The missing March posts plus Rachel tries to sink the boat from the inside !

Some picture catching up to do.

Living on the boat from mid January onwards stops being a trial (with some winter beauty but too much winter mud) and starts being a pleasure.

The sun's angle woke up the solar panel and I started to come home to full or nearly full batteries, now that is a pleasure on its own. I do not need to run the engine for hot water only to keep the batteries toped up so I can sit on my mooring now for days without the need to run my engine.

The mornings were bright and the evenings longer  - not too much warmth but the warmth from my soul was all I needed.

Storm Doris came and went, scarily the day before we completed the sale of our house. I was praying the place would look after itself one more time, which is did. Not so lucky was the caravan park owner who is seemingly taking all the Fradley assets, the boat yard, the moorings between Junction and Middle locks as well as the shop and gallery. His new gates for the back route into his park  (and we suspect for  future touring pitches)  got hit by a falling tree

I started to get some sunsets... as the year progresses to hi summer the sun sets further across from my mooring

 The sun rises were equally as impressive and welcome.

Just a skin wound (from watering up !) but living alone does carry its risks, so everything is done with a little more care

The nice thing about late winter is getting home to the boat and still having the light for a walk. 

 Plus a pint after the walk of course 

I actually got my motorcycle sorted, well the little 650 (electrical problem) so one Sunday I rode out in the South Downs with my good Friend Mark and found my next(ish) bike  - a 1200 Triumph Bobber  - beautiful 

Below is a little video Mark took of the 650 hustling along the slippy South Downs roads 

We needed a good walk and the coast is a good place to do it so we did a favourite Bosham walk  - quite deserted we had the coast line much to ourselves.

Back at the boat and it was just nice enough to site out for a glass of wine before last light

Rachel decided she wanted to sprint clean the boat, so while I went for gas and did the cassette run as well as split some oak logs for the outside burner she left the tap on and put some much not needed water in the bilge.

Now on the survey I was advised to cut an inspection  hatch in the bathroom to check the bilge which I had not done so I told rachel she had done me a favour of sorts !!

 My bilge water absorption tool - a sponge on the end of a fishing rod, it worked !

 I was pleased to see how well Tony had built the boat and protected the steel with felt so no water if it gets in there can wick up the timber bearers plus rust the base plate. Nice touch but symptomatic of the detail in the boat build - the engineers eye and building it for himself !

.... and just to prove it can be crap living on the boat sometimes, rain = mud