Blue Bird a very proud survivor of Dunkirk 

Sir Donald Campbells boat Bluebird

Once owned by Sir Donald Campbell, she ferried many people off thew Dunkirk beaches

Greta a Thames sailing barge used to shallow water and ideal for the task of approaching the beaches 

All sorts of boats pulled our guys off the beaches

Boats were taken without the owners permission and collected in the upper Thames until the time was right to take them across to collect and ferry soilders back onto the awaiting battleships and cruisers. The Valliant little boats with their navy crews did a great job. One houseboat owner had gone out to get some shopping with the meagre amount of "Coupons" only to find that her home had gone along with her pet cat whilst she was away. on the decks of the boat you can see some of the very same men that were ferried off the beaches.

Don sitting at the wheelhouse in Dunkirk inner harbour having left Ramsgate some five hours before. 

Dunkirk a small reminder of what sort of boats and what sort of people!

Above is a photograph taken five years ago at the last Dunkirk reunion I attended as an observer. The boat in the picture is called Bou Saad and was owned by Don Kahn
( sitting in the wheel house, at the wheel) Don was at Dunkirk as was his boat but not togeather at the time. He was a founder member of my boat club at Weybridge and until recently an active member if only at the bar. it was the likes of Don and many others like him that gave us British the ability to sleep in our beds at night free from the Reich. Don`s boat was always kept in pristine condition until it became too much for him, at over eighty years of age. I believe that he now lives in Spain and with failing health probably the best place to live out his days in the sun and the bosom of his family.

Dunkirk visit (nice weather needed)

Well! I am booked into the Dunkerque marina for the duration of the D Day "festivities"! I am looking forward to visiting the old town again having last been there for those very same "celebrations" some five years ago.

It`s great to watch the old veterans, of both sides as they proudly represent their countries in the rememberance of their dead comrades. Not for personal pleasure but safe in the knowledge that we all now know that this should never happen again. The numbers of them attending get less and less each year and those that do attend, do so in a less mobile way (many wheel chairs and sticks are becoming evident) but still they come. The highlight of the "Parade" always used to be the Lanchester with a spitfire on the port and a hurricane on its starboard side flying low over the small "Dunkirk boats" fleet, dropping a million poppy leaves as a tribute to those fallen in the war. I wonder if they will do it again this year as it is the 65 celebration.

The trip, for me starts from Surrey on friday next as I am taking a boat down to Ramsgate ready to be taken across the Dover straights at the given time. I will then head off down to my own boat and bring it along the south coast to Dover, where I collect a couple of friends and we will then cross to a point just off the port of Calais and turn and head up Channel to Dunkirk, arriving some time on the Thursday evening/night.

Then depending upon the times of the Lock opening High water + - 2 hours approx we will enter into the inner Marina where all the commemorative fleet will be staying, and moor up for the weekend.

A few of my boat club (10 boats)will be joining us there as part of a formal, organised cruise so it will be good to meet some old friends, they will have attended from Surrey arriving in Ramsgate after the vessel that I delivered, and departing from Ramsgate at the same time as it.

Joys of boating

I have been assisting a couple of friends with their boat which is currently out on the hard. Their hull hasn`t been out of the water for four years and the bottom was dirty so the old antifoul has to be scraped off and new applied for the coming year. So there we are standing under the boat scraping and scraping and scraping Booring!!! Blah!! arm and back aching work not to mention the toxic nature of the crap that comes off, Yes I know I should have worn a mask Boy have I been sick.

Anyway the first thing I discovered was rampant Osmosis (fibre glass pox) everywhere. the hull needs to be peeled of gellcoat and steam cleaned well and allowed to dry before re gelcoating. It won`t however get it as funds are short (they are old live aboards and intent on travel next year to reduce the frightening costs of owning a boat and living in the UK.)

Each day I would present myself for duty (O eighthundred) and at the end of the day about twenty hundred, wend my way back to my own boat and have a shower (the water would be blue from the antifoul dust)and the warm water would heal my old aching bones.

Then it was off to the the restaurant for my dinner, delightful chats with the Polish waitresses and home to "Horlicks" my book and bed! What a bore you might say? but I love it, I do exactly as I please when I please.

The joys of boating! I really do love it! nothing is ever what you would expect. the people the tasks or the boating world in general there is always something to do people to see or places to go.

When in the commercial world of boating it is of course more pressured butI think I am leaving that behind for now with its delivery dates and booring people back to my book, soon to be blog, when I get my laptop up and running on the local free Wifi system (is there really such a thing as a free lunch? Nah!)

I really love my life!!! why am I so lucky? will it last? even my friends on the Blog are great! I love em all! Snooooooreooo!

Todays a day to be sick!!

I am sick and tired of listening to the leader of the winning party of our general election, droning on about how they now know what we the british public want. With their representation in Parliament down to 36% and the oppositions up to 33% I should think that it is pretty obvious what the public want, still a further session will allow them to prevent the approaching recession they will have caused ....NOT!!.

