Tuesday and Wednesday saw us sailing the boat to our moorings. Day1 saw a 6 hour journey from Earith to Ely. I took the helm for twenty minute stretches. A lot of input from Tim (our instructor) to start, and one hairy moment – when special awareness issues struck as we met a boat wider than us on a bend. Steve had issues with a tree that came at us from nowhere, and a bank with a vicious set of teeth. We were to be fair fighting the tail end of Brian. Still the cows enjoyed the view
Lankey and rabbit viewed proceedings from the front and found it ok.
Mooring in Ely we then drove back to starting point to rescue Tim’s car before practising knots – badly.
Day 2
Brain knackered, I took the helm from Ely on the Wednesday, and for a good twenty mins of the 45 mins stint (before OH took over) was on my own in the wheelhouse. The only real issue on Wednesday was the 2ft 6″ bridge, we’d not noticed on the map . We moored just before it, took down the back railings, and slowly navigated under the bridge with wheelhouse roof on.
Making it with 1/2 an inch to spare, we all agreed, we’d not do that again.
We arrived at the marina 4 hours after leaving Ely. Neighbours helped us moor, then left us to it. It was a lovely evening, but by the time we’d brought the car back, too cold to sit out.
Being the biggest boat on the marina, we’ve attracted our fair share of stares from the ducks both normal and ugly.
Huge thanks to Tim. I can now sail my beast of a boat.
