Fifty years after the voyage of The Aegre, Nick Grainger still has bits and pieces of memorabilia around his house from the voyage across the Atlantic and much of the Pacific in the little Shetland boat, The Aegre back in 1973-4. They are almost part of who I am, he says, just like the memories of those days, and in their way, equally precious.
This is the nameplate for The Aegre that was screwed to the back of the cockpit, spanning the entire width of the cockpit. He still has it today.
The first owner of the boat, Andy Bryce, made it, screwing the brass letters to a wooden base that was an offcut from the original mahogany 1/2 inch planks used to build the hull.
In the lower picture, you can see it in situ across the back of the cockpit. All nicely polished too.
I love this picture. In good weather, sitting on the floor of the cockpit. My favourite daytime position on watch. For days, weeks, at a time.
Whenever I look at the nameplate today, on a shelf close by where I’m writing, I’m right back here, smiling, The Aegre rolling gently beneath me, the sun shining, a warm wind, and the vast horizon ahead.”
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