Hartlepool - Day 107

Hartlepool - Friday 26th August 2011 - Day 107

Today it started raining at 09.00 and continued for a further twelve hours from drizzle to downpours called persistent.

Locks sculpture

This is a sculpture which sits outside the marina lock office depicting an event in Hartlepool's past.  For those who do not know the story.  Many years ago during a battle at sea we had with johnny foreigner. There invasion fleet was beaten in the english channel. For those ships who escaped, the prevailing wind took them up into the north sea and in an ensuing gale one ship was wrecked off Hartlepool.  The only survivor being a monkey, who was captured and no one having seen one before and could not understand what it was saying.  The monkey was put on trial, convicted of being a spy and hanged.  You have to be careful whom you accuse of being a monkey hanger in Hartlepool, as some get a little upset. 
The sequel to this story, when it came to elect a mayor for the town, the football team mascot stood up for the election dressed in his usual match day monkey suit and he won the election.  It is magic, the people of Hartlepool voted for the monkey to be their Lord Mayor and he has been voted in for a second time, great.

Hartlepool Maritime Experience

The biggest attraction is the maritime experience museum within the marina docks with the oldest British warship still afloat 'Trincomalee' built in 1817 being the main feature.  Alongside the quay if the paddle steamer Wingfield Castle which used to run on the Humber.

At night, a taxi took us to Weatherspoon's King John's tavern for what I hope is my last meal in this establishment of a steak and ale pie.  Next door at the Yates pub was not very good, so we walked back to the marina in the dry and visited Rosie O'Grady's which was in full swing.  This very lively pub was closed by midnight and the residents in the nearby flats must not be very pleased, if this is happening most weekends.  Thank you Hartlepool for my experience, because it is different from other marinas.