Bells & sun-powered boats

Nick

30 Apr 2026 — 3 min read

Hello! And happy April :)

This was meant to be on Sunday, and then I forgot. So I'm switching to the last day of the month instead... currently writing from a Thames Clipper.

We've reached that part of the year where my reliance on the grid disappears, because SUNSHINE, and it's still so very satisfying:

I was back to the boat on April 1st, and walking onboard was a weird combination of relief, like this is correct, and hilarity, like what on earth...?! Then the final coat of wardrobe door paint:

On Good Friday I went to stay with some friends, and they had a floor cleaning bot... which I obviously have to get for the boat. KATONA NEEDS A BOT. My requirements are stingy however, as space is premium: ideally it'll live entirely under the kitchen cabinets behind a plinth, with connections to mains water & waste, with a dust section I only have to empty once per month. And it'll just GO, hoovering and mopping the whole boat.

Ringing on Easter Sunday was lovely in Stratford (which reminds me how delightful those bells are), and speaking of ringing, today — April 30th — I was PAID to ring CHURCH BELLS in BISHOPSGATE(!!). It felt surreal. A fine £60 (London City rates), I've crossed a rubicon. Unfortunately the ringing sounded shite; I was on the tenor (the big boy at the back), and on a couple of occasions let myself be lifted up and away by the ~850kg of Heavy Metal.

I also attempted my first quarter peal on the Royal Jubilee Bells for the late Queen's 100th birthday, but unfortunately at minute ~40 two bells swapped places and we failed, just a few minutes shy of completing it. Still good practice, and I will try again!

Anyway the wardrobe, I felt giddy assembling it...