Opposite Spicers Auctioneers to Goole Visitor Moorings
…. Chocolate Muffins!?!
Another chilly morning. Our Sainsburys delivery arrived at the beginning of the time slot, the chap pulled the van up onto the grass right alongside Oleanna and brought out our provisions.
Delivery to the hatch
We’d decided to stock up on all sorts of things and start to fill the freezer again. Six boxes of wine were squeezed under the stern steps along with bags of porridge.
The wind had picked up, thankfully we didn’t plan on going far today, just across to the visitor moorings were a space had become available. If the rumours were true that the gravel barges would be starting again today we’d rather be moored on bollards than spikes in soft earth. Late morning we pushed off and crossed over, squeezing in as far back as we could to the next boat so as not to encroach on the water point. This spot means we shouldn’t have to move for water so a load of washing was put on.
We only saw one barge moving today, Exol Pride.
Half full freezer
I’d bought some pork mince, this gets divided into two for freezing. A large chicken was jointed and skinned then put in bags for the freezer, four meals or a fraction of the price buying bits of chicken. The carcass went straight in a pan with some herbs, seasoning and water, brought up to a near boil on the hob before being left for much of the remainder of the day on the stove to make stock.
We may be near to the water point, but it also means the poo sucky wagon
As we were just about to have lunch the pump out wagon arrived! Perfect timing not! This happened last time we were moored here too. We naturally waited for the aroma to dissipate before we ate.
I had a couple of things to pop in the post, including the smallest socks I’ve ever knitted, a walk into town was on the cards. The socks were made before the March Knitting Challenge started and are for a three week old baby who’s mother I knitted a pair of very odd socks for few years ago. I am undecided as yet whether I should post out the socks I’m making for the challenge as I go, or save them all till the end.
As I walked into town, a three mile round trip, I remembered seeing a pyrex dish in one of the cupboards at the house. Was this one of my Mum’s dishes or was it the one from the boat that I’d be needing tonight? I called Mick and got him to check, no pyrex dish in the cupboard! Damn!! It’s just the perfect size and shape for all sorts of things and now it’s in the wrong place.
I had a look in Boyes, B&M, Asda, all the charity shops around one side of Goole. Yes there were dishes, but not one of a suitable size for two. Grrrr! The dish that’s at the house took long enough to find!
Being moored on the Boat House side we took advantage of stocking up with coal. Viking Marina across the way don’t sell it. 4 bags of 25kg each were added to the one left on the roof from last year. Despite the stern being heavier due to the wine cellar being replenished we now are a touch top heavy, so we sway about in the wind a touch. I think a reorganisation in the well deck is called for so that a bag or two of coal can be moved down to help with this.
We decided that diesel could wait for another day due to the wind. Word is that Viking Marina is cheaper than Boat House, they used to be the same price. With prices rising we obviously want to buy the cheapest. At the moment Boat House is £1.20, we’ll see what it is across the way.
We can eat the other half tomorrow
Tonight’s meal, chicken and butternut squash gratin with a green salad. I had to make double portions to use up the squash and fill the dish I had available.
0 locks, 0.16 miles, 2 much wind, 0 winding, 0 dribbles, 6 boxes wine, 1 freezer stocked up, 14 days currently, 4 bags coal, 1 barge, 1 card, 0-3 month old socks, 1 muffin, 0 pyrex, 1 dish for 4, 1 pot of stock.
When Mick got up he stoked up the fire and then popped the central heating on for a boost before we got out of bed. Jack had been busy outside, the towpath having turned white and crunchy.
Drax with all twelve cooling towers working hard
Tilly was given a five hour window to explore the outside, but we soon got the impression that with the lack of trees and poor friendly cover the cold morning wasn’t really worth the effort! She did venture out every now and then, but preferred to lie cooking herself by the stove.
A large Sainsburys order was put together for the morning, pick up address at the moorings opposite the concrete plant. I’ve changed how I refer to this mooring as it isn’t opposite the old waterways museum, that just has a more romantic sound to it than the Concrete Works!
People quite often ask how we do our shopping and our stock answer has been that we quite often get a delivery to the boat. We’ve been saying we have at least twenty different addresses. Well today I checked, we have 49 across the country and I suspect this will increase this year as we’ll be travelling on new waters. Last year we paid for a delivery pass which has already paid for itself at the house, so any more deliveries are now a bonus.
The view first thing
By 2pm the sunny skies had vanished and Tilly wasn’t showing much interest in going out any more, so we headed back towards Goole hoping to take up position for our delivery in the morning. Fortunately there was just enough space for us so no need to amend our address.
On our way back in to Goole we’d been debating who to get in touch with regarding some boaty jobs. We have a couple of carpentry jobs which we hope our friend Frank will be able to do for us once the weather warms up a touch. Improving the freezer drawer so that it opens fully and increasing the ventilation to it. Adding magnets to our galley drawers, we’ve been meaning to do this for years, have all the bits but not a confident hand to drill the holes. We might even ask him to drill a hole for the boiler thermostat in the side of the cupboards so that in winter we don’t have it sticking out from the electrics cupboard. That list looks like I’ll need to make sausage rolls, a bakewell tart and maybe some boat biscuits in payment. Any other requests Frank?
Wind power keeping busy too
Then there are the less woody jobs. Paint work, that is me when the temperature picks up.
Weedhatch cover. This has gradually lost it’s thread, so rattles away below the stern deck as we cruise, more so on lumpy water. Because we have a Tyler Wilson shell our weedhatch is completely separate from the engine bay, so there is no danger of us sinking. A couple of years ago Mick added wooden packers so that the threaded bar tightened at a different point, but this is now worn too.
Then the green dribbles. Who could take off the porthole liners to help find what the cause is. We had more dribbles today, slightly crystallised once they dried.
We’d thought about heading up to Sheffield where Oleanna was built or calling in at Staniland Marina where we believe Lewis Wilson now works from. Once we’d moored up Mick gave Alistair in Goole a call. This was the chap who’d come out last year when Oleanna was over heating.
Coming back past Rawcliffe
He would be with us in 40 minutes.
A new threaded bar on the weed hatch cover will do the job, a bit of welding and it’ll be sorted. He popped it in his van to take away.
Then the green dribbles. No obvious way to remove the plastic liners so those were left in place. We’d had dribbles on both sides so a possible cause could be water getting in at the mushroom vent. The grill inside was removed along with the tube leading up to the roof. No damp or water ingress was noticeable.
Has he gone yet?!
A look outside and the possible cause was identified. The connection box for the solar panels on the roof. When we added a second panel this was removed to wire everything up. At the time we reused the black tack sealant and added a bit of silicone. Last year I’d noticed a patch of rust beside it, sanded it back as best I could and touched up the paintwork. Well it looks like water may be getting in here. Alistair will bring some Captain Tolley’s Creeping Crack and see if that does the trick. This however doesn’t really answer why the dribbles are green and crystallised once dry. We’ll see what happens.
In other news the gravel barges are apparently going to restart operations tomorrow. There may also be a third barge joining them. So we may want to move to be tied up more securely than on mooring spikes.
0 locks, 3.72 miles, 1 chilly start, 1 reluctant cat, 1 big order, 49 delivery addresses, 40 minutes, 0 weedhatch for a day or 2, 1 possible cause, 2nd pair socks completed.
Opposite Spicers to between M62 Bridge and New Bridge.
Interior view
The sun shone through the boat curtains enticing us out early. After a cuppa in bed we donned our layers and pushed off, winding and headed out through Goole Caisson and onto the straight.
Blue sky cruising, wonderful. Tilly sat in the windows sunbathing all the way, slowly watching the outside move.
Distorting the reflection
We’d just beaten a canoeist to the undisturbed water, leaving it all rippled for him to follow us. Wonderful reflections today.
