...Up The Masthead In The Bosun's Chair

 Well I did once, when I was a lad.  If I recall correctly, it was at one of those sailing regatta events, on the Hamble River.   I was invited to the event by a guy who I used to sail with - if you can call it sailing  (bear with me there's a tenuous link here somewhere).

He had a fast racing dingy called a Merlin Rocket, and was desperate for a crew.  I was the only volunteer,  I might have even been press-ganged. 

Ahoy, me hearties...

Our sailing sessions usually ended abruptly with a capsized dinghy and both of us swimming in Southampton Water.  Usually it was my fault because I wasn't fast enough to get from one side of the dinghy to the other and balance it, when he changed direction ('tacking' - I believe is the nautical term).  

Anyhow, enough of my short, and very wet, sailing career.  

The Bosun's Chair, Lymington SO41 3BA, in this case is (fortunately) a pub, not a flimsey fabric seat in which you're hauled to the top of a yacht's mast, to admire the view, with your legs trembling.

Bosun's Chair - old coaching house (and sailor's rest?)

The pub is in the old quay area of Lymington which positively oozes naval history (as well as estuarial mud).  Historically Lymington was a haven for smugglers, but was less popular with the French, who attacked and burned the town three times, in the 14th and 16th centuries.

Today, the quay is quieter and no longer under threat from French pyromaniacs.  Sailing types loiter, and daytrippers wander the narrow streets...

Smuggler-free zone

 ...where pretty fisherman's cottages jostle for position.

Cottages jostling....

The Bosun’s Chair is a Wadworth pub and must have, at one time, been a cosy multiroomed establishment, but now, as is the fashion, is mainly one open space decorated in a contempory style, which gives the impression that the pub industry has been invaded by kitchen designers...

Kitchen styled...

Despite this, it is a pleasant pub, which still retains some semblance of cosy-ness.  Needless to say there are plenty of decorative nautical references (but you've probably had enough of those already in this post).

On the bar is a trio of cask Wadworth beers...

Wadworth's finest...

The Henry’s IPA 3.6%, is a pleasant session beer although, with such a modest abv, it is never going to make the BJCP standard for an IPA in a month of Sundays.  The artistically branded glass makes up for it...

Artistic script

...and it is a very drinkable - NBSS 2

In the back yard, there is a large canopy which I guess could be 'sail'-like in keeping with a nautical theme, though I couldn't help thinking it looked like a Bedouin tent.  Very practical though, and it will keep you dry in the coastal mists and rain.

Beer tent

As I left the pub I wandered down the street to admire the impressive railway station (built 1860), while my son, Martin made a detour to the pub toilet.  

Lymington Town station

Martin emerged from the pub and looked about for me. I yelled at him from down the street...

... but it was the landlord (who had followed him out) who spotted me first, and helpfully pointed Martin in the right direction.  Now that's looking after your customers…

The End...