LEFT BY THE QUAYSIDE

This was rather sad. Doc had not told me he wanted to come on the cruise, but he turned up anyway. Unfortunately, the number of passengers was strictly limited to 50 for insurance reasons - and there were no free places.

It was the very first cruise, and of course we would have been delighted to have him with us. I thought for a moment about letting him take my place, but I was the organiser, so it didn't really make sense.

Still, he came on subsequent cruises - but it was a sad but memorable photo of him waving goodbye as we cast off that day!