Taking the long way around

In which no rudders are mended, but some beautiful footage is watched.

As the weather finally warms enough for epoxy to set and my boat repairs to continue, I'm looking forward more and more eagerly to (re)launch day. Until then, perhaps the next best thing is to watch a man called Dylan Winters circumnavigating Britain, very slowly in "the slug", a Mirror Offshore (19 feet, with inboard diesel, designed by Van de Stadt, the same man who designed my own poor Briongloid).

What makes an already-ambitious trip even longer and more impressive is that Mr. Winters is not taking the shortest route. Instead, he sails as far as possible up every river of interest along the way - from giants like the Thames, to tiny backwaters like Beaumont Quay (up a canal dug by slaves in Roman times). Along the way, he takes beautiful HD footage of boats large and small - lately, gorgeous Thames barges have been a recurring them.

A professional film-maker and seasoned editor, his films come with illuminating commentary on the history of the places he visits, and his lovely shots of sea and river are complemented by lovely soundtrack by the likes of Cities of Foam.

Enough talking; if you take even a passing interest in things boaty or the British coastline, do yourself a favour and wander over to Keep Turning Left. Well worth the price of admission.