One of the joys of sailing is the chance of meeting living history out on the water.

Last Friday I had the absolute pleasure of meeting the little Cygnet, a farm barge originally built in 1881 by Curel of Strood. She’s a 16 nrt vessel of around 41 feet. I love her… Des, her skipper, was on a ‘jolly’ prior to sailing into Leigh to attend the AGM of the Society for Sailing Barge Research which was held on Saturday at the Leigh-on-Sea Sailing Club.

Meeting the girl…

Looking back at the Cygnet as she passes General Booths Wharf, Benfleet Creek.

However, these joys come at a price: at some point in our year the boat has to go onto the hard for a srub, scrape and antifoul… My mate loves it … it is written into our marriage constitution, amongst other things!

So, here she is, good mate that she is, getting down to it…

Ah yes, on Sunday afternoon, it ws a good time to do some scraping… Then that side was painted, of course.

On Monday morning, around 0530 we arrived back down our creek to heel the boat over the other side and start again – the mate right in it!

And soon the job was nearly done … last bit, the boot top … always my task, but that’s for Tuesday; the mate gets a rest, bless her…  People tell meI’m a lucky man: how many boating wives do this?

All boaters know this story, or one similar – we all love it, don’t we!