Dave Selby Mad about the boat High tea on a historic barge

The art of juggling tea and a muffin while not tripping over or getting whacked on the head

- By Dave Selby

The deftest pirouette this side of the Bolshoi Ballet was executed by Rob, and Alfie demonstrated the lassoing skills of a rodeo champion. Meanwhile, the youth of Ipswich eyed us with the kind of bemused consternation you'd expect if a travelling circus had just landed in town from another century.

All that had happened was skipper Rob had swivelled the 82-ton Thames barge Thistle with the poise of a ballet dancer on points and Alfie, the mate, had tied us up.

Hours before, on passage from Maldon, we'd passed Felixstowe container port, which had brought in the youngsters' vapes, Ipswich Town football shirts and the e-scooters and bicycles scattered about them on the quay. In a time gone by Thistle, built in 1895, would have delivered the necessities and luxuries of life. And as we stepped ashore the youngsters barraged us with questions. Where are you from? Is it a pirate ship? How fast is it? What are those flipper things? (answer: lee boards); What are lee boards? (Rob explained that); How can I get a go on one?