We called into Kettering on the way from town to refuel and drop Solquest's dinghy off.
Toby arrived in the van to pick up the crew to film at Mathew's farm and some other scenes.
Ben and I were left at masterpiece to our own devices.
Ben got his computer out and finished entering the blog emails into an address kindly set up for me by Helen from Nahani in a berth a couple along from us at the Club.She had started us off by posting quite a few of the earlier ones but we were on the West Coast when she got it going and decided to leave it until we were back in civilization.
I had tried to convert them on my IPad but found it too difficult for my limited computer skills,the text is ok but the photos were just too hard.
Ben persevered for a couple of hours and found the going a bit tough also,needing to fiddle with photos sending some to himself as Helen had found also.They are in my pad ok but ,any way it is done now.
The address is www.masterpiecevoyages.
I hope some late comers can fill themselves in on the earlier posts.You are quite welcome to forward the address on to people who might get some enjoyment out of reading it.
I can not believe I wrote so much about our trip!
We had noticed an old fishing boat tied up at the Cygnet jetty when we were here earlier on and noticed Jimmy Payne and his mate were here also.
First thing this morning there was a flurry of activity and the boat was untied with Jimmy along side ,they took her down to Gardeners Bay and put it on a mooring .Looked like a fair bit of work required before she will be seaworthy again.
We considered going along side while he was away but were busy with the blog.
We finished up and had some morning tea .I suggested we go up to Cygnet for a walk to check out the town as we had heard things were happening there and had not visited for a while .
We motored up to the sailing club in the dinghy and tied up at their jetty.
I cannot remember walking up the trail beside the river before,a most pleasant stroll.We wandered through town checking out the shops and poking about.Elected to call at the Bakery for a pie and milkshake for lunch,chocolate of course for me.
After a pleasant sit at one of the outside tables watching the world go by we wandered back towards the boat,having a sticky beak into the numerous sheds along the way.
There was a few half restored boats and dinghys,quite a bit of "work in progress ".
We saw a half opened door on one shed on the the river side and I poked my head in to have a look,I got sprung when a fellow called out G'day ,he was with a mate who was just leaving.Your Alan Perkins aren't you he said,I said yes.John Clennett has told me about you and your boat.
Oh I said nothing too bad I hope.
We were fascinated by the inside of his shed,he was most definitely eccentric in a nice way.
He has fashioned a folly out of craft grade Huon pine ,the first thing which hits your eye is a long table probably fourty feet long and two planks wide with the rough edges still on and natural openings where the slabs have been cut from the logs.The pieces are neatly dovetailed together and mounted on substantial legs most likely Myrtle timber,Ben remarked later,did you see the plugs over the screw holes in the legs,they were one cent pieces.There is a channel running the full length down the center underneath in which he intends to run water.
I am thinking of opening to the public later on,might have a few dinners for the locals.
He also has a construction further into his shed he intends to put on a pontoon to float probably in the Huon River as a house boat.A most amazing dream if you ask me!
We were just leaving when another couple of blokes turned up,Good day Perk says one fortunately the occupant of the shed had told me Des Rodman's son had the shed on the other side of the road,I gathered after a while it was him.
We saw you this morning when we took my old fishing boat down to the mooring,Jimmy owed me one,I have been fixing up his anchor winch,he had been pulling up his anchor with the ratchet lever for years when he has had a perfectly good hydraulic winch without the pump mounted properly.I am getting it going for him.It is a small world far from the rush and tear we are used to in the City,may it long continue.
They had all been down to the recent sale of Jim Casey's steam museums stuff a few weeks ago at Dover.There was a stationary steam engine also across the road,they will have some fun getting that operating!
We walked back to the dinghy but first I had to poke my nose into a lean to which had a nearly completed restored Couta Boat.I had been keeping my eye on it for years when we had functions at the Cygnet Sailing Club.It did not seen much progress was being made for a few years but now she is in the throes of completion,looks good too.
Had a bit of a natter to the three blokes relaxing with a beer on the verandah of the sheds where they keep their gear,compared notes on what they were up to and what we were also.
Better get going Ben we are getting late,walked up to the road,Nick and Ross pulled up,where is the boat they asked,meet you down at the jetty in ten we said ,ok so off they went.
We walked back to the dinghy and motored to Masterpiece.
All the crew eventually showed up ,we loaded their gear on board and set sail for Cloudy Bay to meet up with Solquest lying quietly at anchor there.
Had a pleasant evening ,watched a bit of TV and into bed early.Have a bit on tomorrow.
Approaching West Cloudy Head.
Solquest and sunset at Cloudy Corner.
No comments:
Post a Comment