The new green mesh fence continues along the north side of the canal for quite a distance, presumably to keep people off the railway line. No good for cats. The new or refreshed piles of stones for the animal escapes glowed in the sunshine. Last year there was an increase in the number of dead deer floating in the canal, hopefully these will help them escape now.
Approaching Rawcliffe
At Rawcliffe, the Croda works were giving off fumes and as we worked our way along they increased in pungency. No idea why someone would choose to sit and fish right alongside the works with that smell all day long, it made me want to hold my breath!
Blue blue skies and the M62!
Another mile on we dipped out of the sunlight under the M62. Now to choose where to moor, I’d already checked the fishing facebook group and todays match was happening further up at Pollington, so we had a very long expanse to choose from.
To maximise the solar we chose to moor on the north bank with the hatch to the towpath, our chimney not able to cast a shadow on the panels this way round. The other reason being for ease of access for Tilly to come and go, using the hatch to return.
Watching us go by
By now a breeze had picked up, so it took a while to hammer spikes in and tie off temporarily before replacing with chains. The commercial gravel barges are not running at the moment whilst investigations are on going due to the number of fish deaths in Knottingley, so they wouldn’t be bothering us. Exol Pride was moored facing towards Hull in the docks, so we doubted they would be coming past for a day or two, but chains were preferable to spikes in the softish ground.
Tail held high
As soon as we were settled I entered Oleanna to the VERY excited sounds of Tilly. After four months of being in the house with bully neighbours she now could have her towpath freedom back. Have to say she’s a far more relaxed cat on the boat, some sudden noises are interesting, but not as life threatening as they seem in the house!
A good nosy along the towpath, but with a lack of trees or deep friendly cover she decided it would be better back inside.
An afternoon pedicure
Out of the seven hours shore leave granted today I think I took an hour, the rest will be kept in reserve for another day.
Normal service has resumed
Time for breakfast. Turkey sausages, hash brown, tomatoes, mushrooms and poached eggs on toast. Yummeroonie!!
Exterior view
After all the tidying, cleaning and packing of the last week we deserved a quiet day. Several boats came past on a jaunt out from Goole or Rawcliffe and not a sole walked past us all day. Plenty of sky surrounded us and it was just wonderful to be back onboard.
However we have a mystery which hopefully someone can assist with. Last night on heading to bed I noticed a green dribble from the porthole in the bathroom. Condensation? Well it dribbles like condensation, but then dries out to green crystally stuff. We wiped it up and then this morning it was happening at both bathroom portholes! The starboard side not so much. Has this happened because the boat got so damp a few weeks ago? Where is the green coming from? It’s definitely coming from behind the plastic porthole liner and not running off the window frame. Anyone any suggestions please.
Ahhhh
This evening we’ve enjoyed our usual Sunday roast, a chicken with tarragon butter under it’s skin. Only one thing would have made today better and that would have been to turn the volume down from the motorway a touch. Still a wonderful day to be back afloat.
0 locks, 3.73 miles, 2 winds, 1 blue sky day, 1 out of 7 taken, 1 changed cat, 1 happy relaxed cat, 2 poached eggs, 4 turkey sausages, 2 green dribbley portholes, 1 roast chicken, 1 slow day, 3rd sock finished, 4th toe done, 1 Gold licence in the window at last.
Boat House Marina, Goole to opposite Goole Waterways Museum (now Spicers Auctioneers and Valuers)
Blimey, so much for a relaxed lifestyle on a narrowboat! The alarm went off at stupid o’clock for Mick to drive back to Scarborough, drop stuff off at the house and get the hire car back to base at 8:30am. Tilly and I waved him goodbye and then had a leisurely cuppa in bed.
Moored up
Still plenty to stow away and I gradually worked my way through most things before dropping in on the Saturday morning Geraghty zoom, Mick was far too busy finishing things up at the house to join in this morning.
Saturday newspapers have been a bit of a rarity recently, so a walk to the Co-op was on the cards for me. They had our paper but none of the inserts which to be honest are the only bits I tend to read for the recipes, reviews and puzzles. This meant I had a lot further to walk, but did mean a visit to Boyes for a new wool needle to sew ends into my socks.
Exol Pride on it’s new mooring
Once Tesco was visited I returned to Oleanna and was just tucking into lunch when Mick returned. A final load of washing and the dishwasher were set in motion, the water tank refilled, our mooring paid for and we could be on our way.
But the wind had got going again! Gusty wind in a marina isn’t so good for manoeuvring 58ft 6 inches of narrowboat. We’d arrived in some wind so had brought Oleanna in bow first to avoid meeting any new neighbours broadside on, so now we’d have to reverse out and turn the bow into the prevailing wind to get out.
Waiting for a window of calm
Our mission was aborted several times. then we rolled and dropped the covers ready to push off, but no, too windy. Abort abort abort!
After getting on for an hour of waiting for a lull, we stood back outside. Tilly sat in the window all expectant for us to move the outside again. Eventually the wind dropped, I quickly untied the stern rope, flung it towards Mick. Then untied the bow, thumbs up to the helm and Mick reversed us out from the pontoon. Use of the girlie button was needed so that we didn’t end up drifting sideways. There were several shadows of people inside boats watching waiting for it all to go wrong, but thankfully it didn’t. We were pointing the right direction and heading for the exit.
As we turned left from the marina we both waved at The Floss a barge on the moorings alongside Viking Marina. Joan looked busy inside, far too busy to stop her cooking and wave back.
Back out onto the canal
We headed westwards. The visitor moorings still full. The stretch outside what used to be the Waterways Museum also pretty full. Last year there had been big signs along this stretch saying no mooring, but now the new owners are allowing boats again. According to Martin from WB Lullabelle you can moor there for £10 a night including electric, so handy if you have a washing machine on board.
The Aire and Calder
However we were hoping of a space opposite. The moorings here were much busier than we’ve seen them before, but there was plenty of space for us. We winded and pulled in at the front, close up to the fencing around the big barges. This would do us for the night.
You moved the outside, I can go out now!
The Cat Health and Safety committee conferred the close proximity to a couple of dogs and some new green mesh fencing along with it being 5pm meant there would be no shore leave for Tilly today. She only slightly complained, the promise of us moving the outside tomorrow placating her.
Ordered a week ago so as not to miss out
The count down to 7pm started. Plates were set to warm on the stove, the top oven warmed up a touch. At 6:50 Mick headed off to collect our takeaway from the gates of Viking Marina. Last week when we knew where we’d be tonight I placed an order with Joan’s Home Kitchen for a gluten free Chinese feast. Her husband stood at the gates of the marina with an insulated box waiting for us to collect.
A candlelit gluten free Chinese feast
Sweet and sour pork meatballs, Chicken with pickled vegetables, roast duck, some fried rice and stir fried vegetables. Last Sunday when placing my order I’d checked what Joan could make gluten free and I think I chose well. It was all very very tasty and we have enough left over to have in a couple of days with a touch more veg added.
At the end of last year Joan had featured on Rate My Takeaway, a YouTube reviewer who was astounded that he was getting a Chinese takeaway from a kitchen on a boat. His review was rightly very good, but it does mean that if you want to guarantee a meal cooked by Joan you need to order well in advance. She is a one woman band and her food is all homemade and cooked to order, so no tipping up hoping for a meal in fifteen minutes.
After our celebratory back afloat meal I got my knitting needles out again, time to start on the second pair of socks. First pair added to the Redlockmakes page.
0 locks, 0.4 miles, 1 reverse, 2 winds, 2 lefts, 1 hire car returned, 1 house ready for lodgers, 1 nearly unpacked boat, 1 Saturday newspaper, 1 slightly disappointed cat, 1 starter, 2 main courses, 2 replete boaters.
