Arwen's meanderings

Hi everyone and welcome to my dinghy cruising blog about my John Welsford designed 'navigator' named Arwen. Built over three years, Arwen was launched in August 2007. She is a standing lug yawl 14' 6" in length. This blog records our dinghy cruising voyages together around the coastal waters of SW England.
Arwen has an associated YouTube channel so visit www.YouTube.com/c/plymouthwelshboy to find our most recent cruises and click subscribe.
On this blog you will find posts about dinghy cruising locations, accounts of our voyages, maintenance tips and 'How to's' ranging from rigging standing lug sails and building galley boxes to using 'anchor buddies' and creating 'pilotage notes'. I hope you find something that inspires you to get out on the water in your boat. Drop us a comment and happy sailing.
Steve and Arwen

Thursday 26 March 2020

Unsettling - coronavirus Britain

I'm hoping that we will get a lift of the lock down restrictions sometime towards the end of May. The PM suggested they would go for a sort of apply and lift and apply and lift model so as to flatten the peak and give the NHS a chance to treat everyone properly.

So, I cleaned the interior of Arwen - lots of black mould from over the winter and then repacked her ready for a quick escape should the opportunity arise.  She needs a clean on the exterior as well but I saved that for another day!


I struggled to remember where things went. And when I rigged the mast - I left off the main halyard - dur!

Before spending the morning on Arwen, the Boss and I had called in at our local Lidl store. We got there for when the doors opened at 8am. It was a surreal experience. People queued outside but kept 2 - 3m away from each other. No one spoke - total silence amongst the thirty odd people waiting. The store staff wore simple plastic visors to protect themselves. No one loitered around the middle aisles to see what clothing and tool bargains there were to be had. Purposefully, in silence, everyone shot around the store and got out as fast as they could. It felt eerie. Dangerous. Like you really didn't want to be there. No smiles, no eye contact. Social distancing in reality!

6 comments:

Alden Smith said...

I can empathise with your situation - here in New Zealand we've begun the second day of our four week lockdown (which may be extended). Luckily I have a boat project on the go to keep me sane for a while. With a daughter, son in law and two grandchildren in Cambridge I follow the UKs experience with interest and concern - be safe, take care.

steve said...

hey Alden - how are you doing? Funny old world isn't it. Strange and concerning times indeed. living down in the south west I haven't heard much about Cambridge in the news so far.
Like you, I am trying to track the news in New Zealand. My brother lives just outside of Nelson with his family - and we contact each other most days briefly via whatsapp.

You stay safe, keep going with the boat project - what you working on?
Steve

Alden Smith said...

Hi Steve - I am completing a renovation on my 60 year old Zephyr - you can take a look at progress here https://yachtee.blogspot.com/

Rob said...

Hi Steve, I can empathise with you forgetting where things go particularly when re-commissioning after a winter lay up. I have mild dementia so I try and make drawings and diagrams before I dis-assemble rigging etc despite being the worst artist in the world I find diagrams work better than photos. You can always label bits of string and various parts too. I am self isolating presently and thoroughly enjoyed reading you article in the DCA journal 244: "Cruising the Rivers Lynherand Tamar-part one" Roll on part two etc. I followed your route on a large scale road map with Google maps providing detail. Reliance on the outboard...I get it๐Ÿ˜„. Regards Rob DCA3626

Rob said...

Hi Steve, I can empathise with you forgetting where things go particularly when re-commissioning after a winter lay up. I have mild dementia so I try and make drawings and diagrams before I dis-assemble rigging etc despite being the worst artist in the world I find diagrams work better than photos. You can always label bits of string and various parts too. I am self isolating presently and thoroughly enjoyed reading you article in the DCA journal 244: "Cruising the Rivers Lynherand Tamar-part one" Roll on part two etc. I followed your route on a large scale road map with Google maps providing detail. Reliance on the outboard...I get it๐Ÿ˜„. Regards Rob DCA3626

steve said...

Hey Rob - how you doing? I'm a visual/ kinaesthetic learner, if you believe in such things, so photos or diagrams work just fine for me. Glad you enjoyed the article - I'm waiting for the letters page in the next bulletin forthcoming - I think some readers will have found it way too long. I'll never quite get over my paranoia and so the outboard will always be with me :) Take care now - stay in touch