A lie in with Tilly in the way, it’s good to be home. After a lengthy cuppa in bed with Saturdays newspaper to read, Mick set to in the kitchen preparing breakfast, extra rations today. There was so much food that we continued to eat as we joined the Geraghty zoom. A trip to Bruges, panto and flowering cacti were discussed.
Breakfast whilst waiting for family to arrive
Another two loads of washing were required before moving away from the handy tap and a couple of items were still needed from Tescos. So Mick popped down the hill and dealt with washing whilst I rested myself.
Several boats came past, some stopping in spaces, others pausing to top up and empty.
Topping up
Oleanna had her yellow water tank emptied and her fresh water tank filled, then we were ready to make a move.
The last time I was on a moving boat was five weeks ago, cruising from near Kings Sutton Lock to the Tramway moorings in Banbury, all pre-panto. Then the ground was dry, today the towpath and boat were muddy.
Stepping off the boat was done carefully, yet my calf twinged. More rest required for it. I managed to push the bow out and off we went. The sun was trying it’s best, but that really didn’t matter, just being on the move at a leisurely pace was all that counted.
Waiting for the bow to come out
Not far today, just somewhere where we’d be happier for Tilly to head off and explore. Well it didn’t get a very good review from her. Well what do expect! There’s a great big mesh fence in the way of the good bits!
The afternoon was spent pottering and watching another episode of Morse and the final part of Inside Man, we wonder if there was enough plot left dangling for there to be a second series. Later on we enjoyed a roast chicken.
Panto reviews have started to come in, so far everyone has enjoyed themselves.
Bridge 68, North Oxford Canal to Coventry Basin, Coventry Canal
Another long week in Panto land and some more cruising for Mick and Tilly.
Monday I arrived in the theatre to find sliders being cut down to size and lots of magnetic catches and door handles having been attached, all good news. But then I soon heard that Abi the Director had tested positive for covid over the weekend whilst at home in London. The cast were given various options, the one they chose was that John the Artistic Director of Chippy Theatre and the writer of panto would stand in for Abi until she returned and Abi would join when she could via zoom. Our Production Manager Gemma was also unwell so she stayed at home an extra day.
Counter getting close to completion
I got on with painting what ever I could without being in the actors way. A list of scenes required for the following days rehearsals is sent out so it takes a little bit of working out what I might be able to paint and when. The wings of the stage were sorted by Stage Management to hopefully help make the technical rehearsals easier.
In the evening we were joined by a couple of chaps to help with setting up the sound equipment and drilling holes in trees for fairy lights. By the end of the evening two out of the four trees had lights and a lot of the sound system was up and running.
The River Avon in Rugby
In Rugby, Mick and Tilly stayed put on the boat. Mick did venture out for his covid booster jab, four weeks after we’d tested positive.
Painting ovens and doors in the wings
Tuesday. More setting up of sound with Matt the Sound Designer about for one day. The aim was for levels to be set for the songs and cues to be programmed into the desk so that only minor adjustments would hopefully be needed. Songs were sung by the company accompanied by the two man band.
Dicks solo being sung in front of the Pippins and Becky the composer
Gemma joined us for a few hours but she was obviously still not well. She did her best to keep her distance, helped get sliders rehung and sorted a few bits out, but mid afternoon she headed to her digs to hopefully get some sleep.
Mark the Lighting Designer had a lighting session in the evening, meaning I was either painting by torch light or had a lot of light. This gave me the chance to get some black lining done to the sliders for Piccadilly Circus. There’s still plenty more to do on them, but at least I made a very good start.
Newbold Tunnel
In Rugby, Mick moved Oleanna up nearer to Tescos, did a good shop. Topped up with water and headed onwards through Newbold Tunnel. Over the weekend we’d discussed where might be easiest for me to get back to the boat next weekend, Rugby was a little bit problematical and quite a bit of a walk to reach the boat. We’d decided that Coventry would be better.
Wednesday. Gemma tested positive for covid this morning. Hopefully she hadn’t passed it on to anyone whilst she’d been in the building, but more importantly she could head home to recover.
Signage
Conversations were had about outstanding jobs. I can lend my hand to quite a few things, but it would all take time. Better to have someone who knew what was needed and free me up to carry on painting and helping where needed.
The Technical rehearsals begin
In the afternoon we started to Tech. This is where all the elements come together on stage. Sound, lighting, costumes, props, actors, musicians and set. Due to many reasons there were gaps in costumes, props and set pieces. Not ideal, but unavoidable. Everyone did as well as they could, one thing became obvious was that we still needed someone to help program the sound.
Loads of room!
Mick carried onwards. In winter months moorings that are normally chocka block can be empty, this was the case at All Oaks Wood. I think we’ve managed to pause there before for lunch once, but today he had a choice of where to pull in. Tilly made the most of a good outside!
Thursday. A long day of technical rehearsals. Days like today I spend mostly sitting in the dark, taking notes, attending to things as they arise. I decided to try to do small jobs whilst sat in the dark like signs, sorting out the new song sheet.
It was not me who emptied the chilled medication fridge leaving only vanilla!
Then when the actors have a break there is some time to get a bit of painting done. Wet things need to be dry before costumes are back on stage, so timing jobs can be a touch tricksy. Following rehearsals there are a couple of hours to get more jobs done. Jo the prop maker was about, so conversations turned to treasure chests and snakes.
Mick carried on moving. The journey from Rugby to Coventry can be done in under eight hours, but with a week to do it in he was pacing himself. Today he moved a touch further than he’d originally planned, through the new swing bridge at Rose Narrowboats, stopping a short distance before Hawksbury Junction, meaning there was space before other boats for Tilly to explore.
The Greyhound busy on a Friday morning
Friday. Mick decided to stay put, having a walk up to the bins at the junction a highlight of the day. The Greyhound was busy even quite early in the morning.
The tight turn at the junction. To head north use the left canal, south the right turning under the bridge.
