I’m back home after a long flight. I’m told Heathrow is the worst airport in the world to travel through. Now I understand why. By the time I got to the Virgin Atlantic Lounge I had less than 30 minutes before my flight departed. I’d heard that the Virgin Atlantic, Heathrow lounge was pretty amazing, and it is. Maybe the next time I fly Virgin Atlantic I’ll have a chance to spend some time there.
I just received an e-mail from Wilco. Rabelo is finally tied up safely at her winter home in Dintelord, Netherlands. I’m sure everyone knows where Dintelord is, but in case you don’t it is very close to the Belgium border. Apparently there was more excitement right after I left. Just as they were backing Rabelo out of that impossible mooring the engine and generator died. It didn’t take them long to figure out what the problem was. They had run out of fuel in the port tank. Unfortunately they could not just switch over to the starboard tank. When they got down to the very bottom of the tank there was so much dirt it clogged the fuel filters. There were extra filters on board, but apparently Wilco did not know where they were, so they had to drive to a parts store and buy some.
Once they got Rabelo running Wilco said getting out of the old lock was not a problem. I didn’t bother to ask how they did it, but I’m glad Wilco will be joining us this summer. Apparently they ran into some more ice that slowed them down. It took an extra day to get my big baby home, but she made it safely after a trip that proved to be far more exciting than any of has had bargained for.
Now all that is left to do is the work we’ve laid out, and to dream about where we will cruise this summer. We have pretty much decided to go to Strasbourg. Lisa and I have never been there. We understand that the city and in fact the entire Alsace Lorraine region is beautiful. When it is time to turn around and head back to Rabelo’s winter home we will probably make a detour through Paris. One of the most exciting days I have ever had in a very long boating career was to drive our last barge Tigre Rose down the Seine into Paris. Floating down that storied river past majestic structures and monuments like Notre Dame, The Louvre, the d’Orsay Museum and of course the Eiffel Tower is almost too much for words, so instead I have enclosed some pictures.
-Tom Miller
MAY
About the Author:
Tom Miller graduated from the University of Southern California with a Bachelor of Science in Geology. He is a consummate adventurer with over 1,000 dives as a recreational scuba diver, and an avid sailor who has traveled 65,000 miles throughout the Pacific including the Hawaiian Islands. Miller has also cruised the canals of Europe on his canal barge and given numerous lectures on cruising the canals of Europe, as well as sailing in the South Pacific. Piloting is also an interest of Miller's, and He has completed over 1,000 hours flying everything from small Cessnas to Lear jets.