Ahh, tea in bed again! Wonderful, well except it was quite early as we seem to have gotten used to early mornings now. Once breakfast was over I headed to catch a bus to Aldgate to buy some card.
All sorts of wood
4D Model Shop has just about everything a model maker could want, I think they used to be near Holborn and I visited them many years ago when I still lived in Brixton. What I was after today was some sheets of grey board, card that is fairly easy to cut and cheap that I could make stencils from for the panto portals, reducing the amount of time spent drawing things out to a quarter.
I did have a good look round. You could buy any tree or any colour at a variety of scales, plenty of scale people several having a great time in a bowl of breakfast cereal. All sorts of wood, card, styrene shapes, sphere’s of all sizes. I could have spent an absolute age here, but managed to refrain from it. Over the last couple of years I’ve been wanting to find a magnifying glass to help when doing very fine things. The chap showed me a pair of glasses on which you can change the lenses to increase magnification, Something to add to my Christmas list.
Mick, Siobhán and Patrick
Once back on the bus there was enough time for a breather before we had visitors arrive. Siobhán and Patrick arrived from Australia on Monday, Siobhán is an old school friend of Micks. We’ve not seen them for several years as trips back to the UK were cancelled due to covid. They brought along with them Fionnuala, Siobhán’s sister who came to visit us once in Paddington.
Wine sorted
We had a lovely few hours with them catching up, seeing photos of their new grandchildren. Tea on board was followed by a walk up into Islington for something to eat. We chose Crepeaffaire, who make crepes and buckwheat galettes. They were nice, but could have done with being a touch warmer and a bit more filling. The lady serving us whipped out her pay machine which was all of a bit sudden. Because Mick was the first to get a card out, the others protested and we ended up visiting Sainsburys so they could help top up our wine cellar.
A lovely day with great friends, another reason for dashing down to London.
Just before we got straightened out
The boat behind us this evening pulled away leaving a gap on the straight that Oleanna would fit into. So we pulled back and breasted up against NB Keeping up with the Jones’, a boat that many may know, but now has a new owner. Our new mooring meant that the very short boat on the inside would now be able to pull out when they wanted to this evening.
Because the blog is published a couple of days behind I thought it only fair to share a photo from the flotilla, to wet your appetite. There may be a delay in further photos as I’ve a lot to sort through from the day.
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.
Clive’s Retreat FOTRN mooring to Manor Farm FOTRN mooring
Dribbly Oleanna
Alarm was set for an hour later than yesterday. We need to keep our cruising hours up and starting early in the day hopefully means that Tilly will be able to have a few hours shore leave after we’ve moored up each day. We pushed off a little later than planned another day of getting damp feet. Last night the extended news had meant we retired to bed not having seen the weather for today. Maybe there wouldn’t be any weather, maybe it had been cancelled.
The final wheelie gate
Not far ahead was the last of the wheel operated guillotine gates, Mick came to lift the gate then I was left to drop it back in behind Oleanna.
Next was Irthlingborough Lock, a small cruiser was just leaving above. This lock was the first to have a fault recently thankfully today the gates worked. As we rose in the deep lock a boat pulled into the lock landing behind us, shame they hadn’t been five minutes earlier as we’d have been able to share. The bottom gate was leaking so the second top paddle required opening just to get us up the last inch or so and be able to open the gates.
Differing arches
Old Station and New Station Road Bridges were ducked under, the approach to the old bridge a little awkward to get the right line.
Higham Ferrers Lock needed setting the cruiser still ahead of us. We emptied it, opened both gates and awaited for our new locking partners NB Red October to join us.
Ditchford Lock with it’s radial gate
We were sharing with two of the founding members of the FOTRN, the phone number for help on the signs would ring on this boat. We shared tales of trips, how the guillotine locks used to be operated by winding a handle, but then someone broke their nose and the handles were replaced with the wheels. I heard stories of extra weight being added to the guillotine gates to make them move faster, all a complete NO no now!