Another early start to do some jobs before rehearsals started again. My lunch tends to be eaten in the next technical session, making use of as much stage time for jobs as possible. Abi is now very much in the room, joining by zoom, sending messages by Whatsap.
Laptop in the centre of the auditorium so Abi can join us
Today after rehearsals, Dan who’d helped set up the sound equipment and has been helping with programming stayed around to help with various jobs on stage. Some black tabs were not quite in the right place so needed adjusting. A tree needed extending, it’s track moving higher. But the most important job was to get a cloth rigged so that it could be lowered in to view and pulled out of view, it’s been out of view for three weeks.
A Curlywurly in the dark whilst taking notes
Chippy Theatre has a bit of a fly tower, but it is nowhere near tall enough to be able to fly cloths fully in and out. So the cloth has to work like a very big Roman Blind, pulling itself up on itself. We got all the cords in place, but lacked somewhere to tie it off to. So that we don’t now see too much of the cloth it’s been tied off to a cleat for other scenery, a better solution needs to be found.
Nice to see the cloth again after three weeks.
Saturday. A morning of technical rehearsals. There is still more to do on Monday sadly.
Last year I did one of these every day during panto
Also sadly today we were missing Becky, the composer, another case of covid. I am so hoping that I still have some natural immunity left as I spent much of yesterday sat next to Becky. This morning I did a test after spending time with Gemma, I’ll be doing a test before returning to work on Monday.
A nearly finished scene
All the trees were up and fairy lights working giving Mark the opportunity to light the next scene. We mostly worked our way through the scenes that have the Pippins in so as to make the most of their time in the theatre. Having three teams of Pippins means doing everything three times, one team are in costume the others not. We now just have to finish teching the rest of the show on Monday.
Mick moved on again in the morning, turning left at Hawksbury Junction and heading under the bridge decorated with swans. We last came this way about five years ago and today Mick saw a big difference. New houses and just generally better kept, possibly assisted by the City of Culture. Tilly however wasn’t that impressed!
Coventry Basin
After rehearsals I became unpopular asking for the trees that had only just gone up to be taken down. My aim for the day was to get the last two remaining trees painted, having them flat this would take about half the time. It didn’t take too much to get them down thankfully.
Trees finished. Well I might add some glitter if I get chance.
The last couple of hours I was on my own and was glad to not have to climb a ladder. By 18:10 the trees were painted, brushes washed up. By 18:25 the theatre alarm was set and I was heading for the bus stop and Banbury.
Goodbye Chippy, see you Monday
A train then another bus to save me walking across Coventry where Mick met me and we walked up the hill and over the ring road to Oleanna in the basin. Time for head nudges with Tilly, something to eat and slump in front of the tv.
He’s here!
Sunday. A Sainsburys delivery was early, I left Mick to deal with it as it was early early, but it did mean we could have a nice breakfast.
Yumm!
This was followed by the Geraghty zoom where we were all relieved to be joined by Anne who has just had a spell in hospital.
Work in progress
A slow day, much needed, but sadly I still had some work to do. A new song sheet needed designing and the best time to do it was today. Thankfully it didn’t take too long. The day will end with a roast chicken and packing my bags to head back to Chippy tomorrow. Hopefully no more cases of covid this week, fingers crossed.
Monday morning I was on the 488 bus which dropped me off at the end of Over Norton Road, a short distance away from my Chippy home for the next few weeks. There was time to say hello to Suzanne and pick up a front door key before heading in to the theatre where Ade and Lou (the set builders) were already stood waiting for the building to open to load the set in.
John Terry welcoming everyone to the 50th Chippy panto
I collected my model pieces together and laid the model out ready to be shown at the read through, then set to work. This year the set has a lot of what are called profiled flats. Ade and Lou had built the flats to the correct overall size, but the profiled edges needed drawing out before someone could jigsaw them in to shape. I managed a few simple shapes before having to dash off to join in with the meet and greet for the company. A very good breakfast spread had been laid on for everyone, parish notices and a quick once round the room of introductions.
Paul, Imogen and Chris busy on stage
Normally I would stay for the readthrough, but this year my time would be better spent drawing things out. So I got to do the model showing to the company before heading of to put my dungarees on.
Jo the prop maker arrived with a van full of goodies.
In the past I’ve used an overhead projector to speed up drawing complicated pieces of set. I’d been offered a digital projector to help, with all the set pieces scanned this should have been easy. But no matter what myself and Louisa (the Assistant Technician) did things just didn’t want to line up and propping the projector up at the right angle proved so frustrating! In the end I gridded everything up and drew up in the old fashioned way.
Back in Banbury, Mick and Tilly headed out of town and moored between the lift bridges so that some shore leave could be taken and enjoyed again. Bumbury really is rather boring!
A tired and out of focus photo. Ade, Lou, Gemma, Chris and fish and chips
By the end of the day, sliders were in position, over half of the profiled flats were cut out, quite a lot of set pieces were primed. Time for a drink at the Blue Bore and some food. Sadly the pub were reluctant to serve us food as they were short staffed, Chris went for a walk to find food and we all ended up sitting in The Fox. Five portions of fish and chips went down very well!
Nadia
Tuesday, Ade and Lou headed home leaving Gemma and Chris to carry on with the fit up. Make up was tried out for Whittington the cat and photos taken so that I can recreate their face in part of the design.
Louisa and Andy adding fittings to sliders
More drawing out of flats and the constant noise from jigsaws filled the theatre, when they were quiet we got to hear the cast learning the songs up in the gallery. Tracks were put up by Paul, Louisa and Andy. By the end of the day we’d achieved a lot, having the main set go up on Sunday had helped a great deal.
Healthy option tonight
Tonight the Blue Bore was considerably quieter and food could be ordered. A squash and beetroot stew with broccoli was very tasty accompanied by a glass of wine, only one mind as my head is still recovering from covid.
Something’s missing from that cill
Wednesday. Mick needed to turn Oleanna. The next winding hole was at Twyford Wharf down Grants Lock. He winded and returned to the lock where he could see several protruding bolts on the top cill. Keeping Oleanna away from the bolts was important so as not to snag the bow fender. He made it safely back up and returned to the mooring he’d left an hour and a quarter earlier, Tilly got to spend the rest of the day out and about.
