Narrow Dog to Indian River: How a Man, a Woman, a Dog & Their Narrowboat Conquered the Atlantic Intracoastal

by Terry Darlington

From Virginia to Florida in an English canal boat.

Join the authors of “one of the most hilarious travel memoirs ever written”* on a wild odyssey aboard one of the most unlikely craft ever to sail U.S. waters.

No one had ever sailed an English narrowboat in the U.S. before—for reasons that become clear when Terry Darlington, his wife, Monica, and their well-traveled dog, a whippet named Jim, begin a nine-month voyage down the 1,150-mile Intracoastal Waterway. But no sooner do they set out in the seven-foot-wide Phyllis May than they encounter an ice storm in Virginia and piranhas in North Carolina. The Georgia coast is a madman’s jigsaw and in Florida the alligators wait patiently for Jim. But as they wend their way through golden marshes, incomparable cities, and lost arcadias, the intrepid trio aboard the beautiful painted boat reveals a South few of us have ever seen. And with frequent stops to dine on sweet tea, grits, and the freshest of the day’s catch, they make plenty of strange companions along the way—from wayfarers stopping to give Jim a good scratch behind the ears to ex–CIA agents and the Good Ole Boys of the Deep South—and discover that everyone has a story they’re only too willing to share.

Beautifully written, lovingly observed and very funny, Narrow Dog to Indian River takes you on a dangerous, surprising, and always entertaining journey through the wonderland of the South.

*Booklist

Genres: Nonfiction, Travel, Memoir, Dogs, Adventure, Biography Memoir, Travelogue

339 pages, Paperback

First published May 13, 2008

About the author

Terry and Monica Darlington sail the waterways on their narrowboat. Terry writes books, Monica acts as his manager, and Jim and Jess act as their dogs.

Reviews

[Holly Beaumont · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having recently moved North Carolina from the UK, this book was recommended by my father who has read all of the author’s previous titles. I recognised so much of what the author recorded of American life – from people’s friendliness and generosity to the quiet (and – to an English person – somewhat disturbing) racial segregation that continues in the American south. It documented an inability to name local bird life that I have had cause to wonder about, together with the casual acceptance of the dangers of nature along the east coast. Though, I think the beer scene might have come on leaps and bounds since 2008. All this navigated in the most philosophical way by the remarkable Darlingtons. I will peruse their past adventures with interest...

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jim, the whippet, does not like boating, but his intrepid, somewhat elderly owners do. This time, the threesome takes their British narrowboat (built for navigating seven foot British canals) to the Intercoastal Waterway along the southern East Coast of the U.S. Much wry and amusing commentary and many near disasters ensue. The author's ton and dry, sarcastic wit make this book read-out-loud funny. His observations of the U.S. occasionally made me wince, but were quite recognizable, and Darlington's overall delight in the scene and characters and his self-deprecating humor kept it amusing rather than offensive.

[Sophie Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another instalment from Terry, Monica and of course, Jim. Full of Terry's wry and dry humour, this book finds our trio travelling down the eastern seaboard of the USA, in their narrowboat. A great read and a perfect follow-up to Narrow Dog to Carcassonne. Some people say that they based the character of Victor Meldrew on Terry, but I don't think there's any truth in that?

[Chana · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took some getting used to his writing style as he constantly jokes and at first I couldn't figure out what was going on for all the one liners. The maps at the front and back of the book are really essential to keep track of their journey.
Terry and Monica Darlington are a couple in their early 70's from Britain. They own a Narrow Boat (meant for canals) and they decide on the adventure of sailing it down the Intracoastal Waterway on the East Coast of the U.S. They and their Whippet Jim start out in Norfolk Virginia and make their way over a thousand miles to the Gulf of Mexico.
The style of writing was engaging once I got used to it. And the trip itself took quite a bit of bravery, physical strength and mental stamina. Good for them!

[Kristine Berg · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m giving this three stars, primarily because the writers attitudes and descriptions of people are dated and offensive. Still the same lovely style as his other writing, and interesting observations about the southern east coast...but he generalises horribly , assuming all of America is like Florida (ack!) and is old fashioned and inappropriate about numerous delicate matters.
That being said, I had no idea there was an intercontinental waterway in our southern shores, and it’s genuinely fun to read about their adventure.

