Yes, I have reached half way, well, I have gone over the line now by a couple of days!

It feels good, I feel good and most of all, Christobel is so, so, pleased. Bless her cotton socks (or should I say, many coloured legs, which she favours! But, bless her, she is feeling as tired as I am, and those that continue to offer support, I am most grateful indeed.

A few days ago I cleaned out the forward bilge on Whimbrel and then the gas stowage. After coats of primer, stripe coating and a final overall coating, both are much more presentable.

Forward bilge…

Another important area: with a drain line (and valve) it gets wet when sailing hard!

I had to obtain more paint – red, as you can see – but found that the red bilge has been ‘done away’ with by the more common paint manufacturers. This means that at some time in the near future Christobel and I will have to come ashore for a period and hard clean, scrape, sand, and re-coat in something different. Grey most likely. Why do ‘they’ do this?

My thoughts run along doing areas ‘clear’ of the bilge proper in stages, afloat…

Hey ho!

Yesterday, with tide times not conflicting with the all important hospital run, I got away for a sail. My good ship mate didn’t come: independent therapy is good for both, but afterwards Christobel said she’d rather have come along: it was glorious!

Sailing back into Smallgains Creek. The Genoa was dropped nearer to mooring and boat sailed in under mainsail. Lovely.

The mainsail had its first airing under sail since being serviced by Wilkinson Sails.

But this is more about radio therapy: I feel an ‘old hand’ now … I have ‘got over’ the lateness of being called in sometimes … for this means that another has needed more time to be treated. One soon realises that ‘your’ condition isn’t the most severe!

The problem with being called late is that it was ‘drummed’ into us men at a pre-treatment briefing that we had to arrive READY to go. That is, with a full bladder. So, added time is like trying to squeeze another half pint in before actually going – but you can’t! It is bleeding well stressful…

The empathy of the staff though exceeds all expectations (whatever they are) and a smiling face asks if all is okay, are you alright (No, I’m in pain actually…) and if you need to ‘go’ leak a little and drink a little more… I have had to do that twice!

Ah, but when you are called. Bliss. You move into a ‘waiting zone’ and as the previous patient comes out you go in. The greetings from a duo or sometimes a trio of smiling caring faces causes an immediate relaxation sensation coursing through ones inner self: once on the ‘slab’ it would only be 10 minutes before the relief would come!

I admire the band of (mostly) happy ladies at Southend, they’re a Godsend, from whatever religion they adhere to, and I bless them all, ‘cos they raise my spirits…

Enjoying a pint down at The Billet, in Old Leigh at the end of a week of treatments … cheers!

Link to previous blogs…

Ditch-crawler settles into his radiotherapy sessions…

Finesse 24, Snowgoose

I have learnt that Snowgoose has not yet been sold yet. There was interest from a chap who contacted for advice, but he decided against.

She’s a nice looking boat. She’s out of the water … her owner lives in Guernsey and is listed with the Finesse Group but with no contact details.

Snowgoose was built in 1973 and will be have a Mahogany hull with either Rock Elm or oak ribs.

Price has been dropped: she is stacking up charges!

See: https://lancashire.boatshed.com/finesse_24-boat-252521.html?utm_source=newsnow.co.uk

Our maintenance of Whimbrel has continued whilst I have been ‘popping off’ to Southend Hospital for daily sessions of radiation for my prostate cancer treatment. I finished getting the bad areas around the cabin sides and rubbing band coated a sufficient number of times then on Good Friday afternoon (after doing a Walk of Witness in Hadleigh) we hard sanded the cabin sides and Christobel washed down several times … we were ready to varnish.

Sanding the cabin sides…

A few days earlier we had enjoyed a couple of ‘on the tide’ sails which makes foregoing on sailing on days such as we’ve enjoyed for nearly a week over Easter ‘acceptable’ for one has to, like marriage have some give and take!

