Dorset composer - Rick Birley
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      • Rick Birley biography
      • Compositions [orchestral]
        • Bishops & Clerks
          • Latin Primer
            • Maverick
              • Variations on a Plainsong
                • Movement for String Orchestra "magnas inter opes inops"
                  • Little English Folksong Suite
                    • Chansons de France
                      • Marat/Sade Suite>
                        • Marat/Sade notes
                        • Hebrew Songs of Love, Faith & Survival
                          • Call to Remembrance
                            • Sar-planina
                              • Nursery Rhymes Kaleidoscope
                                • Spanish Folksongs
                                  • Olympian Glories
                                    • Piano Concerto
                                      • A Dorset Rhapsody
                                        • Romney Facets
                                          • Lord of the Dance
                                            • the Cuckoo - 'cello & chamber orchestra
                                              • Greensleeves
                                                • Blaydon Races
                                                  • Pastiche>
                                                    • La Ronde
                                                      • Zartom: Symphony
                                                        • Hornby: Exultate Jubilate
                                                      • Compositions [Choral]
                                                        • Compositions [choral/orch] - SACRED>
                                                          • Advent Carol Succession>
                                                            • Advent Carol Succession notes
                                                            • Songs of Time
                                                            • Compositions [Choral/Orch] - SECULAR>
                                                              • Fern Hill
                                                                • Universal Truth
                                                                  • The Jackdaw of Rheims
                                                                    • Nine Welsh Folksong Arrangements
                                                                    • Choral [a capella SACRED]>
                                                                      • Three Motets
                                                                      • Choral [a capella SECULAR]>
                                                                        • The Cuckoo
                                                                          • Dance to your Daddy
                                                                            • Drill, Ye Terriers, Drill
                                                                              • The Willow Song
                                                                                • In Vernali Tempore
                                                                                  • My Love in her Attire
                                                                                • Compositions [vocal]
                                                                                  • Edges
                                                                                    • Seven Folksong Ballads
                                                                                      • Three Hardy Songs
                                                                                      • Compositions [chamber/instrumental]
                                                                                        • Austerity
                                                                                          • Quintet "magnas inter opes inops"
                                                                                            • Five Folksong Arrangements (for the Crucible)
                                                                                              • Latin Primer [Septet]
                                                                                                • Latin Primer [violin/piano]
                                                                                                  • Past Tense
                                                                                                    • in memoriam G B
                                                                                                      • Variations on a Plainsong - piano transcription
                                                                                                        • Variations on a Plainsong - original version for solo clarinet
                                                                                                          • March Wind
                                                                                                            • Preludes [piano]
                                                                                                              • Carol Preludes [piano]
                                                                                                                • Marat/Sade Suite [2-piano transcription]
                                                                                                                  • Piano Sonata
                                                                                                                    • Folksong Dance Suite for Cello & Piano
                                                                                                                      • Dance to Your Daddy
                                                                                                                        • Salutation Carol Prelude [piano]
                                                                                                                          • Grazioso (guitar solo)
                                                                                                                            • Dorset Suite
                                                                                                                              • Drink Old England Dry: a Folksong Frolic for Busy Fingers
                                                                                                                                • Sonatina for Violin & Piano [1979]
                                                                                                                                  • The Phoenix
                                                                                                                                  • Compositions [jazz/light]
                                                                                                                                    • Funked-up Bach
                                                                                                                                      • Basement Jazz
                                                                                                                                        • Music Hall for Westfield
                                                                                                                                        • ARTWORK
                                                                                                                                          • Pembrokeshire scenes i
                                                                                                                                            • Pembrokeshire scenes ii
                                                                                                                                              • Rogues gallery....
                                                                                                                                                • Durham 'prints'
                                                                                                                                                  • Picture Dorchester....
                                                                                                                                                    • Italy October 2010
                                                                                                                                                      • Paris
                                                                                                                                                        • Prague
                                                                                                                                                          • Miscellaneous
                                                                                                                                                          • Poems
                                                                                                                                                          • Maverick
                                                                                                                                                          • Hobie Adventure Island
                                                                                                                                                            • Maiden Voyage 12.iii.11
                                                                                                                                                            • We English - a historical rhyme

                                                                                                                                                            Maiden Voyage - 12 March 2011

                                                                                                                                                            Picture
                                                                                                                                                            All set up for the first time on Sandsfoot Beach



                                                                                                                                                            The big day arrived and after struggling to fit the new roof bars Sally and I drove over to Rockley Park to collect my boat from the Hobie Centre. Rockley Park is the cluster of dinghies [the caravan park is behind on the hill] that you see just down below when taking the train to Poole, by the waters of Poole Harbour.

                                                                                                                                                            We loaded up - or rather the ever helpful Kris loaded everything up - and before very long we were making our way to Weymouth, to Sandsfoot Beach by the new Castle Cove Sailing Club where Peche and his wife Charlotte were waiting. The plan was to launch, sail, visit the pub in Weymouth Harbour after mooring just by the Town Bridge, and sail back to Castle Cove Beach, where the boat was to be stored on the old dinghy platform - the very same platform (now privately owned) on which I used to keep my various dinghies as a member of the Castle Cove Sailing Club when it was located here.

                                                                                                                                                            And that is precisely what we did! 



                                                                                                                                                            Sailing is a very simple pleasure, and for some [like me] a passion. To be lifted by the wind and to skim across the waves, splashed by the spray, this is a fantastic experience. And it is fresh every single time.
                                                                                                                                                            (c) 2009 Rick Birley