Latest Adventures
We have a boat!
Shangri-La 2 - really our boat this time Its starting to sink in - we have a boat! I have been very quiet the last few weeks, as the last time I leapt prematurely into print, I might have jinxed things as the deal fell through. But now, we have had the survey and...
French Recollections 4
Rochers du Saussois The next three days we motored on along the Canal du Nivernaise, locking up, travelling south towards Decize. Not that we would get that far - we would stop at Clemecy. We went through 21 locks and overnighted at Accolay, Rochers du Saussois and...
French recollections 3
The wine cellar at Bailly In the last French recollections we left off having arrived at Bailly, and bought some wine from the nearby wine cellar. (Pic 1). It was so peaceful here we stayed 2 nights. It was free mooring (which always adds to the attraction!). The...
Looking for boats in Holland
A Valkkruiser 1260 When you fall off a horse, they say you must get right back on! So, despite the recent disappointment, we are off to Holland in a few days to look for our dream boat again. We have a hectic long weekend planned - we will drive all over Holland, from...
Don’t count your chickens
I am afraid the boat buying journey has to start all over again! I thought the buying of Olivia Rose would be a mere formality - see this post. How wrong I was. I had been reading up all the advice about buying a second hand boat that I could find. The two main issues...
French recollections 2
See French recollections 1 Migenne - Connoisseur Boats I said we moored up at Migenne that night. It wasnt as simple as that. We had planned to stop at Laroch St Cyndroine which was reported to be lovely. It was - and of course all the moorings were already...
End of the boat buying journey in sight!
Smaller Molenkruiser I haven't posted in a while now, I know. But I think I have a good reason. Ive been hot on the search for our boat. When Karen and I returned to UK from SA last month, we made a detour to Belgium to look at a couple of boats. It was a...
French recollections 1
Our boat Bouccanier at Joigny in France In 2008 Karen and I spent nearly a month on a boat in France, cruising on the River Yonne and Nivernaise Canal. This was our first trip to France. We thoroughly enjoyed it, and afterwards, we were hooked - both on boating...
Reflections on the French Waterways
Reflection on a French Waterway We're making progress on the boat buying journey again - I think! I have joined the RYA, and am trying to do the CEVNI test. We're back in Aberdeen. This is good and bad. Yes it is in the UK. But it is way north and it's a mission to...
The journey is still continuing!
Falkirk Wheel Someone asked me on Twitter - Have you bought your boat yet? Briefly - No not yet - but it must happen in 2012. At the moment though, boating is far from my mind - unfortunately! - Its all very well wanting a boat, but one must be able to pay for it,...
About Me
My love of boats goes back to my early years when I went on holiday with my parents to Knysna in the Cape.
We stayed at a hotel on stilts, and I played in rowing boats and little motor boats on the lagoon.