Back to Newhaven now. This is the Rhoda B, and I think there are still people living on her; I know there used to be because the boat featured as an address on the electoral register, back in the days when I needed to know about such things. Never canvassed them though, which is a bit of a shame. That's also how I discovered the name; you wouldn't know otherwise (and I only hope I have remembered it right). Rhoda B has been sitting here in the estuary, on the ring road, for at least twenty years, which is as long as I've been here; could be a lot longer for all I know. Needless to say, she hasn't been out of the water in all that time, and hasn't moved, other than up and down on the tide.
We've all got so used to the boat being there that I guess we don't really notice any more that it really is rather odd. It only struck me when I went round to the other side of the channel onto Denton Island to photograph her, and noticed the backdrop of the main shopping thoroughfare (such as it is). There are lots of other boats around Newhaven, of course, including a number that are lived on, mainly around Denton Island, but most of them are around the far side of the island, away from the town and in private marinas, whereas Rhoda B is moored right up against the pavement. Well, good luck to her and all who ... live ... in her; and what a super little town this is.
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