Enough of that I am not a political animal so I will tell you about my little foxy friend. each night at about 18.00 she waits for me to come out with the dog food tin and spoon and doesn`t make a move towards me until I tap on the bowl, .

Whilst feeding her the other night. My neighbour poked her head through the fence and asked if I was feeding the fox as she was too and that her boys have indeed named the cubs. She was surprised to see that I was feeding her straight out of my hands as they couldn`t get anywhere near her. I guess the kids were a bit noisy (three boisterious, footballing, young boys)

Tonight She ( the fox not my neighbour :o))) waited at the top of the garden as usual and at the same time as I tapped my spoon on the dish the eldest Boy from next door stuck his head through the fence, and asked in a loud voice, if I was going to feed the fox and she immediately took fright, and so I didn`t get to have the same close feeding time as usual. she did however visit and take the food from the bowl but was very careful to do it whilst she was alone.

I was going down to stay on my boat for the weekend today but my wife developed a cold yesterday and is coughing and sneezing for England so maybe we will go tomorrow. the weather doesnt look too good for the morning but will brighten up in the afternoon (yea right!)

I am gradually getting the boat ready for my visit to the Dunkirk memorial service visit. today I scrubbed the dingy. and yesterday I manufactured a stainless fiddle for my gas hob (to prevent pans from sliding off when at sea) I am now clearing up the mess in my workshop and garage Blahhhhh hate it!!! I have just heard that I can get WIFI for free in my Marina so that will be a treat I look forward to that (yea right!! if its true, theres no such thing as a free lunch)!

No change!!!!!!!!

Well the British General election is over and the same government is back in power. Im not a political person but I am glad in a way because we (the country) is heading for a depression, within two years, and the current party has borrowed so much money from the IMF that it would be unfair for the opposition party to get it (which is usually what happens) and then have to spend a long time sorting out the mess.

The previous party when in power sorted out most of the problems and were ready to sort the rest and then the great British public decided that it was time for change! and hey Ho! the current lot took power and made the same changes that were already in line to be activated, under their own name and for a while we had prosperity.

Now we have had to borrow so much money that the Depression will come as we try to pay it back. The last party will be voted back in and off we go again Bloody democracy!!! what would you do without it? :o))

Foxy lady

This is the little vixen that took Gnasher by storm when he stood and watched me feed her the other day and she is Post natal so has some cubs to support. they are good parents and in the past I have observed a vixen take the runt of the litter into another garden to ensure that they get their fair share of feeding.

I`m all for the wild life!. this little vixen is feeding, I dont know how many cubs. 

Getting the needle?

No its not because nobody reads or comments on my Blog its because I had a migraine yesterday and used my Accupuncture skills to immediately erradicate it. Oh! yes you can Laugh! But it works for me.

Some years ago I was looking to buy a book on the subject and some needles and approached a Chinese doctor for some information. She was astounded that I would want to try this ancient art and laughingly sent me on my way saying that when you are ready come and visit me and I will give you your first treatment free ! well that was nice of her but I really wanted to do it myself being an independant b*astard.

I mentioned to my wife that I had been into the Chinese doctors and she wanted to know where they were, and as she wanted to try their style of medicine out, for a minor skin problem she was having. So I went back with her and she got her treatment which also worked.

Whilst waiting I had a good look at all the figures and charts depicting where the needles went making copious notes and drawings ( well they shouldn`t leave them around) and the Doctor spotting me said "you are keen aren`t you?! and I smiled politely and said if nothing I am determined. so she said that as my wife was visiting for another few weeks she would teach me how to insert the needles and some key points and the rest I would have to learn for myself, so Off we went!

Now I am a little more adept and can cure my own Migrane and the odd pain or ten. I have to say that I am very unscientific but I do ensure that the needles go in the right place and "hit the spot" and haven`t yet collapsed my lung te! he!! I keep well away from them, having suffered from that once in my life when I was impaled with a hat pin by an angry spectator at a wrestling match, Yes you guessed it, my fault for making her mad by cheating! I felt this awful pain in by back and the Ref stopped the bout (just as I was winning!) and told me that I had a pearl on my back which I asked him to take off thinking that I had fallen on to it or similar and it was now stuck to my back, as he did I found that I couldnt breathe properly and that there was four inches of steel pin attached to it. so Ambulance ,hospital, reflated lung, antibiotics and work in the morning.(what a hero? Not!)

A Foxy day

Many people dont like the local urban wildlife but I do and encourage it. In the past I have had a vixen regularily have cubs under my garden shed and as many as five is not unusual. I did however fill in the entrance this year as I was afraid of the floor of the shed collapsing on them as it was getting like the floors in Stalag 17 so she had to go somewhere else.

Today we had another visit from Gnasher and his mum who had collected my Daughter who is incapacitated after a fall in a NewYork nightclub? (I asked her whether the pole collapsed) It happened as someone pushed somebody and they fell on her causing her to fall and someone else to land heavily on her knee. So no driving for a while and hence Gnashers visit as my daughters doctor is local to us.

