Getting soaked and the scroungers visit

If you remember, Russell, the nice man on a boat nearby had brought his extending ladders down to help us clean up the Satellite TV and sat phone domes which had been sorely neglected for a while. Annoyingly, the only ladder position possible didn't give us good access. So, we had to resort to the old low technology solution that involves the captain having a bath in water, green goo and bits of elderly / not so elderly bird poo/ It is always a wonderful little job:

The telescopic window cleaning poles travel around with us ready for the very infrequent action they get:

After the captain was soaked / filthy and the photographer stayed at a safe distance (she had to tend to the water tap of course) things looked a little cleaner. Apart from the captain than is. That will have to do for this year. Hugh the assistant marina manager suggested that we could sneak into the lift bay when they have a cherry picker on site for the annual maintenance of the travelift here at the end of the month and then use that for access. Sadly the lift bay is only 10cm wider than we are and so it would be an interesting manoeuvre getting in and out and fenders would not be possible. Lovely offer but we had to decline. We are just too fat.  

Things improved the next day when during a break from polishing, we had a visit from the marina's resident swan couple to show off their new (2 days old) family. Or maybe it was to scrounge food. On the day they hatched mum was most protective. There are 7 cygnets and two eggs that did not hatch in time under her on the nest and well hidden from viewers like us:

No matter, the cygnets were as appealing as always when mum and dad brought them scrounging for food a couple of days later:

They have learned to eat from boats rather than the unappealing local weed rather quickly:

We would prefer that they tried to beat back the underwater jungle a bit but until they have a neck, getting to it might prove tricky. Whilst feeding, dad kept an eye on his brood:

and on us too just in case:

Somehow the swans have more freedom than us at present. They can paddle around the marina, fly into the bay and eat in any of the "boat cafe's" that they can persuade to open up. Not swapping lifestyles with them though. Mind you, they have no Covid worries, free food, freedom but the 7 children thing is very unappealing.