We’re in!

On Thursday 7 June, 2018 at 08:40 Anticus was lowered into the water at Thames and Kennet marina, Reading, on the River Thames.

Vinnie and Josh, from Piper Boats (our builders) were on hand to give the boat a thorough series of shake-down tests, and after a bit of too-ing and fro-ing we set off downstream from Reading towards Henley.

  Anticus being lifted off the low loader

Vinnie took her under Sonning bridge, a particularly tight, low and challenging obstacle on the Thames for a boat our size. So much so that, Vinnie knows it as Sodding Bridge!

After a while with no great obstructions in sight I took over the helm and stood there steering our own boat down the Thames. Exciting didn’t cover it. We navigated three locks without mishap and arrived in Henley in the late afternoon mooring in a lovely spot 5 minutes walk from the town centre.

Unfortunately our proximity to the epicentre of this lovely town proved our downfall in terms of our pledge to “cook on the boat and not squander money on eating out”. One of our favourite restaurants, The Square, serving beautiful fish and meat with a flavour of Portugal was beckoning and we just didn’t have the will power to resist. Ho-hum, at least we know having a boat hasn’t changed us !!!