Category Archives: Boat Yards

Misty Morning. 6th October

Shiplake to Pangbourne

The stove isn’t being kept in overnight as yet so on a chilly morning it’s hard to crawl out from under the duvet, but we succeeded this morning. Breakfasted and on our way at 8am, today would be a busy day.

As we pushed our mooring away the mist on the river rose and swirled around us. It reminded me of one of my first trips out in the theatre van in Scarborough. Heading to Bempton to find props for a show we drove through my first proper experience of sea fret. The mist drifting through the transit vans cab from one window to the other right in front of our noses. Today with the low sunlight catching it at the right angle it was magical.

Shiplake Lock was on self service so I did the honours. The lock was empty but the bottom gates didn’t want to open, it took forever for the lock to go through the sluice cycle before the gate button would work. The still water below the lock reflected trails in the sky. Oh what a beautiful morning. I just needed to find my gloves!

The lock island here has sheds with large tents. Earlier in the year these are all occupied, but now in October there were only a couple of tents erected, the rest removed and most probably stored til spring. We pulled in to top up on water. A Kris hire boat arrived and the couple on board had difficulty with their ropes as a gentle breeze caught them and pushed the stern out across the river, so we went to help, the chap on board saying he’d rather be on a narrowboat! It turned out that they used to own a shareboat with Carefree Cruising as did we. Their boat was an earlier one and the syndicate has just sold it, each of them getting a nice return.

At Sonning we had to put the brakes on as a cruiser was heading downstream under the bridge. It’s easier for us to stop as we were facing the current. We paused for a second boat to come through and then made our way up to the lock which was on blue boards, self service. However there were plenty of people around the lock and one came to open the gates, a large tug and skip boat came through leaving one chap on land to work the lock for us.

The massive display of Hollyhocks we’d seen last year are now reduced to one rogue plant still with a couple of flowers showing. Get the Lock Keeper chatting about the hollyhocks and you’ll never stop him!

Paul from Waterway Routes had asked us to check on reports he’d been having about new moorings at Sonning Lock. The reports had been correct a new length of good edge has been added to the nearest length of moorings, add to that nice new bollards. This does however mean that there are now signs saying to see the Lock Keeper as the moorings are chargeable.

Our hopes of a mooring close to Tescos were dashed for the first time. In the past there has either been just one space left that we’ve shoehorned ourselves into or someone has been about to leave. Today we tried one space, but it was far too shallow and the stump of a tree overhung it. We regrouped, stocks onboard were low, but I was certain I’d be able to rustle up three meals, we carried onwards.

Next was diesel. Could we remember which of the boat yards was known for being the cheaper one, above or below Caversham Lock? I thought it was below so we pulled onto the service pontoon. A chap who was craning boats in and out shouted to help ourselves, ‘Okay, but how much is it?’ £1.39! Yes please the cheapest we’ve paid in months and on the Thames.

Once the tank was full we headed into the shop to pay. What a curious shop! Did we want to buy a hat? A ceramic bust of Churchill, some slippers, Javanese puppets, a tin train, a model ship with rigging, a clockwork rower or a Dalek? Eventually someone came to take our money, they were having a busy day moving boats.

Caversham Lock had a keeper on duty, we asked her if we could stop at the end of the lock landing to head to the shops. Thankfully she was fine about it. We headed to Aldi who supplied us with much of what we wanted, but there were a few annoying gaps. Mick took the majority back to the boat whilst I tried M&S in the Station, then M&S in town, then Sainsburys finally had some cereal I could eat without added slugs or flies.

**I love this house, ship weather vane and a bell in the tower**

On we pressed, water diesel and food stocks replenished. Would we be able to make up for time we’d lost yesterday? We passed the wonderful house with the nautical theme.

**£325,000 click on the photo for details**

A summer house was being shown to prospective new owners with it’s grass and 70ft mooring. Nice.

Above Mapledurham we disposed of our rubbish, then continued on to try to find a mooring. The first place we were about to pull into we were warned was too shallow by a chap chopping wood. On to Pangbourne, we’ve never managed to find a space here, but today there was room along the high bank.

Tilly wasn’t overly keen due to lots of footfall and woofers, but when next door came back with his dog and started to sand things she decided she’d rather be inside. At least we’d got back on track today and achieved all the chores.