On leaving Oleanna last Sunday we omitted to do one thing.
The electrics were turned off, the gas turned off in the gas locker, all the water taps left open with the shower head laying in the shower tray in case of freezing weather conditions. These are all good. But neither of us had turned off the stop cock from the water tank, this was bad. Sure the water pump was off, but having just filled the water tank to the top the level of this was now higher than the shower head and there was the possibility a syphon effect could happen emptying all that water into the shower tray, then into the rest of the boat if left all week!
Pesky Fatty Betty
So Monday morning Mick returned the hire car, then cycled to Seamer Station where he got a train down to Goole. It was just as well as overnight a good centimetre of water had made its way into the shower tray. Whilst onboard Mick did a couple of other jobs, like a bunged up bathroom sink before heading back to Scarborough.
Gradually through the week more and more things were put away, bedding ironed, windows cleaned, kitchen utensils rationalised.
I think you missed a bit!
Every day for a week Tilly has been getting white powder from her happy pills added to her evening ding ding with the hope that she would mellow out ready for her car journey today. Last year the vet gave us these pills saying they should help. Well last year she had a bit of a wobble which we thought was down to the Happy Pills, but we now think she doesn’t react well to her wormer pill. As the week has gone on, instead of being more and more chilled she seems to have become a bit more lively!
Last weekend we had a reasonable sized hire car, we hoped for the same this time despite only paying for the smallest car they have. Well luck was not on our side as we got a diddy car. Would it be big enough to get the remainder of our possessions back to Oleanna?
Mick did his best but it soon became obvious that two trips would be needed. He headed off leaving Tilly and myself to carry on cleaning and packing.
I’m helping!
I knew exactly what was going on. Removing all the good thinks and removing any signs that I exist! Squeaky clean, unlike my mice toys. Today She told me it was my turn to start packing as She picked up my dingding bowls and didn’t put them back down!
Frank arrived with a chair he’d very kindly mended for us and stayed for a swift cuppa before I had to carry on cleaning. By 3pm there was still the last things to sort, empty the bins, programme the heating, last load of washing dried and put away, we also had one very hungry cat. The remainder of the jobs could be done in the morning when Mick returned the hire car.
The first veg box of the year and our last for quite a while
The final thing to pack was Tilly, she was very aware of this and was determined to up our step count around the kitchen before I managed to rugby tackle her. Then there was a big fight trying to pop her in the cat carrier, so much for a stress free journey! In the end we had to turn the carrier on its end and lower her inside, the puppy pad all scrunched up at one end and any aroma from the Pet Remedy spray pointless.
In the past Tilly has been placed in the back of the car, but today we had a different approach. Her carrier was put on the back seat and I sat next to her. Hopefully my presence and the occasional chin rub would help calm the situation. We managed to get beyond Staxton Hill before needing to find somewhere with a bin to pull over. One other stop at Driffield was needed. Then thankfully she started to calm down. Maybe it was the fresh puppy pad with pet remedy or a constant ear or chin rub that did it, but by the time we reached Goole I was starting to be quite proud of her.
BOAT!!!!!
Tilly was first onto Oleanna, her water bowl filled up and a scoop of biscuits added to a bowl. She did head straight for the ‘Feed Me’ shelf but I wanted to make sure her tummy had settled down before giving her too much to eat.
Lots of unpacking and stowing of things whilst Mick went to do a small shop to keep us going for a few days. Our habits have changed slightly this winter so we now find ourselves with a few too many beverages. Kitchen utensils were rationalised and bits and bobs collected together to be returned to the house tomorrow.
A shelf is as good as a cardboard box
Then finally we sat down. A tofu and purple sprouting broccoli stir fry, courtesy of our last organic veg box, and a glass of wine.
It’s good to be back on board.
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 last veg box, 7 happy pills, 1 clean and tidy house, 0 last walk by the sea, 2 car loads, 2 stops, 1 slightly calmer Tilly, 1 cat happy to be back afloat, 2 boaters trying to find places for everything!
Bramwith Junction to Goole Boat House Marina, Aire and Calder Navigation
Houses and boats have their own advantages. In our house in the mornings I can get out of my side of the bed, walk round it and then along the landing to the bathroom. If this is done in the dark I usually bang my knee on the bottom of the bed having misjudged it’s size. On Oleanna I usually have to manhandle Tilly out of the way and then crawl over Mick’s feet to reach the bathroom side of the bed. However it is impossible to bump one’s knee and the loo is only a couple of paces away rather than a major hike across Scarborough!
A new day
The view from bed in the house is a fairly good one, although the window is not well aligned to the bed. On the boat our big window is perfectly positioned, it was designed that way. Once the condensation is removed (if only we didn’t breath overnight) the view from Oleanna’s bed can be fantastic, this morning we had such a view, the sun rising across the fields and the frost glinting on the grasses. Other days we can be staring straight at some piling or at the cabin side of another boat. The good mixed with the not so good, but the view does change often and that is one thing I miss when in the house.
Not a full English, but it did the job
With limited food supplies on board, intentional for our one night stay, Mick cooked up bacon butties for breakfast, hire boat aroma filled Oleanna for hours.
Winding with the wind
Then with winter layers donned we rolled back the covers. That wind was there again which meant we needed to think about pushing off, or not pushing as the case was. The wind wanted to push Oleanna away from the bank, so we used this to our advantage. We both untied the bow, so that we knew we’d be able to keep hold of her. I hopped onboard the bow with the rope, the wind gradually pushing the bow out into mid channel, thankfully only a passing canoe to worry about this morning. Then Mick headed to the stern, undid the rope and chain there and managed to get onboard before the stern was pushed out too. By now Oleanna was just about 90 degrees to where she’d started off, a short burst of the engine had our wind completed and we were now facing the New Junction Canal.
The Don Doors hung above our heads as we crossed the aqueduct. A line of flood debris just visible suggesting the recent flooding had been very close to the height of the canal. Flood water still sitting in the surrounding fields.
The five and a half miles of the New Junction is dead straight but crossed at frequent intervals by roads which all have a moveable bridge. All but one of these is key powered. Big swing bridges and lift bridges can hold the traffic up, but this morning being a Sunday there were more cyclists about than cars or vans. At one bridge a boat was moored on the bridge landing, secure for the storms last week (don’t blame them), but in the way today.
As we worked our way through the bridges I could just make out the light at Sykehouse Lock, amber, self service, not that surprising as there wouldn’t be much traffic about. However as we got closer I could spy movement in the lock tower. The light turned green, then red, then green again, there was a lock keeper on duty.
Coming into the lock
Over Sykehouse Lock is the only manual swing bridge. Boaters operating the lock have to move the bridge before the panels at either end of the lock will work, but a lock keeper can do things in the order they want to. As he came down from the tower with his two dogs a car came across the bridge, there was a long chat before barriers were closed, both dogs returned to the right side of the bridge and it could be opened, all the time we were getting closer.
Once in the lock he asked us to move up so he could close the bridge behind us. Then the water dropped and we could be on our way again. We were now on the pound where the breach had been at the end of 2020. There are mooring restrictions from Went Aqueduct, Pollington Lock to the bend where the breach happened, sections of the piling having fallen in towards the canal when there was a lack of water. Buoys mark the areas well.
Up at the reservoir boats were speeding by, a perfect day for it. We just hoped it would calm down when we reached Goole. We turned right, passing more buoys and headed straight for Drax power station, the only power station in the area still with its full complement of cooling towers.