While he was here I introduced him to the latest little vixen who has just had cubs and upon my dinging the dog bowl in the garden she comes and feeds out of my hands sometimes, even with Gnasher standing delighted alongside. what a thrill for me to be able to show him the nicer side of life. after a whole large tin of dog food laced with an anti mange tablet she stood with us until Gnasher got bored with the innactivity and we went inside. I guess the next doors shed is becoming springy now.

Le Drip!

Well Thursday saw the boat back in the water! The yard had done their usual job of making her fast to the pontoon and I had “ bits of string” everywhere. I have purpose made mooring warps which when they would have cast off her taking her around to be lifted and placed on the hard and I would have thought that they could have replaced them without too much trouble, its pretty fool proof (or is it?)

We went down to the boat on Friday to get her ready for the season, Given that she is fresh in the water I checked out the bilges and all seemed OK! So we spent the day in a fairly relaxed mode and in the evening we checked out the new restaurants and shops in the Marina. After a great meal we returned to the boat and the Weather was closing in. By 22.00 it was raining hard and Time to retire. The Dehumidifier system had done a great job and the boat was completely dry and not “damp” at all. I looked forward to a good nights sleep back on the boat.

At 04.00 I was awakened by a barely discernable drip, drip, drip, I lay there listening for a few seconds to the rain, but the drip concerned me as it was coming from the lower half of the boat ( below or close to the waterline). I quietly got out of bed (so as not to wake my wife, Fat chance!) and clasping a flashlight I went to investigate. I checked out the heads first and climbed all around the bilge and found no water or the sign of any ingress. I moved systematically into the Galley and removed all the food stocks and pots and pans from the lower cupboards and had a good old rummage, I was “getting warm” as the drip was very loud now but after a further exploration of the bilge under the Galley there was still no water leak to be found.

My wife who was by now well awake and had been cajoling me grumpily to come back to bed, now standing by my side, could hear the drip and was helping me, armed with the flashlight she had stopped her cajoling Initially she couldn’t hear the drip and was surprised that I had heard it at all as I have damaged hearing from several diving accidents. I guess one knows the sounds of a vessel and gets attuned and this was one I didn’t want too hear, especially as she had just been put back in the water, any dripping usually denotes the water ingress from a skin fitting or pipe about to “blow off” all mostly leading to the boats eventual sinking.

I could hear the rain and thought that there may be a point at which it was dripping on to the coach roof but a quick check through the wheelhouse windows showed that there wasn’t and the drip was coming from the lower half of the boat anyway. The only other thing now was to check out the outside of the boat and this I did with flashlight in hand I left the wheelhouse door, out into the rain,and went along the starboard side looking down at the waterline and I found that a fender had been tied to the safety lines of the vessel (which gives it a good length of line on which to swing on) which with the motion of the boat this was what it was doing, whilst gently touching the hull every second. Here was my “drip”!!!!! some what disgruntled I returned to the wheel house door only to find it locked. Given that I was completely “as the day I was born” (does this man have no modesty!!! this could be a problem not for me but for the other marina users, should I still be on deck when the sun came up. Notwithstanding Hyperthermia for me) I was worried as my wife is a deep sleeper and had obviously gone back to bed leaving me locked out on deck, I was now getting really worried when all of a sudden a laughing face appeared at the Venetian blinds and requested that I say please before she would open the door, Bitch!!!:o))

Having finally been let it, Yes I did eventually say please! We giggled like two year olds at my folly and went to sleep.

At 10.30 we were still asleep and we,after showers and rising late for us, headed straight for the greasy spoon for a “belly buster” breakfast. I finished the tiling to the Microwave installation over the hob in the galley and ran the power feed to its new plug. I have to say I think it looks really good, all I have to do now is grout the tiles when the adhesive is dry.

Later in the day whilst in town shopping for “some bits” I received a phone call to say that we were to be invaded and that Gnasher and family were in the area! did we fancy some lunch? We duly met up with them on the sea front and my daughter in law like the stunt driver from “Starsky and Hutch” (surely you remember them? No! Oh you don`t!!!!!) gathered us up and performed a perfect handbrake turn to send us back to the marina for lunch.

I got to walk Gnasher around to dispel his boredom, while the family waited for a table at the pizzaria . Gnasher and I, Having been told eventually to “Bugger off” by the hotel porter, from continuously using the Hotels automatic doors, Elliot found it great fun (after I showed him how to do it) to run at the doors and when they opened run away just in time before they hit him from behind. He didn’t do so well the first time but he is a quick learner and I had grabbed him in time so he didn’t get knocked over. We were bored with that anyway and the porter wasn’t too happy so we continued our walk past the pizzaria and stood with our noses up againts the glass pulling faces at our family standing waiting inside. Elliot spotted a little cairn terrier whose gay owner was mincing past and made an attempt to stroke it. The owner, delighted that anybody should take interest in his pet, made towards us! I said “it bites” and he replied Oh no! its good with children! I replied “He does I`m not worried about the dog”. Oh! he said and minced away muttering “come Fido lets get you as far away from that horrible little child as possible” Elliot looked up at me and smiled that Jaws type grin of his and we continued on.