Each lock we came to the cruiser was just pulling out of. Each lock needing to be reset. At Ditchford Lock we paused once Oleanna and Red October had risen, the radial gate shut behind us, so that Mick could retrieve what was round the prop, thankfully only a load of weed but removing it eased our journey onwards.
Onwards past the jet ski lake where Fran was just opening up her stern doors on NB Atropos, we’d shared the really hot days with her on the Great Ouse. At the Chester House mooring a new bridge over the river has been installed a second one just visible through the fencing which must lead up to the buildings.
Now in towards Wellingborough embankment. I started to count the swans, 48 in the first batch. Have to say I gave up as we rounded the next bend to see the next group. Ladies were feeding them, one lady backing away throwing bread out across the park, she must have had at least 50 following her!
Maybe she’s trying to take them home with her
Upper Wellingborough was the last we shared with Red October as when we arrived at Wollaston Lock the cruiser was waiting with both gates open. Maybe we would be able to fit all three boats in the lock together, but we were a little apprehensive to be tightly packed in with a plastic boat. Our locking partners were on a bit more of a mission than we were, aiming to reach their home mooring up near Northampton today, so we waved them into the lock to share with the cruiser. This of course meant the heavens now opened as the two boats pulled out of the lock, leaving us to reset it and get wet. Todays weather hadn’t been cancelled after all!
Up they go
Our planned mooring was only a little bit further on Manor Farm FOTRN mooring. We pulled in at the nearest end and let Tilly out. Four hours of shore leave with some tufty grass to run around in and find friends. At first she wasn’t too impressed as the door opened to torrential rain, but she soon got over it and headed off.
Chilli for six!
A big vat of chilli was put on the stove late afternoon to gently bubble away. A handy three meals in one pan which will come in handy on long days of cruising. We have decided to keep up our rate of cruising, our next appointment may go ahead or be cancelled, but there is also a rendez vous arranged with family, so it’s important to keep going.
7 locks, 10.62 miles, 3 locks on our own, 4 shared, 6 hours cruising, 4 hours shore leave, 543627 swans, 15:37 model delivered, 1 silent boat, 3 meals 1 pan, 1 plan still in operation.
Oundle Cruising Club to Clive’s Retreat FOTRN mooring
With Waterway Routes suggesting it would take us around 4hrs to reach Islip Lock and Evri suggesting it would be best to drop off my parcel before midday the alarm was set or 6am, a time we only normally do when temperatures outside are due to get high and we can’t just sit still for the day. We were breakfasted and untied by 07:09, winded in the entrance to the marina, waving to NB Cleddau and heading towards Upper Barwell Lock the first of our day.
Birds chirped, Kingfishers darted back and forth, but our sleepy eyes and heads were not capable of counting them let alone see them. Damp under foot, we’d be getting soggy feet this morning. The world gradually waking up around us.
Upper Barwell, Lilford and Wadenhoe locks were all set in our favour. One cruiser moored on the pub moorings and one narrowboat at Peartree Farm. Titchmarsh Lock had been the only lock I’d not operated on our way downstream three months ago, it’s padlock a mensa challenge to relock with only two hands, I got there in the end.
I busied myself with answering panto emails as we went along, what type of backpack, just how big should the mixing bowls be and how would I like the boiled egg ice cream to look?
Collision course!
The river narrows, trees overhang the navigation as you get closer to Islip Lock. Heading upstream the current against us was that bit stronger. Then round a bend we saw our first moving boat, they were going at quite a lick. We saw them before they did us and we slammed on the brakes. Both boats hitting reverse and avoiding a collision. Phew.
At 10:22 we arrived at the Islip Mill Lakeside Moorings, no boats awaiting a broken lock, in fact no boats what-so-ever. We pulled in and I headed off straight away to drop the parcel of panto model bits off at the One Stop shop, then walked over to the Co-op for some eggs.
Yum
Today we were allowed elevenses and whilst I tucked into my toast and peanut butter boats and their movements were texted back to Sue on Cleddau, they were on their way a few hours behind us, hopefully someone would have reset the locks for them.
