G-SAC and the Big Sandal

Tourism is of huge importance but is of course at the mercy of the weather when you live on on rocky peninsula sticking out into the Northern Atlantic Ocean. The past three summers have been damp, which is the last thing we need as the economic buffeting continues. Added to that the winters have been less than sympathetic and so we should be looking grim. BUT WE DON'T DO GRIM and so we battle on toward the summer of 2010. One good thing is that we have the ideal summer wear for a sasquatch on holiday. Harbour Sports Paignton staffer Grant Clarey (16) who knows a thing or two about watersports (we call him G-SAC because of his initials "GSAC") stands proud in his new DC tee shirt clutching a size 30 flipflop.................................

Today the sun is beaming down on South Devon and I've just been chatting to Matt Cole who is a Harbour Sports Plymouth staff member and an undergraduate at Plymouth University. He says that the historic Barbican is simply gleaming this morning and they have been outside the shop soaking up some of that spring sunshine. Do you know you can almost taste the spring air today - I love this time of year.........

Frank Sobey

A breath of fresh air!

Sometimes people arrive in your life and the world is a lighter brighter place. Last summer Jess Renshaw came to work at Harbour Sports Paignton after a year in New Zealand travelling with her surfing boyfriend. Last Friday she moved on to another job and my life was immediately the poorer. Jess has tremendous zest and is much loved our customers.....and on the day she left we had a phone call from a lady in Bristol who said that because of Jess' customer service she would now become a regular Harbour Sporter! But it isn't just the customers, Viv from O'Neill Wetsuits phoned to say that he speaks to so many shops but has never had such a cheerful greeting on the phone. The Reef folk from the USA whilst visiting the shop took time to say how good the shop displays were; again all Jess' work.



So where am I going with this other than to wax lyrical about Jess? Well, the world is such a hard place just now and it's all too easy to walk about with a face like a slapped kipper which doesn't help to lift the gloom. The slapped kipper brigade simply make the day grey. People like Jess bring sunshine into the day and you if we all try a little harder then we can do the same! So the next time you catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror just take note of whether you are in the Jess camp or the Slapped Kipper camp. Go on, give it a try and let your smile light up the world!!!!!

Frank Sobey

Fair wind from France

"Fair Stood The Wind From France" - (with apologies to H E Bates!) and so we welcome Shirley Morgenroth from France who will be working at Harbour Sports Paignton for the next five weeks. I've asked Shirley to say a little about herself in English and French..............." Hello, my name is Shirley Morgenroth and I am French. My school is Carrel (a business school in Lyon) and I am here with the Training Partnership (Torquay). I had one week of English lessons and now I am working at Harbour Sports Paignton on Paignton Harbour for the next five weeks. Bonjour, je m'appel Shirley Morgenroth jes suis francaise, je vis a Lyon. Jes suis en angeleterre pour 6 semaines pour ameleiorer mois anlais. Mon ecole est Carrel (ecole de commerce a Lyon) je suis venu ici avec le Training Partnership de Torquay. J'ai eu une de cours d'anglais et maitenant je travail dans le magasin harbour sports de paignton pour le cinq semaines prochaines. J'aime skier, faire du wakeboard et j'aimerais apprendre le surf mais l'eau est vraiment trop froide pour moi!"

SNOW IN SOUTH DEVON

This made me smile! Chris Beardsmore and Jess Renshaw took this clever photograph on the day we had harbour snow in Paignton for the first time in twenty odd years. The photograph was then 'tagged' on Face book with the snowman tagged as 'Frank Sobey'. You have to laugh. Please note the rather nice customer parking sign outside Harbour Sports Paignton.

We've always had lots of snow kit in all three of our shops and sales as you might imagine have been very good with this icy blast. Of course some snow kit also works in the summer. How can that be you ask? It's those 'sheepskin' style boots which work really well in the snow but also good look (Pamela Anderson set the trend) on a sunny day in the summer whilst wandering around in a skimpy bikini......

Noticed this morning that the daylight hours have already started to grow as we once again stagger toward summer. I was at Harbour Sports Plymouth last evening with Andy Partridge and Barny Davies. Andy managed to break a finger whilst sliding down a snowy hill on a bodyboard last Sunday. Bodyboards make great sledges - no sharp edges, plus of course you then have a watercraft for the summer! It's a win win. Barney is just back from a week of skiing in France with the University of Plymouth Snowboarding/ Ski Club. 120 of them on a coach - scary.

Saturday morning I was in the Exeter shop with Marc Wood, Chris Beardsmore (who is half way through his M.Sc at Exeter University), Rachel Harrison and Georgia Gold. Great team and full of energy.

This afternoon it's the Paignton shop with Guy Shepherd, Al Glenning and new man Grant Clarey. Annual floor painting tonight (back of the shop) and next Saturday evening (front of the shop). Another sign that the new season is on the way.....

Cold weather in South Devon

Owen (The Owster) Smith took this rather nice photograph last week as the light started to fade over Paignton Harbour and I thought that I would share it with you. The Harbour is on the South West Footpath and is one Devon's beautiful harbours.

This last week or so has been cold and after a soggy November that is quite a change. The changing season is reflected in the sale of winter wetsuits for the pre-dawn start at Bantham and other local beaches.

What has been interesting is the number of people in the water which is due in part to the kit now available and doubtless to the dedication of those intrepid South Devon surfers! Is there a better way to start 2010 than in or on the water? I don't think so.

Happy New Year!!

frank sobey

Christmas

So here we are heading toward Christmas 2009 in what can only be described as a dislocated market place in which things seem to change on a daily basis. What doesn't change is the consistent service at Harbour Sports which is delivered with a smile by our exceptional staff. That really is one of the things that I enjoy most of all: working with people who have boundless energy. Folk like AL GLENNING from Harbour Sports Paignton. Al is a second year Foundation degree student (Outdoor Education) at South Devon College and knows a thing or two about this way of living. Al is seen here clutching a pair of Manbi handwarmers on a cold harbour day.

Frank's blog 28th November 2009

So here we are almost at the end of November and on the very edge of Christmas! I’ve always liked Christmas because it brings families and friends together, although these days it does rather degenerate into a pit of alcohol abuse and overeating, which is a shame. These are curious times.

It’s been a busy week at Harbour Sports with loads of deliveries including 12 big boxes of Quiksilver and Roxy summer 2010 arriving in time for Christmas 2009!!! Is this more evidence of Global Warming? However it turns out to be luggage and accessories, which make super Christmas presents.

Keeping to the Christmas theme last Thursday was the first late night shopping for Harbour Sports Exeter. Customers enjoyed the traditional chocolates on offer as well as the smiling faces of Marc Wood, James Ellis and Chris Beardsmore!

For those of you who live in Torbay the advent of parking meters will not had many folk leaping up and down for joy! During the winter people used to park on the seafront and enjoy looking out to sea. Sadly now you have to pay which has pushed people off the seafront and on to side roads. Added to that is the proliferation of prohibition notices around the harbour, HOWEVER, we now have customer parking outside the shop designated in front of a rather nice HARBOUR SPORTS CUSTOMER PARKING sign! How’s that for service. Drop in and try it out.

Harbour Sports Plymouth had adopted an ‘Old School’ theme this Christmas and the shop looks stunningly beautiful amongst the cobbled streets of Plymouth’s historic Barbican. A walk around the Barbican during the afternoon with its quaint and quirky shops, refreshingly different eateries and timeless buildings will take you back to a time when Christmas sent a joyous shiver through the ghosts of Christmas past!