Such an autumnal front door
In Chippy things needed checking over, magnetic catches adding to cupboards and wheels adding to set pieces to aid their movement both on and off stage. We worked our way through the scene changes marking positions and deciding on positions for things in the wings.
Eros based in with the model for reference
I spent much of the day priming bits of scenery. Imogen who’s on work placement with me started to base in Eros, it was very nice to see some colour going onto some scenery.
Front cloth in position
Late afternoon the actors and Pippins (local children who make up the chorus) joined us in the theatre for a health and safety briefing. For the first time we were able to show the company all the different settings, each piece of scenery being put in position, the swirling front cloth whisked off stage to reveal them. We were in a good place with everything, it just all needs painting now!
Just what’s needed after a busy day
Once the stage was clear of actors I started to mark up the Piccadilly Circus sliders. If ever a projector would have been useful it was now with sooo much lettering to draw up. To celebrate getting started with the sliders I treated myself to chicken and chips from the burger van. This is most definitely a treat best eaten on the bench under the tree by the book shop. Only thing is a small portion could just about feed a family of four!
Thursday. Mick made his way back in towards the Tramway to moor. Then in the afternoon he walked over to Enterprise to pick up a hire car. He’d hired the cheapest vehicle available a people carrier, but thankfully he was given the option of a small car instead. Loading up two buckets of compost he set of and drove up to our house in Scarborough to reset the insurance clock and check things over, leaving Tilly in charge on Oleanna with two pouches of food to keep her going overnight.
Eros just about finished
At the theatre I now have to work on things around the actors rehearsing on stage. The Piccadilly sliders are fixed on stage, so I am one of the first people in the building each day and one of the last out, taking advantage of a hour before rehearsals, lunchtime and after they have finished for the day. Today I got the sliders drawn up and started to paint them.
Being around the theatre is handy when props are needed, questions asked can be answered pretty swiftly. Possible alterations to things can be noted, today we found out that a door needs to be rehung, opening onto a scene has more comedic value than the way I’d had it built, but hopefully the alteration won’t be too difficult to do.
A very refreshing shandy
In the evening the theatre staff had a club night in the bar, Bingo. As much as it would have been nice to join in there is too much work to get done. Paul set up the sound system whilst I started to add colour to the sliders. A drink was brought through for us towards the end of the evening, a nice refreshing shandy which I enjoyed once I was off the top of a ladder.
Cakes cakes and sweeties
Friday. Every morning the treats stash seems to get replenished in the green room. With lots of dancing sugar levels need to be kept up, well that’s the excuse everyone is sticking to!
Mick returned to Banbury, returning the hire car after popping to the Gateway Shopping Centre for a flu jab. He’s compiled a list of jobs that need doing at the house, some small, others quite big and costly!
I started work on the backing flat for Piccadilly Circus. Drawn out and windows shaded in quite quickly, followed by a bit of colour. Traditional panto sets have what is known as black lining, over the last three pantos I’ve designed for Chippy I’ve avoided black lines, using shading instead. But this year having based much of my designs on Victorian etchings I could not avoid them. In fact there are far more black lines than I’ve come across before!
Saturday, Mick did a shop for the weekend at Morrisons then was just about to push off when a boat came into view, too close to push out in front of. As it came closer he noticed that it was pulling in behind Oleanna and had skeletons hung by the front doors, it was Frankie Fango an Instagram friend of mine. The two of them had quite a chat and Mick gleamed a bit of information that may come in handy next week.
He then moved on up to top up with water and timed his arrival at the lock perfectly as a lady from the trip boat happened to be there and was willing to work both the lock and lift bridge for him, that’s one lock he’d not have to single hand. He pootled onwards past the bakery and found a space alongside Spiceball Park where Tilly would be able to go out. It’s the weekend, too many woofers about to have a really good time! Pah Bumbury!!
Black line crazy
The actors were on stage this morning along with the Pippins, learning the opening song. I continued with black lines, still some more to do on the backing flat, but it will be fine for a photo shoot next week and the final lines can wait for other things to get painted first. The final rats for the portals were painted in, the last of the pillars primed and by the end of the afternoon the Piccadilly sliders were all painted in, just in need of black lining now!
That black border needs to go up a touch
There was time to have a tidy up before heading to catch the last bus back to Banbury. A quick service with only two passengers on board, it didn’t need to stop for anyone so we were in Banbury very swiftly. As I climbed onboard Oleanna I could smell jacket potatoes, we’d be having pie tonight and a lot of cuddles from Tilly!
Curled up happy Tilly
Sunday. The day started with tea in bed, followed by a cooked breakfast. Very yummy.
Being near Morrisons means gf black pudding too
The Geraghty zoom, subjects included exploding boats, hedgehog fascists, and the Queen Elizabeth Line. We seem to have coincided with a canoe race day on the canal. We’ve been around for one before, it gets very choppy, we may have to go out for a while.
A quiet moment in the canoe racing
Today I will spend mostly sitting down and not doing much, we’ll round the day off with a joint of pork. Hopefully we’ll both be rested up in time for numerous hours painting scenery and Mick single handing his way up and over the summit of the Oxford Canal before the winter stoppages start.
4 locks, 2 twice, 5.74 miles, 2 buses, 1 lovely landlady, 1 forgotten bag, 5 lots of fish and chips, 1 chicken and chips, 4 trees, 1 snake, 1 gorilla,1 stand down, 6 days of busyness, 2 sit down tea breaks, 1 Eros, 1 backing flat, 2 sliders painted, 1 cosy cat, 1 cooked breakfast, 32567 canoes!
A slow start this morning so that we could join the Geraghty zoom. Subjects today acorns, anti-virals and loft insulation.
Goodbye Abingdon
Another sunny day meant the river was busy. A canoe stopped a wide beam from pulling out across the way, they were wanting to wind so waited patiently then waved us on before they started their manoeuvre.
