Boatman

We checked out of the Atlantic at 10am, took our luggage down to the quay where it was put into a container for loading onto the Scillonian when she docked at 12.30. That left us with 6hours to kill before our return journey to the mainland at 4.30.

Today’s blip is of a boatman on the Surprise taking a handful of passengers to St Agnes at 10.15 prompt. He acts as a(Bus) conductor, taking the fares, keeping a head count and ensuring safe boarding and disembarkation.

Last Tuesday he and his Skipper steered 38 of us from Lower Town quay on St Martin’s to Tresco. The wind was up that day too and on the return journey they had quite a job landing back at the same quay as the swell was great. This fellow did a proper job helping the elderly passengers off as I calculated that I, at 60, was the youngest aboard. I liked his style very much, the t-shirt and jeans with braces and what you cant see are his white wellington boots.

We had a wet and windy wait on St Mary’s. The rain set in, visibility was poor, the cafes were busy.

Our journey back was a rough one, the Scillonian went this way, that way, upwards, downwards, the horizon appeared and disappeared. I stayed in my seat indoors and read for the duration. It was dark when we landed back at PZ after 7pm. We had home made pasties for tea.