High Tide	04:06 (2.30m)
Low Tide	10:10 (1.00m)
High Tide	17:13 (2.20m)
Low Tide	22:20 (1.20m)

Sea temperature: not taken (see below), but my thermometer is fixed.
Sea conditions: What has become known as 'a Mertz sea' - i.e. rough, but not too rough, perfect for body surfing, which The Poet attempted a couple of times
Weather: stunning sunrise, followed by biblical sky
Joined by: The Usual Suspects
Topics of conversation:
Golf balls - The Bridge Captain was in a rush as she was off to play golf on a posh course. As Mertz now plays again I think I should try to use the right terminology - I got very strange looks when I said he was playing at the Halesworth 'court', which I now know is 'course'. I asked if it was good form to wish her luck with her 'game' or 'match' and DK told the story of Ike Eisenhower (who used to have his golf balls painted black in winter so that he could play in snow) and his wife's good luck charm. Apparently she was quoted as saying, in all innocence, that she would always kiss his balls before he played.
Talking of quotes - The LE has been in the habit recently of noticing lines and phrases spoken on the beach in the mornings which, when taken out of context, sound peculiar. We thought we should start collecting them. This morning's was "I feel much braver now that I am wearing a hat."
30's outfits - The Artist is holding a 1930's styled soiree to celebrate her birthday with friends in the village and so The LE and I have been discussing outfits, she has a number and I have something hiding in the attic, which might do. She has found a cigarette holder for The Artist too. The Architect had suggested we should all just go in knitted bathing suits... I think not.
The Spitfire - yesterday afternoon there had been a Spitfire doing acrobatics over the village and the sea, the sound was unique and it was enough to stop The Artist and I half way through a class, everyone was looking skywards. We speculated about what it was up to and this morning I found out, whilst on a mission with The Ferryman. He had been rowing the ferry yesterday when a family had boarded, they were travelling over the river with the ashes of a relative who they were going to scatter from the lifeboat. They had chatted and The Ferryman had spoken to one family member in particular, a woman who made the return journey just as the Spitfire was starting it's flight. At this time another passenger asked him if he knew anything about the plane and he told him that all he knew was that it was based at Martlesham and was owned by a lady, who might be the pilot. The woman politely interrupted and said "actually it's not her flying today..." which surprised them both. "How do you know?" asked The Ferryman, "Because my boyfriend is the pilot today, and he's got a passenger up there." At this point The Ferryman said it was as if the pilot could hear them; he ramped it up and began performing rolls and loops over the sea, as if he were performing for her - he said it was one of the most romantic things he'd seen.

Othello - I'd been to see the NT LIVE showing of this last night. It had been my A Level play so I had mixed feelings about it, but came away thinking that if I'd seen that production all those years ago the exam would have been a joy. The Poet is off to see it next week so I've asked him to pay particular attention to the accent Rory Kinnear employs as my Film Club buddy and I couldn't work it out. The Pirate came in on the tail end of the conversation and joked with the Bridge Captain, asking her if she realised what a pseudo intellectual bunch she had joined, and how it was like a Radio 4 convention. Er... she's the BRIDGE CAPTAIN....