It was in their favour
I started to walk up to Islip Lock, the first of the locks that has been broken recently. But I soon realised that there was actually no way of reaching the lock without being on a boat, luckily Mick hadn’t set off yet. I was dropped off on the lock landing and walked up to close the top gates. I also had to close both gate paddles as a previous boater had left them up, this had been the cause of this reach draining the day after the lock broke. I went to the panel, no lights. I jigged the gates about, no lights, I wound up and down the paddles, no lights. By now there was a boat heading towards the lock from above. I opened the top gates and waved them in, not that they’d be going anywhere!
Islip Lock last mended on the 6-9-22
As I thought, I knew of this boat. NB Barbarella a Finesse boat with Noni and Peter on board, we follow each other on Instagram so knew we’d pass each other today. They thanked me for holding the lock for them, then I explained, had they jinxed Islip after all they’d been the boat at Whiston when it broke last week. Peter tried everything. Still no lights.
No lights
Noni called the EA emergency number, Mick called the river inspector. After a while we got a call back saying that there was a power outage in the area as work was being carried out on power lines. Ahh it was the chaps opposite the mooring we’d just had elevenses at! The power might be off for half an hour but should certainly be back on by 16:00!
Finesse crews
We were invited onto Barbarella’s ‘super social stern’ for a cuppa and talked all things boats and Finesse. Oleanna was built in Finesse’s early days before they’d got into building electric and hybrid boats, maybe if we’d been two or three years later and had enough money we’d have gone down that route. Maybe if I got a show that goes into the west end the royalties could pay for a retro fit. Noni and Peter certainly seem to be enjoying themselves.
We headed to Oleanna for some lunch. Every now and again one of us would go and check to see if the lights were working on the panel. Behind us Sue and Ken had arrived at the mooring their destination for today. Every now and again we’d get reports on how the chaps up the poles were doing. At around 15:15 a message came through that they thought the chaps were packing up, we all stood round the panel chatting waiting for the lights to come back on.
Twenty minutes later Noni spotted that there was life on the panel. A quick, it’s been really nice to meet you and see you somewhere sometime and she was back on board and I was lifting the gate to drain the water.
Peter and Mick
The two Finesse boats were soon passing each other, waves all round. Oleanna’s turn in the lock, as I closed the bottom gate shouts and waves came from the footbridge below a final final farewell from Sue.
Hooray!!!
All afternoon the water level in the pound above had been over the top of the gates by a good four inches. But as Oleanna rose the level had dropped, maybe having the power back on had lifted some sluices somewhere, sending excess water downstream.
Good sky
Our aim for today was to reach Woodford, through Denford and Woodford locks. We were however following a day boat so every lock was full and both paddles had been left up on the top gates.
St Mary the Virgin
When we arrived at Woodford FOTRN mooring there were already a couple of boats moored there. It looked like there might be space for us but the depth really wasn’t in our favour so after jumping off I had to jump back on again. Thankfully we knew of a new FOTRN mooring up the next lock.
No room for Oleanna
We waved to the moorings where NB Lillyanne came from and then rounded the bend to Lower Ringstead Lock, the hire boat was still in the lock. I walked up to reset it for us.
The water level was coming over the top gates, only a few inches to go. After a minute or two there was still a few inches to go. They started to try to push the gates open, then there was a suggestion to try to help with the boat pushing the gates! It soon became obvious that something wasn’t right.
Not even a thank you!
‘Is the bottom gate closed fully?’ I asked. ‘Yes!’. By this time I was walking back to the panel to open it up and Mick had arrived from below saying there was water flowing from the lock below. No power to the panel, the paddles needed closing for me to be able to use the panel and close the guillotine properly. Just an inch made all the difference. How had they managed to end up in this situation? Even with someone pushing the button on the panel as soon as the paddle on the top gate was lifted the circuit was broken stopping the gate an inch before it was fully closed. I wonder how long they’d been there for with water just running straight through the lock, they’d certainly run out of beers by the number of empty bottles on the roof.
Thankfully there was plenty of water!
