Christmas present?

 The poster on the right says it all really?  Just bring £3 and your thumb this Saturday?

2.   Seahorses prove that size is everything at Living Coasts

For the seahorses at Living Coasts, size matters – but not in the way you might think. In a move that gives hope to overweight men everywhere, the female seahorse picks the male with the biggest belly!  There’s a clue in the name of the species - the Australian big-bellied seahorse. Living Coasts marine biologist Jodie Peers explained: “In seahorses, the male becomes pregnant. The belly is the brood pouch, which is like a womb – this is where the male carries the eggs. “Breeding can start when they are about eight months to one year old. Ours are around 9 months old. There has been no mating yet, but the males are displaying their puffed out pouches to the females, and one pair has started to link tails, which is the first stage of courtship.”  No one knows exactly why the females choose the male with the biggest belly, although it could be a sign of virility – something that would make a lot of human males very envious!

Living Coasts is home to 4 female and 14 male Australian big-bellied seahorses. They arrived in July, coming from an approved specialist breeding centre called Simply Seahorses. They can be found in the Local Coasts indoor area, which opened in July and is also home to starfish and cuttlefish, and features one tank that children can crawl underneath. Living Coasts is keeping Australian big-bellied seahorses – Hippocampus abdominalis, which – like the native seahorses, are a temperate species - to help get feeding and care procedures right before introducing native British seahorses. Jodie: “They have a fascinating social life. Every morning a pair will entwine their prehensile – grasping - tails and dance together for up to 10 minutes, changing colour and promenading across the seabed – it’s really lovely to see.”

Courtship involves colour changes and postural displays. Males inflate their pouches like balloons using water. At the same time the pouch turns white or pale yellow. If mating is successful then the male is pregnant for about 30 days.
For more information click here or ring (01803) 202470.

3.   Telstar, the film you must go and see tonight!

Do you remember Telstar? the first satellite broadcasting live TV pictures from America, and the haunting music by the Tornadoes ( click here to hear it ) Predating the seminal film 2001 written by Arthur C Clarke, this was the beginning of the Space Age for the general public.  Jo Meek was a master of music, and a tad off the wall too. 

The Dartmouth Film Society reports:  Our film for Thursday 26th November is the black comedy TELSTAR - the music-infused biopic about the life and tragic death of maverick 1960s British songwriter and record producer Joe Meek.

Tone deaf, drug addicted, famously paranoid and obsessed with black magic, Meek (Con O'Neill) was responsible for a string of 1960s chart-toppers including 'Have I the Right', 'Just Like Eddie', 'Johnny, Remember Me' and the groundbreaking 'Telstar'. Kevin Spacey co-stars as 'Major' Wilfred Banks, the businessman who bankrolls Meeks's home studio at 304 Holloway Road in North London.  Worth watching for Screaming Lord Sutch alone!

Guest tickets can be bought from The Windjammer £3.50 from 7.30-7.55.
Our bar at The Guildhall is open from 7.30 - the film to be shown at 8pm.

4.   Christmas Lights Switch On and shopping in Dartmouth

Dartmouth Town Council has organized this years Christmas Lights and the switch on is this Saturday 28th November. Father Christmas is coming especially to Dartmouth and the new Town Band will be playing in the Bandstand from 4pm.  Carols will be sung from 4:40 and the Revd Simon Wright will fire up the lights at 5:00.

We all love Christmas Shopping don't we?  Well with the multitude of specialist independent shops in Dartmouth you can make a day of it.  This Saturday there is Free Parking!!!  To see the shops click here and to see the art galleries click here.  Unique Christmas Shopping, another Dartmouth moment......
 

5.   Small News

• Christmas Fair
  Come along to St Saviour's Church this Saturday 28 November from 10.00am to choose Christmas presents from the parish Christmas Fair. All the usual stalls with good second hand toys, bric a brac, toiletries, books, cakes (including Christmas cakes) and homemade refreshments as well! Don't forget to buy your raffle tickets for some excellent prizes. Hope to see you there!
   

• Auction at The Royal Castle
  Don't forget tomorrow's fundraising day at The Royal Castle Hotel in aid of Meningitis UK's " Search 4 a Vaccine Campaign", in memory of David Hawke who died suddenly from the illness earlier this year.  Events are on all day with a grand charity auction in the Galleon Bar in the evening.

Why not come and visit Dartmouth?

• Self catering accommodation click here
   
• Dartmouth B and B  click here
   
• Dartmouth Hotels click here
   
• A Tourist Guide to Dartmouth click here

Images copyright Dave Cawley & others.