Das Boot

Saturday, May 16

Wonderful serendipity. We got up slowly, prepared for our trip to the train station (do all cities have a Picadilly Station in England?), and caught our cab. This was also a good-bye to Patrick, since we were very unlikely to see him again here. And of course, being Manchester, it was rainy.

But we got there, and the station was one where we had to go up and over a set of tracks to get to the one we wanted. we had bags, so took a lift. And when the lift doors opened, there was a former patient of mine from Dundas! So it really is the epicentre of the universe. But nice to see him: he in his home town visiting his brother, and we in my son's town visiting my family.

The train ride was smooth and uneventful, also fairly fast. We got to the small town of Gobowen, Wales (the friendly conductor on the way asked if we had family there: "it really is a bit in the middle of nowhere", he said). A wonderful stationmistress directed us to a store for some food for our boat trip. she said it wouldn't take long to shop, and she was right. The Co-op was small, but quite adequate, and we were provisioned and on our way in no time. Got the perfunctory tour of the boat, with all its little tasks that we had to do each day or the boat would sink, or we would come to ruin in some other way. It all sounded like too much work, but the sun was shining at that point, and the world seemed right. So we were off.

Now, this boat is called a narrow boat, and for a reason. forty-one feet long and less than seven feet wide. An RV on water. Basic, but possible. The canal is about as wide as two of these, with a bit of room to spare. Except at the bridges, when it narrows to be only slightly more than a single width.

And then there were the tunnels and the aqueducts. Each of those was a single lane, so you had to ensure that there was no one coming the other way before entering. The tunnels were about 400 metres long, and totally dark, so you were bouncing off the sides and unable to see a lot at the same time. The aqueducts were open, and high. One side had a walking path and railing, and the other had a steel side with a sheer drop of over 100 feet beyond that. The good news is that the sun was out while we did it (the rain was at other times, and it did rain!). The worse news was that it was very scary and when the wind came up you were sure you wold be blown right off. But we made it. My steering is improving, Darlene's is making great strides. But our mooring leaves something to be desired, and is fraught with anxiety for both of us.

Right now we are moored outside the town of Llangollen. Darlene walked into town to get some supplies, and I had a nap. She had an adventure when it was longer and more arduous than expected. I had an adventure when one of the mooring spikes came out and one end of the boat was "flapping" in the canal. We were each helped by strangers who assisted us in making it better, and we are now looking at a friendly bottle of wine before moving to a different place for the night.

If I had doubts about it, I am now convinced I am a true-blue landlubber. And one who enjoys vacations with a modicum of luxury, rather than ones where there is a healthy dose of work.

However, the day ended well, with a walk into the town—a beautiful town built by the looks of it in the nineteenth century, and maintained well until now—and a supper at a riverside restaurant which was good and filling and relatively cheap. We walked back to the boat in a bit of rain (although I think in Wales they call this sunshine), and settled in for another night.

Darlene has asked that i be sure to mention the rapid changes of weather we have experienced. Today began cloudy, followed by rain. As we approached the Aqueduct, the sky miraculously cleared, and we were met with blue, plus a bit of wind. Then it clouded and rained again. Then cleared, then clouded. One man we talked with said it was because we were close to the border with England, and the weather couldn't decide whether to be English or Welsh: he might just be right. But we have become accustomed to experiencing rapid changes, many times a day.