop at the hotel (selling mainly clothes, and quite expensive ones too) along with a restaurant and bar. The bar is an open construction with a square bar area covered by a thatched type roof. There are numerous tables, chairs, soft seating and four poster beds around the garden. Drinks are priced at €2 for a beer (0.5 litre) and €6 for a cocktail (the Mojitos are great).
The restaurant opens at 8pm for dinner and is not unreasonably priced and portions are of a decent size. Apparently many restaurants in Spain are closed on Mondays and so too was this one, so make sure you have food to eat or plan to eat out if you are around on Monday evening. Breakfast is served in the restaurant from 8am (until 10am I think) and is a buffet style. Choices include bread (and croissants), fruit, cereal, yoghurt and to drink fruit juice, water and coffee.
Although I have been on a couple of dolphin watching trips in Scotland before, these were single trips and not a week, so this was my first experience. Out of the Blue have an itinerary that includes 5 days at sea (not full days but 4-5 hours). Two days are spent travelling and there is one 'day off' during the week.
This itinerary is extremely flexible, and looking back bore little resemblance to our week. This is not a bad thing, rather the opposite in fact. Having said that though, all items on the itinerary were covered to some degree. When in Tarifa local wind conditions can dictate the best times to be on the water and the local guide tried to ensure we got the best of what nature offered us.
For example, having arrived on Friday we were on the seas early (before breakfast) on Saturday but then not at all on Sunday. Fortunately the weather did then allow us to go out every day after that, but if there was another bad day we could have gone out in both the morning and afternoon of another day to compensate.
Fran and I decided (as we were so near) that on the 'day off' we would like to go on the ferry to Morocco. We did so (leaving early before the others were up for breakfast) while the rest of the group had the 'rest day' activity of visiting Cape Trafalgar and Vejer de la Frontera. If you don't want to do something as a group you will be accommodated as far as possible.
We did spend an interesting afternoon doing some birdwatching (vultures and bee-eaters) up in the cliffs above Bolonia, before visiting the Roman ruins of Baelo Claudia next to the beach there. The location was different to the birdwatching listed in the itinerary but it fitted in well.
The local guide for this trip is Dr Pierre Gallego. Pierre is a doctor of vetinerary medicine and spends six months of the year studying Orcas and other cetaceans in the Straight of Gibraltar. The remainder of the year he spends in Luxembourg (where he was born) and Brussels writing up scientific papers. He is the Scientific Advisor and Alternate Commissioner for Luxembourg at the IWC.
The British are, in my experience, lazy when it comes to languages as many people speak our own tongue. For the vast majority of the trip we didn't need to use any Spanish as Pierre speaks English and Spanish, as well as German, French and Luxembourgish. A phrase book would be useful though and we did come home having learned a little Spanish.
Pierre was very helpful and did his level best to make sure that everyone did what they wanted to do, whilst trying to keep the group as a whole happy. His priority was to keep us at sea as much as possible, which was after all the reason we were all there. I have no experience of other similar trips and guides, but would say he was excellent.
He has an obvious enthusiasm and knowledge for cetaceans which makes for a good guide, but he also knows the town and area very well having spent so much time there. It was a standing joke amongst the group that wherever we were, and at whatever time, Pierre always knew a good restaurant. At one point I told him that he should write the Tarifa Good Food Guide. Joking aside, we all got more out of our holiday from his knowledge of the local area than we would have done on our own.
From the itinerary we had expected to spend a lot of time on our own, rather than as a group. We did get a fair amount of time on our own, but spent a lot of time as a group too. Most evenings we all went to a restaurant together to eat. I think there were only two evenings out of seven that we ate alone. If you wanted to eat alone (or not at all) you could, there was no pressure, but it was nice to eat as a group on the whole. In fact one lunchtime we were free to do our own thing but five of us ate together anyway.
Eating out does cost money though. Fran and I took €400 between us, and then I took out another €100 on my Visa card while we were there. We spent little money on anything other than food and drinks during our stay. Presents and our trip on the ferry were paid for with plastic so cash was almost entirely spent on subsistence.