Our walk saw us back in time to sit down to eat but I couldn’t help noticing the finger and nose marks on the windows strange how they were at two levels?

Their visit made our day and having spent one more night on the boat we tidied up and returned home, all boated up for now! and bursting to get back soon. The first trip of this season will be the Isle of Whight and the second is Dunkirk for the veterans re union (both sides) with a few day trips in between and some deliveries, hopefully.

Not a bad start to the season eh! 

Clematis! south of "Mud Island", Yawn!!!

I can`t compete with the Cherry blossoms (Sakura) of Japan, but I thought I would post anyway. Considering they have only been in the bed for a season or two they are going to do well if the frost doesn`t get to them. The other bed has started at a rush and given that the weather will stay fine all "Summer" that should continue to blossom.

Wow! the clematis is going to do well this year 

Now theres a place I would like to visit! 

Todays a day for "Drivel"

Well here in Mud Island, the sun has stopped shining! the rain is now present and April showers are here for a while. Today I got an early start and, not being able to think of what I would like to post about, the title was born. I have done absolutely nothing for about three days except visit the Cafe, fit a new back door lock, oh! and rip out the old oven on the boat and install a new microwave with oven and grill, Oh yes wire in and test the earth lead to the forward skin fittings and install and test the heating programmer, and read cruisers logs on the net. I guess that I have done more than I first remembered? (thats the problem with getting old you just don`t remember, te he!).

Today the Pope is interred and a sad/maybe happy day for all Catholics I guess! I am a non believer so I don`t really relate to "Mourning"!I do however feel the sadness of others and miss those who have so called "gone before", am I selfish? maybe I must have some sort of "belief" I suppose as it appears that I have an ever present feeling that they have "gone before" as oposed to disintegration having started, whatever!. I read an article the other day referring to Einsteins parallel Worlds theory it appears that the Mathmaticians have now proved (to themselves ?) that it is possible and indeed exists? I guess that they could prove that I am about to eat breakfast too if they tried, perhaps I shouldn`t be so flippant.

When I decided to post today I unthinkingly (there is such a word?) filled in what, I thought was the the name of the post and chose the template an "WWHHAAMMOO!!!!!" I now have a new Blogsite called "Todays a day for Drivel" That woke me up!! how on earth can a silly old fool do that? well I did !!!! I guess it really is a day for Drivel

This aint the English channel is it? Look at the size of that ship! 

Finally the boat is beached!

Well after all this time the boat is safetly in the yard on her cradle. The bottom cleaning and antifouling is about to be completed and the small amount of interior work needed I will commence on Thursday. Consists mainly of replacing a couple of "skin fittings" wiring a heavy duty Earth wire from the aft annodes to those fittings that have electronically degraded (Bad job Princess! for not doing it in the first place). I may have to replace a couple of anodes too. I am also about to fit an electronic programmer in the forward state room so that the central heating can be operated without getting out of bed (great for cold mornings when you need to turn up the heat) I looked at a lovely Oyster 48 in London the other day! I am truly very tempted now to go back to sail. I really fancy a long oceanic trip again! the boat deliveries have deminished ( I haven`t been making the effort really!since the owner of one of the companies that used me retired) ) so its up too me to get on with it and start to plan. I fancy Scandinavia and the Baltic in early summer, and the Caribb for Christmas :o)) maybe next year? who knows.

Halo scan? is it the same as "Halo Motor" spoken with anglo german voice (Motorola)

Well! I have just "joined" Halo scan, so I really don`t know what will happen now. I did so without much thinking about it (story of my life!)I understood that it allows you to have enhanced comments? I could do with some of that (like content) te he!
Anybody out there who has it could they show me what it does please? Pretty please!!!

Hi Maria and Francesco! Heres one for you!  

Guess whos got the best teeth? 

My daughter and gnasher, covered in food and attacking a rabbit! note the restaurant had cleared by now! 

The offending bunch of flowers! 

Gosh! he`s a trusting kid! Grumps gets lessons on how to bite! from the expert 

A not so normal sunday!

Well the celebrations went well! the food was great, company was lovely and Elliot was a star. So on to another fourty years, Yawn!!. Yeah! Booring!! it certainly hasnt been!

Prior to the lunch I booked the restaurant and paid the owner to get an amazingly big bunch of flowers for my wife, as a surprise, and what happens? my son gets my wife to cancel that restaurant and to book somewhere else, so I had to get involved again and explain about the surprise! :o(( so we stayed at the same restaurant and the surprise flowers went by the board,although she still got presented with them, The owner was to supply the card with the flowers and duly took our names and years etc so as to get the detail perfect. Come the day I didn`t immediately have a card to give my wife, so I get mine and now my wife has the "Hump", until I explain that the card will come with the flowers still, she back pedalls and all is well! Or is it?

