Launches, lunches and Man Overboard

What a great day. The boat was officially launched – I got to advertise the fact live to millions of BBC listeners and my bestest pal John, managed to fall in the canal (and he was sober).

The sun shone and a steady trickle of friends and family arrived throughout the morning, ahead of our 1pm naming ceremony. Mick represented the boatyard and by mid-day, nearly everybody was assembled around the radio, ready for me to fall on my arse, live to millions of listeners on the Graham Norton Radio show. Graham was very gracious, but I didn’t let him lead the conversation and managed to get across all the things that I thought were important, apart from, saying what the boat’s name was, which Graham reminded me of at the end of the interview.

With that out of the way I then said a few choice words and we opened the vintage bottle of Moet that my sister Carol had brought with her, donated by Mark and Lucy down in Brighton. We cut the ribbon, everybody cheered, and we crossed over to the over side of the canal to The Steamboat for a very comprehensive lunch, but not before everybody was given a “Cat’s Whiskers” T-shirt.  

Pat cuts the ribbon while I struggle with the Champers. The Spitfire waits in reserve

With Mick, one half of the team who worked their magic on TCW

John and Lorraine were the last two to leave and as Pat had not been out under an engine on TCW, we thought we would go on a quick cruise up the Erewash.  I untied her and John pushed off the bow, but forgot to let go. It was like watching in slow motion as I realised he had gone past the point of no return. I gave the bow thrusters a blast, but it was too late and he went in. So, in the space of a week, both his dog and John have been in the cut. So watch out Lorraine. I just wish I’d had a camera handy.

He was shivering so we put him in the shower, I found him some clothes to wear, and we got on with it. Just a short cruise up to the first winding hole and back.

Two of our other friends are staying over in the area tonight and Bob and Penny are joining us in the morning and we hope to cruise down to Shardlow and back.

We have had TV reception all week but at the moment I am getting nothing at all, so I think we might have a connection problem somewhere in the co-axial. I’ll get Mick to take a look on Monday.

Toodaloo folks