For a brief moment it had stopped raining so Noah called Rufus and they set off for their usual walk down to the estuary while the tide was low. It was a new routine since the endless rain this winter. No one had ever seen the river running so high and most had abandoned the popular footpaths which were either too muddy or had disappeared completely. But Rufus was a big young dog who loved the water and had a lot of energy to burn up. Noah had assured Sally that their dog’s acute senses would keep them both safe. He wasn’t exactly sure if this was true; Rufus could well abandon caution and his master if he spotted a lost seal washed in.

There was a bigger surprise for them both. On the narrow strip of shore revealed by the low tide was a beached boat, a very large boat. Noah had always wanted his own boat, but Sally was not keen and his bank account was even less keen. Could his boyhood dream have come true? It was hardly a dream boat, lying on its side looking very sorry. The dog was rushing round it, nose in the sand, tail wagging. It occurred to Noah it could be a ship wreck with bodies on board. A closer look revealed no holes or signs of major damage. More likely it had slipped it’s mooring from some distance away, no boats like that around here. He ran his hand over the bow, good solid wood, very old wood. Could this be an antique boat? Noah decided to climb inside, not an easy task with slippery wood at that angle, especially after his recent knee replacement. He clambered over and slid down the deck, landing on the side of the wheelhouse. He stayed on his wheelhouse perch to survey the deck, which was as seaweed clad as a rockpool. The funnel was still in place, the top resting in the sand below where the tide was creeping back in. The mast had snapped leaving only a jagged stump. The boat was longer than he had supposed when he stood beneath the hull. Perhaps it had been a coastal steamer similar to those his grandfather used to describe, taking supplies all round the coast, the family living on board. What fun that had seemed to young Noah and it could still be fun.

This was a vessel that deserved to be rescued and restored, returned to its former glory, then he could take Sally on the cruises she dreamt of. The water around them was becoming more turbulent as the river in full spate met the incoming tide. A rescue was needed right now, restoring it could be planned later. Rufus would not be much help with that, he was barking anxiously for Noah to get back down on the beach.

There was no point in having three robust sons if you did not summon them for an important mission. Simon first, he worked at the boat yard as a general dogsbody, but he drove trucks and trailers bringing boats in to be repaired and launching them back out to sea. Could his bad tempered boss be persuaded to give space in his yard next to those posh yachts and respectable working fishing boats?

‘Dad, how on earth do you think we can get that on a trailer?’

‘Wait till Ben arrives.’

‘You think his gangmaster is going to let him off the building site with his expensive machinery?’

‘He is not a gangmaster, I play darts with him.’

‘The tide is coming in, can’t we wait and see if it floats the boat?’

‘And floats it away?’

Noah looked around nervously, there was more than the tide to worry about. Nosey people calling whatever authorities would be interested. Noah had no idea how he stood legally, lucky his third son was a lawyer.

Sally cooked a big dinner that night, delighted to have all three sons at home for a meal. Noah had promised to explain everything when they were all sat down properly, showered and warmed up after their epic day.

‘You rescued what!? Why?  It’s not the Mary Rose.’

‘The Mary Rose is not restored, it can’t sail, our boat will go to sea again.’

Tim the lawyer had been trying to speak.

‘Haven’t you lot been listening to the news, we have more to worry about than your ship wreck. Your house is probably going to be flooded, the council wants everyone to start making evacuation plans.’

‘Not us surely’ said Sally.

‘Yes I have seen the plans, you are getting nearer and nearer to the river and it’s getting worse upstream. I thought that’s why you called me round this evening, to help you pack. I’ve booked a space at ‘Storealot’.

‘That awful fluorescent orange building on top of the hill?’

‘Yes Mother and very grateful you will be to have your stuff safe in there.’

‘But where will we go, we’re not staying in your tiny flat…’

Tim looked relieved.

‘…and we certainly can’t stay in Simon’s caravan.’

Simon looked relieved.

‘And there’s no room at Becky’s parents’ Ben added hastily.

‘That’s why you have to be registered now, you can get on the priority list as you’re vulnerable.’

‘I’m not bloody vulnerable’ Noah spoke for the first time.

‘You just had a knee replacement.’

‘And I’ve just rescued a steamer, a boat that we can use when the flood comes’  he slapped the table. ‘Of course, the boat is a heavenly message. At least we won’t have to build it, worry about cubits… ‘

Tim laughed, they all laughed.

‘They laughed at my namesake, then they all wanted to get on board when it didn’t stop raining. Tim and your mother can pack up the house, get a hotel booked before everyone else does, me, Simon and Ben, straight down the yard in the morning, get that deck scrubbed. The accommodation down below is surprisingly roomy from what I could see. All of us could fit in for forty days, or whatever…’

‘What do you mean all of us?’

‘Wel, just in case the whole world gets flooded again.’

‘It wasn’t the whole world last time Dad, just a bit of the Middle East.’

‘If I’m wrong we will have had a nice cruise like you mother wanted.’

‘Becky won’t want to leave her parents behind.’

‘We have to be ruthless, we need young women, not oldies, except to steer the boat, you two better hurry up and get yourselves girlfriends. ‘

‘I have got one,’ said Simon ‘but she wants a city break to Paris, flying, not in a tug boat.’

‘I won’t be going,’ said Tim ‘Lawrence and I will not be much use to repopulate the planet.’

‘What about Rufus.’

‘No,’ said Simon ‘we’ll need animals we can eat.’

The Ark restoration attracted plenty of attention and despite the laughter of the other boat owners, Noah noticed a lot of activity around posh yachts that normally stayed in the yard till spring. Food stores and suitcases were being sneaked in.

It was amazing how many things you could get on Amazon thought Noah, hammocks, sleeping bags, astronauts’ ready meals, a motor and navigation instruments. Tim had been right, their house was soon under water. Locals were blaming the council. Noah waited till high tide was at night so they could slip away quietly… He would love to see everyone’s faces in the morning.