Long weekend messing about in boats

There is a new family at the marina.


Mum and Dad Swam and their seven children.

They live on the opposite bank to our boat.

The parents spent the weekend teaching the children how to find food. First port or call is our neighbour's boat. The male is very agressive and attacks the boat's hull for attention and demanding food when a human appears.

Here he is chasing off Mother Moorhen.

Teaching the babes to forage for weed.

We spent a lot of time working inside the boat, getting it habitable for cruising, before going into the paint shed in July. The first night aboard was a little uncomfortable because we hadn't packed enough pillows, and the microwave died in the middle of re-heating the cottage pie I'd made at home.

A quick trip to Waitrose, near Rushden, solved those problems, and also provided a lovely picnic lunch, the following day,

Ron is beginning to like the marina. He loves the walks and is very aware of his own private swimming pool behind the marina office.


He went AWAL off the back deck on the final day and MWNN found him having adventures in the office garden.

Having been reluctant to overnight on the boat when we set off on Saturday, MWNN was keen to extend our stay an extra day. We had a lot of lovely walks as well as all the exercise of the work that needed doing.

The moorings are in the sheltered safety of the lake, with access to the River Nene just a few hundred metres away

The last job on leaving the boat is to put on the covers. We haven't quite got the knack of putting on the rear 'dodger'. It may need adjustable 'bungies' to save the skin on the knuckles.







I may go back to do some more clearing and cleaning while MWNN is away cat-sitting in Wimbledon.