Before and after

 Note the lifeboat house at Wells Next The Sea - taken last year - 2009 - at the end of May

 This one is from the Wells web site and shows the development of a pontoon area for windfarm service vessels where I anchored last year.
http://www.wellsharbour.co.uk/index.htm


18-28 hrs: There are other changes at Wells - pictures on their web site - all seem good - I hope the people who live there think so too. I enjoyed Wells last year and would ever-so like to get back there. Going from the Deben to Wells for me is like other people crossing an ocean - but you never know - - - I could do it in lots of wind and the right tide. Probably.

17-20 hrs: Just to show you a beautiful boat (Sheila) - without the mizzen mast and bow sprit. She was lifted out last week for repairs to the deck and is now ensconced in a boat shed at Everson's . Built 1905 in the Isle of Man - she has a varied history - appears in Yachting Monthly before the first world war, but still has many original features . Note the canoe stern and that she does not have an engine - - be impressed.

older boats

10-40 hrs: Small wooden cruisers off Everson's boatyard in Woodbridge.

I used to think that 'old gaffers' or 'classic boats'  were very impractical, needing a lot of work to keep them sailing. This is probably still true - - but - - - I am gradually coming to see their beauty and to understand why people own them. I even like the mud.

I have spent a lot of time looking at their shapes and watching them sail - and am now a fan. But it is OK - I am not going to get one as a 'project' and exhaust myself even further - tempting tho' it may seem on a sunny day.

Progress with getting Jaguar ready to go

10-00 hrs: The boat is still out of the water and this is the view from the cockpit. It needs a new rubbing strake and some other minor work. You may be surprised to know that I am being remarkably patient about it. I visit it most days and potter on doing minor things - and putting off the evil hour of doing the anti-fouling. And I have done a lot of wandering around in the sun and grossing out in the cockpit in the sun.


It is quite hard to put words to how I feel - one way to put it is that I feel pretty well - considering. But I am not as full of energy as I make it sound through recording my boating activities. I do find that I need to pace myself so as not to get too exhausted to enjoy myself. I suspect this is why I am being patient about the boat progress - rather than a change of character. The resistance training in the gym is excellent and I try to go three times a week - but I am tired afterwards and do not then dash around as much as it may sound. I think I get a tiny bit fitter each week and dodder around a bit less but also I have slowed down a lot and only notice this when I try to keep up with other people - or keep up with my domestic life and correspondence.


Enjoy the sunshine

LA Girl leaves Tidemill - - - cry me a river - - -

19-45 hrs: Southerly 95 - LA Girl - under new (and enthusiastic) ownership sails down the Deben this afternoon, heading north to the Firth of Forth, the canal westwards and thus to Anglesea. I waved goodbye and wish her good winds and happy sailing. Thanks to Howard Ford for his good offices in selling the boat. - http://www.yachtworld.com/howardfordmarinesales/

Yea - I cried - obviously. But I am cheered by having a new boat and the sun shone all day.

I never expected to sail a laser again - but - - - -

18-25 hrs: - - - here it is - new Radial sail and decent wind - a bit gusty so some nice reaches on the plane - I even missed the moored boats and the yachts under power. I was out for about an hour and managed fine on the water. The hard part was getting the boat back ashore (on a narrow slipway), putting the gear away and getting my boots on and off. I was very careful not to rush it, so got only mildly out of breath. I even found it easier than usual to lift the mast into the hole - the result of strength training I suppose. I am now aware of some muscles that have not been used since I last sailed a laser - September 2008.

another quiet week - apart from TV news

18-10- hrs: A whole week since I wrote an entry - not that I did anything of moment last week - new reading glasses - boat sale progressing slowly - interesting geology session at U3A geology group about volcanoes - the usual stuff. But I did stare at the tele for three days and pondered the hung parliament and the likely outcome of con-dem coalition. Also read a few newspapers. I don't know if this was genuine fascination with the process or a reaction to very cold weather (for the time of year) from which I lurked indoors.

The chemo capsules appear to be doing their job - and the side effects, whilst noticable (especially tiredness and slightly upset digestion), are relatively mild and OK if I am careful not to overeat or overdo the activities.

on the river Deben

20-30 hrs: yesterday - one of the coldest days I have ever spent on safety cover (even on the open sea off the Tyne) and two people were cold enough to be wrapped in blankets. I had lots of spare pullovers and an off-shore jacket - and wore the whole lot.

The picture is of Ramsholt beach from the club's very nice river boat - with the trainees and various dinghies - about half way down-river to the mouth. I found some fossils along the cliff, but mostly lurked out of the wind and rain. At least it stopped me watching the excitement of the news on the tv. But today I gave in - and after going to the gym, I stayed in, switched on the tele and watched the hung parliament programmes on the 24 hour news channels - sadly fascinating. (I did some sewing and other domestic stuff whilst the tele was on - - .)

Lorna's plants

16-40 hrs: This is a patch of beach at Prior's Haven, Tynemouth. I used to keep my boat there and planted my household bulbs each year after they flowered. Many are still flowering outside the boat house years later - this is a small patch bravely coming through the sand. Nice to think the beach does not forget. Thanks to Jacks for the picture and to her boat for protecting them.

A review with the consultant this morning - the chemo-therapy seems to be halting the development of the cancer and the xrays are unchanged since last time. Encouraging.

a quiet week

11-20: Life has gone on here with the usual domestic round, combined with watching rather too much election stuff on the tele.

I have been to the gym and am now doing more work with dumbells - which is improving muscles and breathing. I have done a few minor things on the Jaguar and am now waiting for some work to be done on the rubbing strakes before it will be launched. The Southerly is awaiting a survey, so no activity there. And lunch with my children in London on Tuesday. All strangely tiring.