Dire Straits, Brothers in Arms, in my headphones right now as I sit at my desk working. I'd forgotten how much I loved this album. Haven't listened to it for years.
Delivered Calstar from Portishead to Bristol City Docks yesterday, just under eight miles, all on engine. Fascinating, leaving Portishead so early on the tide, with little over a meter above the lock sill and high mud banks all but blocking sight of the estuary beyond.
Expecting the river to be picturesque, I took my Pentax SLR, and took lots of pictures; leaving Portishead, entering the mouth of the Avon, passing under Avonmouth Bridge, Portishead Cruising Club's clubhouse and the pill.
Then realised I'd not put a memory card in the camera. Idiot.
They were some truly great photos, capturing the timeless, arboreal character of the river and the folks using it. Some of my best ever, I'm quite sure.
Well, probably not. Point is, we'll never know. Because I'm a fool and didn't properly check my camera before taking it out. Just as well I pay more attention to the boat and charts, or we'd never have made it to Bristol in one piece.
She'll stay there now, berthed at Underfall Yard for the week we're away in Cornwall. And when we get back, she'll have had a week of pampering; new, completely replaced standing rigging and and a shiny new Furlex head-sail furler. The old Colnbrook was working fine now I worked out I can manage the halyard wrap by managing the halyard tension. But Dad's adamant it gets replaced. He hates the idea of it jamming again and me having to go out on the foredeck to sort it whilst we're out at sea.
I don't see the problem, one hand for the boat, one hand for the job, and clip on if its especially bouncy. But Dad points out that most "man overboard" cases are, according to the RNLI, blokes of about my age, suffering from an inevitable affliction of over-confidence and over-inflated self-belief.
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