Mr. Wood getting carried away by the sheer speed, steering the ship at full throttle (5 mph) and really enjoying it.

Standing firm. The idea that the barge was moving was something we had worked out from taking measures relative to the banks and then repeating several minutes later ... You couldn't actually tell you were moving and no-one was likely to get seasick, well only because of the cooking ... We did have a gangplank and had fun wobbling down (and especially back up) but where there's a will there's a way ...

Woody was one of those people who were sufficiently at ease with themselves as to have no complex about physical appearance, and even perhaps to take some pleasure in the ridiculous. The bobble hat was ridiculous, it made him laugh, he enjoyed a good laugh and that was good enough for all of us ... He really had a marvellous sense of humour, all the more remarkable for someone with such an evident handicap (Miss Rootes, the latin teacher was able to see through to the person inside and they married before moving on in '74, I think).  Mossy was very self-important in his seaman's cap and spent hours in suitable pose on the poop, sucking at a pipe and being very seaworthy.  Unfortunately, there were rarely any ports full of appreciative wenches to watch us sail by, so the pose was without effect ...

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