[Haritha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a travelogue by the author and he, his wife, and their pet whippet navigate the Atlantic Intercoastal waterway from Virginia to Florida in an English canal boat. Having lived in NC for close to 8 years now, it was interesting to read a book that explored my home state and its neighbors from a different perspective. It took me a while to get used to Darlington's writing style, but once that hurdle was crossed, this book was enjoyable. Bewarned, it is filled with sardonic remarks and tongue-in-cheek commentary. I would love to visit/revisit the quaint towns and locations mentioned in this book.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

As if crossing the English Channel was not enough, Terry, Monica and Jim transport their Narrow Boat, the Phyliss May to America so they can full fill a life-long dream of sailing the American canals of the Inter-costal Waterway. The American canals are bigger and more dangerous than those of the gentle English countryside and France, with exotic wild animals, mosquitoes, and bizarre weather. He includes a long list of eccentric but entertaining people of the American southeast coast. Entertaining.

[Tim Basuino · Rating 3 out of 5]

Darlington feels to me that he's the English version of Bill Bryson, which is odd as Bryson spent a lot of time in England.

But where Bryson can pull off the Martin Mull-ish Grandpa act, Darlington can't.... invariably he reminds you he's a Brit, with a bit of a different sense of pretty much everything.

"Narrow Dog..." has its moments, particularly when going deep on its descriptions of everything Southland. But too often the author comes off as desperately trying to be funny.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the adventure aspect of the story and reading about this part of America. Love the honesty in the book and the representation of Terry and Monica's relationship. The humour is great although some of Terry's language is a little outdated (and maybe slightly inappropriate at times). However I think we can definitely forgive him this. Great watery adventures with alligators thrown in for good measure.

[Nathan Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you get the humor, you’ll love this book. If you don’t, or if you think it’s a book about canal boats and boating, you probably won’t like it very much. I laughed out loud the whole way through which I almost never do when reading. Maybe deep down I’m a little British, but I thought it was great!

[Als · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun to read on a road trip through the South East US, but I struggled with the author’s style. Why leave out quotation marks? Punctuation does really help a reader. Not laugh out funny but great descriptions of people and places. Absolute favorite sentence, “An adventure begins at dawn with quiet conversations on a runway or a platform or a quay, about things someone has forgotten to bring.“

[Mike Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

High Adventure, lesser prose

I have read Terrys first book also, and whilst I have loved the spirit of adventure that he has, they are not the best written books and sometimes feel fragmented. Still I did persevere with both and enjoyed the overall tale. If you can read through the limitations then you may just find them as rewarding as I did.

[Debbie Walker · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice easy to read travelogue. An interesting and sometimes hair-raising journey on a narrow boat down the inter-coastal waterway of the USA. Fair play to the couple, to embark on something like this - well I hope I can when I am in my seventies!

[Ipswichblade · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the first book and enjoyed it so after quite a gap decided to read the second, never sure of Terry's writing style as he seems to go off at tangents and you end up looking back to see if you missed something!! Still a very good read despite this.

[Naqi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amusing. But I felt, the progress was a bit too slow.

[Michelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn’t finish this book, I just didn’t like the style of writing. I’m sure it’s a great story but not for me.

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Took me a little while to get into the authors writing style. Glad I pressed on, as it becomes a rewarding and enjoyable read.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy his sense of humor. And, especially, having had whippets for years, enjoy the stories of Jim. Since this was in the USA, it was more relevant to me.

[B · Rating 1 out of 5]

To be honest I gave up before I even began. I got to the end of the first chapter and was not captivated at all, I didn't have the urge to want to read more so I finished the book there.

[Lesley J. Duckworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super quirky and fun to read

[Sandy Stiff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quietly enjoyable. More a collection of observations but often told with a dry humour.

[Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the humour – it matched my ne perfectly – but it loses as star for the objectifying of women.

[Kim Van Sickler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started reading this book because I am doing research for a book I'm writing, but I quickly realized this book isn't going to help me much. It's a memoir written by an old Englishman set in the Atlantic Intracoastal in present day and the book I'm writing is a middle grade fiction piece set between Akron and Cleveland in 1844.

No matter. I kept reading because Terry Darlington has a stream-of-consciousness way with words that made me feel like I was inside the buzzing head of the very witty, wry, Brit. I liked watching his reactions to the forces of nature around him and the bizarre parade of Southerners who threw themselves at Terry, his wife Monica, their aquaphobic whippet dog, Jim, and his nearly seven-foot-wide, sixty-foot-long narrowboat Phyllis May as they sailed from Portsmouth, VA to Fort Myers, FL.

