Atlantis is calling... SOS for Lippe!!!

Oh boy, I'm really behind with my updates on Lippe's trip!!! So, for all his hosts, who didn't hear from me in a while, and for anybody who's interested, Lippe is currently enjoying life on the beautiful English Isle of Wight with @Kolo_Martin and @Leroy_Sealion and will then move on to Meowsachusetts, to meet his first US host @grrlysquirrel (aka my darling)!!! Lippe had to stay a bit longer in UK, as the volcano decided to blow his ashes up into the air, just when he wanted to take his journey across the BIG ocean!!! So, Lippe moved on to Kolo, whos female pawson had planned a trip to Texas, but was held in UK too, not because of the ash cloud, but due to a bug, that caused high temperature on her way to catch her flight!!! She was very sad, but Lippe came to cheer her up...

But that's not today's story!!! This post is about Lexie ( @dogstoyevsky for those of you, who still haven't met her) and her mum and dad, taking Lippe out to their boaty, the Atlantis!!! OMG, Lippe must have been sooooo excited!!!

I talked to Lexie about the Atlantis, and now I am an expert!!! I will give you all the info... right, when I found my fact sheet!!! Ah, there it is!!!

The Atlantis is a beam trawler, which was built in the Netherlands in 1968. I guess, that was when all the hippies started to show up, singing about love and peace and happiness and smoking BIG cigarettes. But back to the topic... The Atlantis is 100 ft in lenght and has a beam of 21 ft. Lexie told me, that "dat is across her from port to starboard". The boat weighs about 105 tons and has a Stork diesel engine 660 hp, with nautical mile range of 4,600.

She was busy fishing (not Lexie, the boaty!!!) for scallops in the Irish Sea until 2003. Then Lexie's mum and dad bought her from Kilmore Quay, Ireland.

They decided to turn the Atlantis into a motor yacht and have been busy working on making their dream come true, during the past seven years!!! And they worked really hard on turning the Atlantis into a yacht, on which they hope to welcome guests one day!!!

They removed all fishing gear, including A frame, winch and beam arms. Then they stripped out bow cabin and fishhold and built bedrooms and en-suite in the old fishhold. They also removed the old galley (kitchen), put in a new generator and reconditioned the engine. Lexie's mum and dad also built a new maindeck structure and a new wheelhouse, spray-foamed all the new accomodation, installed chain and locker, a new deck winch and new anchors!!! That's really exciting, isn't it?!

But there is still a lot to do, to get the Atlantis ready. And so came Lippe and offered his help...

Lexie's dad asked him to show off his skills and make a bowline knot - here is the result...

But he still believed in Lippe and took him into the engine room... And it seems like Lippe did a good job working...

...and resting!!!

He checked the pressure...

...handed out the tools to Lexie's dad...

...and pushed the button!!! And I hope, it was the right one - at least, the Atlantis did not sink!!!

After working hard and taking a bath, Lippe listened to Lexie and her peeps, telling him about heir plans with the Atlantis.

They told him, they have to finish her off inside and water-blasting her outside for painting. Then, they want to move the Atlantis to Malta. Lexie has her own doggy passport and can move with them!!! She told Lippe, as long, as they stay inside Europe, they can go back and forth to the UK. But if they leave Europe, they can not return, as Lexie would have to be in quarantine for 6 months then!!! Lippe was shocked!!! That's impossible, they cannot seperate lovely Lexie from her mum and dad for sooooo long!!!

So, they will stay inside Europe for now, but they dream of getting the Atlantis across the Atlantic one day, or eventually move her to New Zealand!!!

When they are in Malta and Lippe is back from his trip around the world, he is invited to visit them on the Atlantis again!!! And he will be so happy, to see them one more time!!!

But for now, it was time to say goodbye to Lexie and her mum and dad. Lexie gave Lippe one last BIG hug and they both wiped a tear from their eye...

Thank you, thank you, thank you, Lexie!!! For all you and your peeps did, to make Lippe feel at home with you!!! Seeing the pics of you and Lippe made me and mom smile and brought tears of joy!!! Ich liebe dich, darling!!!

Everybody should check out Lexie's pawsome bloggy, where she writes about her adventures and tells a lot more about the Atlantis!!! It's worth visiting!!!

The next day, Lippe moved on to @jazzydacat in London, who gave him a warm welcome at her house. Please see the video on the sidebar too!!!

Jazzy and Lippe made friends very quickly...

...because she was very friendly and even gave him a little kiss!!!

Then, Lippe met his new buddy Murphy. We already heard many stories about Murphy and we were right, the two have a lot in common!!!

Murphy shared his bed with Lippe and the next day he was going to work with Jazzy's human sister Trea!!! That Trea is a very busy lady, who works at University College London!!! Maybe Lippe got a chair at UCL, we will find out in my next post...