ZOOM IN ZOOM OUT - BARGES

This post is part of Helena's neme 'ZOOM IN ZOOM OUT'.  As the name suggests you take 2 photos of the same shot, and I enjoy taking part.  I also like the way that most ZIZO posts are brief, the focus being on the photos.  And because I had more to share about my day, I have written a separate post that you'll find here.  

  

Back in March I went to a local quayside and I was excited to see barges being made ready for another season.  We are lucky, hereabout there is a thriving community of traditional boat building and sail making, and waters busy with working and leisure boats.  It is a place I love to be, and seeing the barges bought back happy memories.

When I home educated I used to regularly hire one of the Thames Sailing Barges and it's crew of 3.  I'd fill it with excited children and a friend or two to help me.  And we would spend 5 days sailing the rivers and coast, planning pirate parties, exploring uninhabited islands, and visiting seals on sand banks at low tide. 
They were happy days.....

 

 

And days like this make me happy too.  

 

Thanks for visiting, and if you have time, why not pop over to Helena's and see what others have posted for ZIZO.

BEFORE THE BARGES SAIL.....

Back in March a friend came to my book launch.  As fellow creators we are busy with our own pursuits and in the past we have been on a number of retreats and run workshops together.  We are inspired by each others difference and similarity, and we decided it had been too long since we last got together. 
 
And so a week later we met at a local quayside. 

One of the Thames sailing barges had opened as a tea room over winter and I had been planning to go.... 

 

 

And I discovered I was only just in time.... another week and the tea room was closing it's doors.  The teapots and bunting would be packed away and hammocks hung, ready for another seasons adventure on the sea. But today we could enjoy the experience of sitting below deck, a lunch that did not disappoint, and  catching up. It was a reminder to grab opportunities while you can because they don't always come again.

 

 

 

  

And outside the sun shone while the crew painted sails and started to prepare the deck. Much of the work would have been done over winter, rigging checked, ropes replaced, painting and varnishing done. And for me, the excitement of soon seeing barges under full sail, trying to recognise familiar names as I watch from the shore, and hoping that I will get a chance one day, to sail on one again.  

Meanwhile it was too good a day to part and go our separate ways. And so we finished our day at the pub watching the tide creep in, and  we decided to meet again soon.  And we have, and will.