2007
Always the saddest entry of the season - the last one.
Why so early? Decided some weeks back that as the weather this summer and early autumn (yes, technically it is still summer, but really it feels and looks thoroughly autumnal) was poor and did not promise anything better, and as the problems with knees - a fall-out from last season's lurgy - is not improving, I would give the Brit NHS plenty of time to sort me out. Why not use the French service? Knees had already been discussed in UK so were not covered by insurance!
Spent a couple of
weeks "doing things" to
Albert, including making up a cover. During
the season one or all of the 
windows and/or the window frames - under the unceasing
beat of spells of continuous heavy rain - have leaked - badly, and the inside
walls of the boat are now a real mess. So the decision was taken to be
reasonably radical, putting wrappings right over the top of
the boat and down the sides, so that all windows and the hatch are
protected. This involved drilling and fixing dozens of little
stainless steel hold fasts - I think they are actually fairleads for sail
control lines on yachts - all round the hull just above the side
decks. A massive application of external quality silicon sealant
will, I hope, deter the hole from adding to the problems of rain incursion round
the panes and frames. I am nervous now, that with
so many holes in a line along the side, the boat has a neat line of perforations
all round, and the whole top could come adrift, rather like tearing off a
postage stamp.
So everything emptied, filled and switched off as appropriate, and it was taxi to Nevers, train to Paris, Eurostar to London, and train to a damp Lymington.
Happy Christmas, everybody, and all the best for 2008.