In summary then, we had a fantastic week with really nothing to complain about. The organisation was all done for us (flights arranged so that all could be picked up together, then dropped off so that the next weeks people could be picked up at the same time) and the local guide was both friendly and first class. The captain knew the sea and boat, and what conditions we could remain at sea in, so that we got the best from our stay.
What cannot be guaranteed is the spotting of wildlife. Despite being narrow the Straight of Gibraltar is still big and cetaceans can hide very well in it. During our five days on the sea we saw Bottlenose dolphins every single day, Striped dolphins on three days, Common dolphins on two and then Orcas and Pilot whales once each (on separate days). Of the seven species around at the time we saw five (missing out on Sperm and Fin whales), although to see more of the Orcas would have been great.
The local knowledge of Pierre and the Captain do ensure that you have the best chance possible of seeing something. Having said that an email from Pierre on Sunday night said that disappointingly they had spent 3 hours on the Rainbow that day and seen nothing.
I always wanted to take a trip to Vancouver, and while there try and see the Killer Whales as part of the experience. This trip was a chance to try and see them at a much reduced cost, as well as always having wanted to take Fran to see them. I still do want to go to Vancouver, but I would no longer see Tarifa as a cheaper alternative. It is simply an alternative. Would I repeat this trip? Yes, definately.
For a more detailed report of each of our days you can read the following:
Andalucian Arrival (Day 1 - 24.7.2009)
Between the Pillars of Hercules (Day 2 - 25.7.2009)
African Experience (Day 3 - 26.7.2009)
Orcas (Day 4 - 27.7.2009)
Coping with the Levanté (Day 5 - 28.7.2009)
Another New Species (Day 6 - 29.7.2009)
The Last Day (Day 7 - 30.7.2009)
Homeward Bound (Day 8 - 31.7.2009)
Having seen an advert in the WDCS magazine we rang up and got a brochure from Out of the Blue and liked the sound of their trip to Spain as it offered a variety of species as well as being reasonably affordable.
At Out of the Blue we dealt with Leanne Batty who was very helpful in organising things and keeping us up to date. We learned that the trip would be based in Tarifa with accommodation at the Hotel 100% Fun and using the local whale watching company Turmares. Tarifa is about 2 hours drive from Malaga airport.
When flying we were booked onto British Airways flights from Gatwick. I would strongly recommed checking-in online. Our flight went at 8.10am and online check-in opens 24 hours before. I logged on on the night before when I got home from work and there were only about 6 seats left on the plane, but luckily two of these were together. There is an internet cafe in Tarifa where you can do the same for the return journey if you don't have your own laptop or netbook.
After the booking was made we were sent an itinerary and a suggested kit list. The kit list was very comprehensive, but we found that following it left us a bit short of clothing in some areas but with too much of others. We took some smart clothes and shoes, anticipating wearing them for dinner with the group, but didn’t need them. We dressed in typical holiday clothing of T-shirt, shorts and flip flops mostly.
It was recommended that we took long sleeve shirts for the boat along with waterproof jackets and trousers. Whilst some in the group swore by long sleeve shirts we wore only T-shirts or sleeveless shirts whilst at sea. The first day at sea, when the local wind Levanté was picking up, we did both put on a waterproof jacket later in the trip, but this was for it's windproof qualities as it had become a bit chilly when the boat was travelling. Neither of us once wore waterproof trousers, and I don't think anyone else on the trip did either.
Turmares did supply (bright yellow) waterproof jackets, but other than that first day they were not needed. I wore shorts each day (of the swimming variety which would dry quickly and not matter about sea water) as did our guide Pierre and one of the other passengers. Fran wore either shorts or three-quarter length trousers. Others in the group wore walking/outdoor trousers which would protect from the sun whilst being lightweight.
