Surfladle

 Well, here we all are at the start of a New Year and sadly under the restrictions of another Lockdown. It is not where any of us want to be but due to the new and improved Virus that seems

desperate to do its worst, we have to close the shop doors to anyone unless collecting kit under prior arrangement and even then keeping personal contact to a minimum.  Please forgive us if we ever seem a little strict but unlike last year, Covid 21 now mean the wellbeing of everyone has to be our main concern above any other aspect of life as we know it. We are doing our best to keep trading as our livelihoods depends upon it but would never be prepared to put money before anyone’s health. Bare with us and let’s all hope things improve shortly.

 

And as that was not enough to deal with we now have the added bonus of a complete disaster of trading under the new regime caused by the Brexit agreement, which at best is proving difficult to understand whether you are in the EU or the UK. The greatest sign of hope is that everyone on both side of our beloved English Channel is doing their best to work through this transition and I am sure, given a few months, that ‘people’ will sort it out instead of Governments. More of that as things move forward but for now no one is shipping until they know who is charging what to who and when they are expected to pay. Moving forward we desperately need to restart our own manufacturing to ensure products are available when WE need them. 

 

The current waterwear situation is not good due to world demand (we may be in winter but the Southern Hemisphere is in full swing) which means our pre-ordered winter 20 / 21 stock availability has been put back until June, which is too late as the 2022 kit will all be ‘online’. One Rep of an EU based waterwear company said he would love to go back 25 years to when he could go into the production area and speak with those people making the suits. Adjustments to sizing issues (which happens all of the time) and modifications could be made there and then and if a suit was popular, production would be switched to cover the demand. Currently suits made overseas, for say summer 2021, are being produced the previous year so by the time they arrive it is too late to correct or improve anything that is not right.  I guess we need to find those who made the kit in those days and get them to pass on their skills to others so that we are able to kick start our own Watersports industry (some of the European countries are already pursuing this as they have seen the writing on the wall). I am sure innovations could be found as we have always been an innovative society and that would be an exciting prospect. Yes, prices may be slightly more if we manufacture but at least we would be reaping the benefits and a little pride could be found in presenting products that I am sure we could export again. British made wetsuits were seen as the best for many years throughout the World.  Food for thought...

 

Time for the Tides and weather for this weekend (Tide tables are currently being printed).

Saturday we expect it to be COLD with winds from the Nor ‘East at 11 kts. Tide is High at 07.22hrs on a 5.5m.

Sunday the winds switch to the Nor ‘West at 8 kts and the temperature will start to rise to 4°!

Tide is High at 08.29hrs on a 5.7m.

The week ahead looks to be almost Hot with temps back up to 9° if we are lucky.

 

So, keep warm and do whatever you can to help our struggling friends who are in the NHS and Emergency Services..  which basically means do not need their HELP! 

 

Have as good a weekend as you can everyone!