The Little Floating Craft Company: This Kitty was a big 'un!

When we went to a boat jumble in Ipswich a couple of weeks back we'd no idea that we'd be unleashing a monster!! After the jumble we took a walk around the Quay and noticed an old Thames Barge with a sign up advertising boat trips. I was duly instructed by a very keen Mr LFCC to ring them first thing on the Monday morning and book a trip. Who was I to argue?

So this morning we got up disgustingly early and I made us a packed lunch, and off we drove to play boats. We got there a little early and were poised to leap (not very gracefully, to be fair) onboard as soon as the gangplank was popped into position. Our boat for the morning was an 1895 Thames Barge called "Kitty" and she was absolutely gorgeous. Her crew were so lovely and welcoming, and our gracious hostess, Annie, is as mad for crafting (possibly even more so!) than yours truly, while our skipper, Kevin, was as laid back and calm as Mr LFCC!

There weren't nearly as many people onboard for our trip as there would usually be so we were told that once we were out of the quayside we could have the sails up which we were really excited about!
We pootled on into the mahoosive lock (scary deep) and were sung to by the lock keeper... obviously... why wouldn't he sing to us??! Outstanding!

Then we moved into open water. It was really shocking how many of the yachts and sailing boats decided to try and out run Kitty and cut directly accross in front of her with no kind of concern for life nor limb. Everyone who wanted to was allowed a try at steering her though, and despite this no other boats were crushed. Is it wrong to admit we were ever so slightly disappointed? lol! You could tell the narrowboaters amongst us as everyone steered in the opposite direction to where we wanted to go but it transpires that these girls wheels should be turned in the direction you actually want to head.

We turned around after an hour and the sails powered our gentle gaunt back towards the lock again. I think everyone else was as reluctant to get off as we were and there was rather a lot of talk of going back out for the afternoon cruise too!

Still, we disembarked and headed back to the car for the drive back to our own girl but shortly after leaving the town centre I spotted a little sign with that all important VW logo on and we had to investigate! Turns out there'd been a VW festival there all weekend which didn't finish until teatime today so we mosied on in for a look around. There were some stunning vans there that folks have obviously spent a fortune on but the ones I loved were the ones that looked absolutely buggered (but had serious engines hiding beneath the battered exterior in many cases).