12 June 2026: progress, rebirth & beauty

Progress
Another amazing day in my life following separation. Starting with the tail end of the day,I refitted Ilona's deck boards. They look fab against a freshly painted bilge & with pollished brass toggles. Adding woodglue to the screws made them easier to install & provided a better seal. Now I just need to dress up the cream and lacquer her off.  Im really proud & believe she should sell quickly for a good price. 

Beauty
Today I drove to town to buy more lacquer & some bolts & co. for Clancy. After the chandlery  I went to the beach & I don't know what I was expecting, but it was stunning. As can only happen on winter, the light was soft & the blues & greens of the shallows sparkled like jewellery. The waves were small & there was a hell of a rip, so although I thought a surf was on, I had to calm myself down. I ended up jogging to & from Bar Beach & Merewether Baths, finishing off with a swim. No-one else jogging, no-one swimming. Heaven!   

Rebirth
Yesterday, I took delivery of my deck domes. I want to install them into the deck hatches, &  a brainwave Ive since had is to create a bin style hatch for the main companionway. These changes of course offer greater safety against flooding in heavy weather, & hark back to the earliest solo Transt sailors of the 1960s, namely Blondie Hasler. These are the men, the boats & the sailing, I have idolised for many years. Ive heard sculptors describe their creative process as chipping away the stone that doesn't belong. 
Happy as a dog

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