They were lovely sails in gentle breezes and sunshine. Sailing out of our creek I spotted a grebe and out across the Leigh Flats a seal popped up behind us and swam along in our wake … I was just too late with the camera. Hey ho. The Brent geese are still very much in residence and won’t be gone until end of May or even early June, but although it is mid April now, I haven’t spotted any terns yet. I expect the next time Whimbrel has the chance to venture forth, they’ll be on ‘their’ favoured perches around the creek’s entrance and atop mooring buoys…

Sailing along the Chalkwell shore towards Old Leigh.

Sailing into the creek … note, old mains’l and new jib set.

The wind being kindly entering our creek on the last of our two trips, we sailed onto the mooring dropping main, just off, and sailed on under jib. I then removed the old mainsail which has been in use since the ‘new’ sails went back for guarantee servicing at and bent on the serviced ‘new’ one. It has still to be stretched in anger though!

Old mainsail  spread out for folding and bagging.

Cabin sides washed ready for a white spirit wipe for varnishing…

On the Saturday of the Easter weekend after ‘slaving’ down at our yacht club rebuilding a finger jetty mooring, we motored over to Maldon for lunch and a walk round. I found a fellow Finesse 24 in ‘Cardy’s’  Yard ready for the water – her sides resplendent in new paint, having been stripped back by her owner during the winter. Everywhere one looked, owners were working away round hull sides, under bottoms or around thew decks! Over in The Downs Road yard the new Thames sailing barge Blue Mermaid was in the floating dry dock – a final scrub up and paint before setting off on her sea trials…

The Blue Mermaid in dry dock, rigged and ready to go…

Spring came early in my parts and it’s strange to see the fluffy seed heads of dandelions  in such great numbers – even ‘bald’ ones! My good ship mate is certain that my head is much like a dandelion seed head – full of fluff. She loves me really! But although spring has been relatively mild with long dry spells here, around the yards and especially in my own club, plenty of owners have left outfitting late. I’ve always wondered why … work and family commitment pressures, or, just lacking in that ‘let us get on with it…’ spirit.

Dandelions are well ahead of the season…

Now a boating friend who owns a Finesse 24 came out of the water for a wash and brush up with the full expectation of getting back in after three weeks. Well, it hasn’t gone to plan: he found some spongy deck up forward … now he’s thinking of having the fore, side and poop decks stripped off and renewed. I’m sure I’ll have more on this (with the owner’s permission) in good time. While the owner mulls over this for a short while, he has carried out a little research into where to get longer rigging u-bolts from. I tried some while ago and failed to get responses from places.

The standard units available at the diameter fitted to a Finesse 24 aren’t available with a long enough bolt beneath the deck plate. I measured up when I was looking … a firm has come back and said, ‘No problem …’ The cost is about twice that of a standard 8 mm x 100 mm bolt beneath plate unit from a chandlers. My reasoning – I wanted to fit the u-bolts onto hard wood deck pads, thus alleviating problems of ‘crush’ of the plywood decks. I even made up a set of pads for one side and roughed out another, before laying the work aside. So thanks mate…

Even after 35 years of ownership, things can be done to improve the boat!

My sketch of u-bolts needed…

And of course, charts need to be checked, updated or renewed. I knew Whimbrel’s two sets of East coast charts had been superseded by freshly printed updates, so the ‘Kent’ set has been purchased and updated with the few changes that have taken place and the Essex/Suffolk set are on order.

Chart corrections…

Now, here is a plug:

As the various chandlers have closed down in the south of Essex, I have used ‘Barry’s’ at Dauntless Boat Yard for bibs and bobs over a number of years. May ere away, however, I’ve always found that have ‘that’ bit that no one else does. They will order from a catalogue or from wherever Barry gets ‘his’ stuff. I wanted the Suffolk chart, it wasn’t in stock. ‘No worries’ the lad said, adding, ‘when do you want it?’ Telling him I wasn’t in a hurry. He said, ‘One to two weeks and I’ll give you a call…’ Grand!