A tall affair
Abingdon Lock was set for us and we rose up with plenty of people watching, then pulled along onto the water point. It seems that some of the water points are being changed, the other day at Cleeve Lock I’d noticed the new short hose already attached to the tap, here the water point is long and tall with a yellow surround to it.
Backflow protection
The pressure wasn’t too great and the hose just managed to reach our water filler on the off side of the bow. Water seems to be pumped up high to a small tank and then it flows through the hose to your boat. This is all to do with not wanting to have river water flowing back into the water mains, which is understandable with the amount of sewage that is allowed into the rivers. But it all takes time. We were patient and made use of the big skips to dispose of our rubbish and recycling. Talking of which, if you are a boater, have you filled in the C&RT survey regarding services and distances between them? It’s anonymous so no reason not to have your say in what C&RT will see as the national standard for services. Survey Link
The next river reach goes on and on. Not as bad as when Mick did it a few years ago with an overheating engine with a large amount of fresh coming the other way. The sunk boat is still mid channel, then numerous rowing boats and plenty of cruisers out for a Sunday pootle.
Sandford being emptied
There was a blue board at Sandford Lock, but someone had set it to empty. I walked up with the boat hook and opened the gate. The Lock Keeper arrived, he’d been just about to go for lunch as we arrived, could he help with ropes? We got ourselves sorted and then waited for a cruiser to join us. They had no idea! A rope from the bow was put round a bollard as their boat continued into the lock. The rope was moved along, then again and again. The Lock Keeper went to help, pulling them back in the lock and making sure they had two ropes round the bollards. This lock fills from the sides as well as from the end, so you need to keep hold of your rope.
Just about full
We led the way, coming across numerous rowers all at bends which made positioning ourselves very awkward! I don’t think we’ve ever come into Oxford on a sunny Sunday in term time before. I think we’ll do our best to avoid it in future!
Iffley!
Iffley Lock, the Lavender Lock was on Self Service, it always feels like we’ve arrived in Oxford when we go through here . I headed up to see what needed doing. A small day boat was just entering the lock above to be followed by an eight, the lock just wide enough for them. A chap asked if I could open the gates for them so they could get back on board, of course I could. But this all took time as they hadn’t got a rope round a bollard, the boat tipping from side to side as people got on and off.
All that Lavender
Then a Lock Keeper appeared and requested that they put a rope around a bollard and then actually hold on to it! A request came from the boat, could he help with the rope. ‘No, I’ve got covid’ he then retreated to the other side of his garden.
Our turn next with the cruiser. We let them leave first as they’d be quicker than us, all we both had to do was negotiate our way around the waiting rowing boats and those also heading towards the lock.
Someone with a different style has been decorating the walls under bridges. An Arthurian subject, with knights on horse back jousting and a unicorn.
Trip boat 1 out of the way
Towards Folly Bridge there was a log jam. The cruiser we’d been sharing with had pulled over to the side, two eights were sat waiting for a big trip boat to wind and head down stream. The eights then had to wind themselves, another trip boat was about to back away from it’s moorings, but we got in first only to meet four canoes coming under the arch of the bridge. Hopefully now the river would calm down.
Canoes next
No! The cruiser suddenly appeared having come round the island of the bridge the other way. They headed off and we soon passed them trying to moor. Hopefully NOW the river would be quieter.
Demolition works
Osney Lock had a boat coming in from above. A lady closed the gates behind the boat the chap held onto his centre line. I suggested that I could work the bottom gates and sluice allowing the lady to get on board. She was happy with this and just carried on walking away from the lock, I suspect a helpful passerby rather than crew.
Here we were on our own, no Lock Keeper. A fella walked past and informed us that the Lockie here also had covid. There was space on East Street, maybe because the old Power Station is being demolished opposite.
On upstream under the bridge to Sheepwash Channel where we turned right. The old railway swing bridge that last year was shrouded in covers has been restored, sleepers and track, the workings all shiny black and yellow. Not that there is anywhere for it to connect to as houses stand where the line once used to be.
Isis
Isis Lock. Time to dig out the windlass again. This lock means Panto, Autumn leaves, Inspector Morse watching, Christmas shopping, fish and waiting for the River Cherwell to come out of flood. It’s nice to be back.
Going up
We pulled into the first space. Tilly was given 2.5 hours, Yeh yeh, I know where I am! It’s that isthmus outside! You always tie this one up! Still no new complex opposite. Time to put a Sunday roast on and have a catch up with my brother.
5 locks, 1 narrow one, 9.58 miles, 1 right, 1 left, 2 many boats, 1 tall waterpoint, 2 poorly Lockies, 2 boats with no idea, 1 near miss, 2.5 hours, 1 roast chicken, 1 sore throat!
Sadly we could only stay one night on Tilly’s birthday island, we need to keep moving, admittedly not far today.
Sunday morning
But first there was time for Mick to rustle up a breakfast and for us to join the Geraghty zoom. The Basingstoke Canal, flights from Barra and the general state of the country were topics today.
We pushed away the island around 11am, passing our nearest neighbours soon afterwards. I wondered who might be staying in Spring Cottage at the moment (£2,750 a night) an extra £50 a night to include breakfast. Or at the cheaper NT run cottages £896 for three nights, no option of breakfast being included there.
You brought it with you, it’s now lighter, so much easier to take home!
We followed a big hire boat up to Cookham Lock where a volunteer saw both boats in and pressed the buttons for us. Mick had picked up a bag of rubbish on the island so we paused to drop it off at the bins above the lock. Why would you parcel up your rubbish and then hide it behind a tree on an island?! We topped up the water tank as a load of washing spun round in the machine and then carried onwards.
Bourne End can be so sunny, it almost feels like a resort as you glide along the wide water.
Sailing dinghy’s raced back and forth, the wind being in the perfect direction for their course today.
Click photo for details
Another house for sale, with a good length of mooring, only £2,750,000.
