Back in Time – Skinny dipping on Scilly
Isles of Scilly October 1994, most of us had been going to Scilly every October since the early 80’s and had become the annual birding holiday to see UK rarities and an excellent social occasion and this year was no exception.
However this one had a different twist to it. As usual one night we were down the Mermaid pub partaking in a few beers when a dare was put to us by a Mrs Deborah Lewington and was “who fancies a skinny dip” as the night was well under way and quite a few drinks had been consumed we agreed, just for a laugh and not expecting what would follow.
At chucking out time we all made our way down to Porthcressa beach, fortunately is was a fairly mild night and the sea was quiet. If I recall correctly there was quite few of us there, Ian & Debbie Lewington, Martin Hallam, Kim Talbot, Geoff, Roger and Brian Wyatt, Pete Pool, myself and several others.
As is usual after consuming a few alcoholic beverages your inhibitions go out the window and four of us stripped off in front of the waiting audience (Myself, Geoff, Pete and Brian) and walked down the beach and waded in to the sea.
from Cholsey Wildlife https://cholseywildlife.blogspot.com/2020/03/back-in-time-skinny-dipping-on-scilly.html
However this one had a different twist to it. As usual one night we were down the Mermaid pub partaking in a few beers when a dare was put to us by a Mrs Deborah Lewington and was “who fancies a skinny dip” as the night was well under way and quite a few drinks had been consumed we agreed, just for a laugh and not expecting what would follow.
At chucking out time we all made our way down to Porthcressa beach, fortunately is was a fairly mild night and the sea was quiet. If I recall correctly there was quite few of us there, Ian & Debbie Lewington, Martin Hallam, Kim Talbot, Geoff, Roger and Brian Wyatt, Pete Pool, myself and several others.
As is usual after consuming a few alcoholic beverages your inhibitions go out the window and four of us stripped off in front of the waiting audience (Myself, Geoff, Pete and Brian) and walked down the beach and waded in to the sea.
After about five minutes of general splashing around and having a laugh I was just about to come out of the sea when I noticed a red dot in the middle of my chest. My first thought was either I’m being targeted by a sniper or someone had a camera on me and as the former was very unlikely I did a swift u-turn and started to wade back out in to the sea and at that moment a photo was taken and fortunately for me the photographer only got a rear shot.
Geoff stayed in the sea happily swimming around but Brian and Pete were exposed to full frontal shots as they left the sea. These photos were subsequently shown at a later SODOFF* meeting during a slide show much to the embarrassment of us few whom had been exposed and to the hilarity of the audience present at the meeting.
As I said what followed was somewhat unexpected as Debs had arranged with George Reszeter (R.I.P. He of the Oxford paparazzi and well known bird photographer) to capture the episode on camera.
Am not sure of the author of the following but someone wrote a poem that was published in a subsequent SODOFF journal along with the photos.
“A plot was hatched one night on Scilly
In a pub by a young lady called Debbie
The dare was given and duly accepted
To streak “cressa” beach with parts presented
At closing time they left the pub
And joined members of the SODOFF club
They staggered down towards the bay
As George and camera came their way
As midnight came on Porthcressa beach
The SODOFF lads did dare to streak
George was there with camera proud
And the SODOFF lads did then unshroud
They streaked the beach and into the sea
As George flashed his camera and smiled with glee
The assembled crowd looked on and hooted
As Pete and Brian were caught undiluted
Paul and Geoff were not so blighted
As George’s camera could not get sighted
The lens scanned the beach in search of privates
But only found rear ends or fuzzy targets
The next day came and photos went around
A few red faces were then to be found
People smiled with knowing looks
We hope the pics don’t get in any books
Another memorable Scilly has been and gone
With ticks and streaks what more could go on
Scilly ’95 is already booked
Let’s do it next year we’re all hooked”
A great poem which captured the moment well!
