No more falling in?

Well, Health and Safety will be pleased with the work that started yesterday at our marina. When we first brought the boat to Devizes Marina I (John) fell (literally) for the taboo instruction from the helmsman (helmsperson?): "Quick!" I knew my legs were long enough to stretch across the gap between the boat gunnel and the pontoon; what I hadn't realised was that the wooden pontoons were as slippery as ice when they are wet. Result: I fell in for the first time in over 35 years. :-(
We wondered what our marina owners had had delivered at the beginning of the week.
Now we know: non-slip (very non-slip) replacement pontoon decking. It's made of strengthened fibreglass, I think I heard, and won't do any knees that find themselves deposited on its surface any good. But I won't slip on it.

Yesterday we found out how the job was going to be done.



First job: get rid of the old wooden decking. But it does take up a lot of space. This pile is probably from just one pontoon.

So what to do with all the other pontoons? Where to put it? Well, as most of the south of Britain knows by now, there's one thing we are not short of: water (not the drinking type, of course).

It's obvious really, isn't it? Just get your crowbars, then drop it in the water. It can be collected later - sometime anycase.

Then, bring in the new pontoon covering, and lay it on the new wooden framework. Easy really:








See?








And this evening, even the swans brought their children to inspect the work.







It's going to take a few days to finish (to say the least) but we will be very grateful when it's done. Thanks guys!