For footwear one person wore sandals, but the majority went for either trainers or walking boots of the low variety which are very akin to trainers. I wore some Karrimor trainer/walking boots that I bought for the trip, along with black trainer socks, which were ideal.
A fleece and trousers were on the suggested list for wearing in the evenings when it gets cool. This trip is timed specifically for when the Orcas are expected in the Straight of Gibraltar so would only be undertaken at this time of year. We never found trousers necessary and Fran only put on a warmer top when I had the air conditioning too cold for her. We didn't need a fleece/top in the evening, but I suppose putting one lightweight one in would be prudent.
As we didn't wear any long sleeve shirts on the trip we had all those we took clean at the end. This meant that we did run a bit short of T-shirts though, as this is what we tended to wear. In fact we were often wearing two in a day - one on the boat and then a clean one after showering when getting back to the hotel. By the end of the week the one worn in the evening was then sometimes worn the next day on the boat, and I even bought some more while there.
A hat is needed to shield your head from the sun. We both wore baseball style caps which were satisfactory if they fitted snugly, but when the boat was travelling at it's top speed of 27 knots felt as if it might come off. A hat with a neckstrap would do an excellent job. Sunglasses are necessary to protect from both direct sunlight and also from reflections off of the water.
Sun screen is vital. We used factor 30 which gave adequate protection, although we also used factor 15 later in the day when the sun was slightly weaker. Personally I hate having it on my hands so applied it once daily before leaving the hotel and then washed my hands. More ideally you can get sprays which apply in a mist and don't need rubbing in which would be good for a top up (except on the face).
Another item specified on the kit list is a water bottle. Again this is not necessary in my opinion. There is a café a couple of doors down from Turmares where you can get a 0.5 litre bottle (or more) of cold water. Bear in mind that there is no toilet on the Rainbow so drinking lots is not the best course of action, even though you do need to keep yourself hydrated. There are toilets on the bigger boats, and also refreshments available to buy.
The Rainbow is a small boat (only 23ft) and so has a low centre of gravity. We didn't get seasick at all on it. The bigger boats (should you have to use them) do roll about more and could lead to sea-sickness. We had some Boots own brand travel sickness pills that could be taken 20 minutes before travel. We did use them some days, but not others. We also took a Boots small personal first aid kit, which fortunately remained unused.
A small rucksack or bag is useful on the boat, although we found that we weren't putting much in it by the end of the week. The Rainbow has a small locker which bags can be put in and kept dry but doesn't make for easy access if everyone does so. At the front of the boat leaving a bag on the floor it will get wet, although spray at the front is minimal. If you happen to be at the back a bag on the floor behind the captain's seat will stay dry.
When on the boat, for balance, 8 passengers are split with six at the front and two at the back. The ride is probably a bit smoother in the back, although seats are not padded here. At the back you can also freely stand up to stretch your legs. When cetaceans are sighted and nearby the boat moves only very slowly and moving about and standing up is fine. With 8 plus Pierre and the captain the boat didn't seem crowded. The week after us only 3 were booked so it would be even less so.
Pierre often used his binoculars when searching for the blow of a Sperm whale or generally looking for cetaceans. I had a pair of cheap lightweight binoculars (8x21) that I tried on the first morning and then didn't use again. If you have a decent pair they can be useful but otherwise don't bother. If birdwatching is your thing then you'll probably have a half decent pair that are worth packing. When our group went birdwatching we communally used Pierre's Swarovski binoculars and scope.
While on the subject of optics I'll cover camera requirements. This is a personal thing and will vary depending on your budget and interest in photography. In our group two people were purely interested in the experience and didn't take any photos, two had compact cameras, one had a video camera and Pentax still camera (not sure what type) and three had DSLRs.
If all you are after is a memory then a compact will be OK, but those with one hardly took any photos on our trip. I had a Canon Powershot G10 in my pocket and used it only briefly 3 times in the week, each time for video. For the vast majority of the time I used a Canon EOS 40D coupled with a 100-400mm zoom lens. Changing lenses on the boat would be difficult and slow (bearing in mind water flying and sloshing about) so a zoom lens is vital.