4 locks, 13.2 miles, 1 full water tank, 1 clean pooh box, 3 bags rubbish gone, 88.02 litres diesel, 3 bags shopping, 4 shops, 0 room for us, 1 postbox, 1 Lara, 1 last Pangbourne space, 2 hours shore leave, 1 final goodnight to Janis x

https://goo.gl/maps/2fPLjnLk9Gcp8gmx5

Up With The Dogs. 16th September

Berkhamsted to Apsley Sainsburys Mooring

A boat that had pulled in behind us last night was still very much asleep this morning as we pushed off, no chance of sharing locks with them. The paths were busy, the occasional runner, but mostly dog walkers. One lady was a dog runner, although she only got to do the occasional bit of running as her dog had plenty of other ideas!

Brentford had been our original planned route, but to get up to Teddington we may only end up using the Tideway. When we re-joined the Grand Union at Gayton Brentford was 77 miles away, now 33.

On past the familiar landmarks of Berko, the totem pole, the lovely house with all the hanging baskets and an owner who last year asked if Oleanna was named after the David Mamet play.

Today the lock cottage looked particularly fine, the edges of the grass around the lock very trim. A lady popped out to say hello, she loves the boats going by and commented on Oleanna. I returned the complement as the cottage looked so fine, had it had a new coat of paint? The lady said that it had and that they’d only been moved in a month. I don’t remember it looking a state before, but now it looks totally loved and immaculate.

The landlord of The Rising Sun was one of the dog walkers returning home as we dropped down the lock. It was chilly out there this morning, one chap by a lock, walking his dog, in his pyjamas and dressing gown, hope they were fleecy lined!

I’ve noticed that my breakfast doesn’t kick in until we’ve been cruising for an hour. Working the first locks of the day I wonder how I’ll be by lock ten, twelve, sixteen! But this soon fades as breakfast filters through to my muscles and brain.

Down the locks where you should leave a paddle up, the gods of the southern waterways bequeathing us a fat fender. The locks had already been used, the sides wet, no paddle left up, maybe someone new to these parts. Sewer Lock smelt ripe today and we wondered who paid who for the clean water to come into the canal below the lock.

Bourne End Lock seems to have had a change of identity, now Winkwell Top Lock, followed by Winkwell Middle Lock and Bottom Lock (which has retained it’s name). Winkwell Swing Bridge now has one of the small control posts with two illuminated buttons. A pause for the traffic to clear and I turned my key of power, four held up today.

New houses are being built behind the moorings, I wonder what the boat owners make of their new neighbours? Lots of activity at Hemelmarina, a new high up poly tunnel protected a Tjalk. Some work having been done on it’s hull and a new lick of paint, what pleasing shapes these boats have. It seems as if Tjalks are a speciality of the yard as there are quite a few on hard standing and below the lock, one for sale at £22,000 in need of a fitout.

At the lock we’d caught up with the boat ahead a single hander, he waited for us at Boxmoor Top Lock. He’d bought his boat in Wigan and had spent the last three or so weeks cruising 12 hours a day to reach Watford. He’s a builder and has been bored of commuting across London to site, so he’ll move his boat to be close, we’re not sure he’s aware of the continuous cruising rules.

We soon got into a rhythm and worked our way down the locks towards Aspley. At the top lock we’d filled the chamber, just opened the gates when a clicking noise was heard from the bottom end of the lock. A chap had started to lift the paddle. Lots of shouts from all three of us stopped him in his tracks. He’s only been a boater for three days and is heading to Wigrams to a mooring for a year before he sets off to explore the network.

The Sainsburys mooring was available so we waved goodbye to our builder partner and tied up at the far end. We were stopping before 3pm, it was time for lunch. A shopping trip to stock up on food for a Leckenby get together at the weekend and enough supplies to see us into London. Mick went off in search of spare bulbs for our nav lights. Oleanna being five years old it would be sods law for a bulb to go just before the flotilla.

Yesterday an order for some magnetic nav lights had been placed. For some reason when Oleanna was built the white stern light was omitted. Heading out onto the Thames at night we really should have the correct navigation lights as part of the flotilla. Yes no-one will be able to miss us because of the 1000 plus fairy lights, but we still should show a white light. One day we’ll get one fitted by someone happy to drill into Oleanna’s hull.

Preparations for the family meal were started today. The menu has been planned out to fit in with our cruising. This afternoon I made a big pan of bolognaise sauce, Which has just fitted into the packed fridge, tomorrow I’ll make some buckwheat pasta dough and a pudding.

16 locks, 5.13 miles, 5 locks shared, 1 C&RT nod, 1 paddle, 1 big fat fender, 0 shore leave, 1 full fridge, 1 big vat of bolognaise sauce, 1 boater heading for London, 1 boater heading away from London, 4th props list on it’s way.

https://goo.gl/maps/BWfw92XvGXryYCKL8

Have The Rules Changed? 27th August

Fotheringhay Castle to Oundle Marina

Another earlyish morning with the hope of avoiding people out to enjoy the Bank Holiday weekend, not that we have a problem with them, it’s just easier to avoid them if they’re not already in the water and still at home.