The book starts off a bit slow, but that's because a mountain of problems precede the official start of their journey and Terry catalogues them all. Some of the socializing that came with their being stranded could have been condensed, but it was important to Terry. Humor an old man and go with the flow.

The charm in this book is the way Terry looks at the world. Like it's one big adventure. He should know, having already written one canal boat travelogue, Narrow Dog to Carcassonne. Lucky enough to have a supportive partner in wife Monica, and doting endlessly on his four-legged best friend, Terry has seen enough of the world to know that his journey isn't just balm for his soul, but also for all of the people he encounters who have never seen anything as crazy as an English narrowboat on an American ocean. (Having a super narrow dog on an extremely narrow boat just illustrates the fun Terry has with this whole concept.)

His observations of the wrenches in the works that would have caused a lesser captain to cancel his plans and return home, were inspiring. His details of the people he met and their reactions to him, his family, and his journey ran the gamut from endearing to just plain bizarre. But Terry takes it all in stride, marveling in the good, the outrageous, the sad, the worrisome.

He's an old Brit with a lot to say, but he does it in such a way that we think we're discovering it ourselves.

[Julie N · Rating 3 out of 5]

A septuaginarian couple and their whippet, Jim, navigate the Intracoastal Waterway (from Virgina to the Gulf of Mexico) on a Eurpean canal boat. A great travel book, and one I enjoyed reading. From reading the back, I expected a lot more action than was actually in the book. A lot of time was spent doing the things you'd expect any couple in their 70's to do: taking the dog for a walk, napping, relaxing on the boat. I think I expected more adventure and more interaction with locals in the areas they travel through. As a huge fan of all things Southern, I was looking forward to reading about how an older English couple interacts with Southern Americans. It took me a while to get through this one, which I think was related to the slow pace.

I recommend it to people who enjoy a travel diaries, but aren't looking for much action. If you are familiar with the Intracoastal Waterway or the Atlantic coast, you might have a particular interest in the book. The writing is also train of thought and hard to follow at times, but works if you enjoy his particular style. I went back and forth between enjoying the writing and being frustrated by not understanding how he had moved between paragraphs. It's a fun light read, but I think I would have enjoyed it more if I wasn't just familiar with the South as a whole but the Intracoastal Waterway in particular. My brother and father have sailed this area with my uncle and grandfather, and I think that I might have enjoyed the book more if I had been on that trip and could picture the journey. I loved the description of Savannah because I knew the places he described.

Check out their website http://www.narrowdog.com/ as well if you plan to read the book. I didn't find the website until about halfway through the book and it cleared up a lot for me to see a picture of the boat. I also love all the whippet pictures. Jim is too cute for words! Finally, if you read this one, note the map in the back of the book. That would have also been a big help in reading it, but my pages were stuck together and I didn't realize there was a map until the last chapter.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

"No one had eversailed an English narrowboat in the U.S. before -- for reasons that become clear when Terry Darlington, his wife,Monica, and their well-traveled dog, a whippet named Jim,begin a none-month voyage down the 1,150-mile Intracoastal Waterway. But no sooner do they set out in the seven-foot-wide Phyllis May than they encounter an ice storm inVirginia and piranhas in North Carolina. The Georgia coast is a madman's jigsaw and in Florida the alligators wait patiently for Him. But as they wend their way through golden marshes,incomparable cities,and lost arcadias, the intrepid trio abouth the beautiful painted boat reveals a South few of us have ever seen. And with frequest stops to dine on sweet tea, grits, and the freshest of the day's catch, they make plenty of strange companions along the way -- from wayfarers stopping to give Jim a good scratch behind the ears to ex-CIA agents and the Goold Ole Boys of the Deep South -- and discover that everyone has a story they're only too willing to share.

"Beautifully written, lovingly observed, and very funny, Narrow Dog to Indian River takes you on a dangerous, surprising,and always entertaining journey through the wonderland of the South."
~~back cover

I did like this book better than it's predecessor Narrow Dog to Carcassonne but I'm still not enamored of the author's style or sense of humor. While the story of their journey was undoubtedly edited to display excitement and danger to hold the reader's interest, I became a bit tired of Terry continually charging ahead despite warnings from the experienced only to find himself (and the boat) in peril of sinking beneath the surface of whichever impossible body of water he had launched them onto. However did this man survive 20+ years of boating?