Speaking as a Canon user, the 100-400mm would be the best pick, although a 70-200mm may get some shots. Bear in mind that the boat is rocking all the time (even on a calm sea) so at the long end of the zoom it can be difficult to keep your subject in view. Anticipation is half the battle with this type of subject so a long zoom gives you less scope for error in guessing where your subject will appear.
For (Canon) settings I used Av mode with the aperture set to f6.3 (and sometimes f7.1) and the ISO varied but probably around 200 mostly (occasionally as high as 400 or as low as 100). Focus point was set to centre point only. Pierre used a 1D MkII N (and 100-400) and had similar settings, which I took some comfort in.
An OpTech rain sleeve can be useful, and cheap, if using an SLR. Towards the end of the week I was carrying only my camera and a sleeve fitted (with spare battery and memory card in a small plastic bag in my pocket). In practice there is little or no spray when the boat is 'watching' rather than travelling so I simply slipped the sleeve on and off when moving rather than fit it properly and shoot with it on.
One last item suggested on the kit list is a diary or journal. I was not really intending to keep one, but found myself doing so. So much is packed into the days that I found the best way to remember was to write up each day at the end of that day. I took a Toshiba NB100 netbook with me, primarily as storage and backup for photos, but used it to type up my daily report. This was our first holiday together without any children (except weekends) so I was hoping to keep the children updated with what we were doing.I transferred my photos to the netbook every day and typed up a report into MS Word. The hotel had a WIFI connection in the (outside) bar area, so having prepared everything beforehand I went over to the bar each night to copy and paste my report and selected photos with a web connection.
While on the subject of the hotel, we found it perfectly adequate. Our room (number 15) had no windows (other than the bathroom) and the shuttered doors opened to the pool area. The room was air conditioned and had a TV (which never once got turned on). The ensuite bathroom had a wash basin, toilet and bath (with shower). There was a small cloakroom type area and built in stone wardrobe/shelf area. I would happily have the same room again (although I didn't see any other to compare it to).
There is a shop at the hotel (selling mainly clothes, and quite expensive ones too) along with a restaurant and bar. The bar is an open construction with a square bar area covered by a thatched type roof. There are numerous tables, chairs, soft seating and four poster beds around the garden. Drinks are priced at €2 for a beer (0.5 litre) and €6 for a cocktail (the Mojitos are great).
The restaurant opens at 8pm for dinner and is not unreasonably priced and portions are of a decent size. Apparently many restaurants in Spain are closed on Mondays and so too was this one, so make sure you have food to eat or plan to eat out if you are around on Monday evening. Breakfast is served in the restaurant from 8am (until 10am I think) and is a buffet style. Choices include bread (and croissants), fruit, cereal, yoghurt and to drink fruit juice, water and coffee.
Although I have been on a couple of dolphin watching trips in Scotland before, these were single trips and not a week, so this was my first experience. Out of the Blue have an itinerary that includes 5 days at sea (not full days but 4-5 hours). Two days are spent travelling and there is one 'day off' during the week.
This itinerary is extremely flexible, and looking back bore little resemblance to our week. This is not a bad thing, rather the opposite in fact. Having said that though, all items on the itinerary were covered to some degree. When in Tarifa local wind conditions can dictate the best times to be on the water and the local guide tried to ensure we got the best of what nature offered us.
For example, having arrived on Friday we were on the seas early (before breakfast) on Saturday but then not at all on Sunday. Fortunately the weather did then allow us to go out every day after that, but if there was another bad day we could have gone out in both the morning and afternoon of another day to compensate.
Fran and I decided (as we were so near) that on the 'day off' we would like to go on the ferry to Morocco. We did so (leaving early before the others were up for breakfast) while the rest of the group had the 'rest day' activity of visiting Cape Trafalgar and Vejer de la Frontera. If you don't want to do something as a group you will be accommodated as far as possible.