**The wide beam not the first to leave their mark on the bridge**

We got to see how much paint the wide beam had left on the bridge yesterday, just another gouge in the 1722 structure. Last chance for a photo of the church before we turned our back on Fotheringhay.

We’d noted a narrowboat moored up facing the opposite direction to us, could this mean the next lock would be set in our favour? Yes! I was grateful as it was our next manual wheel operated lock and all I’d have to do was lower the guillotine gate once. Having enough hands to lock the wheel once finished is something I’ll need to master as there’s a lock some way ahead that is very hard to do by one person.

Tansor and Cotterstock both look like places to have a good wander around, even if they are only small. On the list for next time, suspect we’ll need to catch a bus or have a lengthy walk from Oundle.

Now the river works it’s way southwards around the east side of Oundle, under several bridges to Ashton Lock. Ahead we could see the buoys that mark shallow water below the lock, a right hand bend immediately below it. The bow of a boat appeared, Mick slammed on the breaks and then reversed back to give them room to manoeuvre. Would we be passing them on the wrong side, did it really matter just so long as neither boat got stuck in the mud.

It took a while and eventually the bow came round followed by the stern. The main thing for us was that the lock, another manual one was sat waiting for us, only one movement required again! As we left the lock another boat appeared heading down stream, they were also very pleased that the lock was in their favour.

**I think someone should look where they are going!**

Two canoes, neither knowing which side to pass us on were avoided. Then a rib with two chaps fishing from it coming under a bridge. Had they clocked us? They were moving, both with lines in the river. One chap seemed to be steering, occasionally as they moved along at speed. Another boat passed on the wrong side. Have the rules changed? Has nobody informed us that the rules have changed?

Then a cruiser came round the next bend. They were facing towards us, straight at us! Their course was corrected slightly, then their bow faced us again, which way would they go, we only had a small distance further to starboard that we could move. In the end, in the nick of time they moved over and we finally passed someone on the right.

**Essential lock equipment for the Nene**

Lower Barnwell Lock was empty, a lady just walking over the bridge to the control panel. The guillotine gate started to lower. I bipped the horn. I beeped the horn. We were just about there! I BEEEEPED the horn! At last she spotted us and raised the gate again, very apologetic she was.

The narrow entrance to the marina, only just noticeable. Plenty of room on the Cruising Club moorings, but today we breathed in and turned into the marina, wide open water. We’d been told to head to the services, these weren’t at first obvious, but there was a bit of a give away, NB Cleddau with Ken and Sue chatting to the lady. Cleddau had almost got to Irthlingborough Lock when they heard it was broken about ten days ago. They’d returned down stream to the marina to await the lock reopening.

We pulled in on the same pontoon, settled in, a very friendly welcome from all. A quick health and safety check revealed a fence with Tilly sized gaps under it right alongside an intermittently busy road. Sadly this means that for the next couple of days I’ll have to cope with a bored cat.

Mick had a lift from Ken and Sue into town to do a small food shop whilst I got my model box out. It was time to work my way through the show and make notes. As expected I ended up with two sides of A4! Several scenes just need a touch of a tweak, others need a bit more, but Christmas at the Tower of London looks great, even though I say so myself. The biggest job still to do is the front cloth which due to it’s nature will happen over several days.

At 6pm my model was packed away, time for Pimms on the terrace with Ken and Sue. Very civilised. The setting sun put a limit on the time we were prepared to sit out, Ken’s timer for his tray bake encouraged people into their boats to eat. Mick had found some sad gits sausages at the Co-op so we had sausage and mash.

4 locks, 7.39 miles, 4 boats heading down stream, 1 trolling rib, 8 Kingfishers, 1 marina mooring, 7 trips, 1 load of washing, 1 bored cat, 2 x A4, 1 butterfly net, 1 pair snow shoes, 4 large Pimms, 6 bog standard sausages, 1 supermarket order started.

GT. 1st July

Ewell Fen GOBA Mooring to West View Marina EA Mooring

Today we had a rendez vous around midday so no shore leave for Tilly whilst we had breakfast. We pushed off and pootled our way towards Hermitage Lock passing more pumping stations, a cruiser and quite a few canoes. The canoes were almost certainly a batch of Duke of Edinburgh teenagers, maps out, rucksacks getting dribbled on and plenty of smiles.

**Four of the twelve boats we saw today**

A sign came into view, 3/4 mile to go to the lock, call the lock keeper. He was just penning a boat through, so would reset the lock for us.