Due Norf to Drax
Then at the 90 degree bend we had reached the breach site. Mick passed through here last year, but today was my first time. From studying all the drone photos last year I knew where the pumps had been, where the walls of the cofferdam had crossed the cut. Now other than the fence over the big culvert looking new and clean concrete and piling edged with rubber buffers you’d hardly know what a state the place had been this time last year. The fishermen I suspect are glad of a slightly better surfaced carpark on the opposite bank too.
There are loads of new signs along the straight towards Goole warning of Animal Escape ramps. These have also been improved and look like new stone has been added to them.
On reaching Goole there was next to no room on the visitor moorings, we spotted Wendy waving frantically from the windows of Lullabelle (a fellow Goole Escapee from last year) as we made our way to the diesel point on the Boat House side. Mick gave Dave the new owner of the marina a call and soon Adey arrived to show us where we’d be able to moor for a few days by the dry dock, Viking Marina had been full when we’d tried there.
Oleannas mooring for a few days
Thankfully the wind wasn’t so bad as we manoeuvred Oleanna into her mooring. Adey was very helpful and chatted away for ages about what the plans are for the marina. Mick even ended up with a mud weight, a thing he’s been after for years.
A late lunch, then Mick headed off by bike to catch a train back to Thorne to retrieve the car whilst I did the most important job of pre-ordering a celebration meal for when we move back on board.
A handy weight
On Mick’s return we loaded the car with things we didn’t need and useful bags and boxes which would get filled in the next few days. Electrics, gas and water all turned off, another shovel of coal on the stove and we were ready for the off. Just one thing to do before heading back to Scarborough, say hello to Martin and Wendy on Lullabelle.
Blue Water Marina to Bramwith Junction, Stainforth and Keadby / New Junction Canals
During the week house reclaiming jobs have been completed, for this winter. All the hallway wallpaper has been patched up, some places better than others. Daily covid test have been taken as half of the Dark Horse Company tested positive the weekend after the show, thankfully everyone seems to have only had mild symptoms and thankfully I seem to have managed to avoid it.
Tree looking not so happy
We’ve made the sensible but hard decision to retire our boat Christmas tree. It has served us well for the last 7 Christmases. Coming into the house has confused it the last two years, sprouting and then getting chilly again even with us trying to move it gradually back to outside. It was also getting a touch too big for the boat and was pot bound. A space in the back garden was made ready with a touch of our own compost, which we hope will give it a much needed boost. If it survives I’ll buy it some solar powered lights so that it can be a Christmas tree all year round.
During the winter C&RT do maintenance on the canal system, taking advantage of the quieter time on the canals. For boaters wanting to cruise it means a touch more planning to avoid getting stuck. Our route south is currently blocked at Newark Town Lock which will be closed until 18th March. Then Thorne Lock was due to close between 1st and 31st March for lock gate replacement, the dates of this stoppage are under review as the gate manufacturing has been delayed. All the same should we stay put at Blue Water Marina for a few more weeks we could possibly end up only being able to cruise out towards Keadby, the furthest south we’d get being Torksey until Newark Town Lock reopens.
Add into the mix the fact that we are surrounded by rivers. The River Trent to our east, River Don the south, River Aire to the north and west and the River Ouse. The recent storms have had all the rivers go into flood. Flood gates and locks have been closed helping to protect properties. So understandably during the last week we’ve been watching the weather forecasts and river levels closely.
Putting everything away
On Wednesday a C&RT notice came through saying that the Don Doors had reopened. The Doors are two guillotine gates that close at either side of the Don Aqueduct on the New Junction Canal, this is to stop flood water from the Don backing up along the New Junction Canal. Whilst they had been closed we’d tried contacting Staniland Marina to see if they could put us up for a little while, they are just above Thorne Lock. But there had been no space for us, so we’d been relieved to hear the New Junction Canal was open again.
I’m sure I’ll fit too
With the weather looking promising for the weekend, our plan started to slot together. A phone call to Sarah at Blue Water Marina meant we had a new gas bottle delivered to Oleanna and our spare keys were returned too as nobody would be in the office when we arrived.
A hire car was picked up on Friday evening and we started to pack. The aim of this trip was to move as much back onto Oleanna as possible, leaving the minimum amount for our last trip when we’d be moving Tilly.
By 9am Saturday morning the car was very full. Tilly’s magic food bowl was set to spring open at evening Ding Ding time and we left a sulking feline basking in the sunshine.
Go on then, go without me!
They just don’t care about me anymore! She says it’s all about me, to make my life easier and less stressful. Well being left in a chilly house with Boggy Face Alan, Stumpy Betty and Boss Eyed Shoes glaring in at me is very stressful! Think I’d prefer a car journey.
It was sunny at the marina, the grass no longer squelching under foot, I just hoped Oleanna would be drier inside than last week. Thankfully she was. First job light the stove. Mick failed first time, kindling and matches just a little bit too damp still. The heating went on and the fire was re-laid and was soon blazing away.
Water tank was emptied, not much left, then refilled. We’d wanted to sterilize the tank but with the water pressure in the marina being a touch dodgy we decided that could wait. Fresh water in our tank would most probably be fine to drink, but after months I’d rather any possible bugs were killed, we’d brought a couple of bottles of drinking water with us anyway.
The back steps came out, the dinette opened up and all the things we’d brought down last were stowed giving us room to empty the car again. Then all that stuff had to be stowed away too. Lunch by the hatch, the weather was suitable for it to be open today.
The trip computer always gets sat up like this to stop Tilly from sitting on it
Mick moved the hire car out of the marina, just in case he got back to collect it after the gates had been closed. The covers were rolled and folded out of the way. The trip computer set to record our journey. We were ready!
Time to say goodbye to Blue Water Marina
Thankfully the wind was kind to us and allowed Mick to reverse us out of our mooring, gradually we turned and headed for the entrance. Two chaps came over to talk to Mick, saying they’d just had difficulty, two of them trying to open it, they’d given up and returned to the marina. We assumed they meant Princess Royal Swing Footbridge which can be awkward. Oh well, we’d see how we did with it.
What a beautiful day
Blue sky, a chilly breeze. Perfect winter cruising weather, we’d chosen our departure day well.
On arrival I opened the control panel where a new sheet of instructions has been added. I made sure I read it fully, turned the key and headed over to close the far barriers. One barrier clicked, the other despite a wiggle or three didn’t, Hmmm! Back over the other side I closed those, click, click and tried to set the bridge in motion. It wasn’t having it. I started to squeeze my way through to wiggle the far gate, but Mick came and did it for me. Still nothing! I’d nudged a near side gate which needed a wiggle now. Hooray the bridge swung!
Thorne Lock ahead
Water bubbled below Thorne Lock, did the gates need replacing that much? It turned out that paddles were open at both ends of the lock letting water flow through to reduce the level above the lock after the recent flooding. Putting the key of power into the control panel immediately closed all the paddles and I had control.
Control panel
Just above the lock is a swing bridge with manual barriers, which is tied into the lock mechanism. The barriers and bridge will only move once the top gates of the lock are open. Up came Oleanna in her first lock of the year, she smiled from horn to horn.
First lock of the year!
With the gates open I headed up to close the barriers to the road. With one closed I was coming back to close the second one when an Amazon Prime van sped up past me and onto the bridge. I shouted about the barrier, he stopped but stayed put on the bridge. It was me who would have to give way to him, no stopping Amazon Prime!
Clear of the stoppage when ever it happens
With him out of the way and barriers closed I lifted the handle on the bridge and pushed it open to let Oleanna out of the lock. All easy. We were now clear of the possible stoppage on Monday.
Staniland Marina with a sunk boat in front of the dry dock!
As we pootled away we wondered what the two chaps at the marina had had difficulty with. Two of them not able to open it? Maybe they had been referring to the bridge at the lock, perhaps they hadn’t lifted the handle, or maybe they hadn’t read the instructions and hadn’t opened the top gates before they tried the bridge. Oh well, we’d got through and that’s all that mattered, no stopping us!