The beauty too is that the packs are a good £7 less than the Imray price … plus the delivery charge that would have been stuck on.

So, before you order on line, check out with the friendly team at Dauntless Yacht Centre…

See: http://www.dauntlessyachtcentre.co.uk/

I have the corrections ready…

And at the end of this week, tomorrow, I’ll be half way through my external beam radio therapy . Yippee!

Good ‘spring cleaning’, launches and first sails everyone.

Prostate Cancer update four…

I began my radiotherapy sessions on Wednesday just gone. I have been a little  worried about this due to the ‘dire’ warnings, but I did get through the ‘bracky’ without a hitch, so … but the why and wherefores do not always meet with sense and sensibility…

The day before this, I managed to get out for my first sail since my brachytherapy operation. It was quiet, peaceful and good for the soul. Wind was light, but did increase to get the boat going along at three knots or so … Whimbrel’s mate was with me – nice.

Running out of the creek…

The first was a bit ‘traumatic’, well fraught really. I was a little late being called forward and then on the scan which takes place first, it was found I had some wind (!) and had to ‘get rid of it’ before proceeding. I did this and waited and waited, my bladder filled three hours earlier beginning to want to burst. (Bladder has to be full or nearly so for treatment – forces ones ‘bits’ into ‘right’ place…

The machine…

I was then told I was after the next person … I went to the loo (sorry folks, but being ‘hospitalised’ destroys inhibitions!) and then began guzzling lots of water to fill the bladder – always a delay and only a percentage goes straight in. The normal filling time can be up to 1 1/2 hours. Come on you men, down the pub, it takes a couple of pints of beer before the urge begins…

Then the machine broke down … radiologists and their patient in tow hot-footed to another treatment room.

Finally I went in for my session too … the radiologists positioned my midriff, pulling and pushing the ‘mass’ into position to get the laser positioning right. Then one seems to stay as the unit rotates 360 degrees taking a scan. The scan is looked at. The ‘slab’ jiggles as motors fine adjust so that treatment programme is accurately directed. Then the ‘radio head’ rotates around one revolution bombarding my bits with a radioactive beam. (I joked to the ladies in our local library – nice place and caring people – about my bits glowing … I had them in fits. Christobel was aghast!).

I talked the radiographer into taking this picture on my camera … also told her about those men who had listened to my tale and responded. She said well done to all…

Before beginning my ‘sessions’ I had got hold of a length of 8 mm diameter mild steel rod to make up a punch for ‘tapping’ down the centre plate on Whimbrel, after a ‘stone’ has got caught between plate and ballast keel … this has happened a couple of times in the last decade. Once around the Walton Backwaters after going onto Stone Point for a scrub. Titchmarsh Marina’s yard let me borrow a rod to fix the problem. The other happened after a ‘scrape’ over a shingle bank in the Crouch by Bridgemarsh Creek when my sister and two friends were aboard for a week’s pottering – it was my fault! On the latter occasion, the plate didn’t free easily, but eventually went as we tacked up stream…

I vowed to get a proper punch of good length. The top of the plate can be felt by the rod through the lift wire slot – after removing a covering wood top piece.

So, over the first period of my radiotherapy, I got on with putting a punch together!

The bits at the start … wood and metal!

Rod with rough shaped wood hold…

Close up of wooden end.

Rod after first coat of anti-rust paint and handle with varnish…

I have now completed the first ‘week’ – only three, but it is a start. Only twenty more to go. I’m assured that a level of ‘unwellness and tiredness’ will creep up towards the middle of the treatment, but I’m beginning not to worry about it too much.

We plan at present to get away for a couple of nights over on the River Medway over the early May Bank Holiday. I know it’ll do me good… The boat will have a dirty bottom and the varnish work will not be completed – so what!

