Companion piece

Four years or so ago we stayed in Topsham, on the Exe, for a few days. An old town which had once been quite big in boat if not ship building. Among the town treasures was an old Thames barge, the 'Vigilant', about to be restored to its former glory. See reference 1.

Whereas now we go to Littlehampton, on the Arun. Another old town on a big south coast river which which was once quite big in boat if not ship building. Did for Henry VIII among others. Among the town treasures is an old cutter rigged fishing boat - or at least that is what I took it for, mainly on the basis of the large white number painted on the bows - but it does not yet appear to have found a white knight to restore it to its former glory.

PS 1: a quick google suggests that 'about' might have been a bit premature as regards the 'Vigilant'. The project stalled for lack of money, but might have been about to get going again in 2016. No more recent mention.

PS 2: we only got as far as West Beach, on the other side of the Arun the last time we were in the area, noticed at reference 3, and before that my only contact with the town was noticed at reference 2. I see that I mention the starlings at reference 3 and I can report today that there are still a lot more of them to be seen in Sussex than there are in Surrey, having seen small flocks of them everywhere that we have been.

Reference 1: http://psmv2.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/i-noticed-attractive-barge-in-topsham.html.

Reference 2: http://pumpkinstrokemarrow.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=littlehampton.

Reference 3: http://psmv2.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/arun-1.html.