We paused at a familiar boat, bipped our horn, but only the wagging tail of a dog greeted us today. Next time we’ll make sure we send a message in advance.
Terraced garden
All the big houses climbing up the cliff and pretty boats moored below.
Round the big bend in the river, we spied space on the EA moorings below Marlow Lock and pulled in. We then nudged along in front of one of several boats with overstay notices on their windows. The route to walk up to the lock takes you round the houses a touch, but does give a great view across to Marlow.
Marlow
Only a volunteer on duty as it was lunchtime. Mick ventured back later in the afternoon to check in with the Lockie and see if it was possible for us to stay for two nights instead of just the one. As it was out of season he gave us permission.
Tilly got busy, bringing a friend inside to the warmth! Luckily it turned out to be easy to catch, but when released in the hedgerow it scarpered so quickly it didn’t see which way it was going and ended up in the river. It did swim, so I’m hoping it found somewhere to climb out.
I put together some photos and words for the Panto programme. They wanted a two page spread about the set design process. Lots of photos and a sentence with each one, I suspect I’ve given them too much.
What a lovely mooring it is here, we’ve only stayed by the park above the lock before which is quite busy, just a shame there is constant nose from the road bridge!
1 lock, 5.16 miles, 1 bag of rubbish, 1 tank of water, 1 load washing drying on the whirligig, 2 nights okay, 4 hours shore leave, 0 island, 7 photos, 7 sentences.
Coming round Desborough Island we came across a huge boat, Magna Carte a luxury hotel boat, prices are stated in US dollars a more stable currency at the moment. They must have just come through Shepperton Lock, the bottom gates wide open. Next year we hope to be turning left here to head to the Basingstoke Canal, water levels permitting.
Kath and Sean to the left, Chippy straight on
I was just getting ready to step off and work the lock when a chap appeared from the Lock cottage, more like house on the Thames. He waved us in and worked the lock for us.
More houses for sale today, small properties which no doubt will be bought and knocked down to build something more modern. The house on the end of Pharoah’s Island that was for sale a few years ago is having extensive work done to it, several boats moored alongside used to bring building materials over to the island.
Chertsey and Penton Hook Locks were both manned, a helpful reminder from a Lock Keeper about the side filling locks coming up today. We passed two chaps in a canoe who are working their way from Bristol to London, we wondered which way into London they’d go. A friend of mine once canoed downstream of Tower Bridge on an organised event!
The trees are still very well clipped in Staines-on-Thames. Was that a platform for a duck disco? We pulled in at the first lower mooring and Mick bobbed off to pick up a prescription and some fruit. As soon as he was back we were on our way again, hoping to reach a good mooring before the storm arrived mid afternoon.
Mick spotted a familiar flag on the bow of a cruiser, a fellow Reflection Flotilla boat. I spotted a polar bear.
Then we were going under the M25, we were now without! Bell Weir Lock is the first of the side fillers, an extra turn around a bollard helps a great deal at these locks. But our position made it impossible to get the bow rope round twice without intervention from the Lock Keeper, who just walked on by to open the sluices. I clung on as best I could, dodgy grip in one hand and cranky shoulder complaining. Must try harder at the next side filler!
The little backwater
Harry Roberts had a little holiday caravan and a rowing boat that Mick and friends used to row down a little back water, far too small for Oleanna to fit down. Runnymede and all it’s history remains on the ‘next time’ list. Maybe we should get a gold Licence again next year!
All the trip boats were tucked up as were the Bugsy Malone cars under the posh house on stilts!
Old Windsor Lock was on self service. The first time we’d done this one without a Lockie, blimey there’s a load of steps here! I forgot about holding the button for ten seconds on the control panel, so it took a while to fill, giving me time to adjust the bow line and chat to a couple who’d just moved to the area from Lincoln. The lock had a big sign beside it requiring you to close the top gates and leave it emptying.
Albert Bridge, the start of the Royal park land. Today a black car with two chaps followed us on the bank, perimeter security maybe?
Shallow was an understatement!
By now the wind was starting to strengthen, it was time to pull in somewhere and batten down the hatches before the storm really got going. The public mooring just after Kris hire boats had one boat moored on it, would we fit in there too? Two chaps sat on a bench said it was shallow, as did signs on the low wall. We soon discovered how shallow it was as we ran aground several meters out. It took a bit of umph to get us back afloat, next possible stop Eton above Romney Lock.
He’ll get soggy later
A dad and young lad stood at the control panel as I approached with our boat hook in hand. He was closing the bottom gate sluices with the intention of filling the lock. They were from one of the big Le Boat hire boats and it was most probably their first self service lock. It took a while for me to get through to him that it would be really good if we could use the water he’d be filling the lock with as it was in our favour.
Filling up
In we came, I hooked up the bow line that had been left resting on the cratch board and tied the bow to a bollard securely. Mick passed his rope round a bollard at the stern a couple of times, this was a side filler. Only one push of the button was required for it to start the process of filling and the sluices continued to rise at intervals. We were soon up and on our way to find a mooring.
The first time we came through Windsor people moored in the lock cut, but that is not allowed anymore. We pootled along thinking we’d end up mooring on the Brocas infront of my Aunt and Uncles old flat. But we quickly spied that the free mooring just before Windsor Road Bridge was empty, we headed straight for it.
Really?
Here there are several signs, EA signs saying not to run your engine/generator/ play loud music, 24 hour mooring. Others from Eton Riverside Management Ltd saying to only tie to the rings not the railings as it’s a public right of way. Then two new looking signs saying Private Land, they didn’t say ‘No Mooring’. Hmmmm! The official signs out numbered the other signs and a storm was just starting to take hold and we’d be quiet anyway. We stayed put suspecting the new signs were from a boat hating flat owner, hoping to put boats off mooring.
Tilly was disgruntled not to be let out as we battened down the hatches and bang on 3pm it started to rain. It rained, then rained some more, the sound on the front panel of the pram cover suggesting it was very heavy. If anyone did have a problem with us mooring here, they certainly weren’t going to come out to tell us so!
