Soteria is on the left, the other boat is Silvery Light. My responsibilities largely involve pumping these elderly ladies bilges and maintaining their batteries. Due to the local councils recent dictates around electrical supplies this involves a degree of swopping supply cables.
This morning proved to be exceptionally cold, with a freezing mist hanging around most of the day and ice forming in the canal. I fell into conversation ( if you stay still in Ireland for longer than two minutes this is an inevitable consequence) with Gerry, Shining Lights owner. He was explaining his plans to restore the boat by means of a lottery grant. I wish him well, these lovely ladies need to be seen and more importantly used.
Soterias future is far from clear, I would love to see her once again cruising the Canary Islands under full sail. I suspect Vicky is using her time away to think about possible futures.
I must admit when I am in Soterias cosy saloon, I wish the wood could speak, I bet it has some great stories to tell!
She is similar to a boat I know well and have sailed aboard for a time, the ' Spirit of Fairbridge' also a boat which is used to mould and influence young people in a positive direction. In Soterias case this is very much a Christian ethic.
However for a few weeks at least I bestride the decks and imagine myself shipping copra from the outer islands or even dodging pirates in the Sumatra straits.....
Now if I only knew someone with a parrot who needed looking after...............
Here are a few photos that remind me of happy times aboard ' Spirit of Fairbridge'
Spirit at Portavadie in the Clyde.
A peaceful evening at anchor in Loch Fyne. The bosun on anchor watch.
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