It was Harvey’s first time on a barge, the stove was lit making it a nice cosy place to sit and have a cup of tea and a chat with friends.

Donna put her hand down towards the floor to gently pat Harvey, but it was an empty space….Harvey was gone!

Getting up she stepped out of the barge onto the jetty, shivering in the cold night air . . . where is Harvey?

He didn’t know this place!

“HARVEY”

She called and watched for him to come running down the jetty.

The waves of the lake lapped gently against the boats, no wind tonight but that frost was spiky.

Still no Harvey, no patter of tiny feet charging down the jetty.

Where is he?

Just then she heard ‘paa, paa, paa….’ she recognised these little puffs of air and suddenly she knew where he was.

‘He’s in the water!’

“HE’S IN THE WATER…SEAMUS!” she screeched out loud

Donna ran hastily back into the barge and blurted out…

“HE’S IN THE WATER”

Knowing they only had a glimpse of time to get him, Seamus charged out of the barge onto the jetty.

‘We’ll get him!’ he shouted

‘But how?’, Donna cried ‘We can’t see him.’

The moon was shining brightly in the night sky and the stars lit up like twinkling diamonds… but all the boats were tided tight against the jetty, and their shadows created a blanket of darkness.

All Donna and Seamus could do was to listen out for ‘paa, paa, paa’.  They could hear Harvey paddling in the cold water……They had to find Harvey before he reached the open lake!

 

By now Seamus was on his knees tracking Harvey’s patter, “he’s beside The Blue Willow”

This was Seamus’ only chance to get him before he reached the open lake.

Then just like a great grey heron, his arm drove into the freezing cold water and snatching, he tugged Harvey out of the water by his tail!

Saturated, cold and joyous, Harvey bolted up and down the jetty in a frenzy. He was so excited he jumped right into Donnas’ arms and gave her a big sloppy lick across her face.

What a start to Harvey’s new home!

Two weeks earlier, Daisy the family dog sadly passed away.  The house felt empty and Donna missed going out for a walk with Daisy, it just wasn’t the same.

Then Seamus came home from work and said “I’ve seen the dog you’ll want”.

Donna wasn’t sure if this was the right time for another dog, she wanted another dog… but was it too soon after Daisy, she thought?

“Where did you see this dog” questioned Donna, “in the pound” explained Seamus, “it’s a nice place, there’s lots of dogs and some puppies too, but I know when you see this dog, you’ll love him…

“Why don’t we call into the pound tomorrow on our way to the boat, it’ll do no harm to look!” said Seamus, Donna agreed.

It was a nice journey to the pound, it was a part of Mid-Ulster Donna had never been to, the views down to the Mournes and over to Lough Neagh were breath taking.

The sun shone, it was a warm day and the flowers covering the countryside looked beautiful.  How on earth did Seamus find this place, Donna thought, it’s in the back of beyond!

The pound was certainly well maintained, and all the dogs looked cared for.

There were little Beagle pups, so cute and cuddly, and an old dog who just looked like he was in the wrong place, but whatever his story was… he was in the pound hoping for a kind person to take him home…and Donna was tempted.

A crowd of dogs gathered at the bars of the large kennel, like a gaggle of geese, all barking for attention. But there was one little dog bouncing up and down at the back “take me, take me”.

There he was brown and black with a lovely white chest, white socks, his black eyeliner eyes and black streak down the front of his nose, a handsome chap, quiet foxy looking Donna thought.

She watched him as he bounced endlessly up and down, begging ‘please take me home with you’.

Donna turned to Seamus and said “he’s the one”.

“I knew it” laughed Seamus and taking the dog out of the kennel, the deal was done…Harvey found a new home.

Back on the boat, dried, safe and warm Harvey went off to sleep in his new bed, what a calamity the day had been….and what a start to his new home!

Next day the roaring engine signalled to Harvey something was happening, and as the boat moved out of the marina, Harvey stood on the ledge of the boat watching it cut through the water, steering its course to Galloon….

and Harvey the little boat dog, adventures begin!