Our view of Windsor Castle
On checking our trip computer at the end of todays cruise I noticed that the total mileage for this year so far had just passed 1000 miles. We’re actually likely to have exceeded 1000 miles as the trip computer tends to cut corners. Add to this the miles yet to come returning to Yorkshire, so around another 300 miles, I don’t think we’ll have C&RT on our backs for not moving enough!
Our trip computer works using Water Explorer, which come the end of the year will no longer exist. It’s been handy knowing how many locks and miles we’ve done each day. Sometimes it gets things wrong, you very often go through Beeston Lock twice and omits others. But as a general tally of where we’ve been and what what miles we’ve covered it’s been good, I will miss it. We just need to sort out what we’ll use instead, not many GPS programs will count the number of locks you go through.
6 locks, 2 self service, 13.68 miles, 6 nights 8 people $40,500! 1 pause for pills, 1 duck disco, 2 shallow, 3pm rain, 0 shore leave, 1 wet night, 1000.55 miles this year.
A buoy outside Chelsea Harbour Marina to Limehouse Basin
*This post contains some slideshows. I’m not sure if these will work if you get the post emailed to you, so you may have to go to the website.*
Getting into position
It took a little while for us all to get into position as the flotilla started to move away downstream. In all the paperwork we’d been given about the event we’d not seen how far apart to the side boats should be. Infront and behind should be about 60ft, a boats length. As our huddle of boats moved into position we decided that maybe a similar distance to the sides would be good too.
Beam us up Scotty! Quite an artistic mistake!
It was dusk, you could just see peoples lights. I had my camera and fully charged phone on hand to take photos. I’m by no means a pro, the contrasting lighting along with being on the move meant there have been many a photo head straight to the bin. Add to the mix keeping an eye on the flotilla, checking which bridge arch we should be heading to and whether we’d be sharing it with neighbouring boat Panacea or not, listening to Flotilla Control instructions, this all made for one busy evening.
Dusk
By the time we’d reached Battersea Road Bridge we’d all got into position. Already people lined the bridge above us.
Albert Bridge, wonderful in day light, now at dusk a spiders web of Victorian beauty. There waiting on the down stream side was Gloriana the Royal Row Barge. Neon rope light swaged along the gunnels and every long oar stood upright with a straight line of white light. No-one would miss her.
Illuminated Rowing
Flotilla Control called Gloriana into position in the flotilla. Safety gaps had been planned between certain sections to hopefully avoid bunching up. The flotilla was now complete. Motor powered boats in front, Gloriana in the middle followed by man powered boats.
Looking back upstream
Following our charts and the boat ahead. Hang on, shouldn’t we be going through the span to our port? This only happened at one bridge, we then kept to the plans we’d been given. Speed adjustments were required to try to keep in line, but then the boat ahead wouldn’t be going quite fast enough, so we’d slip behind our line. Safety boats moved along the sides, keeping an eye out. Our two red glow sticks were bent, broken and shaken in case we needed to draw attention to ourselves, thankfully they remained unused.
From the river we could see a line of people stood on each bank, just about every bridge too. I wondered if this had remained a Jubilee event would more people have had white glow sticks on the bridges. That would have been quite a sight.
Chelsea Bridge, Victoria Railway Bridge, Battersea Power Station with it’s changing coloured chimneys.
Vauxhall Bridge at 19:32. Lambeth Bridge 19:39
Houses of Parliament
Instructions came through to speed up, get closer, slow down as Flotilla Control required. Positions drifted, then came back. Messages from family about our position needed conveying along with everything else. Sheet of bridge profiles once passed under added to the discard pile on the stern locker lid.
Westminster Bridge. The London Eye. Hungerford Bridge at 19:50
Festival Pier and the South Bank19:52. Waterloo Bridge. Blackfriars Bridge and Rail Bridge 20:01. Here those wanting to stay warm lined the windows looking down at us.
Millennium Footbridge. Was that Andrew, Jac and Josh? Had they got the right bit of bridge?
Yep it was, Andrew shouted to us that they would now head to the pub. I messaged them back telling them to turn round and wait until Gloriana had passed at least.
Southwark Bridge at 20:09 Now we could see Tower Bridge, the towers lit up in blue. The progress of the flotilla slowed, it slowed some more. Cannon Street Bridge, London Bridge 20:15.
Our progress slowed right down, Gloriana a distance behind, a Dutch Barge a touch too close. Keep moving came the instructions.
HMS Belfast was lined with Sea cadets who as Gloriana approached all saluted as did the oarsmen on board.
Were we waiting for Tower Bridge to lift? All boats were finding their own space, we’d liked to have carried on moving but that meant those ahead of us should be doing the same and those ahead of them. We could see double deckers and pedestrians still crossing the bridge.
After what felt like an absolute age Tower Bridge started to lift. Normally it lifts enough to let tall ships and boats through, but today it would lift all the way up in full Royal Salute.
Boats started to move, everyone of us going under the central span. Years ago before we owned NB Lillyanne I gave Mick a birthday card of Tower Bridge saying that one day we’d be going under that central span. Here today as one of the 150 boats we were doing just that, bedecked with fairy lights and at night, we were doing it in style. 20:40
There was now a bit of confusion. What was to happen at the end of the flotilla had changed due to the Queen passing away. Some boats sounded their horns, others remained silent. As Gloriana passed through the bridge and lifted their oars in salute there were three cheers for the King, then over the radio came instructions to sound our horns. Everyone went for it still moving downstream at a steady pace. A last look back to the bridge. WoW!!!
Now what? The narrowboats remained in formation heading down stream. All boats wanting to return upstream were meant to continue downstream and reach a certain boat before turning and heading back upstream along the northern bank. It was nice to see the displays of lights on the cruisers that we’d been behind, some very pretty boats.
