Getting to know her . . .

I took the boys down to Diona just to let them see her.  Of course she needs cleaning and lots of routine maintenance, but I wanted them to just have some time on her doing nothing.  After all, as Otter says, "There is nothing - absolutely nothing -  half so worth doing - as simply messing around in boats."

We drank cold sodas, nibbled Peanut M&Ms, played card games on the sliding table in the cabin, until gradually we drifted each to somewhere else.  My older son fell asleep on the double bunk in the warm sun shining through the windows, my younger son curled up with his kindle in the corner of the settee, and I sat in the helm seat, with my feet propped up, reading the only book left on the boat by Fred, Berserk in the Antarctic: Sailing to the World's Most Untameable Continent.

The Eurostar and the Midlands trains passed us by.  The bangs and drills of the construction sites quietened as the light dimmed.  After a time we grew hungry and ready for home.  We washed Diona's windows and took the mildewed canvas away for cleaning to pretend that we had come there for something practical.  I knew, and the boys knew, that we had come there to make her acquaintance and establish ourselves as her carers.  And you care for a boat if you are comfortable on her.

We arranged with Fred to teach us to drive Diona in a couple days.  As she is so different to my other boats, has been customised by Fred, and hasn't been out much for a couple years, I want Fred to train us up.

Next time we will go back with lots of cleaning supplies, mops, rags, buckets and will power.  Today we were just happy to sprawl on Diona and take comfort in being on the water again.