We pootled along, under the M18 and past the scrubby bits where motorbikes must race each other. A breasted up pair came towards us, the canals up here so wide and deep there’d be no problem getting past each other. A batch of new houses have met up with the canal at Stainforth.
Bramwith Lock
Time was getting on and the sun was getting low in the sky. We considered stopping short of Bramwith Swing Bridge but decided we’d prefer to have the view at Bramwith Junction. Through the swing bridge and on to the lock.
Coming up
Bramwith lock feels so diddy, the extended lock (chained open and not often used) makes it seem so small. Time for a windlass and to manually lock Oleanna up.
Of course as soon as we reached the junction, where we wanted to moor the wind picked up, blowing Oleanna out from the bank, so it took us a while to moor her up as the sun set opposite us. The effort was worth it for the view.
Cwor!
More unpacking, the bed made up and a touch of encouragement to defrost the frozen bolognaise sauce we’d brought with us, we then settled down for the evening back on board Oleanna.
2 locks, 5.85 miles, 1 hire car, 1 left behind cat, 2 car loads to stow, 3 swing bridges, 4 held up, 1 big gulp, 1 chilly blue skied day, 1 boat gradually warming up, 2 happy boaters, 1 smiling Oleanna.
Time seems to have been standing still here in Scarborough.
Jobs are gradually being ticked off the lists. On the house jobs list all the woodwork in the two hallways and staircases has been rubbed down, filled, undercoated and glossed. This took a long time and a lot of patience, I know I could have done it better but even my patience was running thin. The back bedroom curtains are now lined. Patching the wall paper in the hallways is partially done.
Mick has serviced the life jackets. All four were inflated and left in the boat cupboard overnight to see if they held the air. This extended to being a week before Mick finished the job, all still filled with air and well out of reach of Tilly’s claws. She decided to explore a bathroom cupboard instead. Finally our gutters have been sorted at the back of the house and our neighbours Dad came and fitted a new shower tray for us. The plumbers had quoted £3500 for a new surround and tray, all we wanted was the cracked tray replacing. Lisa’s Dad did it for a tenth of the quote and a good job too.
Rebekah and Alice
I had a day and night over in Huddersfield working on #unit21. Final costume fittings with only one job left to do, or so I thought! I then watched a dress run through. In the evening I had planned to get the floor marked out and based in, leaving the top coat of green for the Saturday morning, but there was a dance class booked to use the main room. Their hour turned into two and a half! So by the time I’d got the flooring laid out I only had time to draw the lines out before I gave up.
Was it the wine? Was it the chicken?
Chicken and chips with a dubious glass of pink wine was had at Nandos, think I prefer the kebab wagon in Chippy. Over night I got to spend more of my time in my Travelodge bathroom than in the bed as something had disagreed with me somewhat!
I’d planned an early start, but that wasn’t going to happen. I’d planned a walk along the Broad canal into town, but a more direct route conserved energy. During the day I gradually worked my way painting white lines followed by green, fortunately the paint dried pretty quickly. I’d hoped to be back in Scarborough early afternoon, but that wasn’t to be and thankfully Mick was at the station to help with my bags. At least I’d managed to get the majority of jobs done.
The following day I took it easy, Downton Abbey and some crochet with Tilly on the sofa. Thankfully by the evening my appetite had returned so I could enjoy National Yorkshire Pudding day with roast pork.
During this week word came from Huddersfield that a zip had broken on a set of overalls. Replacing them wasn’t an option, no larger sizes were available either. So they were sent to me arriving along with the butchest zip I could find. I have now learnt/made up how to add an extra 3 inches (just to be safe) to the sides of the overalls and how to put a zip in. Here’s hoping it works.
Someone’s on the move
With a train strike on Sunday we’ve hired a car to get me to Huddersfield ready for the fit up on Monday morning. This of course means we had a car available for today. Now how should we make use of it? Well it was way past time to say Happy New Year to Oleanna!
Leaving me behind!
A really rather wet, windy, horrible day. Heading over the Wolds we were deprived of the views but the amount of snowdrops more than made up for it. When we’d last done the trip to Thorne all the fields were brown, now they are green with fresh life growing. The tide was out on the River Ouse as we crossed the M62 bridge. I could see why going round the wrong side of Howden Dyke Island would be a bad thing with the amount of silt to the north western side.
Not the best photo of Howden Dyke Island
During the week Mick had noticed that Oleanna was no longer hooked up. He’d given Sarah a call at the marina to check everything was alright. It was, Oleanna had been moved as the pontoon she was moored on was being replaced. During one of the recent storms a small cruiser i the marina had been lifted up by the wind. It was tied well to it’s pontoon which also got lifted off it’s supports. The boat was found in the middle of the marina still attached to it’s pontoon!
There she is!
There she was right at the far end of the marina breasted up against two other boats. Not the easiest of access, but we managed. Mick found a spare socket to hook us up to and turned the electric heating on. Then we enjoyed our picnic lunch sat by the hatch which remained firmly closed despite the view being rather good.
Mick had intended to do an oil change but the weather put him of somewhat. Instead he pottered, checked Oleanna over and ran the engine.
Down below I got on with my task for the day, some TLC for our multi-fuel stove. Last winter the top plate had started to show a little rust, the stove not having been lit for seven months. Today it was time to do something about it.
A good wire brushing on the top plate removed much of the orange, followed by some fine grit sandpaper. The rest of the stove just needed a freshen up. The big hoover came out to suck away all the dust. The hearth was cleaned too.
Drying the stove
Everywhere then got a good wash down. Only problem was it would take quite a while to dry off, handy that we’d bought a second hand hairdryer a few years ago when we planned to put plastic up at the windows in winter. Today it got used for the first time.
Stir it up
I hunted round in the painty cupboard and found the tin of stove black paint. This had been bought for Lillian’s Squirrel stove before we sold her. Thankfully the paint was still good inside, it just required a very good stir up.
Doors off and bits masked off
All the chrome bits were masked off, the door glass removed for cleaning. Then I gave everywhere a thin, hopefully even coat of paint. The hearth got a coat too to tidy it up.
Paint going on
That paint smells! So glad I’d decided to this job now when we wouldn’t have to put up with the smell all evening. Touch dry in fifteen minutes. Well that was hard to tell as the clock at the back of the galley had said 1:30 when we arrived and still said it when I’d finished painting.
Looking smart again
The doors slotted back on easily, the glass back in the door. Just like new apart from the knob on the riddle handle that needs replacing as the thread has worn away. On our next visit we’ll light a small fire to bring the stove up to temperature to help the paint cure. Then hopefully all the smellyness will be over and done with when we move back on board.
All ready to spill stew on again
A chat with Sarah suggested that there is still problems getting hold of Calor Gas. We have an empty bottle on board which we’d like to replace. Hopefully her next order of LPG will be successful, she’ll put our name on one of the bottles if it is.
Bye bye
Everything onboard was turned off again, taps left open should the temperature drop before we’re back next. Power was unhooked, the cable tucked away. Hopefully next time she will have been moved back to her mooring and a new pontoon making it a lot easier to get on and off.
The sun came out just as we were about to leave!
Our route back to Scarborough was slightly longer than the way there. It took us to New Bridge over the Aire and Calder, I was able to get my first view out of the window of the breach site. Today you’d hardly know what it looked like last year. Then onwards to B&Q in York to pick up some neon pink paint for #unit21 props.
Neon!
0 miles, 0 locks, 2 staircases, 2 curtains, 1 new shower tray, 1 chair, 1/2 a dodgy chicken, 1 glass rose too much, 1 emergency zip replacement, 3 more inches, 1 hire car, 1 service postponed, 5 year old stove paint still stinky, 2 poo buckets forgotten, 1 cuddly Tilly, 1 pair of handknitted first night neon odd socks (neon to match the show, odd for down’s syndrome).
