Crew: Tommy, Derry, James and Mark with special guest crew: Andrew Lewin MP for Welwyn Hatfield and his aide Lyra Fewins
We were back on the JJ at silly-o’clock this morning — bright, early, frosty, and cold enough to make your teeth file for divorce. But needs must: Andrew Lewin MP had the small matter of the national budget to get to, so naturally he decided to warm up for Parliament by joining us on a slightly questionable Dutch barge in King’s Cross. As you do.
We all arrived for 8am, and the JJ was completely iced over — a proper winter crust. The sort of morning where you question every life choice that led you to standing on a frozen boat with toes you can no longer feel.
The first order of business: fire on, kettle filled, and within minutes the JJ had transformed from Arctic survival zone to toasty little refuge bobbing in the middle of a very sharp, very bright London morning.
James — in his continuing quest to become the Mary Berry of maritime life — got the mince pies warming on the stove while the kettle trembled its way to a boil.
Right on cue, Andrew and Lyra arrived, and we all shuffled back inside like penguins seeking shelter. Chairs were found, coffee was poured, mince pies were shared, and for half an hour we just chatted away — boats, housing, life, all the usual “this and that.” It was simple, warm, human… and genuinely lovely.
Then Parliament called — as it tends to do — so we grabbed a few cracking photos with Andrew before he and Lyra toddled off to go do Big Important Things while we continued doing Slightly Chaotic Boat Things.
Back to business…
It was time to get the JJ ready for her first proper trek to Watford this weekend. Originally planned for Friday the 28th, but work got in the way (because life loves a plot twist), so we’re now setting off Saturday.
Checklist time:
- Grease the prop shaft — done.
- Check oil — done.
- Check water — done.
- Fuel — topped up last week, still all good.
- Start her up — she coughed, groaned, and then warmed her old bones like the queen she is.
- Rudder and steering mechanism — inspected and given a good oily spa day.
By this point I was freezing. I’d sprinted out the house without appropriate clothing, so I stood there feeling cold, messy, and personally victimised by the British winter.
So it was time to go.
But before heading off, we took Tommy and Derry on a wander to show them Bramble — looking very snug and proud on a crisp winter morning, like she knew she was being admired.
