Some more thoughts about Iris

My Dad was taught to sail in Iris by his Dad, on the south coast of England. On the day the second world war broke out my Grandfather took his only son out in Iris with the chalk cliffs behind them and Europe ahead. He had already fought in one war and knew what war could do to families and I think it was a really special way of spending some precious time together. There were no other boats out and while they were at sea the sirens started to blast, to announce that the country was at war.

So that joyful little sail on Windermere many years later is rather lovely for me to watch, especially as my Dad then taught me and my brothers to sail in her too!”

My brother David in his kapok life jacket in Iris in the 50's on Windermere.