The stretch of water below Tower Bridge is normally lumpy bumpy but this evening it was quiet, the river was still closed to normal traffic whilst the flotilla dispersed. Andrew the leader of the narrowboat section said he had a time for the lock, we all continued downstream, now arranging ourselves into our locking groups, there’d be four lockings into Limehouse as only one boat was heading back up stream. I spotted a red light flashing in front of us on top of a pole, as I was pointing it out to Mick, Simon shouted from the boat behind, we adjusted course accordingly passing the light on the starboard side.
Now we had rowers catching up with us, heading downstream, they were going some! Three passed us before we reached Canary Wharf where we turned and followed the north bank back towards Limehouse. One boat swapped to the first locking as they were overheating. Six boats packed into the lock and rose the now 7ft up to the canal.
We were instructed to hold back away from the opening of the lock as the water being dropped from it would make quite a bit of turbulence. The river had now opened to normal traffic, Uber boats zooming from one stop to the next and a huge party boat heading up stream. All those people who’d not been aware of what had been happening upstream of them over the last couple of hours.
Then it was our turn to head into the safety of the lock. A repeat of on the way out, ropes round risers, round the T stud and wait for the surge.
During the day a couple of boats had arrived at Limehouse and moored up. With more narrowboats coming back in and less wall or pontoon to tie to boats were rafting up again. On the pontoon I spied a chap inside his boat, I gestured to see if it was okay to pull alongside. It was, after all it is London! We came in carefully. Pam from Flora Dora came over the stern of the boat to help us with our bow rope.
In the dark on a strange boat Pam hadn’t seen the step down to the boats back door. As I passed our rope towards her, her hands held out to take it she fell towards me and the gap between the boats. Thankfully she didn’t fall between them, but this did mean she bumped her head on our gunnel. Glasses, phone were safe but Pam needed a sit down and to be checked over. After five minutes of quiet her shock subsided.
A quick check on Tilly, I think her evening had been calmer than the afternoon. I wonder if she sat in the window for any of it? The Cruising Association was open for us to be able to have a drink and a buffet had been laid on. It felt like an absolute age since we’d had our pizzas. After all the days excitement we sipped our glasses of wine exhausted.
WOW!! What a day! What an amazing day!!
1 lock twice, 15.95 miles, 9.5 hours on the tideway, 34 bridges gone under, 1 barrier closed, 12 narrowboats, 1 widebeam, 1 faulty radio, 1 borrowed tow line, 1 borrowed radio, 1 fully charged phone, 17 sheets of instructions, 1 dead body on the roof, 2 pizzas, 1 fluffed up Tilly, 1 very choppy ride, 1 dutch barge up the rear, 3 Leckenbys, 1 Cheryl, 2 many photos, 1 bridge in Royal Salute, 1st time under the centre span, 1 sponsored walk held up, 1st time in 300 years, 1 amazing afternoon and evening well worth the effort to get to London for, 2 privileged boaters and 1 cat.
1 very big thank you to all the boaters, friends and family who’ve allowed me to use their photos in the flotilla posts. Thank you.
Ballot Box Bridge to Colebrook Eco Moorings, Regents Canal
We’d planned to be on our way by 7:30 but that didn’t quite happen, it was nearer 8 by the time we’d pushed off. The journey in towards London always takes time, add into the mix weed and other boats, it can always take longer.
A new development sits up high, hang on was that a boat up there? NB Pavo, we’d seen the boat about. Our deduction from down on the canal is that this boat has found itself a pool of water to sit on off Canal and River Trust water a bit like the boat on the South Oxford Canal. Maybe it is going to be an office for someone, or maybe it’s just a big water feature for the complex.
More boats all individual, more paintings on walls.
Very slow boats
Soon we could see a breasted up pair ahead of us some distance away, each bend brought them closer and closer, each bend gave them shallow water that they needed to pole off, it was the Polish coal boat. We caught them up and slowly followed them, tick over then neutral then tick over again. There was nowhere suitable for them to pullover to let us pass until their bow got stuck again. They freed themselves leaving a gap just wide enough for us to go through between them and a moored boat, we were waved on.
Kensal Town brings with it office windows to look into. From above Ainsley and Nicholas peered back down on us, nosy blighters! Duck weed covered the whole canal by now. The bubbles at Westbourne Terrace Bridge doing their best to hold the mass of green back and away from Little Venice. The water point was free, we pulled in to make use of the tap and bins and make a brew.
Left at Little Venice, Rembrandt Gardens moorings were full, we hoped our booked space further along would be available.
At least it won’t go yellow!
The steep bank outside one of the posh houses on the Regents Canal has been clad in astroturf, their gardeners no longer having to mow that part of the garden, they might just have to weed it instead in years to come.
Warthogs biffed at large balls containing edible treats. A lazy Colobus Monkey lounged in what used to be the Snowden Aviary it is now a walk through monkey valley exhibit with high up perches for the monkeys.
There’s Heather!
Stood waiting for us at Hampstead Road Locks was a familiar figure, Heather, she’d walked up from St Pancras to help us with the locks. No volunteers on today and thankfully I remembered which gate had a problem last year, so I used the other one.
Heather set off to set the middle of the three locks. A trip boat set the bottom lock for us, all easy going. Around us the new buildings we’ve seen going up over the last few years all look complete, walkways criss crossing everywhere.
A short pootle and we arrived at St Pancras Lock, two volunteers on duty, one of whom we’d done the Tideway with last year. Sadly there was no room for us to moor at the cruising club this time, but there was plenty to chat about as the lock was set in our favour.
Hello!
We waved goodbye to Heather and David and carried on our way, we’d be seeing them both at the flotilla. The Queen had done her washing and watched us go by as we approached Islington Tunnel.
This looked hopeful
The tunnel was clear, I zoomed in with my camera. One boat in view on the Eco Moorings where we’d booked for two nights. There was a possibility that the boat was breasted up and there’d not be room alongside the towpath. We carried on through the tunnel.
Maybe not so hopeful!
By the time we’d reached the other end the boat I’d seen was breasted up, in fact it was the third boat out from the towpath. All along the Eco-moorings the boats were breasted up apart from one small gap. Was someone overstaying? Had the C&RT website calculated the wrong length of mooring available?