I am really "pissed off"now (note the use, Yvonka! :00) so I take a drive into our local Mall and collect the biggest (and I mean biggest)anniversary card that I can find it must be eight feet by four feet .75mts X.5mts (not really!) and really ostentatious!! I duly sign it and take it to the restaurant so that it can also be delivered to my wife on the hope that she will now be satisfied, which she duly was!

I have to say though! it was just as well as the owner got the years wrong on his card and marked it as 35 not 40 and wrote on my behalf "to my darling Carol, my loving wife and life partner! thank you for 35 years of wedded bliss".

As my wife read it out, I watched my daughter choke on her food, laugh like a drain! and comment that she would have expected her father to phone some flourist and ask then to write that for him, how embarrising for them? she innocently finished.

I looked at the crestfallen owners face, who up until then had been joining in the enjoyment of the moment! and thanked him profusely for a job well done "it was beautifull thankyou" I said! "I could`t have put it better myself" later "I filled my daughter in" (let her know who had written it, not thumped her!!) she was mortified!! te he!


As I think i said before, I really can`t believe that time has gone so quickly. I have had a fairly exciting life and never held back when it came to taking chances, doing unexpected things, forfilling ambitions etc, in fact I have always grasped life by the throat.

I now sit here in a sort of shock!!!! what do I do? I look over my shoulder and I immediately see the start of my life, I look forward and I see the end, approaching like an express train ( guess I had better get the boat ready, quickly? :o)))

I am at that period in life, when I have to re-evaluate and chose the next phase carefully and without the petulance of youth. The point when, as a young man I would have criticised those who asked like me now, as being stupid! "you have loads of time left dont be so silly" I would say " you have done more in your life so far that a million others, collectively, have done" I can hear myself saying those very words to my Father at my step mothers funeral!.

Sure I have plenty of time left! but how do I make it count? what do I do now? I have never been one to wallow in my own mire of discontent or to be depressed by my inability to achieve, I think its time to change direction again and to search farther afield for my aims and satisfaction, maybe?

As I entered the restaurant yesterday in my ill fitting clothes of "yesterdays choice" feeling that I looked like a charity shop mannequin. (My own fault really as daily I live and die in Yachting clothes my business clothes stored in a large wardrobe of their own, I chose not to wear anything from there as they too would have been ill fitting and dated.) I realised that I was about to enter a "late life crisis" Its not pity I want its hellllpppppppppp ! Te he! :o)) Suggestions on a card please!!!

St patricks day blog

I love Ireland and its people, I have never met a nicer bunch of people, or visited a greener and more pleasant land. I hope for peace soon!

Its our 40th wedding anniversary on Sunday. Thats a "Ruby Wedding" We are all going to a nice local Italian reataurant for Sunday lunch. I had preferred to go to an "up market" Burger bar, but My son wasn`t keen as on a previous visit, Gnasher armed with a bar-b-que`d spare rib, and with himself covered in the sauce, was grabbed at the last minute as he was approaching a young man wearing a pristine white shirt. I think there was a shortage of "High chairs" and so Gnasher wasn`t restrained enough, so I have booked a high chair in advance, as a result of this escapade, and we are going to the Italian.

It really only seems like yesterday that I met a beautifull young lady and married her. it seems ( and of course it is) an even shorter time since she bore us two adorable children, and they themselves (well my son)in turn, a beautiful Grandchild. we are so very , very, lucky. Do we want for anything more? good health for all, but not for anything that we could buy.

Roll on Easter I am champing at the bit to get to the boat and get some cruising in. Today the weather has been great and it really is like spring here. Thanks to you guys out there! who read my drivel.

Saturday is Boat Club working weekend!

Yesterday I went to my boat club (rather late) to assist with some maintenence. There was a good "turnout" of about 30 people, many who come every time it is held (of course without those, freely giving people, many clubs would just fold). The weather was bright but cold and the river was moving slowly. No snow again yet but the temperature is hovering around 1 or 2 degrees.

There was a long list of jobs to be done, but as I had arrived late they were all being undertaken so I wandered around assisting where help was needed. I have to say that I felt a little un necessary but did my best to help.

lunch was served and took the form of a superb "French" onion soup with "French" bread and cheese, the idea being that nobody reduced their work outage due to gluttony (I would have done! the food was great and there was plenty of it) we went back to work in the afternoon.

The club is a very active one with about 100 members plus family, they all own boats of different sizes, all motorboats. Some of the members chose to stay on the river but others voyage around the coast of Britain in the summers. this year some of us are going to Dunkirk/France to celebrate with the few remaining veterans, of all sides, their part in the second world war. It is sad to see some of these guys in their wheel chairs and to think of their great and brave pasts. I guess " we all end up in a single bed" get there sometime :o(( Sad head off!!!

Today I have been having trouble with my "compbox" my ISP refused to open onto the net (no telephone line, what a load of cr*p!!). I telephoned the company (AOL) and waited for over an hour for a "tech 2" to be made available, they never turned up and at 22.00 I closed down. I have to say I am a little P*ssed off about that. Today I have scrubbed off all my copies of AOL (broadband included!) and down loaded a fresh set and "hey ho!" here I am again, isnt life wonderful?

