Maiden Voyage !

Well - we finally made it !!  We have been aboard NB Caxton (aka the Manly Ferry !) since Friday afternoon - here are a few pics of our first meeting with Caxton and also of our Maiden Voyage!
 

On approach - with the dogs !

The smiles say it all !



Bombo and Sam checking out their new view !



... and their new reclining chair !



... and their new bed !



Russell giving Paul instructions on how to make fire !!


On Sunday we took Caxton out on her maiden voyage.  Paul picked up his mum in the morning and brought her over to the boat and then Tracey and Russ came over - also bring goodies with them ! The first manoeuvre  of the day  involved reversing approx 100 metres and winding (chucking a u-ey for our Australian friends) I then realises that she is a bloody long boat! I managed it on the second attempt with the help of the bow thruster.  As we set off, Paul's sister rang to see if she and her hubby Mick and son, Liam could meet up with us somewhere - which they did along the way, so we had a merry crew for the maiden voyage !

We set off towards Cosgrove and then onto Bradwell in Milton Keynes ...

Captain Paul getting the feel of things !



Sam (small dog) didn't take his first trip well at all and went into full-on 'where is a wardrobe to hide in' mode ... poor little thing !  However, he got lots and lots of cuddles on the day, so he didn't do too bad!

First stop on the maiden voyage was the poo stop - well, to put more politely - to empty out the toilet cassette!
      

Preparing for emptying!

Russ was behind instructing us what to do !!

... and for my next trick - Russ was showing me what to do with the Locks !  Yikes !

All that excitement over, we stopped for a bit of lunch and then Lynne, Mick and Liam arrived ...

Gets quite full quite quickly !

Bombo took to the boat like a duck to water !! He loved it sitting on the roof - although our first purchase this week will be 2 x life vests for the dogs !

We had to wind again at Milton Keynes, and that went a lot better. 

Paul with his audience !

On the way back ... full house at the stern !

What a beauty !

Beautiful English countryside - just stunning !

 
Today, we had a relaxing day - just sorting stuff out and succumbing to our jet lag !  Tonight we achieved a long-held goal ... we took the dogs to the pub for a pint and some porkie scratchings !!  Our local at the moment is the Coffee Pot pub in Yardley Gobion - such a friendly crew in there, it was our second night there and we are on first name terms with the staff and some of the locals...bloody fantastic!

Waiting for the nod to eat the porkie scratchings

At last a nice pub and beer plus dogs welcome

Lastly any help in how to set up a Tesco home delivery with no fixed abode would be most appreciated.
o