We worked our way up and then kept our fingers crossed for a space on the new Clives’s Retreat mooring close to the entrance to Blackthorn Marina. Thankfully it was empty, but much to Tilly’s dismay it was far too late for any shore leave.
Settling in at Clive’s
I put together a Roast chicken leek and feta pie with pastry that had been in the freezer. A glass of wine accompanied our meal and we wondered whether the appointment we were heading for will still go ahead.
8 locks, 13.39 miles, 2 Finesse’s, 3 cuppas, 1 group, 4 hours without power, 1 parcel on it’s way, 1 troublesome day boat, 1 inch, 1 new mooring, 2 flags, 1 long day boating, 70 years, 1 king.
Peartree Farm FOTRN mooring to Oundle Cruising Club
Just gone 9:30 it was push back time, the covers were rolled up and mooring spikes soon to be released from the hard ground. The chap who’d been cutting grass yesterday came for a chat. He and his wife arrive on a Friday evening about once a month and over the weekend he strims and trims the grass to keep the mooring looking nice. We chatted all things FOTRN, how rubbish some boaters literally were and how much we certainly appreciated all that the volunteers do with the moorings.
Goodbye Peartree see you in a few days
Then we were off backing our way the short distance to the junction with the river, we winded and headed off downstream. Soon followed by NB Sakuma (?) who reversed to the junction and winded to follow us, we’d be sharing the locks back to Oundle today.
3″ of caterpillar
Mick soon spotted that we’d got a stow away! A large caterpillar was crawling along our pram hood. I popped it into a tub so that we could release it on dry land at the water point at Wadenhoe. I think it was a Buff Tip Caterpillar at about 70mm long, this will turn into a moth that has fantastic camouflage looking like a twig of a birch tree.
Swimmers
This stretch of river was certainly popular this morning. We counted nine ladies swimming in batches of three, another about to set off from by the Kings Head, throw in a couple of canoes for good measure, it was busy. Fortunately the water point wasn’t so busy, in fact the pub moorings this morning were empty apart from one cruiser. We pulled in and topped up on water and released our stow away into a hedge.
Our locking partners soon arrived and once we were full we swapped with them, we headed for the lock landing to wait. Here the hedgerow was filled with sloes and blackberries. Two tuperwares came out and we started picking. Not being fans of gin the sloes were left for someone else. I know I could make something else with them, but they’d only go to waste as I haven’t the time. A Kingfisher kept an eye on how many we were picking, we did leave plenty for the birds.
An engine could be heard from below. The lock was in our favour, but we were waiting for the other boat. I went to see if I could assist the boat and explain the delay in coming through the lock. Below was Chop Wales on NB Freya, we’d moored alongside each other at Ferry Meadows a couple of weeks ago. He was quite happy to wait as he was going to do a bit of pruning to the willows at the end of the lock landing below.
Chop chopping
Chop by name, Chop by nature he got out his big choppers and from the stern of his boat he lopped away at the tree which was making the lock landing hard to reach. As we came out of the lock we chatted with him. He’ll be waiting in the queue for Islip Lock to reopen too, so we’ll see him again. He informed us that he’d been at Oundle Cruising club last night, we already knew this as we had spies keeping an eye out for vacant spots there. If no-one grabbed the space Chop had just left we’d have a mooring for a few days.
Down through Lilford Lock and then Upper Barnwell Lock, each boat taking it in turns to set the lock and work it. We glanced in to Lilford Marina, the pooh sucky machine backed to a pontoon. Today Saturday is the only day when you can get a pump out on this stretch of the river, no sign of NB Otter, maybe they’d already had their tank emptied.
Below Upper Barnwell Lock we wished our locking partners farewell, they were carrying on further downstream today. We nudged under the low bridge and there was NB Otter, NB Shadow and an Oleanna sized gap that Chop Wales had left this morning. We had a mooring!
A very warm welcome greeted us, credit put onto a hook up for our use. We had to daisy chain a couple of leads together to reach, and only just, picnic benches moved to cover any possible trip hazards.
Why have you tied up Wooferdom!?!