It is my intention to attend the boat club again, after breakfast, and get involved in some more work. I wonder what they will have for us today. so far we have newly painted toilets, handrails around the slipway some safety lights for the entrance, a new set of mirrors behind the bar and all the windows have been cleaned along with the gutters. The whole place has undergone a massive clear out and tidy up and is looking really sparkling clean.

We have a ferry to bring us across the river to the island where our club is and the last user flattened the battery trying to start it up, so another battery was fitted to it, I arrived at the time when the spark plugs were about to be removed out of the outboard engine as they couldn`t get the engine to run, I asked why they were taking the plugs out and they explained, I asked if the engine was "getting fuel" and they replied yes! so I tried the hand pump and it quite obviously wasnt, I primed the system without saying anything and asked them if they would mind trying to start it again, which they did and it started!! another member asked what was wrong and the guy removing the plugs said " all it needed was somebody who new what they were doing!" wasn`t that kind of him? I didnt of course! (know what I was doing) but many summer holidays spent repairing old cheap outboard engines when I should have been enjoying waterskiing or diving was good experience, that told me that the plugs are usually not the real problem. It is now running beautifully. :o)) Gosh! if you find all this Cr*p interesting? you are as booring as me, te he! :o)) Roll on the summer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I went to the beach today and..... 

I went to get my van out and ....... 

I worry sometimes that I !.......

I have been re-reading Blogsites back to when I had only just started commenting upon them and I am now really concerned that I may have inhibited their owners, in that, I may have caused them to restrain their creative ability with my booring !Old Man" approach?

I would really hate to think that this was the case, so I have to reiterate that if you don`t want me to comment upon your site again? just don`t answer any of my comments and I will "go away". That said!!! I feel better now that those of you who don`t really want me to comment can easily get out of it and those that do will eventually reply?

I guess that I shouldn`t approach myself too much? but I seem to have an inbuilt safety valve that tells me when I am being a Pain in the a*se ( or perhaps when maybe I think I am ?)

I still haven`t met up with Gnasher yet ( yes! he is again known as gnasher as he as recently bitten some other kids at the nursery, little devil! I don`t know who he gets it from) but according to his dad , after his holiday in the son I have a brown baby, for a grandson! I cant wait. I am planning for an Easter suprise for him. I am going to secrete coloured eggs all around my garden and then he and I are going to search for them and have a contest to see how many we can find each? I guess he will win :o)) then its egg salad for everyone (in March in england?)

No photos for a while!!!!!!!!!!!!

Another case of stutteres finger. I used Hello to include the picture of Venice and AOL flagged up that the file was too big "did I want them to include it as a word file" so I cancelled it and tried again and the rest is as they say history! multi pictures, Doh! or what? so the old confidence has gone and I am back to writing crap.

Its 03.00 on a Tuesday morning and I can`t sleep, and now am boored. Yesterday I finished helping a friend fit an on-suite shower and WC room (composite construction) and after many hours of cutting into waste systems and chasing hot and cold feed pipe stopcocks, laying under the equipment to connect shower and sink wastes, I am now free to get on with some of my more normal winter maintenence jobs around the house and on the boat (even more Booring but dont mind the boat jobs!)

The friend I mention above has just booked another trip around the world. His second in the last two years. He and his wife go backpacking. they are both over 60 and he is 67, they love it and never stop talking about their experiences. I counter this with good natured comments like "I remember when I was on the Isle of wight ferry!" and with a smile and a comment "were at it again" they get the message, bless them!

Last night we went out to dinner with them and had a very nice meal at a local pub and we ate late, I guess that why I am now suffering from innsomnia.

Gnasher`s (OH! I shouldn`t call him that now as he has stopped biting people)is due back from holiday today so I look forward to seeing him soon. I guess that he is still not walking? 17 months and still sits in the middle of the floor like "Jabba the hut" Not really!! he shuffles around on his bottom and climbs around the place using the walls to keep him upright so I guess it wont be long? he really gets into everything, kitchen cupboards etc (as they do!)cant wait to play football in the garden with him ( wife says, why dont I use a football!)not quite sure what she means:o))

Oh well time to try and sleep! Sad or what? Good night.

venice 

Venice without water on show 

Venice without water on view 

who needs water in pictures of Venice 

Go to Venice buy a set of Gallopers?

I found this old photograph of Venice and I thought I would share it with you!

I have visited Venice a few times and really enjoy the fast water Taxi trip from the airport and the sedate trips in the gondola`s and have plenty of pictures of these events but I chose this one as it has no water in it (anyone can take photos of Gondolas and water?). On this trip my sole task was to purchase, at the best price, a set of semi locally made Gallopers (a Carosel. )I was taken to a factory in the mountain region behind Venice and shewn around a factory who`s main product was "Dogem cars" and the trailor/track, that they are used on. I had dinner with the proprietor of the factory and his son(who had been sent to Harvard business school by his father)as a precursorto my softening up so they would get the best price for their product. I had Kniocci (spelling ) and a game stew , and tried to be as frugal as possible so as not to let them have any advantage. I inspected the product and eventually purchased it for a third less than their origional asking price. we all did well I feel, and my back ground of power negotiations held me in good stead. One day I shall go back to Venice and no doubt see it in a different light. Incedently the Carosell was duly delivered on time and is still running beautifully, a tribute to Italian engineering and design, Much like the Mandolin.

