I have had a bad week of stresses and dead ends, I have got very distressed, especially with the States of Jersey bollocks, so I am trying to get back to feeling better by doing some more happy memories.
Tall ships:
It was one boat show day, I wandered onto a tall ship that was parked at the boat show.
They were incredibly welcoming to me on the ship, they showed me round and they were so nice.
I didn't tell them what my learning difficulties were, but they obviously knew I had problems.
They invited me to do a Day Sail with them next time one of the ships was in Jersey, with a view to me joining them for a voyage at some point, and they would let me have a day sail for free and see about funding me for a longer voyage.
The daysail went ahead, although sadly for us, the sea and wind were almost totally calm, so the planned voyage round the Island or towards Guernsey didn't go ahead as we couldn't get very far and had to be under motor.
We trekked up and down St Ouens bay and St. Aubins instead.
We enjoyed looking round the ship and watching maintenance on the rigging. The only problem was that the skipper was so sexist and chauvenistic that he spoiled it a bit, claiming that us women would not be able to do the sheets, which simply wasn't the case.
But my best memories were helming the ship, learning to help with great care because there was a delay between turning the helm and the boat changing course, and also having freshly baked chocolate muffins, which had been baked onboard. Yummy.
I had a lovely day, and was delighted when they said they would look into funding me for a full voyage, although it all got forgotten in the busyness of life.
So the next boat show, I ended up wandering aboard the ship again, and this time they talked again of funding me, and eventually they told me I was awarded full funding for a voyage, and I should look at the brochure and take my pick of a voyage that still had spaces.
Sadly as the Church continued to destroy me, I was left homeless before I could take any voyage.
I love those tall ships, and they have a grace and magic that steam ships just don't have. Jersey, of course, was a major centre for ship building in the days of wood, but when metal ships came along, the industry could not adapt, and finished, which is very sad. There is a garden as a memorial to the boat builders around Havre des Pas, and some names recall the glory days of sail - Rope Walk, near the Cheshire Home in St Helier.
ReplyDeleteI think I remember that garden. Being on a tall ship was like being part of history, it was lovely. Lovely to be out at sea on such a big vessel, more space for me and wonderful views. We got to climb the mast, I forgot to say that, I was so scared.
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