Late night last night so too shattered to write blog. Finished repairs in engine room and worked on starboard side painting, when down came our mate Ian Johnston with a small job that I could help with. Cleaning then towing two pontoons from Kettering to Constitution Dock in preparation for the Wooden Boat Festival. It was raining when we were finally ready to leave Kettering at 1500 for a 3hr cruise? (Remember the refrain from Gilligan’s Island? .…a three hour cruise….). Well soon into the voyage as we were pumping out 2.5 knots on Ian’s beautiful old classic cray boat, trailing 15 metres of pontoons, 2100 looked closer to the mark and this was so. Had a look at some very nice houses on the Derwent as we crept past them.

Finally we got to Elizabeth Street pier in dark and rain (which is badly needed down here) so all ended well, to be met by Caro and Cathy Hawkins with food and to help us tie up.

We have volunteered as helpers before the Wooden Boat Show , which is bigger than Ben Hur down here. Cathy and Ian helped start it back just after Cook landed (well, 20 years ago) and now they are expecting 250,000 people to visit over the three days. Looks a great cast of boats so hopefully the weather will play the game.

Ian and Cathy have recently bought an old cray boat that has been converted to a cruiser, very nice and a lovely old Gardiner that just purrs away, does about 6 revs an hour at 6 knots. They are planning on coming around to Port Davey in convoy with us so it should be fun.

Today looking around Kettering, errands and boring domestic stuff. Tomorrow off to Salamanca markets and the Country Fair at Middleton near here.