It’s a desert at the moment.
Simon is very busy at work (which is good) and has not had time for any
restoration (which is bad). My contacts
in Ireland have gone very quiet and the only bit of information I have received
lately is from Chris, who was visiting relatives in Dublin, but lives in New
Zealand.
“My great uncle worked
on the light ships out of Dun Laoghaire for decades. Out of the crew he knew in
DL he's one of only two left now he told me at the weekend. He's convinced it’s
because him and the other fella were the only two to ever spend their off-shift
time lying out on deck in the sun all day rather than cooped up inside.
He became a doorman at the Killiney Castle
after that and still going strong at 89 now”.
Working backwards
in time, the great uncle would have been born in about 1926 and, providing he
started his career early, could well have served aboard the old wooden
lightships. Chris has returned to NZ but has promised to find out what he can
from the old chap about life aboard a lightship. Who knows, he may remember
Cormorant before she went to Belfast in 1943.
Meanwhile I have
taken the plunge and bought that foghorn for Simon. With that identification
mark it was irresistible.
Hopefully I will
have more to report next week, but meanwhile, for those who expressed interest
when I mentioned my old car, have a look at
www.drivingvintagecars.blogspot.co.uk
David