Staithes Christmas tree

Staithes' Christmas tree is in its usual place by the harbour, just above the beach and beside the Cod & Lobster pub. It looks wonderful, especially at night when it's all lit up. If we get lucky and have a clear sky on the next full moon, on December 28, it'll be even better.
 Happy Christmas to all, especially our wonderful guests at Dunsley (www.dunsleyinstaithes.co.uk) who have enjoyed the village's hospitality and friendly welcome in 2012. We hope to see some of you again next year! all the best, from Judy and Duncan

Captain Cook: Staithes to New Zealand

Duncan and I have just returned to Yorkshire from a trip to New Zealand, visiting my family. While there, we visited Ship's Cove, a beautiful bay in the remote Marlborough Sounds, at the top of the South Island. It was one of Captain James Cook's favourite places in New Zealand, and he visited it five times: in 1770 with Endeavour, and four more times between 1773 and 1777 with Resolution. It was quite a thrill to make the link between our little house - Dunsley in Staithes (www.dunsleyinstaithes.co.uk) - in the tiny village where Cook was a youngster and spent his first days at sea, and my home country. Sitting on the long flight back to Britain this week, I thought of his many years of maritime discovery; the comparison made a 14-hour flight from Singapore seem a bit shorter! The pics show Ship's Cove with a view into Queen Charlotte Sound, the Cook monument and a close-up of the plaque giving his dates.