The lock has a road bridge over the middle of it, chains hang from the chamber sides as well as below the concrete bridge, we’d have plenty of head room today going up onto the tidal river. A sign on the top gates and one before we’d entered the lock warned us of low water levels on the next stretch. A little like at Cromwell on the River Trent the tide only really affects the river here on spring tides and the lack of fresh water coming down stream isn’t helping with levels at the moment. So if you are deep drafted you need to keep it slow and steady coming out of the lock.

**Left 4.5hrs cruise compared to 8hrs to Denver on the right**

Once out of the lock the Hundred Foot Drain or New Bedford River heads off to the north east, tidal to Denver and Salters Lode. This is the fast route back to the Middle Level, we may or may not go this way on our return.

**Another route to Denver but access is denied**

Then pretty soon the Old Bedford River follows off to the north east too, a straighter version of the new river, on our maps it’s marked as none navigable for nearly half of it’s length, we won’t be going that way.

**That’s a bit of a haul up out of the water**

Earith soon comes into view a village that was once a port. Most of the wharves and warehouses have long gone, but there are still a few signs of it’s past. This is where Jewson and Son’s was founded.

West View Marina was soon upon us, would there be room on the pontoon for us today. As we approached it appeared to be full, but two narrowboats hid the visitor moorings from us, they were empty, we pulled in a little before midday.

A quick tidy up ready for our visitor who soon arrived by bus, calling in at the marina office to pick up a chilled medicated lunch for us all, Magnums which had to be eaten quickly as Heather had been waylaid on her way to us.

We spent time catching up on news and on one of the many tangents we went off on we discovered we’d both worked for Theatre Projects. Heather had been a PA to Richard Pilbrow and I’d made models of new theatres for them over a couple of years as I finished college, possibly twenty years apart but we both knew the directors of old.

With a cuppa consumed after the ice creams we walked over to take a look at Heather’s new (to her) boat, a Pedro. Every now and then on rivers we’ve started to spot Pedros and found their shape pleasing and being made from steel a touch more solid than your average cruiser.

Guilden Tass was bought last year with the intention of taking her over to Ireland to cruise the waterways there. Work is on going, taking it’s time, but one day she’ll have her prop back on, have had her hull blacked and be back in the water.

**Loads of room to sit, a touch out of place due to on going works**

Cruisers are a different beast to narrowboats, width and an indoor position to steer from as well as one right on the very top, but most of all they have wheels not tillers. Indoor is spacious, although the toilet/shower less so. All very exciting, I wonder if she will be back on the water before we leave the area?

**Covers over the outdoor wheel and morse control**

We left Heather to have some boat time on her own, she beamed as she slid the door closed behind herself. Another cuppa later on before we walked her to the bus stop to say goodbye and then have a nosy around the village. Have to say there wasn’t much to see other than a few nice looking houses and a very busy road. We did find the post office which may provide us with a newspaper tomorrow morning.

**Ice skating at Earith, is that GT in the back ground?**

1 lock, 3.66 miles, 1 visitor, 3 magnums, 1 Pedro, 2 boat Heather, 2 many cushions, 0 prop, 1 steep ladder, 0 shore leave for complaining Tilly, 2 Egrets, 1 list of places to visit, 1 very small world, 6 courgette fritters still needing a touch more refining.

https://goo.gl/maps/6P3UgoBcWgE1rknq8

Sideways Snow. 31st March

Thorne Lock to Thorne Services Visitor Moorings

A phone call to Sean to see if he’d be visiting Thorne today or tomorrow came up with the answer we’d been expecting. The weather was not suitable for him to fit boat covers so he wouldn’t be making a trip to Thorne this week. Only one thing for it, the Senior Citizen Railcard would be put to use and Mick would go and collect it from Cottingham, which is north of Hull. We checked the times and prices of tickets, then checked a split ticket website and managed to get £5 off if Mick got one return to Brough and another to Cottingham.

In a lull between snow storms we headed out, Mick to the station and myself to Sainsburys for some milk as we’d run out. I thought today might not be so interesting, other than the sideways snow, so took a photo of The Little Shop. It’s one of those shops I really want to go in, but sweeties from a big jar are not something we need. Maybe next time I’ll have to arrange to have a young person with me, the need then will be greater.

Back at Oleanna I had some lunch and set about weaving ends in on my socks. Then the world got busy!

Across the way a narrowboat was being brought down the slipway back into the water. No bung in the exhaust just the engine running to keep any water from going into the engine. Once floating the boat was winded alongside us, then it vanished! Where had it gone? I’d sat down to do some more weaving for just a couple of minutes and it had vanished. It must have gone into the dock opposite.

