Alcatraz is 50 this year.

[zenataomm]

My boat Alcatraz (formerly Alderley Rose) was built for The Stone Boat Building hire fleet in 1969.

She looks a bit different from then. Steel cabin, front well enclosed to allow a permanent double berth, but still got original SR2.  

 

So this year's plan was to take her back to Stone to enquire if the warranty is still in force.

However yesterday I discovered a major hinderance to me slipping my moorings. Namely a pair of Blue Tits have nested in the recess above my front fender. The poor male is steaming backwards and forwards all day long supplying bugs into the square hollow in my stem post.

It's not in me to spoil their game of mummies and daddies. So I'll wait a few weeks for it all to calm down, I only wish I'd known before licencing Alcatraz from the beginning of May! (I moor on non Waterways backwater)

It also brings a totally new meaning to The Bird Man of Alcatraz.

 

Sorry for the rubbish photo due to a combination of phone camera and super speedy dicky bod on a mission.

[aracer]

Nice story. My cruising is currently curtailed as I have a duck nesting in my well deck - she got in to lay eggs when my cratch cover was off for repairs for a few days over Easter!