Mike Stevens RIP

"David Kitching" wrote in message
...
I am passing this on to URW from Martin Ludgate who is unable to
reach
newsgroups at the moment:



I have just heard the very sad news of the death yesterday of
Mike
Stevens...
...
I have no details yet, other than that he was on his (and
Wendy's)
boat Felis Catus III.

I've taken the liberty of cross-posting this message to one of
the many cat related newsgroups. Heck, Mike's narrowboat
cruising stories just wouldn't have been the same without the
cats.

Contributors on rpca are full of compassion, even for complete
strangers. As noted elsewhere, I understand these messages are
being "saved" for Mike's widow, Wendy. Could someone from rpca go
light a candle, please - and post the URL to both groups?

Thanks,

--
MatSav

On Oct 3, 5:22 pm, "MatSav" matthew | dot | savage | at | dsl | dot |
pipex | dot | com wrote:
"David Kitching" wrote in message

...

I am passing this on to URW from Martin Ludgate who is unable to
reach
newsgroups at the moment:

I have just heard the very sad news of the death yesterday of
Mike
Stevens...
...
I have no details yet, other than that he was on his (and
Wendy's)
boat Felis Catus III.

I've taken the liberty of cross-posting this message to one of
the many cat related newsgroups. Heck, Mike's narrowboat
cruising stories just wouldn't have been the same without the
cats.

Contributors on rpca are full of compassion, even for complete
strangers. As noted elsewhere, I understand these messages are
being "saved" for Mike's widow, Wendy. Could someone from rpca go
light a candle, please - and post the URL to both groups?

Thanks,

--
MatSav

Done. I don't know what other group you're talking about so I'll let
you post this there. Thankx.

Pam S.

http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/...=eng&c=4396039

MatSav wrote:
"David Kitching" wrote in message
...
I am passing this on to URW from Martin Ludgate who is unable to
reach
newsgroups at the moment:



I have just heard the very sad news of the death yesterday of
Mike
Stevens...
...
I have no details yet, other than that he was on his (and
Wendy's)
boat Felis Catus III.

I've taken the liberty of cross-posting this message to one of
the many cat related newsgroups. Heck, Mike's narrowboat
cruising stories just wouldn't have been the same without the
cats.

Contributors on rpca are full of compassion, even for complete
strangers. As noted elsewhere, I understand these messages are
being "saved" for Mike's widow, Wendy. Could someone from rpca go
light a candle, please - and post the URL to both groups?

Thanks,

I will light a canle for Mike.
--
Adrian (Owned by Snoopy & Bagheera)
Cats leave pawprints on your heart
http://community.webshots.com/user/clowderuk

What a great loss to the entire boating community. I am so glad that
he did manage to achieve his great ambition and become a genuine
'continuous cruiser' in the last year or so.

Mike and I were never quite on the same wavelength, boaty-wise, but
one thing we share is a warped sense of humour. I was very glad to be
able to assist him with the National Newsletter last year, even if it
didn't make sense. Couldn't make it this year (but was asked.)

Dear ol' Mike..... forever waiting for the cats to come home.

So is Man.

Tony H

"Canaldrifter" wrote in message
ups.com...
What a great loss to the entire boating community. I am so glad that
he did manage to achieve his great ambition and become a genuine
'continuous cruiser' in the last year or so.

Mike and I were never quite on the same wavelength, boaty-wise, but
one thing we share is a warped sense of humour. I was very glad to be
able to assist him with the National Newsletter last year, even if it
didn't make sense. Couldn't make it this year (but was asked.)

Dear ol' Mike..... forever waiting for the cats to come home.

So is Man.

Tony H


How I wish your tense could have been true.
(we share? )
Goodnight and Godbless to all at the end of a sad day.
Pete

What a great loss to the entire boating community. I am so glad that
he did manage to achieve his great ambition and become a genuine
'continuous cruiser' in the last year or so.


I never met the man, but always enjoyed his trip reports. His sad loss still
brought a tear to my eye.
I hope Wendy and the cats can continue to enjoy boating, as I am sure thats
what he would have wanted.

Neil

On Oct 4, 12:37 am, "Pete Stockdale"
wrote:
"Canaldrifter" wrote in message

ups.com...

What a great loss to the entire boating community. I am so glad that
he did manage to achieve his great ambition and become a genuine
'continuous cruiser' in the last year or so.

Mike and I were never quite on the same wavelength, boaty-wise, but
one thing we share is a warped sense of humour. I was very glad to be
able to assist him with the National Newsletter last year, even if it
didn't make sense. Couldn't make it this year (but was asked.)

Dear ol' Mike..... forever waiting for the cats to come home.

So is Man.

Tony H

How I wish your tense could have been true.
(we share? )
Goodnight and Godbless to all at the end of a sad day.
Pete

The tense was deliberate, Pete. I am one of those who believes that
life itself is indestructable. It goes on, somehow, or what's the
point?

One or two anecdotes. Last year, when Wendy hurt her arm, while I was
still reasonably fit I helped crew FC3 on the Isis. I noticed that on
nearly every bend, Mike would start out on the inside, accelerate into
the bend then swing the boat around until it collided with the
opposite bank, oblivious to what might be coming t'other way!

After a few of these mishaps, the Boatmaster Instructor in me could
stand it no longer. I gently asked Wendy whether Mike would mind me
giving him a little instruction, bearing in mind he had been boating
for more than 30 years, or would he hit the roof?

She reckoned he would be glad of the advice. But it was with great
trepidation that I suggested to Mike that I could show him a better
way around the bends. He gave me the tiller, watched closely as I took
the boat around the next bend, slower and in mid channel. He then took
over again, and copied the technique exactly.

The point is he could have told me to get stuffed. It was his new
boat. He had done things his way for years, but he accepted it all in
very good grace, and even thanked me for the advice. He explained that
he wasn't yet used to the extra length of FC3. I felt quite humbled.
But that was the man.

Also, he had rigged the catflap so it could only be opened from the
outside, thus trapping the cats in the boat when they returned from
hedging around. Unfortunately one of the cats (not the one that hides
behind the fridge) had learned to escape by flicking the flap inwards
over its head! I think Mike quite enjoyed the times he sat waiting
for the cats to return. It gave him the chance to get online and
write.

I'll dig out some images soon.

Tony H