It feels an absolute age since I’ve written anything, well it’s nearly three weeks since my last post! When writing a daily blog I get into a routine, when I stop it takes a while for me to come down as it were and not have to take photos constantly, think of a title to sum up the days events etc.
Instead I fill the day with decorating or doing a bit of work for #unit21 which will be here very soon. Full on rehearsals start next week , with there only being two shows it will all be done and dusted by mid Feb. Then we’ll be on the final push to finish things in the house before moving back on board.
This morning we’ve discussed our cruising plans for the year. Despite Mr Johnson starting to relax covid restrictions and suggesting that even self isolation may be removed by the end of March I have decided that the party I was planning for the summer will be delayed by a year. So it won’t be quite the half century, half decade, half year birthday that I’d planned, instead it will be 55.5 +1. There are other reasons too.
Look at the size of that pipe fender!
Last year we wanted to see family and catch up with a few friends. This was important to us and dictated where we should cruise, we also managed to fit in some adventures too. Then panto came along, then we waited for Christmas followed by the New Year. Times, restrictions and things to be waited for. Now we busy ourselves with jobs around the house whilst we wait for our first lodger of the year to arrive. So instead of waiting for July and a party we will be heading off to cruise and explore new places and waterways. Hopefully covid will have receded a touch more by summer 2023 and we will feel more relaxed about gathering friends and family together for a big weekend, it will also give us more time to plan it!
So, where will we be going?
Well you’ll just have to be patient and wait and see!
I’m being very patient!
Have to say, now we know what our plan is, we can start to look forward that bit more. There are various jobs that need doing on Oleanna before we head off. We could do with the weather being a touch warmer so that our bubble carpenter can pay her a visit and Mick might finally get round to giving her an oil change!
There’s that lighthouse again!
News from Towpath Talk is that C&RT have temporarily suspended commercial craft on the Aire and Calder to investigate harm being caused to wildlife. On a stretch of the canal in Knottingley there have been significant numbers of dead fish. Reduced loads and slower speeds had been adopted by the gravel barges but still the fish are dying without explanation.
The title of todays blog doesn’t actually refer to us, as setting off is still a little while away. But this morning Mick received a phone call from an old friend. Chris was obviously excited, as finally after a couple of months of living on his narrowboat whilst the boat builders have been finishing things off, today was the day he’d be leaving Debdale Marina and heading off to continuously cruise the system.
Which way?
At midday he untied NB Elektra, got himself to the entrance of the marina where he was going to toss a coin, left or right? Right it was. He has just over a month to reach Watford Locks which are currently closed for maintenance, then he will most probably have to toss a coin again at Norton Junction to see which way he will then head. It reminded us of our excitement when we pushed out from Crick Marina in 2014 and headed towards Braunston with NB Blackbird.
Next painting in progress
So if you are in need of a boating fix you can glide along the canals with Chris as he has a webcam mounted in the bow. A week or so ago he cruised to Leicester, we watched occasionally and were surprised at how well we recognised where he was despite there being few major landmarks to help us. If you are out walking the towpaths you won’t be able to miss him and NB Elektra as she is painted black and magenta and when the weather warms up a bit he’ll no doubt be wearing his pink hat.
Us and the North Sea
Right that’s my excuse for writing a blog post used up. Mick when are you going to change the oil so I can have another fix?!
Time for the annual round up. Put the kettle on or pour yourself a glass of something stonger, put your feet up, this is a long post.
Looking out into a cold world!
As midnight turned from 2020 to 2021 we saw the old year out and new one in at the house in Scarborough, a quiet affair with just the three of us.
January and February brought ups and downs with them. Oleanna rose and fell with the water level at Viking Marina due to the breach at New Bridge whilst the country locked down. Despite the restrictions on travelling we made use of having a hire car for a few days at the beginning of the year to keep an eye on Oleanna.
Jobs around the house continued, our bedroom was redecorated and reclaimed from troublesome tenants. Tilly and I ventured out into the nearby park for the occasional walk, dependant on the number of woofers and the weather of course.
We walked, we ate, we drank, did our best to stay well and I started on the design for Chipping Norton’s panto in my reclaimed work room.
The spare living room was used as a workshop doing some work for Animated Objects, scrimming giant sci-fi guns and then painting model buildings all for The Odyssey. Beetroot burgers were made and pancakes consumed.
Then March came along and some easing of restrictions. Colour came back in nature with the daffodils popping up and my panto model started to get coloured in. A design for some origami paper arrived ready to be folded up to be part of 1000 ships display that would happen a couple of months later along the Yorkshire coast.
With new freedoms we had a couple of trips to Goole to check on Oleanna. First one was to swing her round and finally put fire extinguishers on walls all ready for her Boat Safety Inspection which she passed with flying colours and a comment that we seemed to like CO and smoke detectors, well I’d rather have too many than not enough!
The cofferdam at the breach site was completed and an access ramp created. My posts about the breach put us in touch with several people in Goole and at the beginning of April The Goole Escape Facebook group was formed. Due to the breach and lack of water in Goole Docks no leisure boats were allowed to use Ocean Lock out onto the Tidal Ouse. A joint calm voice was needed to try to find a way out for those boats wanting to leave, including us.
Of course March was also when Mick and I got our first vaccinations. Who’d have thought having a jab would put a smile on peoples faces! Not that you could really see them behind all the masks. A bathroom got a make over and we discovered parts of Scarborough we’d never been to before.
April was a very busy month. With lodgers on the horizon house jobs needed finishing. The roof needed attention along with a wall in my work room, both jobs were for the professionals. Pictures went up on walls, finally. The bathroom needed finishing with Frank fitting us a new bath surround.
Mid month out attention moved back to Oleanna. Way back when, we’d booked her in at Goole Boathouse to be blacked. We had a night on board before moving her from one marina to the other to come out of the water. She was jet washed down and the chaps began applying layers of 2 pack to her hull. We visited most days with jobs to do ourselves. Mick busied himself inside whilst I ground back rusty bits on the gunnels, repainted them and the tunnel bands. Inside the oak floor had a good clean and then was treated to two coats of oil. The weather had been perfect for it and she went back in the water a week after she’d come out, enough time for the 2 pack to cure. She looked smart again, well the cabin sides still needed a good wash!
Whilst in Goole we met up with David, Karl, Wendy and Martin, four members of The Goole Escape group. David had managed to negotiate with ABP passage for leisure boats through Ocean Lock at Goole Docks, this was limited to specific times of the tide. So escape was now possible but everything would have to come together to make a sensible plan. We wouldn’t be ready for a few weeks and hoped that there wouldn’t be a mass exodus before we could join people.
As I carried on trying to finish my panto model Mick made good use of his time doing a VHF radio course, we’d need to be able to use the radio to meet the criteria for going through Goole Docks and out onto the Tidal Ouse. Tilly visited the vet and got a years worth of flea and wormer treatments, we were all set to move back on board.
The first of May was that day. We’d hoped that Tilly would remember the boat after seven months on shore, within about two seconds of being back it was obvious she knew where she was. News that Goole caisson gates were now open and cruising up towards the breach site was possible we headed off to give Oleanna a good run and so that Tilly could venture back onto dry land. It was very good to be back on the move again. On our second such trip Tilly remembered how to swim!
Whilst in Goole Mick took his Short Range VHF Radio exam and passed. I carried on painting my panto model. We both had our second vaccinations. Heather Bleasdale came to visit joining us for an outdoor lunch. We got to know the Goole Escape Committee and discussed plans. We watched work going on at the breach site. Mick had a birthday and Joan’s Home Kitchen provided us with a celebratory meal a couple of days before we hoped to escape.
