Planning My First Trip

Back from holiday and the Boat For My Potplants is calling me to take it out. They say the thing in front of what you really want in life is fear, and I guess this adage applies in my case.

I am fearful of doing something I've never done before - taking out my boat with its new motor onto the River Colne - but I really want to do it. To all you experienced boating people out there it might come as second nature - but to me it's all new and scary.

I'm only planning on going out of the mooring and then up-river for about a quarter of a mile, then back past the mooring to the barrier and back again to its mooring outside the Rose And Crown, where (if successfully completed) I may even treat myself to a celebratory shandy.

My pal (and able seaman) Martyn has agreed to accompany me and to give me some tips, which I welcome.

And that's given me an idea - I should acknowledge some of the key characters from Wivenhoe Quay. Why not call it Quay Characters? A sort of play on words, n'est ce pas?

Let's start off with my chum and nautical neighbour John, who just adores my plants and must surely be ever so slightly envious that he doesn't have any flowers adorning his magnificent vessel. 

John - you only have to ask, and my pansies are your pansies.