Barging.

Last night I watched a program on the TV which showed several celebrities taking narrow boats up stretches of inland water ways, 

Naturally there wa a fair bit of bumbling around dangerous things like locks....gosh it brought back so many memories. We bumbled our way around lots of locks on the Great Ouse. 

My first husband David and I never had a narrow boat but we did have several river boats  otherwise known as gin palaces, starting with a tiny bright yellow job and working our way up to the wonderful Freeman. Our boats had beds....part of the joy of river cruising was having an entire weekend away from home. Sometimes whole weeks were spent on board, stopping at all the pubs en route. 

We did spend lots of weeks on board at various times of our life. David would arrive home from work on Friday evening and by bed time we were snuggled down in our bunks. It  was great fun. Friends were made as we cruised, some of whom I’m still in touch with.  

 But there were hazards at times...especially with other boats being driven by those not used to our inland water ways. 

Meeting huge narrow boats could be dodgy. We were tiny compared to the very long ones. Getting through the locks was always dodgy if not fraught. . Our blessed springer spaniel barked ferociously most of the time. And there was often a dispute as to which of us should be on the bank guiding the boat through by tugging the ropes once the engine had been cut. 

Last nights program brought back so many memories...all good ones..I look forward to the next episode....