We started on the 3rd in Richmond, flying to Laguardia in NY., where Bruce and Linda picked us up and we went to JFK for our flight to Edinburgh, Scotland. The flights were pretty uneventful (small delays, but nothing problematic). Our flight to Scotland was an evening/night flight, but rest was the best we could get, sleep didn’t happen.
Luckily once in Edinburgh, things went well. We grabbed a tram to the train, the train to Falkirk and a taxi ride to the wheel. Here we picked up our boat from ABC BoatHire, went through their training and we were off.
The Canal service/ABC boathire stayed with us through the 1st lock, just prior to the wheel. Passing that test (a near 90o turn), the guide jumped off and we were ushered right onto the wheel for our turn up to the Union Canal.
Our “hand off” explained the types of “obsticals” we would encounter. So, right after the wheel there is a tunnel, then 2 locks (stacked), a second (wetter) tunnel, and we were told how to “pass” other boats. Being Americans it is simple “Stay Right” and/or slow down, remember they drive on the left here. There really isn’t any overtaking but passing on comming boats, those moored, etc.
It took a few hours to get to our evening mooring. Here we crossed the tow path into a paking lot for the local grocery store TESCO. We did our limited shopping and went to dinner at the CanalSide, before retiring early totally exhausted. We had some light rain prior to getting on the boat, a sprinkle or two when traveling, and some pretty significant winds. Those winds can affect a flat bottom boat some, but at 3 MPH you have time to correct things. All in all a wonderful first day on the water.
I hope to start a gallery of pictures everyone took, so be on the lookout for that. See y’all tomorrow. Thanks for following an God bless.
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