Not the most relaxed drive, 150 km with a big stick!
The answer to the question is: it’s the bowsprit bowsprit of an old Thames barge, a rather well traveled stick. I brought it home from Kingston, where our sail maker had it sitting for some years but needed it moved.
Only an old school British sail maker would have parted with his precious spar by leaving a message on it. “Sing high, sing low. A sailing along gives an old barge a breeze and you cannot go wrong”
We are hoping the stick will find a place in our rig as it is loaded with history, which I have yet to find more about. For now, I know it was the bowsprit of a working Thames barge, the SB Ethel. It was brought to Canada with an other barge, SB May, who knows why, who knows when.
Along with the stick it is a few nautical gems I brought home yesterday.
Lignum vitae dead eyes, an awesome Marlin spike, some rigging tools, cleats, shackles…. My own little treasure
