The pace is luxurious. There is nothing to do but watch the grasses, flowers, fish and birds slowly go by. I learn to steer using the steery thing, move it in the direction that you don’t want to go. I am a bit erratic at first then learn if I look at the end of the 40’ boat I can easily see the impact of moving from right to left. I even went under a bridge and around a corner.
We passed by our first boat about an hour after leaving, they were moored and their boat was flying the Jolly Rodger and while we were trepidations at first, we soon came to realize they were just tourists and not pirates.
About 10 minutes or 100 meters later, we realize the Jolly Rodger was moored at what was to be our first overnight stop. Oh well, no fear, the boat comes equipped with a do-it-yourself mooring option. We passed under a highway and thought, too noisy, let’s wait for the wooden bridge and then we will find a spot.
Just beyond the bridge, fishermen were fishing in the tall reeds that surround the shore. Not too happy to see us, I presume. We go a little further and find what looks like a small indent from the reeds and decide this look like a good mooring spot.
John pulls the nose of the boat up to shore. “Just jump out and grab the rope”. I did a jump but backwards like an uncoordinated athlete that I am. John came, and jumped, and I jumped after him, more successfully that time. Then the realization, “how will we get back on the boat!”
Between the shore and the boat is about 3 feet and a portion of that is covered with a thorny bush. Off with the shoes, off with the socks, John determines a belly flop on the flat part of the boat’s pointy front bit will work. Not a belly flop at all, it is an Olympic long jumper.
Hum, now Wendy.
“All we need is a gang plank”. John brings out the double bed frame and stretches it from the boat to the shore. Princess must step gently to test the plank, nope , not sturdy enough. John steers the boat closer, a 90 degree angle to the shore, out comes the bed frame and the princess floats to the boat like an angel from heaven. More like a stretch and a thud.
Now the question, how far away is the official mooring, it is now 8:30 at night. We call our uberlord, Philip, he assures us that we are only about 30minutes away and we will be fine. He is right, we are fine and the mooring is a safe haven for the night.
Tomorrow we give boat locks a try.
The world around me 