Tern chicks and Pirates of Poole

The morning exodus seen from land

A day off in Poole, said Nic. We'll just motor from Studland Bay into Poole Harbour and the town marina. Easy!  Lesley was helming, never been to Poole before, unlike Dorset Boy Nic. It was Saturday morning on a blazing midsummer day and it proved to be a baptism of fire. 

An endless torrent of motorboats, ferries, dinghies and cruisers poured out of the harbour as we felt our way in gingerly through the maze of buoyed channels, in the world's second largest natural harbour. Sirena IV looked like a single salmon swimming upstream. The worst moment came when the gargantuan Condor ferry to St Malo hove into view heading straight for us, just behind the Haven Chain ferry, which is notorious for disregarding yachts. We scattered. 

Eventually we got into the Port of Poole marina, put on non-sailing clothes and caught a ferry to Brownsea Island, owned by the National Trust (except for the splendid castle which is a private holiday venue for John Lewis employees. Go figure.) 

We made a beeline for the wildlife haven whose President is Simon King of Springwatch fame. 

From the first hide, we saw sandwich terns on small islands feeding their fluffy chicks. The adult terns have rather appealing tufts of black feathers on their heads which remind you of Nigel Kennedy in his youth. 

Sandwich tern chick

The incoming parents swoop low carrying a small fish in their beaks, and sometimes do several circuits before they spot their own chick and deliver the wriggling morsel into its open maw.

Later we scanned pine trees for any sign of Brownsea's star turn (not a tern) the endearing red squirrel. Nic caught a far-off glance of a curly tail and small body, but that was it. It seems they don't like the hot weather. 

One animal that WAS upfront was the jackdaw which stalked around aggressively when we had a snack at the cafe. No other bird has the body language of a lairy Cockney geezer. He vaguely reminded us of a roofer we know in south London.      




The ferry delivered us back to Poole Town Quay which was heaving with people in pirate costume because of some local festival, and many tourists who had turned violent pink in the course of a scorching day. The square rigger Tenacious, a sail training ship, was by far the most beautiful thing on view.

Tenacious

Then it was back to the boat for grilled salmon and a rest, before planning tomorrow's destination. It's strange to have such a loose and relaxed timetable suddenly. We'll get used to it.