Then another narrowboat arrived. The tractor came down the slipway to meet it, but the prevailing wind really wasn’t helping things, the bow missed the opening and as they went into reverse the boat was blown down past us, necessitating a more powerful return.

Two boats in the mean time had just come up Thorne Lock, they stemmed the wind waiting to get past. Once they were clear the rumble of a big boat came close, in front of it a big skip boat filled with generators and big hoses. C&RT getting ready for the work at the lock. Earlier on I’d seen a chap setting out mesh on the grass on the offside, maybe this is where the generators will be positioned next week.

Cabin top dropped to get under low bridges.

Then another skip boat came past, Robin Hood pushing the new lock gates. These will have been made at Stanley Ferry and most probably have come all the way by water. The top of Robin Hood’s cab had been dropped to get under the railway bridge in Thorne.

The two boats and their skips breasted up on the lock landing, hopefully there will be a volunteer on duty for the weekend to help single handers through.

Mick soon arrived back with a very natty package including handle, we had our cratch cover back.!

Goodbye Staniland, we did try waving to Jonathan.

In what we thought was a lull in the weather, we untied. Mick kept Oleanna on the mooring until I’d got the bridge open, stopping a reversing bin wagon in the process (not sure how many you get for one of those!), then he zoomed her into the lock avoiding being pushed this way and that by the wind.

A chap came over to chat and watch. Next week he’s picking up his first narrowboat from Lymm, cruising up the Bridewater, up the Rochdale 9, Ashton canal, over the Pennines via the Huddersfield Narrow and along the Aire and Calder to Thorne to moor. Thankfully he’s getting help with his first ever locks on the Rochdale 9, but then single handing from there. He hadn’t been aware of Thorne Lock closing on Monday for over a month. I wished him luck and told him to take his time and enjoy himself.

We pootled to the services, but would there be space for us? One side of a pontoon was available so we could get water, phew! Here is a 24 hour visitor mooring behind gates with the services, until tomorrow unless other wise signed all visitor moorings have been 14 days. We slotted in and started to fill the water tank. This would take a couple of hours as the pressure could compete with all the slow taps on the network. We also did a load of washing and got the dishwasher earning it’s keep.

The cratch cover went back on, the zips all sewn back in by machine, much better than my hand sewing. SPL had also darned a couple of little tares, one that had been there since it was made, the other possibly from a tussle with NB Billy a couple of years ago or when we’d got too close to a lock gate. Not bad for £25 plus a train fare to Cottingham.

By now we were both very cold. What was the likelihood of someone passing wanting water? It was getting dark after all. We decided that we’d stay put for the night and if no-one else had moved off in the morning we’d pull out and leave a space available.

My aim of knitting ten pairs of socks during March was achieved, admittedly the tenth pair being a diddy pair. All adult socks were packed up and addressed ready to be sent off. I’m going to let my fingers and needles have a bit of a rest for a few days, hopefully I won’t get twitchy fingers and start on something else.

1 lock, 0.37 miles, 4 trains, 1 cratch cover, 1 boat through the impending stoppage, 1 swing bridge, 1 reversing bin wagon held up, 2 tugs, 4 gates, 2 boats swapped, 1 hour of sideways snow, 20 frozen digits, 1 full water tank, 10 pairs, 1 March Challenge completed.

https://goo.gl/maps/ftHgPmUyNKKSNnUd8

Waiting! 30th March

Thorne Lock

Mick emailed the person who developed the blog roll plugin as there had been no response to the support ticket. The first post on his website was about the Falkirk Wheel! Soon afterwards there was a reply. The chap said he’d look into the plugin with regards to PHP 8.0. It’s nice to be able to see the latest posts on blogs as they are published and Mick spent ages hunting for a plugin that would roll. The blog will stay put on the current PHP until we hear that the problems have been solved.

Much colder today, we were glad the stove was lit. Just before lunchtime Mick popped over to the chandlers but the Marine 16 hadn’t arrived yet. We’d wait and try later.

Rain mostly came all day, sometimes heavy, sometimes not so, but it didn’t encourage any of us to head out into it. We postponed filling with water until tomorrow. Our mooring here is nicer than any below the lock in Thorne, especially for Tilly. But then today she only headed out properly for about ten minutes returning soaked by rain. She did try several times to come in for ‘Thank you for coming home’ Dreamies, but I knew she’d not stepped paw off the boat onto land, so no reward!

I spent most of the day knitting, finishing off pair nine. The last four pairs of socks all need their ends weaving in which is a job for tomorrow. With only one day left of the challenge I wouldn’t get another pair of adult socks knitted, so I started on some premature baby socks. They are so diddy!

Another visit to the chandlers and still no Marine 16. It’s not imperative that we get some, it would just be nice.