Its Bloody cold here and my boats still not out of the water

I am sitting at my PC 07.30 wondering if my boat will ever come out of the water. the pedantic "NO" Marina has still not taken it out for me to do my maintenence.

It was supposed to be out two weeks ago. This year they imposed a strict "fill out a form" system so that it would become "more effecient" and, surprise, surprise! it hasn`t.The whole problem is that some of the space used by the boatyard has now had flats built on it and the developers are doing more in the future. (too many boats, not enough boat yard space) Moan! Moan! they couldn`t organise a pis* up in a brewery.

Yes it is cold here but nowhere near as cold as Poland or Japan, I guess? I met some friends at Le Cafe (with accent over the "e")Evanthia was as unkind as ever taking the mickey out of me. Paddy and Roger two very different friends of mine arrived and we tore the world and its inhabitants to shreds ! as you do.

Moving on to something with no connection to this blog so far) I say this in case you are starting to think that I have altziemers?) Where was I? Oh yes!

Some years ago I went to the London Boat show at Earls court London, and whilst walking from the tube I stopped to adjust my back pack and my back immediately whent into spasm. I was stuck in the exit tunnel without any chance of moving due to the immense pain in my back. I didn`t know whether to ask for help from the passing commuters or just accept that, as they gave me a large berth as they passed, I was seen as a vagrant who was Pi*sed. I almost expected to have been given money if I had put my hat down on the floor. I waited for about ten minutes and slowly I managed to make my way to the entrance of the show. I found the first aid post and spent two hours and 6 full strength codene (available at that time, due to the change in shift of the nurses who didn`t know that I had already had taken some!)laying flat. after this time I ventured out into the show and really was as high as a kite and still in pain. I eventually came across, a what can only be described as, a tented area, and desperate for a seat ( there never is any at shows, as they want to keep you moving ,unless of course you are eating exorbitantly priced food)I crept inside.

In the gloom of the inside and while my eyes adjusted to this, I was immediately greeted by two wonderful people a bear of a man sporting a white beard and a beautiful small dark haired lady. they asked me if I was alright, I apologised for disturbing them and explained that I was searching for a seat for a few moments and that I was not too hot, and told them about my back pain. they sat me down in the back (nearest) row seat of what looked like a theatre layout, and said jokingly that if they got no one else for their talk, at least they had got me and that I was their first and maybe their only customer. I wasnt and they had a sell out show, their talk on "Storm tactics" went down Brilliantly with people walking up too them as they left and shaking their hands in admiration, for what they achieve in their life. I waved goodbye to them (I am not sure that they even noticed in the mele that was going on around them)and left ,grateful for the rest and more so their very informative talk.

I now know that they were of course Lin and Larry Pardey ( at the time of course I didnt know who they were!) I had read all of the Hiscock "Wanderer" series of books though, and unbeknown to me the Pardeys were achieving similar aims. They sailed around the World in their 27 foot (8 Metres) un engined boat which they built themselves, and were now doing talks to supliment their cruising life.

Needless to say I never got to see much more of the show and got home eventually. Later in life I came across this web site http://www.landlpardey.com and pass it on to any would be cruisers out there as a very informative and interesting site
" their cost consious sailer" bits are awe inspiring, given that they had no engine just a small boat, lots of sailing capability,drive, and food. and they circumnavigated the globe, and whats more they enjoyed it having met many friends, as they call them, on the way. Truly one of the nicest people I have had the fortune to very briefly meet, Thankyou Lin and Larry........ Now!!! where`s those glasses? Who am I? ... Gosh its cold! Mumble, Mumble! Nurse ! Nurse!!!!!!!!! :o))

Gnashers off again

This must be the most travelled kid I have ever known he`s of on holiday to the Canaries today! How times change?

I hadnt gone continental until I was seventeen years old, when I hitch hiked around the continent on £15 I fell in love, and met a man who owned a block of flats had the croix de guerre and was the Inspecture of the poste de secours of the croix rouge de france (whatever that means )a Messeur limouzy or Le mouzy, she was his secretary, her name was Anne Marie and boy she was beautiful. I slept under hedges and on one occasion was awakened from my sleep (in a walled cemetry, the most safe place for a lone traveller to sleep in, during the Algerian crisis) whith a loud crackling and dawn coming early 02.00????, it turned out to be a raging fire all around the cemetry.

I managed to get packed up and out down the single track to the gates, having climbed back over the wall, just as the pompiers, gendarmes and army arrived. I dissapeared into the night having thought that my camp fire might have strayed. but no the local vinyard owners were burning their own crops because of France`s importation of cheap wine from Algeria.