On 21st May an escape committee meeting was had early on, the weather looked hopeful for the tide in the afternoon, we were booked in at Ocean Lock. Our escape was to be via Selby, the Lock keeper was called there and our plan confirmed. At lunchtime we moved up to fill the diesel tank and await the other escapees, Sea Maiden and Lullabelle. Given the go ahead by the docks to proceed we were soon passing through to Ocean Lock where there was plenty of space for the three of us. At around 14:30 the large lock gates opened to reveal our way out of Goole onto the Tidal Ouse.
All three boats arrived safe and sound
We headed upstream following Sea Maiden being pushed along with the tide. Would we make it to Selby before the tide turned. Each boat arrived individually and was locked up into Selby Basin. We’d made it, now all we had to do was escape Selby as the swing bridge out of the basin there was broken.
We waited. Tides, times, weather and the amount of fresh coming down stream all had to fit together. Bridget and Storm came to visit. We twiddled our thumbs. The Environment Agency came and closed the flood barrier. We twiddled our thumbs. Daily escape committee meetings were held. By the 27th everything was looking to fit together apart from one thing, Keadby Lock would not be manned at a suitable time for us to get off the river. Sea Maiden and Lullabelle decided to stay put in Selby. Heather Bleasdale was joining us for the trip but Oleanna would be out on the river on her own heading to Trent Falls.
What a day that was! David’s advice was spot on. Leaving Selby just before 10am Oleanna zoomed downstream with the out going tide. We followed our charts keeping to the channel. At the Apex light Mick swung Oleanna round to head upstream onto the Trent our progress slowing instantly.
We then crawled our way to find where we should wait for the tide to turn. Two hours of very little, drifting on our anchor. We’d picked the day well, it was wonderful out there.
When Oleanna started to move round a touch more we managed to pull the anchor up and found our way back into the main channel to head upstream with the incoming tide. One plan had been to moor up in Gainsborough, but we decided to carry on and arrived at Torksey just as the last light was fading at just gone 22:00, 64 miles in a day, I doubt we’ll ever beat that.
Over the next few days we made our way up the Trent, dug out our windlasses to work locks in Nottingham. Once we rose up Derwent Mouth Lock onto the Trent and Mersey we had completed our escape. The going would now be much slower along shallow canals and plenty more moored boats to slow down past.
Now we should make our booked mooring at Rembrandt Gardens, every day would be a boating day unless the weather was either too hot or far too wet to cruise. Along the Trent and Mersey, pausing to stock up in Alrewas. At Fradley we turned onto the Coventry Canal to head southwards. We gave a tow to NB Burghley Girl to the bottom of Atherstone.
At Hawkesbury Junction we did the 180 degree turn onto the North Oxford Canal, through Rugby and up Hillmorton. NB Kamili with Andy and Irene passed as we arrived in Braunston where we paused for another butchers, then up the flight and through the tunnel.
Straight on along the Grand Union. On route we stopped for a drink with Lizzie at Bugbrooke. Paused for a hot day under some trees near Milton Keynes. Had a diversion along the Wendover Arm for a night. Picked up extra crew, my old college friend Jen, for a day through Hemel Hempstead. Came across our first sightings of HS2 cutting it’s way across the landscape.
At Bulls Bridge we turned left onto the Paddington Arm. On our trip into London we came across our friends Pete and Clare on NB Billy, it turned out we’d be neighbours at Rembrandt Gardens for a few days. We arrived on time and the next day headed across London by bus to Hackney to see the London Leckenbys for the first time since Christmas 2019.
Plenty more family to catch up with. Kath came for lunch, we had a trip to Eastbourne to see Marion and John, a lovely lunch with Christine and Paul. So good to see everyone again and not just on a computer screen every Saturday.
Happy Birthday Big Brother
Andrew’s 60th Birthday was celebrated, nothing fancy just good to be able to be together for it, we’d achieved our second goal of the year.
We heard there was a space at St Pancras Cruising Club for a long boat like Oleanna, so we took advantage of a more secure mooring close to Kings Cross whilst we had a visit back to Scarborough. Checking on the house, lodgers changing over and seeing the latest Ayckbourn play with Bridget and Storm, it all made for a good weekend away. I then headed off to Huddersfield for a couple of days work with Dark Horse, fitting costumes for a photo shoot.
There was to be a Tideway cruise from St Pancras Cruising Club and with one space left we jumped at the opportunity. Ten boats made their way to Limehouse, we breasted up with NB Misty Blue, Graham turned out to be another Goole Escapee. Three lock-fulls of boats headed out onto the Tideway on the morning of 10th July, special permission had been sought to go under Hammersmith Bridge which was closed to all forms of traffic at the time.
Tilly thought we were mad taking her onto such rough water, I was a little perplexed too! Very glad that I was the official photographer, clinging on as we did more than bob up and down! Tower Bridge, The National Theatre, Christine, Adam, The Houses of Parliament, Battersea Power Station. So many sights, what an experience!
The further west we got the calmer the water got. We were glad when Hammersmith Bridge was passed as there had always been a chance that it might close to boat traffic at anytime due to safety reasons. We turned off at Brentford along with several other boats and continued up to Hanwell where we had a very sociable evening at The Fox with everyone. Thank you Simon for mentioning the cruise to us.
Sadly our washing machine hadn’t liked the lumpy water so for the next month we cruised meeting up with engineers on route hoping it could be mended. Back through London, pausing at St Pancras again. Then down to the Herford Union to cut across to the Lee and Stort. We had another mooring booked on the Lee awaiting our arrival, alongside NB Billy.
Then up the Lee and onto the River Stort. We’d only ventured so far up the Stort during our first winter on Lillian, this time we headed all the way to Bishop Stortford. Our return journey was held up slightly due to the river going into flood overnight so we had to wait for it to lower to get under the bridge at Roydon.
Back through London we made use of the new Eco-moorings near Islington Tunnel, a handy stop off with electricity. Here we met up with Nick an old friend from York and Adam called in for a catch up after working the breakfast shift at Radio 2.
Goodbye Christine!
At the end of July we pushed on and left London behind us, returning to Bulls Bridge.
We headed up to Uxbridge for cheap diesel and finally got our washing machine mended. We turned around and headed back to the Hanwell flight, stowed the garden back in the shower and headed out onto the Thames again where we turned right towards Oxford.
With a weeks license we couldn’t dawdle, although a broken lock gate at Boveney Lock did hold us up overnight so our license would be extended. A space was spotted below Cliveden so we treated ourselves to a night moored in the grounds of the big house. We paused for a socially distanced chat with Sue on No Problem XL, good to see her looking so well. Henley Regatta was almost ready as we passed through and our favourite mooring above Days Lock did not disappoint. All too soon we turned up Sheepwash Channel and ascended Isis Lock back onto the Oxford Canal.
Whilst in Oxford I managed an actual face to face meeting with Dash the Director for Chippy Panto. He seemed happy! Then we made our way up to Thrupp where we’d booked ourselves in at the cruising club for a few days whilst the London Leckenbys came to visit and we had a trip back to Scarborough and we got to see the show at Esk Valley for the first time since we’ve been living afloat.
I had a day trip to Chippy where I did a final model meeting over zoom from a dressing room, but also had chance to measure things up. Then we were off up the Oxford Canal, mooring in our favourite spots, it was a touch busier than it normally is in the winter.
A pause to visit Village Meats in Braunston and we spotted our old share boat NB Winding Down so we stopped to say hello. On up the flight sharing with a boat full of actors, then left up to Crick for the first time in ages.
