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Looks like we have created a bit of a stir here. Not through our obviously English accents, our strange relaxed retired behaviour, scruffy clothes etc. More through the Nordhavn which appears to be the first one that has ever visited the area. The interest we noted in our earlier posts has continued.

This weekend, we had Anne (she of the relatively newly hatched offspring and dreading her impending return to work) as a visitor. What do you do with visitors who are having a weekend away from the 2 kids? Walk them around the area, fill them up with food and alcohol and try to prevent them getting all sad at missing their youngsters. We didn't wake her at 2 hourly intervals during the night though to make her feel more at home - seemed a touch unfair.

After a good 8 miles or so walk around the bay and the city on Saturday, Sunday was sunny and so a chance to take the boat out for the HUGE trip across to the visitor berthing area at Mermaid Quay in Cardiff. There, we found the Cardiff "Survival of the fittest" event well and truly underway:

It was kind of a 10Km run with added torture spots on the way (like a wall to scale and then a nice water area to cross just before the finish line). Sunshine had brought out the spectators, family, friends and ghouls in equal measure. The wall before the finish was entertaining. Some people (after 10Km) managed to climb it with no stress. Most needed help to get over:

One nice man stayed there to help several people over. Perhaps that is because he saw three scantily clad and exhausted ladies approaching?

On the visitor pontoons a local family were moored in their Shetland dayboat. He apologised saying "Sorry that our boat is showing yours up a little":

His little son said that "your boat is a 2 lottery win I think". After telling him that we hadn't won more than a tenner on the lottery, the father felt sorry for us and offered to make us all tea when we returned. See, the natives are friendly!

Back into Penarth after lunch, we were gawped at unmercifully by the lock bystanders. One guy called over saying that "Steve hasn't talked about anything except your boat since he looked around it- he was on about it all yesterday evening". We guessed this was Steve the waterbus man and apologised for spoiling the man's evening. After mooring, we forced Anne to walk further - down to the pier and lifeboat shed. The pier is being painted so here is a stolen picture - lovely old building:

Penarth is just a nice spot - still very happy that we decided to stay here.

When we returned from our wander, we were followed up the pontoon by a couple who had to stop a little way off when they saw us climb on the Nordhavn. Then he got brave enough to walk a little closer and chat about the boat. The conversation finished with "wow, just lovely, a real beast". We'd never viewed the boat like that before - perhaps the guy was talking about Patrick?

The next day we had two further "visitors" who walked up the pontoon, had a good look and then saw us so asked the usual questions.

To help, here are the standard Q&A's:

What is she? - a Nordhavn 47

Scandinavian? - no American design 

What is the range then? - 3,500 nautical miles at normal cruise speed, further at a slow 6 knot cruise

How much fuel can she hold? - 5,500 litres

How heavy is she? - about 40 tons

How big is the engine? - see the links on the blog - a 6.8 litre John Deere base engine and a low (170 or so) HP output but we cruise using only about 75 HP

Now any of you can run the standard conversation for us. We have certainly caused quite a stir here.

We are thinking of printing out a Q&A sheet and just handing it over in future. Perhaps the Nordhavn Europe guys (see earlier post) will fund that for us! Must call them and ask......