Mia and Captain intercept each other on their way, and after she leaves, he asks Mackenzie if he wants to help Bluey, but he doesn't. While the girls build their fairy garden, they have a conversation, during which Mia reveals that she's starting "big school" next year. Bluey asks Mia to write a letter to the fairies, then the boys show up.
Mackenzie claims Captain "made" him come and Captain claims he's looking for bark to build the Barky Boats with. Then, Bluey shoos the boys away and keeps telling Mia what to write in her letter. However, Mia finds a piece of bark that she thinks would make a good Barky Boat, so she brings Bluey to take it to Mackenzie, but Bluey isn't keen. Then, when Bluey and Mackenzie meet up again, they get angry with each other.
Mia and Captain run off, disappointing Bluey and Mackenzie. Then, Calpyso comes and asks where the buddies are. Bluey says, "They ran away from us!" and worries that they don't like them. Calypso says that they do, but it's "hard" being twelve, and she then makes an analogy:
She makes Bluey and Mackenzie block the fountain and uses two Barky Boats to represent Mia and Captain at age six. She adds more water for every year, until twelve, whereupon Bluey and Mackenzie can no longer hold back the water and the boats come rushing down the fountain.
While Mia and Captain collect things for their buddies, Bluey and Mackenzie sit by the fountain, sad about their buddies not being around. Bluey and Mackenzie play Barky Boats, while Mia and Captain talk about starting high school and hope they'll stay together. Then, they hear Bluey and Mackenzie arguing over who won, and come back.
The girl buddies leave to finish the fairy letter, and Mia tears up a little when Bluey tells the fairies to look after Mia.
This episode provides examples of:
- Alliterative Title: Barky Boats.
- Blowing a Raspberry: Bluey and Mackenzie blow raspberries to each other.
- Cool Big Sis: Mia, Captain and the other Buddies are this to Bluey and the kids, volunteering to spend time and having a blast.
- Does This Remind You of Anything?: On top of Calypso's boat analogy about how Mia and Captain are going through puberty, Bluey and Mackenzie wondering if the two little boats are "going to make it" can be compared to a "will-they-or-won't-they" scenario.
- Freshman Fears: Mia and Captain both have anxieties about going to "big school".
- Furry Reminder: Several characters are seen wagging their tails.
- Mackenzie shakes himself dry like a real dog.
- Growing Up Sucks: Downplayed. Instead of framing it like growing up is going to be entirely bad, Mia and Captain's situation is framed more like "Growing up is intimidating". But according to Calypso and her analogy, growing up can also be an exciting adventure, and can have an overall good outcome.
- Kids Driving Cars: Discussed when Bluey says, "Wow, do you drive a car?!" when she learns Mia is twelve years old.
- Plot-Mandated Friendship Failure: Bluey and Mackenzie normally get along, but in this episode they have a fight that lasts most of the episode. It's implied to be due to Winton teasing them about how they should get married.
- Puppy Love: A literal example; it's pretty clear from the way Captain and Mia make excuses to be together that they are crushing on each other.
- She Is Not My Girlfriend: Bluey and Mackenzie both freak out when Winton says they’ll get married.
- Shipper on Deck: Winton seems to think Bluey and Mackenzie will get together just because they both spoke at the same time.Winton: Ooh! Bluey's gonna marry Mackenzie!
- Ship Tease: A possible interpretation of Bluey and Mackenzie's strong reaction to the idea of getting married.
- Single Tear: Mia cries one tear when Bluey tells the fairies to look after her.
- Speak in Unison:
- Bluey and Mackenzie say several things in unison in this episode, which at one point causes Winton to tease them and say they'll get married.
- When Mia and Captain worry about what their buddies are up to, they yell, "Our buddies!" in unison.
- The girl buddies say, "Bye!" to the boy buddies in unison.
- Symbolism: The two boats Bluey and Mackenzie have represents Mia and Captain, and the water represents them aging up and up until it overflows, which represents puberty. At the end of the episode, the fronts of their boats touch.