We did spend an interesting afternoon doing some birdwatching (vultures and bee-eaters) up in the cliffs above Bolonia, before visiting the Roman ruins of Baelo Claudia next to the beach there. The location was different to the birdwatching listed in the itinerary but it fitted in well.
The local guide for this trip is Dr Pierre Gallego. Pierre is a doctor of vetinerary medicine and spends six months of the year studying Orcas and other cetaceans in the Straight of Gibraltar. The remainder of the year he spends in Luxembourg (where he was born) and Brussels writing up scientific papers. He is the Scientific Advisor and Alternate Commissioner for Luxembourg at the IWC.
The British are, in my experience, lazy when it comes to languages as many people speak our own tongue. For the vast majority of the trip we didn't need to use any Spanish as Pierre speaks English and Spanish, as well as German, French and Luxembourgish. A phrase book would be useful though and we did come home having learned a little Spanish.
Pierre was very helpful and did his level best to make sure that everyone did what they wanted to do, whilst trying to keep the group as a whole happy. His priority was to keep us at sea as much as possible, which was after all the reason we were all there. I have no experience of other similar trips and guides, but would say he was excellent.
He has an obvious enthusiasm and knowledge for cetaceans which makes for a good guide, but he also knows the town and area very well having spent so much time there. It was a standing joke amongst the group that wherever we were, and at whatever time, Pierre always knew a good restaurant. At one point I told him that he should write the Tarifa Good Food Guide. Joking aside, we all got more out of our holiday from his knowledge of the local area than we would have done on our own.
From the itinerary we had expected to spend a lot of time on our own, rather than as a group. We did get a fair amount of time on our own, but spent a lot of time as a group too. Most evenings we all went to a restaurant together to eat. I think there were only two evenings out of seven that we ate alone. If you wanted to eat alone (or not at all) you could, there was no pressure, but it was nice to eat as a group on the whole. In fact one lunchtime we were free to do our own thing but five of us ate together anyway.
Eating out does cost money though. Fran and I took €400 between us, and then I took out another €100 on my Visa card while we were there. We spent little money on anything other than food and drinks during our stay. Presents and our trip on the ferry were paid for with plastic so cash was almost entirely spent on subsistence.
In summary then, we had a fantastic week with really nothing to complain about. The organisation was all done for us (flights arranged so that all could be picked up together, then dropped off so that the next weeks people could be picked up at the same time) and the local guide was both friendly and first class. The captain knew the sea and boat, and what conditions we could remain at sea in, so that we got the best from our stay.
What cannot be guaranteed is the spotting of wildlife. Despite being narrow the Straight of Gibraltar is still big and cetaceans can hide very well in it. During our five days on the sea we saw Bottlenose dolphins every single day, Striped dolphins on three days, Common dolphins on two and then Orcas and Pilot whales once each (on separate days). Of the seven species around at the time we saw five (missing out on Sperm and Fin whales), although to see more of the Orcas would have been great.
The local knowledge of Pierre and the Captain do ensure that you have the best chance possible of seeing something. Having said that an email from Pierre on Sunday night said that disappointingly they had spent 3 hours on the Rainbow that day and seen nothing.
I always wanted to take a trip to Vancouver, and while there try and see the Killer Whales as part of the experience. This trip was a chance to try and see them at a much reduced cost, as well as always having wanted to take Fran to see them. I still do want to go to Vancouver, but I would no longer see Tarifa as a cheaper alternative. It is simply an alternative. Would I repeat this trip? Yes, definately.
For a more detailed report of each of our days you can read the following:
Andalucian Arrival (Day 1 - 24.7.2009)
Between the Pillars of Hercules (Day 2 - 25.7.2009)
African Experience (Day 3 - 26.7.2009)
Orcas (Day 4 - 27.7.2009)
Coping with the Levanté (Day 5 - 28.7.2009)
Another New Species (Day 6 - 29.7.2009)
The Last Day (Day 7 - 30.7.2009)
Homeward Bound (Day 8 - 31.7.2009)
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