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Published: December 2nd 2018
Ready to go!
It is September 3, and we are about to leave the work mooring in Tewkesbury Marina on the River Avon. Our son Alastair has been fitting out the boat here since March, with a little help from us! On September 3 2018 we began the maiden voyage of our narrowboat "Horatio Sprague". Strictly speaking this was not the maiden voyage, as we had already sailed the boat from Steve Heywood's boatyard in Stone some 85 miles to Tewkesbury in February. But then the boat was only an empty shell with an engine. Thanks mostly to our son Alastair it was now a beautifully finished narrowboat!
Although the original plan was to do a round trip of the West Midlands, a chance meeting with actress Niamh Cusack and her "Macbeth" co-star Raphael Sowole changed things! We were unable to get tickets to see the play in Stratford-upon-Avon, and Niamh challenged us to come and see it in London! As we had to get back to Tewkesbury by the end of October, we needed to complete the 387 mile 387 lock round trip in record time.
Never ones to resist a challenge, we set off for London via the River Avon, the Stratford Canal and the Grand Union. We arrived and moored in Little Venice in time for the performance of "Macbeth" at the Barbican on October 16. Thanks to Niamh for the challenge, the great performance and the
The Fleet Inn
First stop on the river just had to be the Fleet Inn for lunch. backstage tour afterwards! Thanks also to our friends Ray, Madeline, Mick, Jan, Fran and Brian for their help and encouragement along the way!
Click on the "photos" tabs to see our photoblog of the voyage!
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