Theactress
Onone jaunt along thecanal, wepeer into anarrowboat to see awoman tapping away at herMacBookPro, with anolddiary propped
on a small woodeneasel. It’s all very idyllic. After being let in, it turns out that HayleyDoherty is an actress fromManchester, and she’s
typingup thediaries of English actor AngusMackay, who kept a journal from 1939 to2012. Likemany boat owners, itwas amixture
of curiosity andfinancial pressure thatmadeher buy aboat two years ago. “I needed tobe in Londonbut I was fedupof sharing and
couldn’t affordmy ownflat. I started looking at boats, andbecameobsessed.” Shebought anoldboat up inCheshire and sailed it
back to London, arriving21 days and 156 locks later. Though she “made the right choice”, it’s been a lot ofwork turning it into the
beautiful space it is today. “It’s like living in abig vintagecar, and it canbequiteoverwhelming inwinterwhen stuff breaks,” she says.
“Youcan’t afford to get someone tofix everything, so youhave tofigure things out yourself. Youhave tobe resourceful.”
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