Arthur Ransome’s Selina King has returned to the Orwell and Harry King’s at Pin Mill, the yard that she was built in 84 years ago, following a restoration which began in Bermuda and continued in Itchenor five years ago, writes Peter Willis…

She was delivered by low-loader to Fox’s yard on the evening of Thursday 24th September – I arrived just in time to see the lorry (too big to navigate Pin Mill Lane) arrive (photo below).

Early the following morning she was lowered into Fox’s basin (photo below), watched by her owner Martin Pollard, and Gus Curtis of King’s towed her down to Pin Mill, for lift-out.

Selina King will stay in Harry King’s (photo below) over the winter while various final jobs are attended to, and will hopefully relaunched in the spring.

Nancy Blackett will join her soon, being expected to be taken out of the water there during the first week of November.

A permanent exhibition of Arthur Ransome’s photos of Selina King is on display at the nearby Pin Mill Studio – further details are on this page.

A small selection of Selena King memorabilia is available from the Nancy Blackett Shop.