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I found a posting on the UK's Practical Boat Owner Web Forum:- "Does anyone want a pair of compass binoculars?" There having been some discussion about these previously, on the forum. It was posted by Commander Bill, of Bill and Laurel Cooper's "Sell Up and Sail - Taking the Ulysses option" fame. (Everyone who is browsing our humble Web site should have already read this book!)
Bill wanted a £10 donation to The Royal National Lifeboat Institution for the binoculars -buyer collects- I quickly sent off an email and we arranged a meeting. Just being able to meet them would be great and we said we would be quite happy to make it a £20 donation if they would sign our copy of their book?
Bill and Laurel's boat "HOSANNA" was holed up in the river Medway for the winter and we drove down one April morning in glorious spring sunshine to see them. Finding access to the mooring and car park was fun, but we soon located the boat and tentatively tapped on the hull, "Permission to come aboard Sir"? Bill was in the wheelhouse lacing some telephone cord through the boat, (busily setting up his own onboard communications centre it seemed).
We were invited into the main cabin, which was a delight. Hosanna is a converted Dutch bulk carrier and the main hold had been turned into a good sized galley, a vast cabin, a bedroom (complete with 3-1/2 poster bed) and right forward, a huge walk-through bathroom, including a bath with polished brass (or were they gold?) taps!
The combined cabin and dining room held a full-size mahogany (?) table and six dining chairs, a chaise-longue and a pair of very comfortable looking winged armchairs placed either side of the stove. The fireplace surround was inlaid with "Delft tiles" with the boat's name emblazoned in kiln fired traditional blue lettering. This living room reminded me of a Victorian parlour and the forward end even held a vast wall-to-wall library of books (for more about this library, read their books!).
Laurel organised a jug of steaming hot coffee and we were invited to sit and talk. I suppose we then asked all the same daft questions that they have had to answer ever since they gave up their house, in favour of a life afloat. However they were both kind enough to humour us and answer them all, as if this was the first time of asking.
Urszula (being Polish) and Laurel became engrossed in the Eastern European side of the Cooper's trip down the Danube, while Bill and I discussed herring fishing at some length, (not that I am any authority I might add) There were a couple of oil paintings of herring drifters on the walls. Bill's family having been in this business until the 2nd world war put pay to the fishing stocks of the North Sea.
Bill handed me a "box of bits" that was the compass binoculars; at some time he had removed the compass section, but had carefully kept the entire set of discarded parts, screws etc. I promised to attempt to rebuild these. We then had a guided tour of Hosanna - I fell in love with her straight away, but then big old diesel engines and "things marine" just get me that way. Bill took me down into the engine room, where I was much at home amidst flapping fan belts and vast battery banks. In passing, it was quite strange to see some butterfly cakes that were cooling in a dish in the galley. Bill & Laurel would call it a kitchen, for that's what it was - "We" land-lubbers make assumptions about those who "live aboard" - no such distinction for the Coopers. Hosanna is their only home and having lived life afloat for over twenty years of course, why should there not be butterfly cakes?
After a suitable time, not wishing to outstay our welcome, we handed over a bottle of wine UTB had bought and departed. Laurel had by now managed to sell Urszula copies of the remaining set of books they had written, Bill sensibly keeping a ready stock of these in the boot of the car! They kindly autographed each and Bill walked us back up to the car park.
As a very strong-willed man with an imposing stature, it was pleasing to hear his concern for Laurel, she had just had both hip joints replaced and they were waiting on medical advice before departing in Hosanna for the Mediterranean and Greece again. This Bill was planning, would be in the next two weeks. Laurel was actually leaping around the boat as nimble as a mountain goat, so I very much doubt if the medical profession would have had much say in the matter!
Seeing the barge pretty much permanently embedded in her mud-berth however, hemmed in by a dozen or so vessels of similar size, also remembering the cosy and homely interior of the living quarters, it was very hard for us to imagine quite how they had any hope of departing in a fortnight, but then they have done so much in the past 20 years afloat, I don't suppose they were in the least worried about it themselves?
Well into retirement they are a truly amazing couple, we often have trouble keeping our little GRP cruiser in hand on a very tranquil River Thames, to think they have travelled the world (with their previous boat) and circumnavigated all of Europe in Hosanna is a quite amazing feat.
Their travels, experiences and stories, are well documented in their own books, do at least borrow one from the local library and have a read.
Did we learn from them? Were we put off? Did they think WE are mad? Well, yes and no - They had embarked on adventures we would not wish to undertake. We are now almost certain that sailing is not for us, so to see a couple who have moved from a very much "blue-water cruiser" into a converted Dutch barge is a good lesson. They were impressed with our attempts at financial planning and felt we would be OK there, Laurel was concerned that we were too young to retire! On that front, it is quite difficult to put an age to them, as Bill must have retired quite early from the Navy, but if we are 1/2 as hale and hearty as they are when we reach their age, then we will be quite happy!
The conclusion then is, we still wish to follow (if only partly) in their "Watersteps" and meeting them spurred us on even more to Sell up and Sail Away! Bill & Laurel, we wish you all the best for your future travels and hope sincerely to be able to meet again and help you drink a special bottle of wine one evening, should we ever meet up when we are travelling.
The decision has been made! Urszula's car and "my" boat have to go. Both have been put up on the Kahawi Web-Site, but only for reference, I really don't expect anyone "surfing by" to purchase, however the detail is there for anyone who may ring us and want a closer look.
There is no point in sentimentality here, we have loved owning both the car and boat, but now we need the money and to drop the running costs of these items for a year or two. The idea here is to save the annual, mooring, license, insurance fees etc. Urszula's car, also adds quite a bit to this annual outlay. Assuming I keep the latest job, I will be back on the train, commuting, so no need for a daily car, Deborah is off round the world again soon, her car is also up for sale from today (Sun, 12th Aug) so do we really need three cars between us?
I know we will miss the boat terribly, but if it is for a greater cause.........?