But it was indeed an unusual glimpse into the South, and an unprejudiced one -- largely appreciative of the region, its customs and people, who are generally warm-hearted and generous to a fault.

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Terry and Monica Darlington (and their “narrow” dog Jim, a whippet) own an English narrow boat called the Phyllis May, which was built to travel through narrow English canals. Their decision to take the boat through the intracoastal waterway of the eastern United States turned into much more of an undertaking than they had thought. They began in Norfolk in the early summer, having sent their boat on ahead, and because of needed work on the boat and needed surgery for Terry, they didn’t actually start their trip until October. Having envisioned the intracoastal as one long canal, they were surprised at the number of large stretches of open water that they had to cross in their boat which wasn’t really suitable for rough seas. With many stops along the way and stories of the people they met, the food they ate and the customs they encountered, this book was fun to read. Booklist called this “one of the most hilarious travel memoirs ever written,” which is why I borrowed this from the library. I found it a pleasant change from other things I’ve read recently, but I certainly didn’t find it hilarious and probably won’t bother to read the two books about their other adventures.

[Ramarie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't want this book to end! I love travel memoirs and this is one tracing the exploits of an English couple who sail their narrowboat (a canal boat) down the eastern coast (the Atlantic Intracoastal) along with their dog, a whippet named Jim. America is a "savage land," with its fierce sea and tides and currents that are a menace to the gentle sailing of a narrowboat. The wildlife and insects are a constant wonder and fright, and the people they meet along the way are their own special species. Terry Darlington, the husband of the pair, writes the book with great doses of poetry and humor, some of which had me laughing out loud! Their previous book, Narrow Dog to Carcassone, about sailing their narrowboat through France, is now on my "Must Read" list. I was anxious to go to their website after finishing the book, to see photos, and especially to see dog Jim, who is definitely the third character in the book. It seems they're now working on a third book, about sailing their narrowboat in Scotland in search of the Loch Ness Monster...can't wait for it! www.narrowdog.com

[Veronica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This got off to a slow start, but I enjoyed it in the end. It is true it's more of the same as his Carcassonne book, and his poetic, allusive writing style is one you either love or hate. You probably have to be British too, or at least to have been to Britain, in order to understand his sense of humour and the references to British culture.

Don't read this book if you want a technical book about the nuts and bolts of sailing a narrowboat through entirely inappropriate places. You won't find that here, and so much the better -- you don't need to have ever been on a canal boat, been to the eastern US coast, or owned a whippet to enjoy it. As I said of his previous book, the pleasure is in the description of states of mind, of scenery, and the rich tapestry of cultural and literary references with which his prose is woven.

I was sorry to see from his website that the Phyllis May was destroyed by fire recently, but they don't seem to have wasted any time buying a replacement (note to Terry: do something about your website, it scores about 5 on the Swansboro scale!).

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is actually the second book based on a similar premise (a couple and their "narrow dog" take an English narrowboat abroad to complete a journey) but I have not read the first one yet. And once you get past the fact that the writer does not use punctuation to denote speech, it's really entertaining. The problem is that you do find yourself having work out when something is said or not, which is offputting.

The tale is amusing, and well told, and this is another well written travelogue that leaves me wanting to do something similar. The reactions in America to the narrowboat were consistent (what the hell is that, it's pretty) and apart from being constantly attacked by the local wildlife, they really did seem to enjoy the journey.

I read with some sadness on their website that their boat, the Phyllis May, was destroyed by fire last year. Hope that doesn't mean an end to the journeys. But then they are both in their seventies, as Terry has said, he does have a right to slow down!



Once

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, despite having almost decided not to bother, thinking I wasn't that interested in the 'intrepid' aspects of the Darlington's narrow boat journeys and thinking I wasn't especially interested in where they were travelling this time. But for the sake of completeness, and some more time with Terry Darlington's Marmite writing style, I gave it a go and was richly rewarded. I realised I was reading the thing with a permanent smile on my face (apart from the occasional guffaws)

The geography, physical and human, through which the Phyllis May travels was much richer than I had (probably rather snootily) imagined. Many travel books sink a little under the weight of history but here it is deftly dealt with.