My first impression of the radiographers I have been in contact with is a ‘caring, protective and positive’ manner. It inspires confidence and I have even begun to ‘joke’ with them – not that they understand my comments about lining up the port, starboard and midships marks…

Hey, what the hell…

Previous blogs…

Ditch-crawler has his brachytherapy operation…

For some while now I have been stripping back areas of varnish that have succumbed to damp. Some were ‘attacked’ back in the warm days enjoyed in February – a dodgy exercise – which I got away with. All other areas have now been sanded back and a gradual build up of coatings applied. More are needed before Christobel and I sand the whole of the cabin sides ready for its biannual varnishing. One of my ideas was to get the ‘heavy’ stuff done before I went into hospital and head into my radio treatment … fortunately the weather has been kind and that desire has been largely achieved.

Chaffing bar to rubbing band.

Back in January I fitted chaffing bars to the rubbing band in way of the aft fairleads. I’d done this to the forward pair many years ago, but after ‘falling over’ a length of bronze which once protected the stem of some old boat, I had the material to repeat the exercise – only taken thirty odd years! They do stop moorings from cutting into the wood though…

The ‘regular’ work began with a window which needed to come off for resealing.. The varnish does tend to degrade around the window edge as well and when one is off I tend to sand back the coatings and reapply. I have a temporary cover for the windows when panel is off. At that time I’d gone round and stripped back degraded varnish and sanded with a coarse grade, leaving open to air until ready to progress further…

Completed window resealing and varnish work. It looks patchy, but does fade in time. It’s varnished wood! note the beading breakdown…

Most of the areas of breakdown seem to happen around the beading along the bottom edge of the cabin sides, sometimes the same area year after year! The boat does have areas which have an oilier piece of iroko – beads mainly. One senses the advent of a complete strip off approaching. Another

Finesse at my club has been out for the winter. The owner has competed quite a lot of repair work and has also stripped off the cabin sides back to bare wood – the initial coats glowed with that deep iroko colour… Aboard Whimbrel, we’ve had that discussion – paint and varnish stripping … when, sometime in the future. The chap is up to six coats as I write!

Two areas of varnish stripped back and coating build up in progress…

This last weekend one of my Finesse neighbours was lifted from the water for the annual wash and brush up. The owner said to me, ‘I’m doing the three forward keel bolts…’ adding, ‘got a man coming in from J-Star Marine.’ There has been a run of information about keel bolts on a Finesse facebook site, perhaps this was a memory jogger! I have two more that I’ve never had out on Whimbrel, so it is for me too…

When I strip back these little areas I always mark up on the deck or cabin top, adjacent, the numbers of coats applied. A few are no good. eight to ten I always consider a minimum.

Finesse 24 Gypsy being lifted out at the Island YC, Canvey Island. (Picture: Alexander Ardley)

The boat’s owner has set himself a completion date some four weeks hence.

All around our club’s yard work is frantically taking place. Some have got along with things gradually, whilst, looking around, many have left to last minute: lift in season is upon them! It’ll be the same up and down the rivers and coasts. Sadly though, as has happened in recent years, some craft will continue to sit it out, awaiting the call of the sea from an owner.

One job has awaited our combined attentions. I have wanted to move the jib boom topping lift mast point down below our radar reflector. Our old one, a round edged Firdell Blipper wasn’t a problem, but a replacement Echomax causes the topping lift to catch … so, with a new fitting, the snagging problem is to be removed…

I first had to go up above the radar reflector to get the pulley block off the original mast fitting – I don’t like heights any more… ‘We’ forgot to get a picture of me up there – I wore the bosun’s chair for the operation, but decided that the harness would have been better afterwards.

Ladder ready for final part of job.

Christobel getting sorted… Note the bosun’s chair…

Jib boom topping lift on its new mast fitting … no more snagging of lines aloft!