I treckked alone as I was a fairly solitary character in those days and enjoyed the country and its people. I passed a couple of kids selling peches and purchased a carrier bag full of them for one franc and spent the day walking and eating peches. at about 18.00 I secured a lift from a french woman who was keen to practice her french and after about two hours she asked me if I wouldnt mind stopping and sharing her Dinner. I gratefully accepted and we stopped by a stream and ate bread and chese drank red wine and (you guessed it) more bloody peches. The next day I was "severly indisposed", the richness of the gorgonzola type chese and the peches brought about, what can best be described as a "festering stomach" I "parped"....and squelched... all day and walking with great caution taking in the sights of the Hostel de dieu never far from "lifes conveniences".

My travelling life changed when I got a lift from a couple of french paratroopers in a deux cheveau, on leave and heading south for the sun, we stopped at every routier on the way and drank wine until late into the evening when we arrived at Toulon. I thanked them for their lift (in very bad Franglais) but they insisted I accompany them on a tour of the bars of Toulon which I did. What I didnt know at the time was that the paras are known to be hell raisers and tough and the french fleet lived in Toulon. we entered the first bar and as we got seated down to our first drink the door opened and an unceasing stream of very noisy and drunken Matelots entered, it looked like it was their favourite watering hole as they were very friendly with the people behind the bar. The two Paras were no more than about five feet five in height but in stature they were well developed, extremely fit and proud of their regiment, it became apparent that they had no time for the slovenly Matelots. after a time I went up to the bar to get a round of drinks only to be jostledof this happening the Paras were amongst them and bodies were going everywhere. as I straightend up from picking up my change a fist passed my head and struch a sailor who kneeled at my feet and fell over sideways. His friend standing behind him hit me in the face I recovered my posture and with hand to my now bleeding nose I decided it was time to go I could hear sirens and I guessed that France wasnt a good place to be banged up in. I collected my rucksac and made towards the door. The mele was still going on and the paras seemed to be the only ones standing I waved goodbye as they passed me at speed in the doorway and dodged a couple of gendarmes about to enter the bar. I was grabbed (I couldnt run with the heavy rucksac and I was roughly taken back into the bar. I had a ripped shirt a bruised face and a bloody nose, but when I looked at the demolition job that had been done I was flabergasted. Nineteen Matelots had been involved, nor more than five were standing and the rest were being tended to by bar staff in various states of "damage" The shorter of the two gendarmes spoke to the nearest Matelot who immediately pointed at me and I was, unceremoniously, taken back to their car (which had been abandoned with the doors still open and lights and siren still running) forced to sit in the back, with handcuffs firmly attached, and locked in.

The abulances arrived and the french version of the shore patrol arrived. I felt that they wanted to take me back to their ship but the Gendarmes wouldn`t let them (thank god). I spent the night( rest of the morning) in the cells at the local Nick and was turned out at six oclock just after sunrise and continued my journey, during that day I developed a beautiful black eye which I carried like a badge for nearly a month after. I decided to buy some food for breakfast and walked to the shopping area. The bread smelled good and I indulged along with more chese, life was good!

As I left the shop the same 2 CV citreon with the paras hanging out of the windows screeched to a halt in front of me. they called out "hey english get it we are going to Port Grimaud youll like that!!!" (or something similar). I took exactly a second to decide where my fortune lay and it wasn`t more drinking with them. they inquired as to how I had got on with the gendarmes and were really concerned, we exchanged stories of our experiences of the evening before,I thanked them profusely and waved goodbye. I was seventeen years old in the middle of a foreigh country was sporting a black eye and had just got out of clink..........Believe it or believe it not? as the trip went on it got worse, ending in my being taken to london from the Dover ferry with an official office escort!

I do hope that Gnasher doesn`t take after his Grumps... they say that they mature earlier these days,dont they????? now Im worried really :o))

There was this old boat , see! and I just had to give her some TLC!!!

I am afraid I have got the photos in the wrong order so they and the captions should be read in the reverse order. I found this old boat and spent a great summer doing her up! she was a twin screw diesel yacht made of steel, by De Groot. at fourty feet she was a good coastal cruiser had a sumptious aft cabin with on suite shower and heads, with berths for another three people.

I bought her, having just sold my last sail boat because of my need to get back ashore when I was due to. It is well known that sail boats go where the wind takes them, and a shattered boss arriving late after time off was not something I had a wish to be.

I shot blasted and repainted the hull and superstructure, stripped the old decks and layed new teak ones. I re built the engines and refurbished completely the interior.

I cruised her on the south coast for a year or so, and she behaved well, she was economical on fuel and a joy to behold, but boy did she roll!!!!!!! she was OK for me, having been a raggie, I was used to my gunnel being in the water :o))

All of a sudden a man offered me silly money for her and took her away to the south of france for a couple of years. I was sad, I felt like a spurned lover that had his partner taken away by a friend.... But counting the money soon cured that!

and there she is in all her glory 

and the doors to varnish! 

No really she did, just the cauking left to do? 

but soon she started to take shape Yeah Right! 

She was very unloved 

I found this old boat and.....