Mooring spaghetti
We pulled through the next bridge and I walked down to check on any spaces below the lock. Every space was full with boats breasted up. Pooh! Only yesterday Mick had tried to look to see if there were any spaces available at the other eco-moorings, but as we’d already got a booking it wouldn’t show us. We’d past a space on the other side of the tunnel, admittedly by a building site, but we’d have been bank side there enabling Oleanna to finish being washed.
Jaunty
Only one thing for it, to reverse back into the space that was available, do the best we could mooring at a jaunty angle and try to sus out when those we were blocking in would be wanting to move off. The angle did have one benefit, we’d be able to open our hatch! Soon after mooring the Puppet Barge came past, thankfully there was enough room for them.
That’s a big one!
We settled in and explained to Tilly that there would be no shore leave for the foreseeable future. The hook up cable came out and after quite a bit of grring from Mick we had power, £10 credited to our account. We’d be able to do washing and use the electric kettle. Cheryl from a few boats up (NB Firecrest) came to say hello as she reads the blog.
Onion Bhaji
This evening we caught a bus and headed over to Kentish Town to meet up with Christine and Paul for an Indian meal at the Bengal Lancer. A very nice meal with great company and the delivery of our nav lights. These came in a really rather big box, four times the size of the lights! We just need a battery for the white one now and somewhere to strap it to. Thank you Christine for the use of your address.
Whilst Tilly continued her explorations we tucked into a bacon butty and joined the Geraghty zoom. Queues, sound rigging in suits and ties and flotillas were the subjects today along with telephonic sleeping sickness.
Time to tidy up, sweep through the boat. The galley got a good clean. It’s been a long time since we’ve had visitors so there was quite a bit to do!
Here we all are
Then the white sauce was made up and rolling out of pasta for the lasagne. I knew I’d made more than enough, maybe I shouldn’t have rolled it so thinly but there is more than enough now in the freezer for another lasagne for two or some tagliatelle.
The London Leckenbys arrived and there were tales of Josh’s trip to France with a school friend, lots about food and his first week of sixth form.
Presents
This year we’d not managed to be together for four out of our five birthdays, so presents needed exchanging, everyone apart from me had something to unwrap. Mick got a new pair of boating gloves and some overalls. The pair he’s had since we bought Lillian are now very diesely so hopefully will go into the bin somewhere. Everyone else got goodies from Cambridge.
Lasagne and green salad
They had brought with them my box of pasta and a parcel full of magnets that we’d bought cheaply due to imperfect paint which will be used to help tether fairy lights to Oleanna for the flotilla. All we need to do now is find time to have a try out.
Back to front 200
The lasagne was very tasty, its the first time I’ve made one quite so big and it ended up being rather gooey, a touch like soup! My meat sauce a touch wetter than needed for fresh pasta and the gluten free flours didn’t absorb as much as normal, so in the future I’ll try to keep the sauce drier. A nice green salad accompanied it.
An average of 50, sorry Josh
As today was a sort of birthday party, I’d totted up everyones ages. Excluding myself it had added up to a nice round 200 so the Queen of Sheba cake even had candles to mark the occasion.
A lovely day with family, although Tilly preferred to out and about.
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 lie in, 2 cuppas in bed, 7 presents, 0 for me, 12 magnets, 1 big box of pasta, 1 soupy lasagne, 1 big chocolate cake, 1 punnet of raspberries forgotten about, 2 many woofers! 10 years without Dad.
Ken very kindly gave Mick a lift back to Peterborough today so that he could pick up a hire car, well van. Today would be a trip to Scarborough for a change over of lodgers and an opportunity to add to the compost wheelie bins at the house, three full buckets to deposit. Mick had hunted round for a good deal on a car, it being Bank Holiday weekend meant it wouldn’t be cheap, but luckily he found that the Peterborough branch of Enterprise would be open today, saving us another days hire which we wouldn’t need.
I signed into the Geraghty zoom, changed to Sundays hoping that more people would be able to join, Saturday morning activities popular for both young and old. Subjects covered were good places to go on holiday, awol cats, and watering trees.
Front cloth
Mick soon returned, boat chores, water, yellow water all done. The van was loaded up and after breakfast he was on his way up to Scarborough, leaving Tilly and me to hold the fort.
Being on Oleanna on my own (apart from my feline assistant) meant I could take over pretty much all of the boat. Drawing board set out on the sofa, model box on the table where Mick usually is allowed a few inches, boxes of model bits and paints here there and everywhere. I hoped today would be a productive day.
A bit more colour
Boats came and went all day. A cruiser was put in the water. Others arrived to fill with diesel, all the time I kept my head down working, all the time Tilly closed her eyes, a shame the mooring here isn’t cat friendly.
Late afternoon Sue from NB Cleddau popped her head up to the mesh in our hatch and asked if I’d like a cuppa. A break would have been nice, but I was doing my best to make use of the extra space and a day sitting still, that list of notes slowly getting worked through. She did however bring the news that Islip Lock was closed due to a mechanical failure and would be closed until further notice. Islip is closer to us than Irthlingborough Lock which was closed until a couple of days ago. We’ll keep an eye on notices and hope it opens quickly, we’ve places to be!
A view of London town
I worked on into the evening, stopping for a Co-op chicken tikka masala with a homemade gf nan bread. Then I continued for a while longer, my front cloth my main aim of the day and still in need of more work.
In Scarborough, Mick met one of our lodgers, cut the grass (it actually needed cutting!), made up a bed for the night and did some laundry. All the familiar feline neighbours were still about suggesting the human neighbours haven’t moved house yet.
Hello Alan
Just as I was packing up for the night emails started to come in from the Director, she has a young family so tends to do work after their bedtime. This did mean I didn’t get to turn the TV on and have a cuddle with Tilly until after 10pm!
Getting there
0 locks, 1 broken, 0 miles, 1 van, 3 buckets, 3 feline neighbours, 0.75 front cloth done, 10.5 hours work, 1 very bored cat.