My mate, incidentally, is so looking forward to our boat’s ‘rest’ on the club slipway to do the antifouling in a month or so too – it is creeping up. In thew mean time I will be undergoing twenty-three sessions of radiotherapy, which come to an end a little before this planned event. Will I be fit. Don’t know at present … bu there are windows down the line before ‘serious’ sailing begins.

Christobel carrying out one of her favoured activities in 2017…

The first three weeks of March were exceedingly windy and there was no opportunity to get afloat for any sailing, however, on the Monday before my appointment with my oncology experts the wind dropped and I headed down to the creek a little after 0700 … by just before 0800, I was sailing out of the creek!

Sailing seawards after turning off the Dauntless Boat Yard by Benfleet Creek Barrier.

My good mate Christobel did not come along … she stayed and got on with the housework! I hasten to add that later I did finish the job by doing the vacuuming!

Clearing my creek I beat up to Benfleet doing long and short boards. It was a bit of a grey morning, but the sun did peek through to glisten across the waterway as I turned for home.

The following day, with good conditions Christobel wanted to come along too … packing the makings of a bacon roll breakfast and some prepared fruit, we set off merrily. I say ‘merrily’ with a little caution: I was beginning to feel a little edgy about going into hospital. yes, I know one is in safe hands (hopefully!), but I’d read all the ‘dire’ warnings about the brachytherapy procedure being filled with foreboding and trepidation so many times last year, that, quite frankly, I’ve not delved back into the info since…

Ah yes, a tasty bacon roll was handed to me… 

We had time to have our breakfast before departing and the bacon was soon sizzling under the grill – a bit of a treat! Meanwhile the boat was readied for sea.

Christobel hadn’t been ‘up west’ towards Benfleet for a little while so Whimbrel began a beat west, again! We did ‘cheat’ a bit passing down the narrower waterway between ‘The Benfleet’s’ bank-side and creek fore/aft moorings, but what the blazes… Nipping forward to look back up the creek soon after our turn (leaving Christobel in charge), I took a quick picture!

Looking aft…

The boat knows what to do, so it kept on going … good job for the mate was otherwise engaged. I have to say, in her defense, I’d given no instruction, even though she was aware … but we know our boats wiles. I have been ‘told off’ for this in the past … but as I say, with her long keel…

Ah yes, a relaxed mate!

It was a grand sail together, I vowed to myself that I would be afloat again in a week … Christobel even offered on the Sunday just gone, but I considered it a little early – I must be growing up!

It was a tranquil sail, less wind than the previous day and much more in the way of sunshine. Along the shoreline there is a definite ‘greening’ of the saltings: spring seems very much in evidence. But my time was running out, and I enjoyed a last coffee while re-coating a couple of areas of varnish work to build up coats before heading ashore, together…

A welcome coffee…

On the Wednesday, I was driven to hospital by Christobel … she was able to stay with me until the moment I was ‘taken down’ and was there minutes after my arrival on a ward some 5 hours later…

Ah yes, a post-op cup of tea…

Things are gathering pace and I’ve attended a ‘seminar’ on the next stage. Next appointment looms with the radiologists to do a dry run and get set up – I have to be marked with three tattooed dots which will be used as reference points for the machine…

I’m just pleased that the first stage has gone well, actually second, for the hormones are the grounding stage. I seem to have come through in a far better condition and frame of mind than I’d ever have thought possible – my sincere thanks to the oncology team at Southend University Hospital. xx

External beam radiation treatment is next … but more on this ‘third’ stage in good time.

Earlier blog link…

Ditch-crawler’s snake has been ‘tamed’, but now for the real stuff…

Part 3 of my prostate cancer tale…

To see earlier posts:

Ditch-crawler asks of his male fellow sailors ‘…have you been tested yet?’ Prostate cancer up-date…

I learnt last week about another chap who’d read my story and eventually summoned the courage to go to his GP surgery and ask for a prostate test (PSA). He did have a serious problem and, like me, is undergoing treatment. The chap is currently going through some weeks of radio therapy – what his actual ‘condition’ was, I do not know.

