About this site

Piers and Lin du Pré bought their new Fleming 55 / 129, Play d'eau, in 2003.

She was berthed in Beaucette Marina, Guernsey in the Channel Islands at N49° 30’.197 W002° 30’.350 until she was sold in October 2021.

This site charts the thrilling adventures they had in her.

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Recent Posts

The Victoria Wing

Owen Cole of The Medical Specialist Group
click to enlarge

It’s Saturday and Lin’s on her way to collect me, homeward bound to Play d’eau in Beaucette Marina, Guernsey.

In a nutshell

Guernsey’s Princess Elizabeth Hospital; The Victoria Wing; a successful TURP operation; zero side effects; many friends made, and I think – correction, I know – I’ve put on weight.

The Victoria Wing

After wondering for ages how best to describe my three day stay in The Victoria Wing, I have at last found the right words. A treat. It really was. I was spoiled. A special treat. And my health insurance was paying for it.

Medical matters

If the truth be told, I’m a wimp when it comes to medical matters. I wasn’t looking forward to having the TURP but I knew it had to be done.

I’d met Owen Cole, the Island’s consultant urologist at Guernsey’s ‘The Medical Specialist Group‘. We’d talked for a long time, not only about my prostate and prostates in general, but boating and music.

Google researching had eliminated the last shred of doubt. Without sounding patronising, Owen Cole is right at the top of his profession.

A holiday

So the last three days have been like a holiday. OK, it had it’s time of stress but that’s the same with any holiday, n’est ce pas?

I checked into The Victoria Wing, was shown to my room (complete with en suite); the bed was comfy and had a controller which was more fun than any TV remote; wi-fi, and a room service call button labelled ‘nurse call’.

The staff

And now to The Victoria Wing’s staff. We all know that the greatest asset in any business is its staff. The staff make the business. The same applies to The Victoria Wing where their staff is supreme.

From the moment I arrived everyone made me feel at ease, at home, valued and cared for. It was so reassuring.

The cooking

In a 5 star hotel you’d expect good cooking, wouldn’t you? But in The Victoria Wing it’s even better. Unexpected? Yes.

I’d heard about the Chefs, both called Dave, but thought some of the stories had to be urban myth.

Chef Dave

10:30am. A knock on the door. ‘Come in,’ I called.

‘Good morning, Mr du Pré. I’m your Chef, Chef Dave. What would you like for lunch today?’

‘What’s on the menu?’ I asked. ‘Well, I have a suggested à la Carte menu which I’ve put together for today, but maybe it’s easier if I tell you the ingredients we’ve had delivered this morning from which we can make anything you’d like.’

Ideas of the urban myth were being blown out of the water. ‘Apart from most vegetables including some lovely asparagus, we have just had in some turbot, brill, cod, salmon, smoked salmon and scallops – hand dived, of course. We have beef fillet, pork, rack of lamb and veal. It’s all fresh every day. We keep nothing in the freezer except ice-cream and peas.’

Had I died and gone to heaven? Maybe not the best comment to make given I was in hospital.

Two lunches, three dinners, and I know I’ve put on weight. And I haven’t even mentioned the breakfasts with bacon, fried bread, fried egg…

Guernsey is blessed

There’s no doubt that Guernsey is well and truly blessed by having such a competent team in the Urology department of The Specialist Medical Group and such lovely and dedicated staff to run The Victoria Wing.

Leaving today

On the one hand, I’m sad to be leaving. Everyone’s been so lovely and I’ve really enjoyed myself. On the other hand, I can’t wait to be back home with Lin and Play d’eau.

And I want to tell everyone ‘I can pee!’ It’s such a relief – literally. I can pee as if I was eighteen again. Success all round.

Thank you Owen Cole, The Victoria Wing, its staff, and last but not least by any means, Chef Dave.

I just wonder. Do you think Lin will bring me a menu to discuss tomorrow morning?

Piers
…about to leave…
The Victoria Wing, Princess Elizabeth Hospital
…en route and able to pee, to…
Play d’eau
Fleming 55
Beaucette Marina

14 comments to The Victoria Wing

  • Diccon

    Glad to hear all is OK, also a small suggestion that you don’t mention the menu idea with mum as you might well end up back at hospital!

    Loads of love

    Diccon et all.

  • Dave Birch

    Fab. So pleased it all went well.
    No doubt glad to get home.
    It will be interesting to see how ‘your’ chef compares to the one from the hospital! Sorry Lin.
    Regards,
    Dave

  • Woolly Mammoth

    If it’s as good as that Piers we think we’ll move to Guernsey. Glad it’s all OK now and hope it stays that way.

    Happy birthday for tomorrow. We shall be raising a glass to you both and of course Play D’eau.

    Lots of love and BIG hugs.

    Woolly Mammoth

  • Marion Blue

    Can’t believe what I just read. No comparison to NHS England! Glad to hear you enjoyed your stay and of course that the operation went well. Do I gather it’s your birthday tomorrow? Well happy birthday Piers.

    Much love

    M

  • Woolly Mammoth

    OK – half a bottle plus !!!! As you know, we’re not very good at single glasses!

    Hope you enjoy your special day and your ability to pee at will !!! We can recommend a book, “The Floods” by I P Freely, but we don’t think Smiths have got a copy in at the moment.

  • Pip Flynn

    I would like to repeat what Diccon said (thanks, Diccon, I thought I would borrow your message this time round!).
    Glad to know all went well, that you had a very enjoyable “stay” at the Hospital but I know that Lin is an expert at poaching eggs unlike somebody else!?!
    Make sure you’re not too lippy now that you’re back home again!
    P&Pxx

  • Hil

    I love it! and I am so very pleased and relieved it’s all gone so easily and unexpectedly well and that you enjoyed it all so much Hooray! Hooray for the chef too. Keep peeing (for miles)…(Piers, where did you hear that song-is it really a song?).

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY AGAIN and lots of love, Hil.x.x.

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