A prearranged boaters meeting at Houdini’s Field worked brilliantly, NB Panda and NB Kamili convened and we all enjoyed each others company over a fantastic barbeque outside so everyone could feel safe and Tilly could roam about. Oleanna was treated to a very good wash and brush up before we were on our way again. We now needed to get her north before I started on Panto.
News came through that the breach on the Aire and Calder had been mended and nine months after the canal had sprung a leek it was mended and open again. Boats could now move through the area, mooring however is still restricted.
Following the Grand Union we headed down the Stockton Flight to Leamington Spa. Tilly and I had a few hot days on our own moored at Radford Smelly then we were on our way again. An obligatory burger at The Cape of Good Hope the night before we teamed up with NB Mad Hatter to ascend the Hatton flight. One day my old college friend Emma will not have an excuse to helping us up the flight, this time we met for a cuppa and a catch up the following day.
On up Knowle to Catherine de Barnes, then Camp Hill Locks, the Ashted flight and Tunnel (!) followed by Farmers Bridge into Birmingham. The city centre is still full of building and tram works but with the sun out it looked stunning. We also caught up with Paul Balmer from Waterway Routes before carrying on with our journey.
A night at Hawne Basin filled the diesel tank up. A night at Dudley Port Basin got the cupboards filled. A pause at Urban Moorings meant we could donate our deposits and the next day we descended from the Birmingham plateau down the Wolverhampton 21.
Along the Staffordshire and Worcester we managed to have a mid stream catch up with Barbara from NB Bessie Surtees. At Great Haywood I managed a catch up with Kay from NB Pea Green as she set up to trade for the day and Mick filled Oleanna’s water tank.
Heading north on the Trent and Mersey we pulled in for lunch and a surprise hello to Barry and Sandra from NB AreandAre whom we’d got to know last year in the first lockdown. In the afternoon we were joined by Bill and Lisa for a trip through Harecastle Tunnel. Now we swung off the Trent and Mersey and onto the Macclesfield with it’s wonderful bridges.
It would have been nice to take our time but we had a rendez vous to make. The end mooring at Marple was free and from here we headed into Manchester by train to join the London Leckenbys for a meal of big red fish. The following day my old school friend Morag joined us for a night on board with some serious catching up to be done.
Our next deadline loomed, Standedge Tunnel. We dropped down the Marple flight, crossed the aqueduct and turned right at Dukinfield Junction onto the Huddersfield Narrow Canal. We knew we were in for some hard work to climb our way over the Pennines, last time we’d enlisted crew to help as I was one handed. This time we’d be going solo. Apart from the very first lock it wasn’t too troublesome. The work is rewarded with stunning views.
Standedge Tunnel did not disappoint. Because of social distancing Mick got ride ride up front in the cratch leaving the helm to a C&RT volunteer. Bumps and scrapes made Oleanna wince along with us, but we all got through in one piece with no damage. Tilly wasn’t too happy about the trip, but at least I can now boast to the local cats in Scarboreugh that I’ve been through the longest deepest highest tunnel on the canal network whilst they just lazed around on their shed roofs!
On our way down the other side Oleanna had a belt that went taking out quite a few wires in the engine bay. RCR were sent for, the engineer suggested we’d need to remove a pulley on the alternator to be able to remove trapped wires, this could not happen where we were. We could move but the batteries would not charge. The only way to top up our electric was with the solar panels. Emergency power conservation went into operation, blogs were hand written, the freezer turned off and we gradually ate our way through our defrosting supplies. Every day Mick managed to pull more wire from the alternator and soon there was no need for an engineer again, just a new belt needed fitting.
We made our way down to Huddersfield and arrived the day before I had a production meeting at Dark Horse. After walking to my meeting I handed over the model and we stocked up on supplies before heading off east along the Huddersfield Broad Canal.
The Board locks are just that, but they are short. On Lillian we’d nearly got stuck here, but Oleanna was built a foot shorter so we knew we were fine, we still had to take great care in descending the locks diagonally. This continued on to the Calder and Hebble, taking our time and using our Hebble spike. The rebuilding work done at the Figure of Three locks, after flooding washed huge parts of the structure away, are only noticeable due to the new stonework.
Bigger locks were welcome, using the key of power once past Wakefield. The sun shone wonderfully for my last full days boating this year as we made our way to Castleford. Here we hired a car to get me down to Chipping Norton to start work on Panto whilst Mick and Tilly stayed on board with the plan to move Oleanna to a winter mooring in Thorne.
Whilst I painted the set working all the hours I could, Mick and Tilly gradually made their way eastwards. They passed through the breach site and headed to Goole to top up on diesel. On their way back towards the New Junction Canal the engine started to over heat, a problem that had happened a couple of years ago on the Thames.
The following day he winded and slowly made his way to Rawcliffe Bridge for easier access for RCR. Little could be done there and then, so Mick and Alastair (engineer) arranged to meet at Viking Marina in Goole. Oleanna managed the two and a half miles in three stages. After her cooling system had been flushed through the problem hadn’t gone away. The water pump was removed and was obviously the problem. A week later with a new pump Mick moved back out onto the cut and joined Lullabelle (a fellow Goole Escapee).
Taking a long weekend off panto, I headed up to join Mick and Tilly to help move them back to Scarborough. Wendy and Martin kept an eye on Oleanna for us whilst we settled Tilly back into the house, I knew where I was! Pah!!
Several days later with the weather on his side, Mick returned as early as he could, pushed off and single handed Oleanna back along the Aire and Calder to Sykehouse Junction where he turned onto the New Junction Canal. With swing and lift bridges to work he was glad of the assistance of a volunteer at Sykehouse Lock. Then the sharp turn at Bramwith onto the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigations. A few more bridges and two more locks before he arrived at Blue Water Marina, Oleanna’s winter mooring.
Tucked up for a rest
On our way back from Chippy a week or so later we called in to check on her. A boat in winter isn’t too friendly without the stove lit. We’ll have visits every now and then to check on her and do the odd job. The weeks are already flying by before we move back on board.
For a year that we’d decided would purely be about seeing our family and friends we ended up having quite an adventurous time. Trent Falls, the Tideway through London and Standedge Tunnel made it quite a year.
So our vital statistics for the year 2021 according to canal plan are
Total distance was 932 miles, ½ furlong and 627 locks . There were 42 moveable bridges of which 16 are usually left open; 169 small aqueducts or underbridges and 30 tunnels – a total of 19 miles 3 ¼ furlongs underground and 3 major aqueducts.
This was made up of 277 miles, 1 ¾furlongs of narrow canals; 270 miles, 4 furlongs of broad canals; 89 miles, 4 ¼ furlongs of commercial waterways; 59 miles, 7 ¼ furlongs of small rivers; 121 miles, 5 furlongs of large rivers; 105 miles, 2 ¼ furlongs of tidal rivers; 8 miles of seaways; 263 narrow locks; 302 broad locks; 61 large locks; 1 lock on major waterways.
Sadly with Oleanna’s log book where it should be, onboard, I’m not able to offer up the engine hours, litres of diesel, gas bottle or bags of coal. Maybe I’ll update this once we are back on board.
The Thames, 2021
This year we’ve done more miles than last, not bad considering we were on land for so much of it. We’ve done far more tidal miles than ever before and for the first time we’ve been on a Seaway! If someone can tell me what the difference is between Tidal waters and Seaways please do. Maybe it was around Trent Falls, or was it downstream of Tower Bridge?
As last year I hope the pandemic doesn’t throw a spanner in the works for us or anyone else. We need the theatrical world to still function with an income for me designing shows and lodgers paying to stay in our house.
I want to say ‘Keep well friends’, but I feel I need to add, ‘Get well soon friends’, as so many have tested positive recently. Thank you for following us and hope to see you soon x
