Tropical Skegness?

Not many parts of the country can boast a 33 Celsius rise in temperature over 12 days! But it seems we’ve gone from deepest winter to full blown spring in less than a fortnight. And the papers are forecasting temperatures of 81 Fahrenheit within the month!

I’m glad, as I was getting sick of the endless grey days, until I discovered it was just my windows that were dirty, and so embarked upon some spring cleaning. After the windows came the sofa covers, not just because my friend’s son has twice been taken to hospital with an asthma attack after playing here, but they really needed a freshen up after the long winter months. With the benefit of hindsight, this was a mistake. The ticking had obviously given up all attempts at restraining the feathers therein, and I had real concerns that someone might notify the RSPCA that I was laundering seagulls in my washing machine.

And so, as the days get longer and we shed our winter woollies, it’s a time to look forward to lazy summer days and holidays, sea and sand. For the lucky few, this might mean an lovely break in the Mediterranean or perhaps somewhere more exotic. But for those of us staying at home, don’t forget the jewel on your doorstep! A recent poll by Butlin’s included a picture of Skegness beach and an invitation to name the location. Can you believe that TWO THIRDS of Britons wrongly identified OUR beach as being a photograph of the Seychelles?

Admittedly the water is hardly tropical, as a friend of mine found out in November, after his dog swam a hundred metres out to sea in pursuit of his ball. The dog needed rescuing, and after a scant ten minutes in the wintry North Sea, I thought my friend would need a double amputation! I’ve certainly never seen legs of that colour before – a strange mix of orange and purple. Doctor Doolittle I am not, but it’s a fair guess that the dog’s language was as colourful as his owner’s legs following his ordeal!

But the North Sea transforms itself with the seasons. A dark, brooding, malevolent beast in the midst of a winter storm, it turns benign and friendly in the summer months, inviting paddlers and bathers alike. With light on the water, soft breakers lapping the sand, a little warm sun on your back, there is simply nowhere better. And it’s right here – no flight required!