The birds that year on Scilly were noted for a fair number of scarce migrants but the star of the two weeks was the Yellow-browed Bunting that appeared on St Agnes on the 21st October, it was in a small garden and we had to queue to see it. I was birding on St Mary’s with Martin Hallam when the news came over the CB and we did not hear the “bunting” bit and so assuming it was a Yellow-browed Warbler we ignored the call as we had already seen a few of those but when the follow up message came through we looked at each other and then the adrenalin started to flow and then a quick dash to the quay at St Mary’s to get the boat to Aggie. Also notable that year was a Radde’s Warbler on St Mary’s and a Dusky Warbler on St Agnes.
SODOFF’ers have been going to Scilly since the late 70’s and an honorary SODOFF’er Pete Colston had been going since the 50’s and it’s only in the last few years that we have not been going on a regular basis. Some of us shared a flat for the two week period when we were there that housed six but we have had up to ten in particularly good years and during the 90’s SODOFF had a considerable presence on the islands through October. Scilly still pulls in good vagrants but not in the quantity that it used to but still a beautiful place to visit.
*SODOFF, South Oxfordshire District Ornithological Fellowship of Friends.
Geoff stayed in the sea happily swimming around but Brian and Pete were exposed to full frontal shots as they left the sea. These photos were subsequently shown at a later SODOFF* meeting during a slide show much to the embarrassment of us few whom had been exposed and to the hilarity of the audience present at the meeting.
As I said what followed was somewhat unexpected as Debs had arranged with George Reszeter (R.I.P. He of the Oxford paparazzi and well known bird photographer) to capture the episode on camera.
Am not sure of the author of the following but someone wrote a poem that was published in a subsequent SODOFF journal along with the photos.
“A plot was hatched one night on Scilly
In a pub by a young lady called Debbie
The dare was given and duly accepted
To streak “cressa” beach with parts presented
At closing time they left the pub
And joined members of the SODOFF club
They staggered down towards the bay
As George and camera came their way
As midnight came on Porthcressa beach
The SODOFF lads did dare to streak
George was there with camera proud
And the SODOFF lads did then unshroud
They streaked the beach and into the sea
As George flashed his camera and smiled with glee
The assembled crowd looked on and hooted
As Pete and Brian were caught undiluted
Paul and Geoff were not so blighted
As George’s camera could not get sighted
The lens scanned the beach in search of privates
But only found rear ends or fuzzy targets
The next day came and photos went around
A few red faces were then to be found
People smiled with knowing looks
We hope the pics don’t get in any books
Another memorable Scilly has been and gone
With ticks and streaks what more could go on
Scilly ’95 is already booked
Let’s do it next year we’re all hooked”
A great poem which captured the moment well!
The birds that year on Scilly were noted for a fair number of scarce migrants but the star of the two weeks was the Yellow-browed Bunting that appeared on St Agnes on the 21st October, it was in a small garden and we had to queue to see it. I was birding on St Mary’s with Martin Hallam when the news came over the CB and we did not hear the “bunting” bit and so assuming it was a Yellow-browed Warbler we ignored the call as we had already seen a few of those but when the follow up message came through we looked at each other and then the adrenalin started to flow and then a quick dash to the quay at St Mary’s to get the boat to Aggie. Also notable that year was a Radde’s Warbler on St Mary’s and a Dusky Warbler on St Agnes.
SODOFF’ers have been going to Scilly since the late 70’s and an honorary SODOFF’er Pete Colston had been going since the 50’s and it’s only in the last few years that we have not been going on a regular basis. Some of us shared a flat for the two week period when we were there that housed six but we have had up to ten in particularly good years and during the 90’s SODOFF had a considerable presence on the islands through October. Scilly still pulls in good vagrants but not in the quantity that it used to but still a beautiful place to visit.
*SODOFF, South Oxfordshire District Ornithological Fellowship of Friends.
No photos for obvious reasons 😁
from Cholsey Wildlife https://cholseywildlife.blogspot.com/2020/03/back-in-time-skinny-dipping-on-scilly.html
Comments
Post a Comment