My previous post had a little film clip of me sailing on the morning of my last radio therapy session – the hospital staff were very impressed!
Link: http://nickardley.com/ditch-crawler-sails-into-last-radio-therapy-session/
On the morning my end session was due, I wasn’t sure whether to be excited or thankful. I think every emotion would fit: it’s been a testing time in many ways. Christobel has been an absolute brick, the ‘boy’ too… I have to admit, I consumed more hooch during the process than normal for a six week period, but what the hell!
Many friends, contacts and family members have also been of supreme help in boosting morale and ‘speaking’ soothing words … thank you all.
Strangely it was only during the last couple of weeks that I really felt weakened by it all. It had become increasingly difficult to complete more than a 5 mile walk. Our ‘normal’ hour long walk had become a trial, eventually with me suffering a complete loss of energy half way through on several occasions necessitating rest!
Over breakfast we spotted that one of the pair of blue tits nesting in the new box I made in the autumn seemed to busier than just feeding ‘the mate’. Clearly the young were beginning to hatch. Wow, what a sign – new life! I managed to snap the bird, resting briefly on the nest box perch.
A momentarily resting blue tit…
It was a quick breakfast: I’d already decided upon a sail. My good shipmate and dear wife, Christobel, was going to take the morning out. A walk and catch up with friends at our church’s coffee morning – which we usually pass ‘through’ on a Wednesday walk of around 5 miles…
It was a glorious morning, sparkling sun glistening on the water and a light south-easterly. I motor-sailed out, knowing I’d probably enjoy a run in under head sail into the mooring later, and set off long and short tacking down the Ray channel until far enough east not to be concerned about depth.
Terns had arrived from distant parts since last out … always a joy to see.
Eventually, I reached The Crowstone and put the boat about for a run along the Chalkwell and Leigh Shore. It was so lovely … I so wished that my shipmate was afloat with me … later she’d wished it too!
Running, goose winged, from The Crowstone.
Time soon ran on too, but towards the top of the tide, the wind freshened a little. Some distance from the creek’s entrance the mainsail was stowed, fenders tied and I sipped some tea as the boat glided over the early ebb, inwards… The mooring soon approached. At the right moment, a hop forward, down head sail, back aft and the dear boat slipped gracefully into her berth.
With just a few butterflies beginning to buzz around my innards, I settled and sorted the boat before heading back ashore and home.
Gliding home…
I was met by Christobel … it was time for a quick bite, before getting my head down for an hour or so … my mate had long stopped shepherding me to the bedroom!! The loss of energy and tiredness could only be assuaged by rest/sleep… Upon waking, a loo visit then begin drinking water to ensure a full bladder by time of appointment.
During the six weeks, I have had to ‘go’ and begin water intake all over again when the appointment has been delayed. 20 minutes was fine … 1/2 an hour, dodgy, and once when over an hour I’d held on, diving straight to the loo afterwards! Upon arrival, I was sent straight round to a different unit, expecting a delay, I stopped drinking … but, wow, I was called straight in. Nearly 10 minutes early!
The lady radiologist said as we went through, ‘You know this is your last one…’
I nodded. She gave me a big hug, saying, ‘I’ll be listening for the bell…’
Blast, I thought, as I was hoping to give it a miss!
The two on duty, a chap and lady, both of whom I’d seen many times chatted away with me as they got the ‘position’ right … me telling them of my morning sail, then, off they went.
The scanner head went round … the table jiggled … the treatment head did its two revolutions, back and forth. (Note it can’t keep going, ‘cos the power and control cables won’t allow – I’d asked that question some while before, being inquisitive…)
It was all done. Two more hugs … out to the control office … another hug from lady who had also attended on some sessions … on out to an astonished Christobel. Done, 5 minutes after my appointed time.
Ringing the bell…
That evening we went out for a meal and celebrated after a glass of something and some canapes watching the coming and goings of our blue tits…
On the Friday evening the ‘boy’ came in for a celebratory glass of ‘shampoo’…
Time moved on … on the Sunday after, I managed to nail our boy down for a sail he says he’s long been owed! I’ve told him he can come along any time, a weekend even … but his life is a busy one. It was a chilly sail, but we enjoyed a spanking sail up to the Benfleet Barrier by the Dauntless Yard, enjoying a pleasant run for home.
The ‘boy’ in charge: I was relegated to deckhand!
A long term project to obtain new u-bolts for Whimbrel’s rigging set up is approaching fruition. All three of ‘us’ Finesse owners at the Island Yacht Club are doing this. One of the others took it upon himself to find a manufacturer for they’re not of a standard length. In the mean time, I completed making pads upon which the new U-bolts will be bedded. They’re made from Iroko.
This is something other Finesse owners might be interested in … a boat, Quo Vadis, up for sale for a long time at Conyer has just found a new owner. water ingress has caused deck and deck shelf/carlin problems.
Pad making – top and bottom.
