A community within a community

In the course of looking for a boat I called in at Mercia Marina, as I think I mentioned in a previous post. While there I had time (but not much time) to call in on Heather and Dave of Takey Tezey.


It's great that blogging has the potential to open up another sphere of friendships within the boating community, and it's interesting that, in this age of social networking, the friendships become real only once actual face-to-face meetings take place. We first met the crew of TT in July 2009 just after our daughter's wedding nearby. Then they were in St. Mary's Marina on the Rufford Branch. Previously we had merely exchanged the odd comment on each other's blogs; now I feel as though I can call in for a cup of tea (as I did at Mercia) - and I would hope that we would be able to reciprocate once we're up-and-running with our own boat.


[This is the first time I've published this photo of that day in 2009.]

It is a bit weird meeting fellow bloggers for the first time. You feel like you know them already, and they know you (if they read your blog). But what you know about each other is obviously just a speck of coal dust in the stove of life. As soon as you get talking, though (and it's easy to talk about boating), the bonds of a real (not virtual) friendship can begin to form. And there are many more Heathers and Daves on the waterways.