More importantly there was no phone call about our cratch cover. The chap had said he would be in Thorne this week so would drop it back with us. We need it back before we head onto the Trent, we’ll call him in the morning as time is starting to run out.

0 locks, 0 miles, 2 trips to the chandlers, 0 Marine 16, 0 cratch cover, 9th pair, 1 diddy sock finished, 1 fishing line caught, 1 wet cold day, 10 minutes shore leave, 1 big crane boat arrived on the Stainforth and Keadby Canal assisted by Little Shuva, 4 days till the lock closes.

PHP’s And All That! 29th March

Thorne Lock

This morning Mick tried to get the blog roll working again. Well this ended up with the blog disappearing and being critical again. It had to be the plugin causing the problem.

Extra IT assistance was required from our hosting provider. They backed up the blog and then disabled all the plugins. Back came Oleanna.co.uk. Mick then added back in all the plugins apart from the blog roll. During the day he wondered if there had been an update of the PHP and if that might have been the problem.

An auto update had given us PHP 8.0 which doesn’t appear to support the blog roll plugin. Mick has raised a support ticket with the creator but so far he’s not heard back. Later on in the day Mick downgraded the blog to PHP 7.4 which means we have the blog roll back. Further investigation is required and maybe some assistance from someone who understands coding.

Not a very exciting day on Oleanna, even Tilly wasn’t that bothered about going out. The temperature has dropped, we expect it to go even further.

We had a walk over to the chandlers at Staniland Marina the main doors firmly locked, but we got waved round to a different door, staff only. No Marine 16 today but an order is expected tomorrow, so we’ll check back then.

Numerous boats sit out on the hard around the marina. Plenty in need of a lot of work. An oil rig escape pod has had the seats removed at some point and sits glowing orange from underneath the developing green patina. Just how do they fit so many people into these things that get launched off of the oil rigs? No wonder the seats look so robust.

I had a walk around the Community Woods. Tracks zigzag their way along with footpaths through the trees. It’s a huge area of straight lined trees and a good place to collect kindling without affecting the natural decaying process too much. I walked almost back to the M18 and then back along the towpath. A new app on my phone helping me to identify plants along the way. Plantnet Thank you Kath from Herbie.

Mick spent a bit of time in the engine bay, changing the fuel filters. A smelly job but one best to be done before we head out onto the river in a few days.

It’s been a busy day at the lock with boats moving themselves to get through before next Monday. Still no news regarding our cratch cover though.

0 locks, 0 miles, 0 Marine 16, 1 cleaned fuel filter, 1 changed fuel filter, 1 woody walk, 1 can’t be bothered cat, 17th sock finished, 18th toe knitted, £20 more donations!

Critical To Fatal. 28th March

Thorne Lock

You may have noticed (unless the problem has been solved when you read this) that there is no blog roll on the right hand side.

This evening Mick came to the blog to have a catch up on fellow bloggers posts only to find the blog was missing, a ‘critical’ error had occured! Oh blimey, what had Tilly been upto whilst we were out earlier?

WordPress sent an email to our IT department (Mick) regarding the critical error.

Since WordPress 5.2 there is a built-in feature that detects when a plugin or theme causes a fatal error on your site, and notifies you with this automated email.

In this case, WordPress caught an error with one of your plugins, RSS Feed Checker.

Critical had turned into Fatal in one email!

Not being able to access the ‘dashboard’ to look into the problem Mick was given the option of going into a special ‘recovery mode’. He did this and was able to remove the blog roll plugin. The blog is now visible again. More investigation is required tomorrow.

This fly is far more interesting than the wet outside

They sad it was a Sausage Day, but it turned into a bit of a Frankfurter! She said I had nine hours. Then it rained! Tom said I could still go out. Until he closed the back doors and said he and She were going out instead!

A loaf of bread was required along with a stretch of our legs. So we headed into town to Sainsburys.

Below Thorne Lock two C&RT boats are sitting waiting for next week, they have small diggers on them, the sort that are used for dredging only a bit cleaner! These will be joined at some point by a big crane boat which was being used at Newark Town Lock until recently.

With our shopping done we headed to Thorne Boat Services to see if they had any Marine 16, an additive Mick likes to put in the diesel tank to stop diesel bug. We looked round the chandlery, but they had none. Today their diesel was £1.45 a litre.

To cross over the canal we headed for the troublesome footbridge just as someone was opening it to get their boat through. Good job it wasn’t a windy day as when the chap had taken his boat through he stepped off without a rope. Pedestrians including ourselves were on hand to open the barriers, if we hadn’t been we suspect his boat would have drifted away just that bit too much to be able to jump back on. One of those instances where you just have to wait till it drifts back towards a bank.

