The Journey Begins

The biggest surprise on the day we took ownership of our new narrowboat Dùn Èideann, last Friday 13^th May (lucky for some), was the delightful waterside setting of Hull Marina.  Humming with trendy restaurants serving excellent food, lively pubs, and buzzy cafes, we had failed to spot this gem on our five or six previous visits to the boatyard which sits opposite.  We took full advantage in our 24 hours here and I actually felt I would rather like to be stranded for a few days should high winds prohibit our passage down the Humber.  But it was not to be and on a glorious Saturday, Lainy Cain our boat builder and ‘Pops’ her boat savvy dad set out just after 2.25pm to take Dùn Èideann on her maiden voyage. 

Lainy and Pops take her down the Humber

The tide was high (#Debbie Harry) and as the boat zoomed out of the Marina onto the huge Hull estuary, I felt like a man must feel when his partner is giving birth – slightly anxious and hugely excited all at the same time, with absolutely nothing you can do about it.  Our two-and-a-half-year dream had come to fruition – thousands of hours of planning and building had gone into our new home from home – so much adventure awaits. In case you are wondering, Dùn Èideann is Gaelic for Edinburgh – we had always joked we would retire to Edinburgh – now we have – twice!

We first happened on the idea of a narrowboat late in 2019.  Buried in our favourite Times supplement, Bricks & Mortar, was a live-aboard boat in London which we briefly wondered whether Lewis might like, until we discovered the huge mooring fees!  And as so often, we batted the idea around for a few days as a retirement plan and for once it stuck.  We discovered a two-lady boat building firm in Hull and the rest as they say is history.  Lainy Cain, together with her building partner Lisa, (and not forgetting Betty and Bobble their canine apprentices), is an absolute star. 

Lainy, Lisa and Betty

She has built us a completely bespoke boat, to our very modern design, only rarely pointing out what could not work.  There is no point advertising her brilliance further as within a few months of us booking our build, her order books were filled to 2026 and she has closed them for good. We are her 58^th boat – she too wants a retirement.  Everything came in on time and to budget – quite a feat in the current climate – and after a short week’s delay due to the crane in Hull Marina needing a new part, we were in the water.  We were not allowed down the Humber (too dangerous needing special insurance) but with a very high tide and light winds it is unlikely Dùn Èideann will ever travel as fast again.  

The day was pristine and in under three hours we were moored at Keadby Lock, toasting the boat with good friends Dave and Maria who owned their own narrowboat twenty years ago. Living in Goole they had given us shelter on a number of occasions as we came and went awaiting the launch and borne the brunt of our short-lived frustrations which included locking the car keys in the Polo which we now know is break-in proof! A fabulous first evening other than Dave excitedly flinging his glasses into the canal – unfortunately our new magnet failed to retrieve them.  

Celebrating with Dave and Maria

 

We took a two-day trip up to Thorne along the Stainforth and Keadby canal while we awaited a suitable tide for our first venture onto tidal waters.  This canal was relatively uneventful – a straight canal and seven swing/ lift bridges which were all remarkably different.  The most interesting was the railway swing bridge which was opened to let boats through, stopping the railway line in the process – thankfully it was manned!  The lowlight of the trip was right in the middle of Thorne where with Ian on the wrong bank operating the swing footbridge and so powerless to help, I struggled to get the boat off the bank, scraping the black hull repeatedly.  Whether it was the wind pinning me in, the gaggle of boat owners looking on finding it somewhat hilarious, or my fast-failing confidence, and in fact probably all three - I felt a complete numpty! At least the boat now looks a little used, thankfully below the beautiful silver paintwork on her top half. Ian on the other hand has mastered parallel parking a narrowboat in a space a less than 10ft longer than the boat.  Don’t even think about “women driver” comments!

6am Tuesday morning and we headed into Keadby Lock for our first trip down the Trent.  We had heard scary stories of what can go wrong; the man in the boat moored behind us had taken one look at the choppy river the night before and declared he was going the other direction; and the buddy boat we had hooked up with to share the journey with had now changed plans.  So we were on our own on one of the highest tides of the month.  

6.20am leaving Keadby Lock

Not much was said as we prepared the boat that morning and donned our mandatory lifejackets. The lovely lady lockkeeper reassured us as she announced the tide was a bit late – I thought the moon made them regular as clockwork, but apparently high tides can be late on occasion.   In the end we could not have had a better trip.  Ian pushed the throttle hard forward as the lock gates opened (he had watched Pops on the Humber), and off we sped, the tide turning us almost as soon as we hit the river. 3 hours and 50 minutes later, with 28 miles under our belt, we turned into Torksey and relative shelter. 

Last night, after a lightning visit from Lucy, we tootled up to Lincoln on the old Roman Fossdyke way, a very much easier sail. We enjoyed a smashing authentic Italian meal in a restaurant that looked like someone’s house (local knowledge from the friendly live-aboards we were moored next to) and then slept so soundly in our berth in the pretty Brayford Pool which is a new addition to Lincoln since I last visited many decades ago.  As we sailed back this morning, a man waved to us as we passed by adding “That looks like a great life”.  We shall see over the next few months, but certainly it has been a fabulous beginning.  Every day brings new discoveries, a chance to reflect and a wonderful appreciation of the natural world around you.  First-off we are heading to Salisbury for a family celebration at the beginning of July; we hope to share some of our adventures from time to time as we travel along. 

 

“Happiness is a journey, not a destination”