Water Rat

Pleasant hour out on board Glenshane last week pumping her out, checking on things and generally taking it easy.  Might have gone for a short sail in the harbour if I had had the time.  But the boatmen clock off early these autumn evenings….

Like water rat there is nothing as nice as messing about on boats. Or something like that. ( there is NOTHING--absolute nothing--half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.)  OK. I googled it.

I pumped her out then thought I would try and find where the water might be creeping in.  This involves clearing out all the clutter and sponging all the water out of the bilge when the pump has done its best.  It’s still difficult, nay impossible to find the gentle slither of water into the hull.  Up at the bow, where the most pounding happens is the obvious place to search.  Here and there the bilge paint seems to be lifting, another good sign.  But its hard to tell for sure.

Then I espied a white breasted cormorant drying  its wings.  Not sure if there is such a thing as a white breasted cormorant.  Had a go at getting a photo.  Its perched on the hi tek ferry terminal.

An old codger passed by in a day sailer, I cleaned up a rope end with my needle and thread and tied off the jib halyard with a gilguy.  A Sigma 38 passed by and I started dreaming.  By then it was time to go as the launch arrived.