Maiden Voyage

[Bettie Boo]

Well a Really Big Thanks to both Ray T and Simon (Captain Fizz) for all their patience, laughs, instruction, points of etiquette & guidance in our first day of learning how to steer this big beast!

 

Out maiden voyage was brilliant, I was amazed how much a light wind blows this floating tennis court from one side of the canal to the other! Couldn't believe just how narrow the canal actually is, or looks from the back end when there's another boat approaching, still can't quite get my head around why the little cattle bridges are so skew-whiff in accordance to the canal, and how low the clearance is on bridges (especially the ones Simon tells me are actually quite high)

 

All in all it was a day I will always remember, especially my turn at the helm, on a straight bit of the cut and me using the entire width going from bank to bank

 

Oh.....may also remember the bit when we got back to our mooring at the marina and Dave thought it would be a good idea to see if he could retrieve any of my silver plate from the bottom of the cut while tying up the bow line, he managed to do a great interpretation of Tom Daley as he was going in. He tells me the water is well over 6' deep, fairly cold and very dirty.....the phone and tobacco didn't survive any where near as gracefully as he did

[Ray T]

I enjoyed it and learnt a bit myself.

 

Many thanks

 

PS you have an eMail.

[junior]

Any photos of the dunking?!

[Bettie Boo]

Dave (in the stippy sweater) looking much dryer than he was about 2 hours later

 

http://rs1020.pbsrc.com/albums/af325/Bettie-Boo/DSCF1407_zps3a7fef34.jpg~320x480?t=1394136276

Edited March 6, 2014 by Bettie Boo

[Captain Fizz]

One minute he was there........and there he was gone.

All in all an excellent day with the wind an additional challenge.

I was pleasantly suprised at how easy she was to handle but visibility is a little tricky through bridge holes.

You should have many a pleasant day scaring the bejesus out of other boaters!

[matty40s]

There was indeed a sneaky wind today....good to see you got out for a cruise,you must have come past me........ of course he retrieved all the silver plate didn't he....??

Edited March 6, 2014 by matty40s

[Naughty Cal]

You will remember that first cruise for a long time.

 

Can still vividly remember ours now!

[Martin Megson]

Sounds like you had fun. I still remember my first trip fondly.

[Grace and Favour]

Bettie B - - Is that a British or Russian Blue you have on board?

[deckhand]

congrats on getting first one over, remember ours well too )

[IanM]

The first trip you will always remember. But the feeling you get when you realise you can move the damn thing anytime you want to is amazing

[Athy]

, still can't quite get my head around why the little cattle bridges are so skew-whiff in accordance to the canal,

I'm pretty sure that it was a clause in the original 1790-ish contract; "Thou shalt not build bridges in a straight line with the canal, rather shalt though align them at bloody impossible angles on fearsomely tight bends; otherwise shall the wrath of the Great Engineer fall heavily upon thee".

or something like that. Each time I go up and down the Ashby I marvel at how all those pairs of 70' coal boats managed to thread their way through without hitting at least four bridges out of five. perhaps they did hit them but just didn't care.

[Phil Ambrose]

Hi Bettie, only just spotted this, glad you have got your first cruise under your belt and I'm betting you loved it, hey and that's just the start.

Phil

[Bettie Boo]

Bettie B - - Is that a British or Russian Blue you have on board?

Hey G&F, I'm thinking it's a teasing question, but I don't get it? Sorry you'll have to explain - d aren't interrupt Dave as he's in the process of trying to figure out why the pump out isn't flushing

 

ETA - LMAO sorry mind hasn't kicked into gear yet this am. Hadn't realized all the photo bucket pics had been copied so thought your comment was in reference to the pic of Dave and Simon cruising into the sunset

 

Gabby is a pure mutt, just like her brother Zebby the tiger striped one. I think she has some blue in her lineage somewhere though, I've never experienced a cat with as soft fur

Edited March 7, 2014 by Bettie Boo

[Ray T]

Russian Blue = a breed of cat.

 

[Athy]

What a gorgeous mog!

I suppose they're turning up in increasing numbers in Crimea right now.

[Bettie Boo]

Beautiful - Gabby does indeed look quite similuar; but again is a simple "mutt". I do believe Julynian have a couple of beautiful purebred Blues

[junior]

I don't like cats, but that one looks alright!

[Starcoaster]

Oh I do love a happy tale of someone falling in- as long as it's not me!