This is it! We are there! It’s the last Friday, the last weekend and the last ramble before we deck the halls and ring those bells, to welcome in Christmas 2024.. that’s a lot of lasts! In fact, this is the last ramble of 2024, as I am not even considering writing one next Friday evening or ‘pre-recording’ it either (it has to be fresh..).

But apart from that fact, there is still another reason to be joyous, as Saturday is the 21^st December, which is the shortest day, commonly known as the Winter Solstice (or Albar Arthan if any Druids are reading..). LIGHT starts its return journey up’North on Sunday and will eventually bring more hours of Light than Dark, depending upon cloud cover of course. Currently there is only 9hrs 15 mins of light available but as Tuesday was heavily overcast, it was pretty much twilight all day. Some like the dark cosy-ness of winter but personally I can’t wait, as the lack of light does have an effect on your mind and perhaps the body too. And there’s more good news if you are a wind lover, as we have a strong wind warning this weekend but nothing like as bad as Bert or Darragh, ‘if’ the forecasters have got it right.

So, what is there left to write about in 2024… err.. well.. for once I have to be honest and say that this week I am struggling to find anything water sports wise worth mentioning but if something does come to mind on my walk to the pub in the rain, I will add it to the ‘last’ 2024 Saturday Morning Shakey Video. Perhaps it’s just that everyone is so embroiled in Christmas cheer and shopping, that ‘news and happenings’ all grind to a halt. It’s supposed to be a time of stepping back from the ‘rush’ of life and enjoying family and friends, who truly make living fun.. most of the time. It’s also a time for reflecting on the year gone by.  I am sure some will be thinking ‘Why did I start that Special Military Operation’ or ‘Why did I buy a time share in Lebanon’ or ‘Why did I vote for the abolition of the OAP Heating Allowance’?.. all of which, as with most things on our ball of rock, spinning boldly through the Cosmos, could be corrected by people but generally it requires a little godly intervention, if that is still available.  What is definitely still available is the weekend’s weather!

Saturday, both Guru and the Met say 18-38kt but Guru say Sou’West and the Met West’Sou’West. Rain in the morning but brightening in the afternoon, with a top temp of 12°C. Tide hits High at 15.10hrs on a 5.3m, so Shoreham in the Morning and then head West to Worthing or LA for the High, if you want high adrenaline launching and landing. It’s a short-range tide, so you won’t have that much shallow water at low tide.

Sunday, 18 – 39kt on the Met and 16- 33kt on Guru but both agree West’Nor’West, which is possible at Worthing or LA but if it goes Nor’West, then it’s head to the Witts or Brackers. Check the forecast closer to your departure time! Sunnier on the whole compared to Saturday and therefore we have a top temp of 6°C! Not nice… Tide is High at 15.59hrs on 5.0m (Neap)

 So, there you have it. Our Christmas Opening times are on Google, the website, our answerphone (after Monday, when we close at 5.30pm) as well as on Facebook / Instagram, so you should be able to check before coming along. Many thanks to all of our customers during 2024 and to those that have suffered and endured reading the rambles every week. I may do a Happy New Year but if not.. Happy New Year!

Have a great Christmas or whatever it is, you wish to celebrate.. it’s all Good!

Cheers everyone.