I found this picture whilst looking through for something else; taken during craning out for the survey. Tortoise looks tiny, up there.

I'll be out for a trip with an old friend the last weekend of July, but have a few days off after that, so anyone want to continue the journey with me, Sunday 30th-Wed 2nd? Will probably be working our way up the Grand Union, I.'m guessing from the Leighton Buzzard & Milton Keynes area, all easily accessible by train.

I know most of you will need to take time off work to do this, but if that's a possibility, say anyway and I'll try to let you know asap. Won't necessarily choose the first or most obvious people, but will go on flexibility and other factors too...

When the survey was being done a week ago, I was mooching about, chatting to people around. Jan, a local boat resident heard what the old name was, and said 'you are going to change it, aren't you?'. Yes. 'Is it out of the water?'. Yes. She apologised for the superstition of it, but said 'tell the boat it's name while it's still out; it goes back in with a new name'. I liked that, it appealed a lot, so I did.

The full payment had gone through by yesterday morning, I had the day off, so I could go out to the boat, have a potter, bit of an explore of the details. I found a spare single duvet, which will be handy, although the Mighty Power Rangers cover on it threw me a little. I didn't get half as much done as I'd thought due to meeting everyone, chatting, being made tea. I did paint out the old name - no name is better than the wrong one.

I think I'm going to like owning a boat, you know.

Tempted as I was to rename the boat "Slow World" after the song by Kate D, I'm probably going to go for the more earthly 'Tortoise' - which has a similar connotation, and not only has personal meanings but would make it a post-rock canal boat. Survey in a couple of weeks, nothing definite yet. I won't get gazumped this time, though, going through a broker who turns out to be an ex BBC bloke.


Test driving it yesterday in the late afternoon sun I suspect I was the happiest I've been for a long while.

pictures from first view

outside side view; nicely proportioned for a small boat, I think.

nice big sociable 'cruising' deck

minimal sized front deck, but space for two

inside, looking forward. All that white emulsion...

broker's diagram of boat layout

stove, on a rather strange base

side view inside looking towards back