We are sailing...

What a fabulous day!  :-))

John and Norma arrived at 10.30am.  David picked Alan's pal Andrew up and was back home by 12.00.  

We had lunch and just after 1pm we headed to Falkirk for a sail on the Union Canal (full name The Edinburgh and Glasgow Union Canal) on board The Govan Seagull, a barge belonging to The Seagull Trust   

We arrived at the Boathouse to be greeted by Ian, Jackie and Cathy.  Three wonderful people.

I was intrigued to find out how they would get Alan, in his very heavy power wheelchair, onto the barge.  The answer, as always, was simple.  A hydraulic ramp.  Easy peasy.  And plenty of room to manoeuvre on the barge itself.

Once we were all on, we set off and spent a wonderful two hours relaxing as we sailed in the sunshine, waving to people on other barges and the many cyclists who passed, enjoying the canal as much as we were. 

Once we were on the move we left our seats and sat up front in the sunshine.  Alan and Andrew were loving it (well we all were :-) and Alan was especially happy as he had Ashleigh and Kirsten with him.

Cathy served up tea and coffee and we shared the red velvet cake we had taken.  All very civilised.  

One highlight was watching a large heron sunbathing in the reeds then taking off and catching a fish.  David had my camera at that point and managed to get some blurry shots of the heron but not of it eating the fish.  

Cathy asked if any of us would like a go of steering the barge.  Andrew almost knocked her over in his enthusiasm to say yes!  

He had first go and scared the bejeezus out of us when he sounded the horn!  We almost ended up in the canal in fright!  lol!  He was awarded afterwards with a certificate certifying he had indeed steered the Govan Seagull and was chuffed to bits.  David also had a go and got a certificate too.  The rest of us were happy just to keep relaxing in the sunshine.

All too soon the two hours were up and we got back to the Boathouse just before 4.30pm.  

Home in time for Gin o'clock, apart from poor D who had to take Andrew home at 10pm.

Continuing the lazy relaxed theme of the day it was takeaway for tea and hi-jinks from Andrew who was trying to give David a fright by letting off party poppers when he wasn't expecting it.  

Alan says he would love to do this again so I think it will become an annual event.  Longer cruises are available and I think we would do a longer one as the two hours just flew by.  

They also do a Christmas cruise so Ashleigh's going to look into that and book it as a surprise as part of Alan's Christmas.   Sailing along on a lovely crisp blue sky winter's day, wrapped in cosy blankets and drinking hot chocolate sounds wonderful.  Here's hoping we'd be as lucky with the weather in December as we were today. 

Photos in extras show Alan (with Grandpa in the foreground) just as we got on the barge.  His delight at being there is plain to see.  Next one is Andrew steering the barge.  I love the Saltire in the sky behind him :-))  Finally a group shot of us all taken by Ian just as we were about to get off.  I hunkered down thinking my head would be out of shot if I didn't.  It wouldn't have been and now I look like Inch High Private Eye! :-)))

PS One cyclist stopped and got off his bike to ran back along the tow path to take a picture of the barge.  Looked like he knew what he was doing.  I wonder if he's a blipper.  I wish I had shouted to him and asked.