Dolly Earl always has washing hanging out

We tried the Chandlery at Staniland Marina too, but the doors were firmly locked. Maybe we’ll try again tomorrow.

Mick called the chap who has our cratch cover, it is ready and he’ll bring it with him one day this week when he’s back in Thorne to do other work, he’s not sure when yet.

The afternoon was spent knitting, eighth pair finished and the yarn for the ninth pair wound into two balls ready.

0 locks, 0 miles, 0 winding, 0 bridges, 2 work boats, 3 lodgers, 1 loaf bread, 0 cratch cover, 8th pair finished, 1 Frankfurter day, 1 fatal error thankfully not that fatal!

Jobs List. 7th March

New Bridge/M62 to opposite Breedon Concrete plant

Brrr! A chilly morning.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

https://goo.gl/maps/Gfyi67A8gwv9GaJy8

Back To Life On Land. 20th November to 3rd December

Well it’s been two weeks now since I returned to Scarborough. From rushing around on panto for five weeks calm has now been restored.

The day after I got back we both had our Covid boosters. Mine was at the Rugby Club where I joined another 1399 people being jabbed from my doctors surgery. Mick headed to a nearby church to get his and was offered a flu vaccine at the same time, so he had one in each arm. Five days later I got my flu jab at Boots. Mick ached a bit and we both had sore arms for a while, but nothing to complain about really.

Normally after opening Chippy panto we have a few days relaxing in Oxford before heading northwards dodging stoppages. The first year we got to see quite a bit of a festival of light around the city and two years ago we watched the Thames rise and rush past moored boats on East Street, we were glad to have been on the canal!

This year being in Scarborough didn’t stop us from what now has become a bit of a tradition, sitting on the sofa recuperating and watching a few episodes of Morse. I think two years ago we started the box set at the very beginning, the first episode and first murder having taken place opposite our mooring in Jericho. We decided to carry on where we left off, this years first episode being ‘The Last Bus to Woodstock’ Quite apt as I’d avoided that situation the other week when returning from visiting the London Leckenbys. There had been an old lady on my bus, but I doubt she was as nosy as the one in Morse.

Then ‘The Last Enemy’. This started with a narrowboat pootling along in the sunshine, quite badly steered, which ended up in the off side vegetation. Immediately our brains started to whirr, where was this? Short pontoons on the off side, slight bends, a building in the background. Hang on, the body was found just about opposite to where we’d moored at Thrupp a few months ago! Thankfully the inaccuracies of the canal system quickly struck (as they do in Morse) with talk of divers searching at the next lock. This would either be Shipton Weir Lock which is upstream or Roundham Lock which is quite a long way for body parts to have drifted to. It was nice to see Thrupp back in the 80’s, I wonder if any of the boats on the moorings are still the same? The Boat Inn certainly has changed a touch.

Our first Sunday walk in Scarborough had us waving to Jaye and Duncan on the way down to the South Bay to have a look at the sea. Not the longest of walks, but good to see that Scarborough was still there and have a few cobwebs blown away.

Banbury Guardian

Rapunzel Panto, Chipping Norton Review

Reviews of the panto have been coming in. So far everyone seems to love having panto back on stage. Chippy is a favourite with many, I even get a mention or two! Sadly a week after I left a Pippin tested positive, the companies PCR tests all came back negative so the show could go on after a days cancellation.

Oxford Mail

But at the beginning of this week one of the main cast had two lines show on their lateral flow test, everyone was sent back to Banbury for another PCR. Unfortunately a second positive was found in the company. The shows have been cancelled this week and so long as no-one else gets two lines the understudies will go on next week, I bet they are busy in their living rooms rehearsing. JJ who plays the Dame seems to be catering for those affected and leaving tuperware food parcels on door steps, I so hope they all stay well.

I have a shadow where ever I go, Tilly occasionally goes out to explore, but more of her time is spent moaning and complaining. I ask her every day when we’ll be back on the boat and moving the outsides again, so far She hasn’t given me a reasonable answer!

Thank you for the messages from people regarding the weather last weekend, I believe Scarborough was on the news. It was very windy and we had snow in town, plenty more up on the moors and wolds. Footage of wave dodgers filled social media as always.

Our street ended up being closed to traffic as there was a tree happily rocking away in the storm on Saturday. The council came to check it over, but it was too windy to do anything about it. They returned on Sunday to start to chop it down and on Monday afternoon it was ‘Timber!’ So much boaters gold!

Mornings have been spent doing a bit of work for #unit21 which will be here before I know it. Plenty of costume shopping and rearranging the build budget. The green light for the build was pressed this week so it’s all systems go, well for my friend Graham. I’ll do a days costume fitting before Christmas and then that should be it for me for a while.

