Busiest day of the year!

What a day! It is five minutes to five and the first time that I have sat in front of the computer all day! It has officially been the busiest day of the year today and it will certainly take some beating...

This morning started at 8am with a tug being launched down the slipway. That disappeared off under the bridge and up to Goldstone was to collect a boat that British Waterways had impounded. Meanwhile we opened up and set about our tasks for the day.

Bernard set to to make a new flue pipe for a private boat and Steve began to give Victory's woodwork a second coat of varnish. Lee has been finishing off on the boat he has in the dock.

Fred and I undocked the boat that we had on for blacking and docked a private boat to change the propeller. We changed the propeller and flooded the boat of soon after 11am. We then docked another private boat that was due in for a survey, which one of our regular surveyors completed.

By this time the crane had arrived, the waggon and the boat that was towed back. Whilst we lifted the boat out and onto the waggon, Fred disappered to go and get some concrete to fill in the hole that he made yesterday at the side of the cottage. No sooner had we completed the first craning, the second boat to be lifted and stored on hard standing had arrived by road from Reading. So we saw the first boat away and got the second waggon into the yard and the boat lifted off.

Sometime during all of these goings on Fred disappeared down to the dock to get the boat pressure washed off after the surveyor had finished.

Ange and Lorraine have done a sterling job in the shop and tea room today. Not only have they been doing their day to day tasks they have been very busy with cyclists, walkers and onlookers watching us crane.

I've got to say a big thank you to all of the staff that have been in today. They have all worked hard and we are going to stop now, and enjoy a cold (and maybe alcoholic) drink outside on the wharf.

Until tomorrow...

Regards,

David