Dick Durham's blog
Web log entry dated 7 July 2008
Get knotted
There's a scene in a Monty Python film, The Meaning of Life, when a cartoon building turns into a windjammer and gets under way sailing through all the paraphenalia of shoreside life.
I was reminded of this surreal scene on Saturday when my wife, Cathy, and I shipped aboard the Thames sailing barge, Hydrogen, to join a 50-strong wedding party who set sail from Maldon with hats flying, gowns billowing and buck's fizz flowing.
We sailed in a stiff south-wester down the River Blackwater from Maldon and straight through a local smack race: many fists were raised by the smack crews as they fought it out tack for tack, dipping under the great barge's wind shadow.
The happy couple - Paul and Anna Cooper - took a trick at the wheel once we'd cleared the race.
So, apologies to the smacksmen, but you looked a fine sight and supplied a great backdrop to a wedding - which all agreed - was the best they could recall.
Dick Durham
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