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Waiting at Hull Marina for the right conditions to cruise up to York which gave a chance for some laundry and some more work maintaining the Paxton Princess and planning my trip. I felt that Hull had lost the unique presence of boats right in the city centre as a result and, in my view, is therefore struggling to find its new identity now that its days as a fishing port are nearly over and I think that its character has been lost in the process.
Our night's stay at the visitors' pontoon at Hull Marina went all right and we slept well despite the proximity of the new by-pass road for the city. We had a bit of a lay in until Di got our morning drinks at 8.00am and then we got showered using the Paxton Princess's own facilities as we were not familiar with those on shore yet. Then across to the newly-renamed "Forte" Hotel (it used to be very descriptively called the Hull Marina Post House) for a fine cooked English breakfast which all of the family enjoyed. There then followed a trek to find a launderette as Di was concerned about the week's washing that we had amassed and this took up most of the morning until we left the girls in the children's bookshop and carted the load back to the boat before lunch at McDonalds.
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Our last look at Cleethorpes before leaving Grimsby docks and setting off for Hull. We visited "The Silver Shoe" riding stables where Diana had arranged for the girls to hire ponies for an hour's beach hack. Diana and I had morning coffee in "Meggies Tea Room" before the family had a swim at the Cleethorpes leisure centre where the swimming pool had a big wave machine.
Then we set off and the sea was only moderate at first and then slight for the rest of the trip before negotiating the entrance cross-current but then we were in and safely moored at Hull Marina
The weather forecasts were reasonable this morning, with the north-east breeze moderating later, and so the decision was made to leave Grimsby later today after we had a final look at Cleethorpes. For once they had left the security gates open and Diana could go across to get some groceries whilst I had my shower and shave in the oblutions block. I then filled up with water so that we could leave in a hurry later if I had to. We took the taxi into Cleethorpes and the first port of call was "The Silver Shoe" riding stables where Diana had arranged for the girls to hire ponies for an hour's beach hack. Diana and I had morning coffee in "Meggies Tea Room" and later she met the girls from their hack whilst I tried to meet up with Daniel. He had been visiting Angela in Ware and was due to come back today.
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Seeing more of Grimsby and Cleethorpes as the wind easterly force 4 to 5, becoming 6 did not seem suitable to sail in our open Humber aspect. Some shopping in Grimsby, lunch at The Pizza Hut and a visit to The Heritage Centre after which I got some Humber charts and guides from the chandlers and planned our trip to York for tomorrow night
I was awake early and listening to the weather forecasts from which I learnt that the Humber forecast was Easterly force 4 to 5, becoming 6 which did not seem suitable for our open Humber aspect and so we were here for another day at least. This was all right as we all wanted to go shopping and see more of Grimsby and Cleethorpes and Daniel was hoping that we would make slow progress to be in York at the weekend for a rendezvous with Angela. There was the normal wait for security door to be opened as the system of having a resident on each pontoon does not seem to be working here, but it was not a problem for some time as I wanted to catch up with my journal which had taken second place to other chores since Ely.
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Day trip from Grimsby by Taxi to Cleethorpes, a good old-fashioned English seaside resort with donkey-rides on the beach and the sands full of holiday-makers and day-trippers which was lovely.
Amusements and rides for the girls in Fantasyland until rendezvousing with Daniel at the station for a train ride back to Grimsby where, tired after our exertions, we retired early to bed. The weather forecasts were already indicating stronger winds still so that it might be a few days before we could leave port.
It was the decision of the family that we should forgo the fine weather for a trip to Hull and stay in Grimsby so that we could travel to neighbouring seaside resort, Cleethorpes. We had some delay and difficulty this morning until the marina owner arrived and we could top up with fuel and get out of the locked moorings which had made for good security but poor access. We then tried out the showers which Daniel and I found all right but which were not to Diana's taste. At about 11.00am, the family went for a walk around Grimsby and I stayed aboard to do a few repairs such as re-securing the TV aerial, chart table top and window alarm contact.
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