Some friends of mine have dismissed Bealieu as 'for tourists' for ages, and persuaded me to go to Essex Boat Jumble instead this year. In truth, I thought there was even less on offer at Essex, but I bought two Swallows and Amazons books (in my favourite editions - the early paperback Penguins with the schematic drawings on the front cover), and an oil lamp (for the sitting room!). So not that nautical - but good fun, and it's small enough to run into people you know and have a catch up. Ebay may have a bigger economy than Kuwait (apparently that's actually true), but boat jumbles are still much better fun, esp if you combine the drive home with a good pub supper somewhere...
|