cc Day 1 - Ediburgh Quay to Ratho

Ratho, and the day started with sun, moved swiftly to sleet and eventually back to sun again. Peccadillo grumbled till the Scott Russell Aqueduct on the outskirts of Edinburgh and then settled to smooth sailing... apart from the bank and wash and uphill climb that is this shallow shallow Union Canal (guaranteed draft only 3 feet!).

Teddy Slateford was rescued from the Slateford Aqueduct

The gathering last night was warm and wonderful and we added voice to what seems to be the interminable shout of that terminus. The arrangement of the buildings has created a great echoing amphitheatre that prompts bursts of song, laughter and inanity from revellers all through the night. I'd rather have that than the sneaky thief trying the door of the boat at 3am in Linlithgow (scared off by the deep throated barks of Richmond Benfield). I have footage of the departure and illustrious crew today but the i-pad is not letting me upload pics or vids.... Nor put line spaces in the blog ho hum, sorry about that! Will add them tomorrow night.

In the blogs of each day of travel I will put a reason for doing this journey. Every time someone asks me i seem to give a different reason and I'm sure I can give thirty; one for each day of the voyage.

Reason 1 
I go because I can. I have this wonderful boat, life in my limbs, the wherewithal and a love for the west coast of Scotland that surpasses the contortions of recommended self preservation that pass for sense in this world of ours that seems to be spinning faster and faster into nonsense.