Well, White Dove, let me be the first to welcome you to full-fledged Mudcatdom!!! You're a member!!!

And it's so interesting to read about folks (folkies!) living on boats, and travelling about on canals!!! I grew up not too far from the New York State Barge Canal, which still had working locks, and was a successor to the Erie Canal. Around here we have the Manyunk Canal, and its towpath has been converted into a bike- and skate-path.

I have known people who worked on big boats or ships, or who played on sailboats (large or small) or canoes, but I've never known anyone who lived on their own canal boat!

Marymac