Toucando: Laid up in Eyemouth

Thursday 4 July 2013

Laid up in Eyemouth

For the last few days I have been dealing with a repair issue on Toucando. A problem developed with the bow thruster. That in itself is not significant. It is a help in steering in harbour, and getting into tight corners more easily. However, more significantly, it is a component that passes through the hull, and there is a risk to the water tightness of the hull. For this reason Toucando has been taken onto the quayside and an important spare part is being sent from Essex to effect the repair. Fortunately all the necessitates a period of rest while everything gets sorted out. Toucando won't get to the Newcastle event, although I hope to do so by train. We will rejoin the fleet in Grimsby.
Meanwhile I have been having a pleasant time in Eyemouth. It has three museums: a town museum, The World of Boats, and Gunsgreen House, the home of smuggler John Nisbett. Just up the coast are the cliffs of St Abb's.
We had one of the biggest gatherings of the gaffer fleet for some time. We took over the bar of the Contented Sole for an evening of music and verse.
It's the sort of small place where you get to know people quickly. In my case the staff of Coastal Marine, the harbour people, and the fishermen, many of whom are Sri Lankan. They dredge for scallops. The work ashore involves maintaining the steel cables and all the ironmongery of the dredges. Large lorries come to the quayside, with compressors running, to be loaded with lobsters, crabs and scallops. It's a big business.