Lyra's Travels

Sunday 6th January 2013
After a fine Lizzmas Day with the family, and feeling fully replete, we were taken back to the boat by John & Sara at about 10.30.
Around 4.00 am Cath woke me up to say "What's that noise?" After a few seconds of listening it came again and I quickly spotted it as probably 'cat in the water' noises.
I made my way to the back deck, and sure enough the unmistakable noises of splash-meow coming from the water. Here in Clarence Dock there isn't an easy way out of the water for a cat, so I lay down on the pontoon and attempted to scruff it out, I have managed this before with a kitten, but this was a much bigger cat and the first couple of attempts failed and I was edging my way along the pontoon following the animal. This caused me to end up lying parallel to the edge. One final grab attempt and - in I went!
Oh hell! How do I get out of this? Luckily, Mike, whose cat it turned out to be, was working on some wood in the back cabin of his dutch barge style narrow boat (4.00 am??) and just saw my legs disappearing over the edge. He hurried along and pulled me out, and then rescued the cat.
Boy! that was a close one! there's no way I would have got out myself at that place, and whether I would have had the presence of mind to make my way to the far end of the pontoon where there is a ladder is a question I can't answer. Thanks a lot Mike. The cat's fine by the way.