In the Spring of 2015 Mike and I will be resuming our French Canal Adventure on 'Nellie'.
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| 'Nellie' FOR SALE! |
Sadly, it will be the last time for us.
This will be our third and final year of adventure and exploration and our goal is to drive her up to Paris and enjoy the Cultural Capital at leisure - in our own home! Of course there will be much to see on the way as well as after, because in this area of the French canal system there is no shortage of direction options - and each (we are told) is as glorious in its way, as another. But along with all the exciting plans for Spring, Summer and Autumn, we must be also make plans for finding 'Nellie' a new home. Sad though we feel about curtailing our French adventure by a year or two, circumstances change and we must adapt.When we bought 'Nellie' from the Le Boat Company in Narbonne in the Spring of 2012, she typically had zero inventory. Not so much as a teaspoon, cup, life jacket or even a hose was to be found on board! We spent the first few weeks kitting her out (IKEA at Montpelier was a useful place for that) with all the equipment needed for the two of us (and frequent visitors) to feel at right home. 'Nellie's' accommodation had been modified somewhat when we bought her and now she has a large main cabin in the stern - with an en suite toilet and washbasin. Further up the hall and opposite each other are two more cabins with adjoining bathrooms and showers. These spaces are very adequate for single adults, or two smaller siblings to occupy. As well, the main living area has two single bunks. Last summer we managed to accommodate (quite well) six adults. It was lots of fun, especially as one of the group was a young French woman. She was wonderful in helping me with my French pronunciation! The top deck makes all the difference and on 'Nellie' it's big enough to be the 'party Boat'! As well the top boxes hide the generator (should we ever need it), life jackets, spare fuel and other bits and pieces. We use the top steering position all the time as you get a superb view of the surrounding countryside. We had a bimini (canopy) fitted the first year, to help keep the champagne cool!
One of the first things we did was to order new cushions and upholstery for all the beds and settees. What a difference that made! Everything smelled clean and fresh - and with a new rug and scatter cushions it was certainly beginning to feel like home. This year, we added a cockpit cover to our improvements. What a difference this made on cooler, wet or windy days. It really does give us a lot of extra space and somewhere to put the raincoats! We had a few people enviously checking it out when we arrived at Saint Jean D'Losne for the winter break.
I will be posting here more often once the season begins and we move back on board. Meanwhile if anyone is interested in adopting Nellie for their own adventure, please leave a message here, or on facebook using the link below. We have many more details and photos, some of which I will upload over time.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Our-French-Canal-Adventure-on-Nellie/1508223209428725
