Travelling France and the Mediterranean in Grehan
Grehan and Us
|
We have gone cruising. Most of the time we'll be on board our boat "Grehan", at first travelling through France on the canal system, then cruising in the Mediterranean. Of course, we'll return back home to Oxfordshire and Norfolk at regular intervals. (This is what we think we'll probably do. Like Baldric's, our plan may not work out. Good sailors plan passages but do not depend on those plans. And one of the main points of our Great Escape, is an escape from brittle routine and deadlines towards relaxed flexibility and the ad hoc siezing of opportunities as they arise - and as the fancy takes us.) |
|||
|
Grehan is a Southerly 115, an 11m long yacht with a keel that can be swung upwards to reduce her normal draft of 1800mm to 750mm and enable her to beach easily - as can be seen. We think she's a brilliant boat. Northshore (who make Southerlies, Vancouvers and Fishers) and in particular John Warne (their M.D) have provided us with excellent service and support, from the first.
|
||
 |
In June 2003 we spent a week with our old friends Humph and Wendy Farnsworth (and Jaques), learning the canal 'ropes' on their barge "Avocette". Thanks to their kindness and generosity we had a great time, increased our confidence and competence, and travelled from just south of Reims to Vitry le Francois. | ||
 I went out, late one night |
Why "Grehan"? It's a bit complicated. For Grehan's original 1991 owners, she was their third boat to bear the name. The first dated back to a time when boats had to have unique names to be registered. That first boat was named after a girl in the wife's Brownie pack who had this unusual (first) name, but was (apparently) very nice. Grehan is the anglicised version of the Irish surname O'Greachaín, which is itself somewhat unusual even in Ireland. Well, we like it. |
||
| Waterbound on a stranger's shore River rising to my door Carried my home to the field below Waterbound, nowhere to go Carved my name on an old barn wall No-one knowed I was there at all Stable dry on a winter night You turn your head, you can see the light Black cat crawling on an old box car Rusty door and a ball and star Ain't got a dime in my 'nation sack Waterbound and I can't get back It's, I'm going and I won't be back If you don't believe me, count my track River's long and the river's wide I'll meet you boys on the other side So say my name and don't forget Water still ain't got me yet Nothing but I'm bound to roam Waterbound and I can't get home [Waterbound, Dirk Powell] |
Star Trekkin, across the universe On the Starship Enterprise, under Captain Kirk Star Trekkin, across the universe Only going forward, 'cos we can't find reverse [The Firm] To set our sails into the west The dream of all our forebears To where the sun is at his best Gathering us lovers [Roy Harper, Cherishing the Lonesome] |
||