What it does show is that, like me, this problem can sliver up and bite you and unknowingly do its dreadful deed.

Be warned. Get tested…

Next week I go into hospital for brachytherapy treatment – essentially I will be injected with iridium (dust), which should neuter the beast. I will however, due to localised spread, have to undergo some weeks of radio therapy afterwards too…

During this month I have been hoping to get out for a sail: March is likely to run away as I recover. The weather has been somewhat stormy, wind wise, for two weeks now and looking ahead, I’d almost given up on a sail … however, over the coming weekend the winds affecting the whole of the British Isles abate, leaving the new week calm and balmy by comparison. Christobel has been tipped off! I mentioned some thoughts of popping off for the night … it didn’t go down very well. The term ‘Stupid Boy’ rang in my ears.

Hey ho!

My creek viewed as I walked away from Whimbrel after an afternoon sail during February…

For information and action, hopefully:

My dear sister has taken it upon herself to do a longish charity walk at the end of June and she is doing this in the name of research into prostate cancer.

It would be grand if any of you out there could sponsor her: it is a little advertised problem, yet is a bigger killer than breast cancer…

One of her sponsors has sent her a message to say that they have booked a prostate test – well done, who ever you are.

See: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/theresa-ardley?fbclid=IwAR1VxHxxgR_DlfbLdhLKytRK_bKK-dclIoKOpR7iyCQyYEl2Ya5eoWvCfFs&utm_campaign=pfp-share&utm_content=Theresa-Ardley&utm_medium=fundraisingpage&utm_source=Facebook

Last Sunday, having missed our week’s longer walk for essential reasons, we drove over to Maldon to do what we had planned – Town to Heybridge Basin and back along the navigation – only five miles. On our way back over the Fullbridge the heavens above opened and we battled wind and hail storm back to the car. Any further wandering along the waterfront was called off and we drove home.

Over the past few months, well, since the end of summer really, we have been doing seven to nearly nine mile circuits (at times) around the ridge of humpy/lumpy hills leading into the Dengie Peninsular – it has been fascinating with many beautiful spots found. At times both the Crouch and Blackwater waterways have been in view at the same time. I think the important part of it too has been being able to commune with nature together enjoying the ‘great-outdoors’ for we both know, there will be a lull in my ability to do this. But I will try!

Looking over a windswept Heybridge Creek (River Blackwater) under a moody sky…

As with walking, sailing (being afloat) is where I commune with the world in general and barring my ability to get out for a few hours before Tuesday next week, when I’m due to have my brachytherapy operation, my thoughts as I go ‘down’ will be with all that I love ‘out there’ – boy do I have some wonderful memories to swirl around my mind…

Swirls of knot, dunlin and more besides will serenade me, I’m sure…

And, of course, the love of family, the wider family and friends helps immensely – and I want to give special thanks to my dear wife Christobel, ‘the mate’, and our boy who has been a ‘brick’…

Cor, blimey, it has been a windy old week in the eastern quarter, and elsewhere, I believe too … so with a bit of time on our hands we hightailed to Maldon to complete a few jobs: Christobel has been on the look out for some new cushion inserts. Everywhere one looks, there are cushions galore with ‘expensive’ covers available. The pillows themselves … hmmmmmmmmmm, even on line!

The upshot – she’s going for bust, heading for a new look for our conservatory!

Anyway, whilst she was at it, I paid a visit to The Sea-change Sailing Trust at the Downs Road Boat Yard – to deliver a letter. Well, I wanted to view the Blue Mermaid too, obviously…

The Blue Mermaid at Downs Road Boatyard.

I found Jim Dines, the yard’s proprietor, and sought permission to visit barge … but first, into the office to drop off a letter. Jim had said he doubted whether ‘the boss’ would be in – that’s Richard Titchener  – but he was in, going through a list of jobs with one of their newest recruits, a young lady doing heritage training with the trust.

