It is late in May and while Antiope was still on dry land we take a couple of weeks away to England. It was a mix of social visits and attending the funeral of an old sailing crew mate. That occasion was a celebration of a life well lived and a reminder to all of us not to waste our own.
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Gloucester docks, a stormy day and a tall ships festival
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We included a visit to good friends in the midlands and had an invitation to the Tall Ships festival in Gloucester docks, many miles from the open sea and a place we had visited in our narrowboat days.
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| Vilma, the topsail schooner restored by Scott Metcalfe |
Scott Metcalfe made us welcome aboard Vilma, his topsail schooner having sailed her down from North Wales for the festival.
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| The sail training ship Royalist alongside the converted dock warehouses. |
The largest tall ship was the Royalist which only just to made the trip along the now shallow canal from the Severn river.
Back in France once more we find John and Rosemary have arrived at Simon Evans yard for their 7 year out of water survey and a bit of maintenance, and another excuse for a bit of socialising. We really should get going so after a good hull polish we are finally ready to launch Antiope.
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| John and Rosemary Stoppard high and dry aboard Petronella |
Simon can we go boating please? we ask politely
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| After we fix the crane!! |
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Always a nervous moment, will she lift?
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We take a short trial run up the river to the sound of a 'singing' propeller, it was one that had been repaired over the winter and rather too well balanced, the high pitched tune was just a bit too annoying to tolerate at cruising revs, so it was back into the slings for adjustment and let Simon gets to work with his grinder.
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| The offending prop |
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| Precision work |
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| Job done, and singing cured. Thanks Simon |
As I write we are on our way to Auxerre, amid sunshine and showers. We need the rain, the reservoirs are low across France.
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