Final Voyage

Lorna wanted her ashes scattered on the Deben.
So Aidan and I sent her on her final trip out to sea from the mouth of the Deben at Felixstowe Ferry (a lovely little yachting and fishing haven). We put some of her rock and fossil collection with her. We like to think they will confound some future geologist wondering how fossils from Redcar, for example, got in to the Deben.

We then had a 'ferry breakfast' for lunch in the café - one of Lorna's favourite places to go for a snack - she often popped in after a walk along the sea front or a wander around the boat yard.

We like the thought of her mingling on the sea with all the other sailors who have made the same final voyage. In our imagining, this includes Eric the Viking, the Viking lord buried at Sutton Hoo. We imagine her meeting him and telling him he is a useless man, before re-rigging his long ship properly to have all the controls leading back to the cockpit for easy single handed sailing. She then sails off in her big wooden sailing boat, which has a very comfortable cabin, lovely expensive blocks, tackle and rope and is of course rigged for single handed sailing. It never needs sanding or painting and varnishing (except when she feels like doing it), the anchor always holds, the wind is always in the right direction and there is company when she wants, but none when she doesn't.

Next time you look out to sea, give her a wave and a smile, she might be sailing by.