I said I’d had permission to go aboard, however, Richard ‘nabbed’ me to assist in carrying some blocks aboard. Bless him!

The pictures will tell the story: she is coming on quickly now…

The fore deck on the Blue Mermaid…

Richard and the trainee discussing blocks and which would be used for what … I left whilst Richard gave instructions about servicing them…

The foot of main mast.

Looking aft to mizzen which has only recently been rigged. Some ropes still to run … I wanted to get a line round the sail!

The deck’s are clear, but the hold hatches are piled with gear, most of which has been donated.

Having wandered the decks, I went below and looked into the forward and aft cabins. These are well into their fitting out phase.

Looking aft along the swept hold – in use as a workshop!

Through watertight door into fore cabin.

I peaked into the port side cabin – single berth.

The washroom (heads…)

And to starboard is a four berth cabin…

Then aft-wards…

Aft cabin, port side berth…

Companionway and watertight door port forward side.

Starboard aft berth under construction…

Richard said to me that he plans to have the mast down in a few weeks to rig her with the sails … Jim and his team are working hard to complete, working out where various bits need to go: there is NEVER agreement amongst bargemen as to the exact location of cleats for example!

On the way ashore I chatted to Jim … and he proudly showed me a new winch under construction. Although made of plate steel, finely made sections have been laser cut to be welded around cut outs which will mimic a cast steel unit. Clever!

Winch and bilge pumps in workshop…

I loved the fabricated bilge pumps too.

So often when one comes across an old barge, the pump shafts are found standing to attention, bereft of the surrounding ‘barge’ … problem is they’re never serviceable due to internal wastage.

Thanking Jim, I hightailed back to the town centre: Christobel was probably waiting … and yes, there she was ensconced in The Black Cat Coffee Shop, just finishing a cup…

The Sea-change Sailing Trust is a worthwhile maritime organisation to support: they work with all ages.

See: http://www.seachangesailingtrust.org.uk/

They are: Making a real impact on the lives of disabled, disadvantaged and socially excluded young people

Once up and running, the trust will not have to spend huge amounts of money on chartering of other barges, albeit, that has given life to these…

The owner of Tarantella told me of his decision to sell his Finesse 24 which he purchased as a project some time ago – see below.

Finesse 24 Tarantella comes onto the market…

The vessel has now been placed on Appoloduck at a very reasonable price – she just needs finishing.

See: https://m.apolloduck.com/boat/finesse-24/597309?fbclid=IwAR0rMb6EtHSsR8cfH6xlFBTETPuzHm7OTCW-p-FSSaXkzBir7M9DUncTWys

If you decide to buy, do get in touch with the Finesse Group, you’ll be welcome.

It is a little after mid-February and in our neighbours garden a flowering cherry is coated in budding green leaves. All around, daffodils are breaking open in glorious yellow sun bursts, whilst the snowdrops continue to delight. Down my creek the level of activity among the many laid up craft has risen markedly: the weather after two bouts of snow has been glorious. Bottoms are being painted, sides are being buffed up … spring is coming, surely.

My mate has been ‘under the weather’ with a virus, so our walking has been curtailed. This has ‘allowed’ me to crack on with a job or two aboard Whimbrel. I removed a window last week and re-sealed it inside and out. Whilst off, the woodwork has been sanded and varnished – six coats now, so  ready to refit the window!

Cabin sides under piece of plastic sheeting whilst varnishing…

Leaving my good wife asleep on Tuesday morning, I beetled to the creek and got a last coat on area which will be under the window frame and the surrounds … just every now and then the varnish breaks down around the cabin window frames, necessitating removal, rubbing down and varnishing. I like to get up to six coats before replacing window. I’ve had this  Heath-Robinson temporary cover for years – about time I made a better one!

