I actually wrote this piece last year and made a conscious decision to give up flying about two weeks later. I have, I am pleased to say, only been in a plane eight times since. Of course, the current situation makes flying almost impossible anyway. Good, we're saving the planet....
I do a lot of flying. I have been very privileged to see many wonders over the years but some times you just can't believe your luck. On the way back from holiday approaching London City Airport I realized our approach was easterly and the fair weather was providing a marvellous view of the south coast as we came in at about 20,000 feet. I have done this trip countless times and I then thought - we'll go right over Sheppey and..... The Medway Estuary!
Gwen!... budge over and let me have the window seat. Let's see how good this iPhone camera actually is today.
The pilot, British Airways, God and the weather were all on my side today. I was making the run at exactly the time when de Ruyter's ships would have been in the middle of their attacks each day during the Medway campaign - around 1300 hours.
Clicking like mad I was able to get some pretty wonderful views of my current project in real life.
Mrs H couldn't quite understand why I said that this had actually been the highlight of my entire holiday but smiled indulgently and went back to watching her ipad as I welded my face to the window and strained to get the best view of each stretch of the vista. I could see her replaying the previous two weeks in her head and thinking... THIS made your holiday? Are you mental?
Look! said I, that stretch there is the table I just built a few weeks ago, do you recognize it?
Eh, yes, very nice. Even this could not curb my enthusiasm.
I hope you all can feel my sense of utter joy as we spent about five minutes over the target.
I was made up and am still smiling. September 5th 2019 - a red letter day.
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| The terrain as it stands |
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| Upper middle of shot - Isle of Sheppey and beyond - The Medway Estuary. |
I do a lot of flying. I have been very privileged to see many wonders over the years but some times you just can't believe your luck. On the way back from holiday approaching London City Airport I realized our approach was easterly and the fair weather was providing a marvellous view of the south coast as we came in at about 20,000 feet. I have done this trip countless times and I then thought - we'll go right over Sheppey and..... The Medway Estuary!
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| Mouth of the Medway - Garrison Point on the lower left - Musselbank channel upper right |
Gwen!... budge over and let me have the window seat. Let's see how good this iPhone camera actually is today.
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| Garrison Point Fort can be seen clearly on the spit at lower centre - The Dutch captured it and sailed down the channel |
The pilot, British Airways, God and the weather were all on my side today. I was making the run at exactly the time when de Ruyter's ships would have been in the middle of their attacks each day during the Medway campaign - around 1300 hours.
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| Battle ground (water) Musselbank to Gillingham - the chain ran from the island top right to the far shore. |
Clicking like mad I was able to get some pretty wonderful views of my current project in real life.
Mrs H couldn't quite understand why I said that this had actually been the highlight of my entire holiday but smiled indulgently and went back to watching her ipad as I welded my face to the window and strained to get the best view of each stretch of the vista. I could see her replaying the previous two weeks in her head and thinking... THIS made your holiday? Are you mental?
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| When you know what you are looking for! - Gillingham to Rochester passing the Chatham stretch at centre right. |
Look! said I, that stretch there is the table I just built a few weeks ago, do you recognize it?
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| Actually playing the game |
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| Medway - Campaign panorama |
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| Chatham stretch - Royal Dockyard, Whitewall Creek and Upnor all very clear. |
Eh, yes, very nice. Even this could not curb my enthusiasm.
I hope you all can feel my sense of utter joy as we spent about five minutes over the target.
I was made up and am still smiling. September 5th 2019 - a red letter day.