Fighting the good fight.

The season has turned since last I wrote. We have seen a winter of storms and floods that tried to cut us off from the mainland for three months, and a spring of beautiful red sunsets, calm and peaceful. The boat is still being built, bit by bit, but progress is slower now we are in. Our attention has been grabbed by other things. There is always something just a little bit more important than fixing a bath panel or varnishing a cover strip to keep us occupied.

Last month we said a fond farewell to The Green Man who has now moved onto waters new under the care of a lovely lady and her two cats and dog. It was an emotional experience watching that boat leave. Part of our souls will always be caught within its steel frame, but there is happiness in knowing the new owner will care and love her as much, or even more, than we did or were able to.

And my days lately seemed to have been spent causing upset amongst my neighbours by preventing them from illegally moving a coot's nest with eggs in it from the back of their boat so they could go out boating. I understand their upset; they came to visit their boat and take it out on an adventure only to have the mad woman from the fat boat ruin their day. It saddens me though, this lack of respect shown to the waterways and its wildlife  - the very environment we, as boaters, wish to see when out on the river - what would be left of it if we all treated it so carelessly?

 

I will not back down on an issue such as this. It is something I care passionately about and am pleased to record that four hatchling coots were the result of our endeavours to protect this nest.