The tide was on its way in, so I then got ready for a sail! The tide soon lifted the boat as I stood minding a mug of coffee – all ready ‘we’ were away. I set the mainsail and spun the boat in the creek, running out. Brent geese were dabbling along the mud edges in large numbers, virtually oblivious of my presence.

Passing dabbling Brent on way out…

It was a glorious morning. Sublime with a warming sun, although the breeze a 3 to 4 WSW was keen enough to make me keep my gloves on!

Cl;earing the creek, I set the jib while the boat headed up Hadleigh Ray with the bit between her teeth. Long and short tacking ensued as we began to eat up the distance.

A flock of waders lifting off from Bird Island.

Ah, the birds…

Approaching the gnarled stumps of the Salvation Army Wharf, I saw a row of guillemots with craned necks clearing fish into the digestive tracts. As I closed they all lifted bar one. This waited until I was close by, loosing off a shower of pooh which splattered into the creek like bullets. Away, beyond, the deep greenness of the sea wall sides spoke of fresh grass growth – the warmth of the past week or so has activated so much.

Under carriage up…

I settled to a steady ‘to and fro’ whilst sipping another coffee. Upon the sea wall I saw a host of walkers and dogs. Passing the log seat which someone placed conveniently for walkers to sit at about half distance between Leigh and Benfleet, I saw two people, a couple perhaps: they were a man and a woman, resting, whilst a dog capered.

A flight of curlews were seen. Some avocet too, with their calls coming across the water from the edge of a patch of mud, close under the saltings, feeding before the tide covered it completely. Earlier, passing the Two Tree Island bird hides, I’d felt a pair of binoculars or telephoto lens following me. I’d picked up my camera and focused in … yes, I was being watched, but surely it was Whimbrel … apparently they have been around this winter!

On a long fetch…

On a long fetch towards Benfleet YC with Dauntless beyond.

Closing The Benfleet’s pontoon to talk to a friend…

Running back down Benfleet Creek towards Hadleigh Ray the following day…

But back to ‘the story’ – before I even got back into what is commonly known as Hadleigh Ray – the bottom end of Benfleet Creek – I could wafts of waders weaving in sinuous waves. I really believe they can tell when the tide is approaching its turn … and the soon uncovering of their rich feeding grounds. It is exceedingly hard to get good pictures of the spectacle put on display for us mere humans with a ‘ordinary’ camera and I suspect a rapid action type would be more suited to my desires!

A poor shot of a weaving flock…

On the way up the creek the sky had seemed to contain an abnormal number of vapour trails high up, beyond the eye’s usual boundary and with the position of the sun over the island of Canvey, it looked spectacular.

Vapour trails crisscrossed the sky above…

One of the things that has become so much more noticeable over the past few years is the sheer magnitude of rubbish seen either in the water or along tide lines. For a period following the ‘clean up’ campaigns of the later decades of the last century rubbish diminished hugely. What’s changed Peoples ways? New generations that know nothing of what it was like 40-50 years ago?

There needs to be a sea-change attitudes again or otherwise we’ll be back to square one. One would think after programmes such as ‘Blu Planet’ people would endeavour to reduce (plastic) pollution to zero … I sailed past numerous ‘dead’ baloons and other items that looked like discarded plastic sacks, never mind the hundreds of plastic bottles. It made me somewhat sad, angry even…

And that boat, moored in Hadleigh Ray continues to fly black plastic bags from a string. Shame on the owner.

A bundle of deceased balloons along the Two Tree Island saltings…

Anyway, I had a fabulous late winter’s sail … and after re-fitting the window I had removed the next day, I repeated the exercise!

The window … the ‘gaffer’ tape pulled some of the varnish coating off of the cabin top beading…

I’ve been pottering round the boat breaking open areas of varnish that has got moisture beneath too … not a huge amount – beading on the whole. Some though I’d only stripped off last year and a long strip runs down the port side of cabin sides – see below window. Hey Ho!

Spring is just round the corner…