Captian Ahab reflects

Captain Ahab reflects

3rd Jan 2011

New Year is always a good time for a bit of reflection on the past 12 months and a look forward to the next.

2010 has had more than its fair share of turmoil for the Ahab's but hopefully that glimmer of light we see at the end of the tunnel proves to be more than a flame thrower coming our way!

Belle has had a second operation on her shattered eye socket and hopefully that will put her well on the road to a full recovery, and Jeff's educational Tribunal hearing is imminent which will hopefully result in a suitable further educational placement after a break of 15 months.

I was looking back on my posts from this time last year and note that on the 3rd Jan 2010 I was celebrating my 10,000th hit on Capt Ahab - after 18 months of posting. So what progress have I seen in the last 12 months?

I consulted the trusty site meter and discovered that the blog has really picked up the pace over the last year, with the total now standing about 34,000. I haven't really noticed this change of tempo on a day to day basis, but on reflection I did see the daily count pass through 100 for the first time a couple of months ago and then stabilise above this level on a regular basis.

Not that you can detect this change from the UK Waterways ranking. In the summer I tend to hover in the low 30's and struggle to make it into Halfie's weekly posting, but then in the winter I climb to the mid 20's as some of the seasonal blogs go off line. Of course, making it into the top 30 is getting harder and harder and more and more "proper websites" are added and the waterways web community included in the rankings has grown to about 150.

Last year  I decided to adopt a more flexible approach to my blog posts, including more book and film reviews and general comment about what goes on around me, beyond the confines of the cut. I have enjoyed this liberty and whilst I plan to maintain the waterways focus, I will continue to include other topics as they occur.

I am glad that so many readers have enjoyed my written and photographic posts, it has been great to receive the feedback you have offered and to use the blog as a platform to build some really valued friendships across the country and beyond. 

So here is a toast to 2011. I trust that the year will be kind to you and with a bit of luck we will meet up somewhere round this amazing waterways system with which we have been endowed.