The day began with far too much stress... I had arrived at the boat at 0500, hoping to buddy up with my mate Matt on his Pirate 21 cc, to get some fly rodding in, before a family fun session booked in for 0930. I unbuttoned BIF1 and went through the usual routine. Except, this time, when I started the engine, she bleeped back at me. And with the dark morning, I noticed the oil light flashing... Great... I eventually worked out how to pop the cowling, and checked the dipstick. Deffo low. Awesome. I returned home to drink tea and await West Marine to be open at 0800. I am there and in possession of 2 x 1 litre pots of oil... I top up... Check the dipstick. Its slightly over... Great, I think. Re-assemble engine. Turn key... BLEEP BLEEP BLEEP and oil light flashing... WHAT!! I ring my friend. "Take it out for a run" he says. Good idea, I think. He is there to assist and not too many boats running around the marina should I need to creep back on the auxillary... I head out. I notice a slight oil stain when I come to rest on the water. I notice oil on the cowling. I limp back in again. I pop the cowling. DAMN!!! I really should have put the oil filler cap back in... I check the dipstick. Nice level... I start the engine. "BEEP BEEP"... I ring my clients (Charlie, the father, is an airline pilot, so perhaps appreciates technical issues more than most. "Might have an issue here. Start thinking of a plan B for the kids"... "OK" Charlie replies. "We will go have breakfast... keep us advised"... I ring my mechanics, Aquatech in Lancing. Chris answers. "Fast flashing oil light... Thats your hundred hour service warning..."

Having retrieved Charlie and his lads from Mcdonalds, and only about 30 minutes late getting out, we began. My friend had not fared well on the fly. The recent sw winds had very much stirred all sorts of stuff up, and viz was poor. We hunted around but the only consistent fishing we could find, was thanks to mackerel on the plaice banks. The plaice, simply wouldnt play at all. A solitary bass for Charlie, and that was that. Thank goodness for mackerel....