The planned and ordered u-bolts…
One afternoon, whilst ‘resting’, I corrected a second set of new charts…
Chart correcting…
Then, just a week after my last session, we put Whimbrel onto the club hard for her annual bottom clean and anti-fouling coatings. My good Mate did the bulk of the jet washing, final scraping and cleaning of the propeller … I hasten to add, my task was to redo the sheer strake and rudder varnish work and look at the bottom hull fittings. The boot top was cut into the hull paint work. The hull paintwork was touched up here and there … in between the underwater parts of the rudder needed several coats of primer too … my job too!
Christobel doing what she loves best! Note the glistening varnish above…
Above – the cutting in of boot top.
All done … Whimbrel waiting for the tide.
The boat was got back onto her mooring for one night, then we were off for a weekend – the bank holiday one at the end of May.
Over on the River Medway, it was Medway regatta weekend and the annual barge match was taking place. The Friday run across the Thames turned into a 2 hour motor sail due to lack of wind, although on the Essex side there’d been a good breeze. We were able to sail from the fort into Queenborough though!
We set off promptly on Saturday morning to sail upriver to meet the first of the barge fleet, then ‘chase’ out towards the Thames estuary. Christobel produced bacon sandwiches shortly after our departure … they were delicious.
The barge fleet approached with a clear leader, Niagara, with the Ironsides and Edith May seemingly enjoying a private competition behind. The indomitable bowsprit class Edme was close behind, working through the fleet of stay sail class and ‘coasters’. At the finish, the order was little different!
Edith May kept coming up on the Ironsides, overlapping and falling behind again … it was amusing to watch!
The lovely Marjorie and the powerful Adieu seem to like keeping close company…
We sailed out towards the Grain Edge buoy before turning back. Soon the fleet of eleven stately sailormen had all passed. It wouldn’t be long before the first reached the Medway No. 1 buoy and began heading for home … and I, in particular, wanted to be up near the finish line off Gillingham to see the first home!
Inside we passed close by Doris owned by a friend.
We met dozens of large yachts in an ‘inside’ race followed by dragons and squibs.
Whimbrel healing to the afternoon breeze as we rounded Darnet Ness…
What a splendid sight – the Edme in Gilligham Reach, tacking for the line…
Poppy, a gunter rigged Hunter – a pretty boat owned by two friends…
From one of the race yachts passing close by us in Saltpan Reach floated a cheery shout … ‘Nick .. you writing another book?’
‘Why,’ I called, adding, ‘Did you enjoy the others?’ An enthusiastic answer drifted back. I called out to the fast passing craft, ‘Maybe…’
‘Good!’ was all I heard. And the ‘faceless’ questioner and clearly a fan, disappeared astern.
No pressure then…
We berthed on the inner side of the Medway Yacht Club’s visitor pontoon at the suggestion of a boatman, who helped us in…
During the later part of the afternoon, I prepared our supper of chicken with cider and cracked pepper corns> When nearly cooked it was left to soak in its juices whilst we popped ashore for a beer at the club. It was a busy place with the milling crews of yachts and the big class day boats as well as the barges – all getting set for a long evening…
Enjoying ‘afters’ – a lovely bottle of red and a selection of cheeses sent to me by a cousin. Thanks Roger & Judy x
On the Sunday we enjoyed a spanking run down river to Queenborough. It was a little breezy, but nothing ‘inside’ – we later heard that some yachts had sailed back to Essex, in quite lumpy conditions. Silly!
We popped ashore for some stores then I was pointed to the bunk for a sleep … the mate read for a while.
Later over tea, we enjoyed an entertaining afternoon watching the movements of various craft. The local 4-oared skiff was out too, and a single hovercraft appeared, swinging off the tideway and over the mud – watched by the harbour launch!
Goose winged down Long Reach … it was busy!
A relaxed Christobel…
Afternoon tea…
Part of our entertainment!
I did get to the Admiral’s Arm and enjoyed a pickled egg too…
The homeward passage on the bank holiday was pleasant and uneventful, sailing off the mooring.
So, how do I feel?
Relieved, pleased, happy, sincerely grateful for the care shown by the oncology teams, it is difficult to put into a single word. Mostly, I’m just so happy that I’ve come through this part of my treatment – a rather large part for sure – with few if any real problems. When I sit and think about all the pro’s and con’s I’d read about last summer and how frightened I was, the current position is a blessing: everything works ‘normally’, whatever that is!
Christobel said something to me during the last week which was so touching and so special. It was what one can only say is love. The ‘what’ will remain ‘what’ for it was only ours to share … bless you darling. xx
I am thankful too for all the messages of support, love and good wishes, from all and sundry – many of whom don’t really ‘know’ me. That too has been a blessing. And, today as I write after depositing some stores aboard Whimbrel, I can relate that an ‘old salt’ stopped me down the creek to ask how things were … he said that last autumn, he thought, ‘You were a gonna…’
I told him what the oncologist had said … ‘I’ll not beat about the bush, another year, two at the most, and …’ It hurts to write it, so I’ll leave it there.
But I know now that I’ve probably escaped.
In July’s edition of Yachting Monthly is a piece written by Dick Durham, a monthly columnist – read it!
Copied from July 2019 edition of Yachting Monthly.