We’ve had deliveries, smokeless coal, 2 veg boxes (so far) and the milk lady is back delivering three times a week. Our Christmas food order is in, just needs a final tweak. Now present deliveries are starting to arrive.

I keep making a mental list of which jobs need doing in the house this winter. One corner of the kitchen needs attention from where the leaking roof has left it’s mark. We’re not convinced all is sorted in that corner yet, the guttering hasn’t been clipped down fully so waved around in the storm and some roofing felt now encourages drips down onto the window sill below! We’re waiting for the roofer to call us back! The cosmetic side of the repair will wait a while longer.

That experiment turned out to be a bit messy!

I decided to give my knees another week off before getting on with some decorating. Sanding all the woodwork in the hallways is going to take some doing before I can give it a fresh coat of paint and some of the wallpaper needs replacing. One pair of curtains also need lining , if this is all I manage to get done this winter it will be fine as right now we don’t have the money to do more major decorating jobs. A plumber has been to check the two boilers over, the old one needs some work which hadn’t been picked up during gas safety checks when the house was rented out. So money is better spent there this year.

A couple of days ago Mick caught a train down to Thorne to visit Oleanna. A final oil change before winter hadn’t happened, so he was wanting to get it done sooner rather than later. He was prompted to visit as Sarah at the marina had called saying that there was a kitchen window open. Had we left this open on our brief visit? Or had someone else opened it?!

Train timings meant he had time to pick up some oil from Boyes in Goole on his way. Sure enough the window was open, thankfully the weather last weekend must have been blowing from the port side so had avoided coming in. It certainly looks like it was us who left it open. Unfortunately in amongst the new filters onboard there wasn’t the one needed for the oil. So other than running the engine for an hour and closing the window Mick had had a bit of a wasted journey.

I’ve been trying to go for walks everyday to keep my knees working. Walking in the footsteps of the local yeti and seeing the sea is a good thing. My left knee seems to be behaving other than feeling a bit stiff. Hopefully this will pass and I’ll do my best not to kneel when I start decorating.

After being back for ten days I dropped Frank a message and sure enough he was round for a cuppa the following day. There were slight complaints about the lack of biscuits on offer! If he times his visit well this week he’ll be able to try out the sample batch for this years Christmas biscuits. It was very good to see him and hopefully Mick has planted a seed or two about some carpentry jobs we’d like him to do on Oleanna this winter.

We now have two bookings for our house next year from the SJT, which is great. If anyone fancies a few days relaxing by the sea in Scarborough we can highly recommend our friends house, Friths. Fleur and Ruth have worked their socks off over the last year making their house cosy, quirky and very welcoming, it has just recently opened for bookings.

https://www.google.com/maps/@53.6947164,-0.8866677,3a,75y,358.73h,85.44t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s5dqbUb963nwFN0Mkkf4qOQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Mike from Alchemy has spotted Oleanna on Google Street view, when she was out for blacking earlier this year at Goole Boathouse. That means that both our boats have appeared at one time or another. A shame we weren’t in shot this time, we were certainly around as the stern doors are open.

The latest news on the towpath grapevine regarding the breach on the Leeds Liverpool Canal is that it will reopen hopefully March next year. The latest C&RT notice says they are installing more secure dams either side of the breach. Designs for the repair are well developed and structural works are in the detailed design stage so that materials can be ordered ready for the new year. We’re not as yet sure which way we’ll be heading when we set off, but having the Leeds Liverpool as an option would be good. In the meantime we need to decide on whether we should be buying a Gold Licence for the coming year. These run from January to December, we’d trade in our standard licence for the few months remaining on it and then we’d be able to spend more time on EA waters during the year. We just have to decided where we’ll be going.

Candlelit Chinese take away to celebrate our 19th year together

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 failed oil change, 1 closed window, 2 weeks of resting, 9 costumes bought, 1 budget rejigged, 2 veg boxes, 1 emergency rug, 2 tax returns submitted, grade 3, 1 box of filters, 4 jabs, 1 bored cat, 1 street view, 3 Morse’s, 1 new variant, 1st waterways painting, 2 go Gold or not? 1 Pip glad to be cooking again, 19 years with my fella.

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna

Category Archives: Boat Yards

Misty Morning. 6th October

Up With The Dogs. 16th September

Have The Rules Changed? 27th August

GT. 1st July

Sideways Snow. 31st March

Waiting! 30th March

PHP’s And All That! 29th March

Critical To Fatal. 28th March

Jobs List. 7th March

Back To Life On Land. 20th November to 3rd December