The Boat

The boat's name is Elsdale. You reach it by crossing the bridge at West Drayton overground rail station, west London. About forty people got on board before it cruised off last Saturday, with two staff, a finger buffet, lots of bottles, Archdeacon Rachel, representing her bishop, and two people who took The Long Voyage. The two people were Simon and I. The Long Voyage meant we made perpetual vows and prayed: 'I put my hand to Christ's plough. I will not look back. I set sail on Christ's ocean. I will go where his Spirit leads. I am Christ's soldier and servant... I commit to this calling for ever.'

No one pushed us overboad, but Edward Steen, as always ready with a perceptive wit, said: 'At baptism you go under the water, so for this you have to do something deeper and more daring, such as getting to the bottom of that BP oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico and putting it right.' See what he means? Watch this space.