Why Skylark?

Having given Skylark the 'once over', we retired to the warmth of Gena's kitchen for a hot cup of coffee. Both Mick and Gena were happy with the redrafted contract and I agreed to make a few minor corrections and bring it up next time for signing along with the first stage payment for nearly half the purchase price. We aimed to return during the first week of January 2012 and combine this with a visit to Ely Chandlers to pick up some spare parts for our Morso Multi-fuel stove.

During our chat, Mick told us he is already planning his next boat, the hull of which should arrive by lorry on 9 April. His plan is to drop off the new 60' hull and then take Skylark up to Earith with me for launching. This will make full use of the transporter. It’s good to have a proposed date to aim for but I will not be surprised if it will change nearer the time. This date is both dependant on Graham Reeves completing and delivering the new hull on time and Mick finishing Skylark but I am given some confidence by virtue of the fact that Mick wants to get on with the next boat.

So why have we decided to call the boat ‘Skylark’. The skylark is a small brown bird, quite unassuming, a bit like a sparrow, that frequents all of the UK, especially the dense grasslands of East Anglia and, up until intensive farming came along, the stubble fields as well.

  


During the breeding season it rises high in the air and flutters for hours singing a high pitched complicated tune to attract its mate. It builds its nest firmly on the ground which it hides from predators by camouflaging it in the grass. When it lands, it deceives predators by landing many yards away and running through the grass to the nest. Crafty or what? I felt this summed up what we are trying to achieve – somewhere secluded, where we can relax away from it all. It also ties in with the fact that the boat is being built in the watershed of the River Lark so, you can see, there is some logic to the name – oh, and I will be able to say, ‘All aboard the Skylark’ whenever we take on guests. If you are younger than 40 years old, you will have no idea what this relates to. But here's a clue...

...you'll fing the explanation elsewhere on my Blog.