Olives for The Captain

Swans with young cygnets

Sadly we have not cruised for several days as The Captain has broken the fuel pipe connector. He reached down to mop up the engine room floor at the end of our last cruise and rested his knee on the fuel pipe. It moved. At once he turned into Victor Meldrew, saying, “I don’t believe it!” 

Please feed us

We abandoned the boat with the fuel line safe to head off home and didn’t return to the boat for a couple of weeks as the weather was very wet. On our return he had to drive to the nearest boat yard where they made a new one for him. He tried to install it. After much grunting he decided one of the olives he had been supplied with didn’t fit and had to return to the boat yard to replace it. Until now I thought olives grew on trees and were green, black or red, which led me to be rather confused - but The Captain explained that an olive is a soft ring that fits over a tube to make a leak-proof joint.

I want some too

Finally the job was done. The Captain started the engine and the lurcher strolled onto the back deck and lay down ready to cruise. However the boat only moved as far as the service pontoon to fill with diesel. The lurcher stood up and barked as if to say ‘not another delay!’

At last we cruised for a while to check everything was working before stopping for the night. We had a lovely evening in a peaceful spot watching a swan with six cygnets.

We want more please!

When they came over I fed them with wild bird seed. at first the male swan watched perplexed while the youngsters tucked in then realised it was food. Greedily he took it straight from my hand before I could throw it into the water.The Captain relaxed with a beer after his “pig of a day.”

Unfortunately when we retired to bed The Captain muttered “I don’t believe it – the bed is wet!” on closer inspection the window above the bed had leaked and his side of the mattress was soggy.



Relaxing after dinner

We made up the dinette bed – thankfully this is a four berth boat – and settled down again with the damp patch of duvet hanging over the side.

In the morning I realised we have moored opposite the swan’s nest as all the cygnets were huddled up under their mother. Obviously they return to the nest for the night when the cygnets are small.

By eight o’ clock they had swum away. Within half an hour the squatters had moved in. About nine adolescent ducks waddled over and settled on the down filled nest. I think ducks don’t build nests but they seemed delighted to relax in this luxurious place.

Their idyll was soon disturbed when the male swan Cob returned. He raised himself up tall and before he could hiss they scarpered. Prior to taking possession of his newly abandoned nest he bathed leisurely. Still damp he stood in the centre of the nest and preened his feathers, adding to the already deep swan duvet ready for the family to snuggle up in tonight.