On her holidays

We got back to Robinetta about 4am after the Hospital had done what they could for Alison, tried to find her a bed, failed, send us to the Premier Inn which was full, failed, with brilliant help from the Premier Inn staff to find anywhere in Hastings and got a taxi back to Rye.

Rik and the Harbour Master and I had put the lines on OK but in the wrong place so she sat on the mud with the nearest ladder about a foot in front of the bow. I managed to scramble aboard but there was no way Alison could manage it. She went and looked in the boat owners' shower block and it was warm and clean with a nice bench to lie on so I handed her up a pillow and sleeping bag and she went off to sleep. I slept on board.

I got up around 6:30 and went to see her. Given the pain she had been suffering at the hospital she was quite comfortable. I went off in search of a cafe and found one that opened at 7am. We went off and had a light breakfast. Alison was not supposed to eat after 8am in case she needed an anaesthetic and we just made it. We had a nice little walk round Rye and then went back to the boat. I phoned around and found us a taxi to get to East Grinstead where the plastic surgeons could look at her hand. Leaving at 10:30 would get us there in time for the appointment and let us tidy the boat a little.

As we waited for the tide in the sunshine Alison noticed the VHF antenna was missing and the cable dangling on the mast. That explained why I'd had to use the phone to talk to the Harbour Master yesterday. I wonder when that happened? A family came past and the mother said - "Look at that - Thats's a proper boat!" When she realised it was ours she asked about her - I hope she manages to get her kids as enthusiastic about sailing as she wants to! It's a real privilege having an interesting boat.

At 9am the tide started coming in and by 9:30 Robinetta was afloat. I pulled her forwards and moved the lines one post upstream, bringing the ladder to the cabin roof. Now Alison could get on easily and safely, one-handed. We tidied up the boat and made her secure, changed into clean clothes and packed a few things in case we would not be coming back. I left a voice mail for the Harbour Master and said farewell to Cine Mara, on her way to Dunkirk, and we were ready to go.

The consultant at the hospital advised against sleeping on the boat as it would increase the risk of infection so we went home.

Kees brought Snoopy in during the afternoon, so Robinetta is not without gaff company, on her holidays without us.

Snoopy is even smaller than Robinetta and Kees has single-handed her round Britain as the only anti-clockwise boat in the RBC. He has less than 300nm to go.