INITIO

The boat.

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New barge please

Anna Maria

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This is the last time.

I actually really finally sold INITIO yesterday and these are the final pictures of her in Gravesend under my ownership.

There were tears, but there's something on the horizon...

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From the front.

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Super-feint layout wishlist.

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Ga 310 N. Hull number.

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I guess this might end up as the official before photo of the hold, then.

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All of this, coming out.

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Looking worse for wear, but out first view of her in Gravesend.

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Racundra's First Cruise, Arthur Ransome, 1923

"Houses are but badly built boats so firmly aground that you cannot think of moving them. They are definitely inferior things, belonging to the vegetable not the animal world, rooted and stationary, incapable of gay transition. I admit, doubtfully, as exceptions, snail-shells and caravans. The desire to build a house is the tired wish of a man content thenceforward with a single anchorage. The desire to build a boat is the desire of youth, unwilling yet to accept the idea of a final resting place.

It is for that reason, perhaps, that when it comes, the desire to build a boat is one that cannot be resisted. It begins as a little cloud on a serene horizon. It ends by covering the whole sky, so that you can think of nothing else. You must build to regain your freedom. And always you comfort yourself with the thought that yours will be the perfect boat, the boat that you may search the harbours of the world for and cannot find."

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Back on The Thames

On Sunday I finally left the dry dock.

On Monday I spent the night at Rochester Pier.

On Tuesday morning I was towed to The Embankment Marina.

On Saturday I see her.

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You down with ICC? (Yeah you know me!)

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Mayday, Mayday.

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Saw moorings by this castle over the weekend. So nice, but not entirely doable right now, I don't think.

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She has a custom-made stamp.

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She has her own pencils. It's serious.

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Passed my VHF SRC today, had a great time. Makes me wish I was doing DaySkipper in a class and not remotely. Anyway. Yay. Enthusiasm for boats is back.

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I passed, but barely. I need SO much practice, I need to get out of the dry dock pronto and get on it!