The Sailings Of Sovereign Lady

[Ray]

Day 1.

The White Heron, very nice, dog misbehaved.

Passed Grendel on his mooring at Rockland - Boat beautiful, Peter missing.

Moored at Cantley, the usual suspect has appeared with much engine revving and loud music as usual. We are at opposite ends of the long mooring but may have to move anyway 🙄

[grendel]

Peter asleep in the cockpit probably

[Ray]

Sounds good to me 👍😁

[Lulu]

2 hours ago, Ray said:

dog misbehaved

What’s Danni done now? 😂

[Mouldy]

When were you in The Heron, Ray?  I read on FB that they’ve introduced a new menu, which does sound a bit more than basic ‘pub grub,’ not unless it’s the same stuff and they’ve just translated it all into French! 

[Ray]

2 hours ago, Lulu said:

What’s Danni done now? 😂

Put her nose on Gill's burger as the plate was served, whined for food the entire meal and generally gathered admirers while I was trying to enjoy lunch and a pint 😂

 

1 hour ago, Mouldy said:

When were you in The Heron, Ray?  I read on FB that they’ve introduced a new menu, which does sound a bit more than basic ‘pub grub,’ not unless it’s the same stuff and they’ve just translated it all into French! 

Today Malc, not sure if it was a new menu as we hadn't been before but it was very nice and it was a cut above ham, egg & chips or a frozen burger. Gill had the homemade burger and said it was the best burger she'd ever had! Trust me, this is a difficult woman to please! 😁

I had a sirloin steak chibatta and it was cooked perfectly, trimmed and sliced so that you could just eat without resorting to cutlery .

[Ray]

Day 2.

Dog stop play, returning to base. We have had an ongoing problem with settling our dog onboard overnight. We had hoped the bigger boat would help and tbf she seems content during the day and underway. But at some point in the night we get crying and whining to go ashore, sometimes it's for a toilet break other times there is no discernable reason but she is stressed.

Last night once again I ended up on the bank getting cold and wet while she just seemed scared. Eventually getting a little uncomfortable sleep as I allowed her choice of sleeping position and I was folded up into a corner. Half hour later she is throwing up on the cabin carpet and outside we go again.

So, I'm pretty much exhausted and exasperated, I've tried everything and there's no one we can leave her with for a few nights.

Heading home for now... there is btw  no way I would hand her back to the rescue centre, she's family now for better or worse.

[Smoggy]

Do you take her home bed with you?

[OldBerkshireBoy]

If this is the first time that you tried then dont give up as she may get used to it, that or you need a bigger boat! 

[Lulu]

Desmond has only just recently stopped jumping up when we start the engine. He used to leap onto me. Now it’s just a look of ‘oh we off again?’ and goes back to sleep. Also he’s just started to take himself off to his bed in the bow berth leaving us in the saloon in the evenings so it’s taken a while for him to be fully chilled.  Lindy our old greyhound did get used to it but we were out every couple of weeks like we are now so it’s become the norm for Desmond .  How often are you onboard?
 

Not sure if grey hounds like Cave beds.  

[Ray]

We aren't out as often as I'd like but she's been with us 3 years now so she has got used to it a bit, night time seems the worse as during the day she snoozes on the bow v-berth quite happily.

She has a boat bed but your idea Smoggy is definitely worth a try as it means that when she wakes up her environment will be comforting and reassuring.

The cave beds look great, not sure she would take to it but it could be an ideal place for me to escape to 🙂

[Smoggy]

One of the things we did did when we first started leaving Tina at home on her own for any length of time was wear and old t-shirt under everything for a couple of days to get them proper mum and dad stinky and put them over some old cushions on her bed so as well as her own smell she also had our smell, when we first adopted her we took a blanket to put on her bed for a week at the rescue centre so when we took her home it was already her bed.

[Ray]

Good ideas, like many rescues she is a bit insecure and "clingy" even after 3 years. She has a wonderful temperament but slightly nervous which is part of her breed up to a point. Thanks Smoggy 👍

[Ray]

We are out, couldn't resist the chance of this late burst of good weather.

It is day 1 so not too much to report, river levels very high making for some tricky mooring.

Dog hasn't had time to play up yet, but we have her bed from home, an off cut of articial grass in the aft well, some calming meds and a high pitch squeaky thing for when she gets stuck in a whinning pattern.

Fingers crossed that we're not heading home tomorrow 🤞

[Lulu]

Good luck Ray! Danni just relax with your mum and dad 

[Mouldy]

Enjoy it, Ray!

[YnysMon]

Good luck!

[Ray]

Well.. night 1 was an improvement, less than perfect but cause for hope. Nights 2 & 3? She slept through both night!!! It looks like we can enjoy cruising again 😁 She will always be a bit highly strung and I'm sure there will still be the odd meltdown but it's something we can cope with.

Otherwise we are having a brilliant week, the best weather and the odd libation 🍺

 

[LizG]

Lovely photos - pleased things are working out!

[Mouldy]

Nice one, Ray!  Our old girl just glares at the wife if she dares to sit on the navigator‘s seat, so the wife moves and the dog jumps up . . . . . . well, when I say jumps, gets helped up.  She is totally relaxed on board, which is a bonus!

Enjoy - deeply jealous, although we’re heading up for the weekend tomorrow afternoon!

[Lulu]

Fantastic news Ray! 

[Bikertov]

More is the point, how are you enjoying the new boat Ray ?

She looked lovely when I saw her moored at Swancraft the other weekend

[Ray]

We love this boat! Everything is just right 👍

[YnysMon]

Glad to hear the dog has settled. Hopefully you can now relax and enjoy it all. I love those early morning photos, by the way.

[Troyboy]

Great pictures. Enjoy it you lucky people.  Nice boat as well.