Welcome to our winter visitors both ashore and afloat. Almost all our prebooked boats have now arrived and the marina is looking very full, both ashore and in the water. The hard standing is fully booked but we can fit in a few more afloat if any one else turns up. The lift out programme has so far run very smoothly with our two teams of Brian and Roy on the crane and Pete/James on the hoist/boat parker making the process much more efficient than previous years. Thank you guys. The improved slipway helps - allowing us to eliminate some of the double handling by taking boats out directly with the boat parker. Still to be filled up is Wooden Boat Corner - Nick's customers who will be snuggled together by the green workshop. Elsewhere the Deck continues busy with Debbie requesting we build a further extension (to which my answer was unprintable). I think she was joking! You can enjoy Christmas Carols at The Deck on Thursday 8th December, together with some mulled wine or champagne and canapes - booking essential, details on 01243 376161. Only negative comment been from some cafe customers complaining about the decor on the stairs - saying it is like a hospital. After my hours spent on the extension you can guess how impressed I was with that particular feedback - I prefer to think of the colour scheme as marine not hospital!  I also just followed some cafe visitors up the stairs who were moaning that it was too utilitarian.... I'm not quite sure what they were hoping for - marble? Anyway some nautical artwork for the walls is on its way which will hopefully please these detractors.

Alison