Back in the water!

After nearly 18 months of the boat on the hard stand, today it went back in the water.  The kind of feeling you want to keep in your handbag, ready for emergencies.  Two years ago flooded back into my consciousness - a summer sprinkled with happy boating memories (see photos).  The two years since seeming drowned in challenges, yet we're afloat again and looking forward to coasting through another beautiful summer.  Thank you, Alan, for your hard work.

The forklifts work the port like ants, seeming to scurry to and from the Mount.  Viewing the Mount across the harbour while being rocked gently in the arms of the sea, I realise how much I have missed this perspective.  I drink in the moment.  My shoulders must have dropped at least an inch.  The mood seems to be spontaneously caught by the girls.  They settle down on the deck and proceed to pause pensively, looking out over the water, pencil poised over paper ready to catch their musings.

Boat berthed, we are graced with a performance of their creativity - Natalia has written a poem and Jasmine dances a jig whilst singing "Mr. Sea, Mr. Sea, Mr. Sea".

Such moments deserve recording.  Jasmine wrote her poem when we got back home.

 

Sailing on Mister Sea Poem

 

It is nice to see the sea

waving in farewell

as I sail across

Mr. Sea.

Boat goes bumping,

wind goes howling,

darkness falls.

A morning of fun awaits me.

It's morning!

I jump out of my PJs,

it's time to go fishing.

Next minute

a beauty king fish strangles

from my line.

Next minute

we're in the harbour

it's time to get out.

I wave farewell to the sea.

The sea waves back.

Next minute

I'm scampering on hot sand

in the hot morning heat.

 

NATALIA McQUARTERS, 8 yrs old.

 

 

 

Mr. Sea

I am on the sea... hooray!

The underwater world

whizzing by.

The fish jumping.

The water splashing.

The next morning

I jump out of bed.

I go to the side

of the boat and jump

out of my PJs.

We're at London!

JASMINE McQUARTERS, 6 yrs old.

 

 

SOME OF OUR MEMORIES FROM THAT SUMMER...