Down to Bristol.       Part three, on the land in Bristol Harbour.

We had two good days mouching about in Bristol and Bristol Harbour with visits to new and familiar territory as well as taking care of mundane boating tasks like filling the diesel tank and emptying others. Jim much concerned by the potential of a £10,000 fine for spilling a drop of diesel on the unsullied waters of the harbour. We moored near to the Underfall yard for our first two nights and then moved near to the Arnolfini Gallery to be closer to the feeder canal and an early escape from the harbour to catch the tide in the morning.

Housekeeping chores over, we headed to the SS Great Britain with a stop on the way at David Abel's shipbuilding dry dock. Jim used to work here so was given a good welcome and we were all invited for a guided tour. At present, they are converting a ferry, into a floating hospital ship which will go up the Amazon to provide local medical facilities.

Beer in the evening at the Nova Skotia and The Cottage. At the former a very large man at our table had the largest mixed grill I have ever seen served to him. He passed over all the whites of his four eggs to his girlfriend, 'He won't eat the whites' she helpfully explained to us.

David with Jim and Terry.

The engine, ready for coupling to its prop shaft.

Leaving the intended operating theatre.

The bridge of the hospital ship

In the dry dock

Onto the schooner David is building, the Daniel Joseph

David built the wheelhouse in his barn at home.

Superb workmanship throught.

The hull design is based on a West Country trading schooner.

The stern of the amazon hospital ship from other end of the dry dock.

Then to the SS Great Britain. So good we went back the next day too.

Nautical talk with the Daniel Jacob behind

Looking forward from First class on the Great Britain.

On the bridge, but not as we know it Jim.

Then to the Underfall yard, hydraulic pump house and accumulator.

Olympic class sailing boat for paraplegic sailors.

Hydraulic pump.

Powered by early three phase electric motor.

The pump end.

In the visitors centre much to see and do.

Stop the harbour from flooding.

Clear silt from the harbour.

The accumulator.

Decided we would walk up to Clifton suspension bridge.

Avon gorge from the bridge.

The knicker bocker breaker.

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Terry has a go.

Terry has a go.

A good few years ago, I had a go too.

Clifton suspension bridge.

When Ann first moved to Bristol she lived in a flat nearby so we had to go to see if we could find it, I had fond memories of drinking scrumpy at the Coronation Tap so that gave us an additional incentive to explore the area.

Back in the mists of time, Bristol was actually called Bristow but the locals have always prefered to end words ending with a vowel with an 'l' instead. Ann had some trouble getting a television signal in her flat and asked he neighbour for help only to be told that this was 'not a very good areal for ariels'.

Pat tells us that when she and Tom lived in Bristol and needed a babysitter her neighbour offered her daughter Anita because 'Anital wants the money as she is saving to go to Americal'

Excellent South Indian curry at Brunel Raj

By now we were ready for a drink, at the Coronation Tap

Next day we moved our moorings near to the Arnolfini Gallery. This was a much more 'lively' place with bars and night clubs just across the dock from our mooring. Roger and Marie dropped by to pick Jim up to go to their concert and were invited to join us for part of the next stage of the journey back to Bath. Terry and I had a beer at the Llandoger Trow. Terry remembering coming here when he first started work as his client could always be relied upon to want to seal the deal with a beer at the Llandoger.