With there being some friendly cover about Tilly was allowed some shore leave, but warned that there were a lot of woofers about. This kept her on her toes about the place, at least 7 woofers about.
Mick bobbed into town for a Saturday newspaper and bumped into Ken and Sue, an invite was issued for them to join us for an evening drink at ‘our club’.
Old and new versions
I did some work, amending the adverts in Piccadilly Circus and trimming things down to be neat. Then at 6pm we headed to the club house for drinks. A couple of hours of convivial conversation, the temperature dropped, it was getting dark and we all needed some food to help soak up the wine and beer. We headed back to our respective boats, sadly it was too dark for Mick to head into town for a takeaway so we made do with a pasta salad. Another very pleasant evening with the Cleddau crew.
3 locks, 4.47 miles, 1 full water tank, 67 blackberries, 1 big chopper, 10 swimmers, 4 longhaired Dachshunds, 3 Jack Russells, 6 glasses wine, 2 Bombardiers.
Job 1. Encourage the cat to use shore based facilities. Failed!
Not the full works, but good enough
Job 2. Eat breakfast. Yum.
Job 3. Do a colour call for panto paints. Tick
Colour charts out
This takes quite a bit of time, working out which colours are needed, then reducing them to an affordable quantity. I’ll also need to check what there already is at the theatre.
Looking through my old Flints Hire and Supply catalogue I came across an entry for Owatrol. Life changing experience apparently. I tend to use a bit of it in with paint when touching up Oleanna, but never used it on a theatre set. I’m not sure I’m going to get time to repaint the gunnels before going of to panto. Then there’s the grab rail too!
Useful stuff
Job 4. Try to spruce up the model box. Partly achieved.
A length of wood was glued to the inside of the proscenium arch, but I’m not sure the glue is suitable for sticking wood to foam cor. We’ll see tomorrow when the tape is removed.
The extra weight of bay leaves assisting
Job 5. Tack glue the floor into the model box. Tick.
Small blobs of glue used to hold the floor in position, stop the edges from curling up, so that it looks good. But so that it is also easily removable for when I come to paint the floor. Encouraging the glue to stick required clearing some of the galley work top and using Hemsley and Hemsley along with the River Cottage GF recipe book and the largest jar of bay leaves in the world to weight it down. Thank you Frank.
Job 6. Other small painting jobs. Tick.
Job 7. Sort out when to show the model to everyone else and be included in a budget meeting. Half Tick.
Not sure I can wait for tomorrow!
Job 8. Everything else. That can wait for tomorrow.
Boats have come today. Boats have left.
The grass has been cut, edges stimmed.
Fires lit, conversations had.
0 locks, 0 miles, 4 arrivals, 1 departure, 1 more woofer, 2 jobs left to do, 1 model so nearly there, 3 days since I last stepped of the boat!
Oh hang on, a blowy windy sausage day with no friendly cover! Well that’s pants!!
Good trees though
Last night when I came in for my dingding we had the triangle to ourselves. But this morning there were swans. I soon saw them off by running up a nearby tree, then another until they got the message. Now we had it all to ourselv…… Hang on where did that boat come from?!
I tried my very best at being outside, but it really was very blowy. So I had to keep coming and going, She said I hadn’t stepped off the boat so did I really deserve any Dreamies. I always deserve Dreamies!
She kept an eye on notices. Not much news on the broken lock. She said ‘Well I’d best get on with work. We may need to spend whole days moving the outside once the lock is mended’. We’ve got places to be and appointments to keep, one of them Royal, so I decided I’d best help her out.
Yep that’s all lined up right
First the box came out. I’m not allowed in there, but all looked quite good from my side. She said things ‘still need doing’ and wrote a list.
‘Hello!’ Someone had appeared in the outside! In fact two boats had come to help tie up the blustery outside. Would four boats be enough to keep it under control? The She’s chatted. She had news, ‘The broken part has now arrived in Leeds where a new part has to be manufactured. Absolutely no clue as to the timescale but it’s clearly not an imminent fix. Grrrr!’ There was more Grrring from two Toms too. She just nodded, turned round and said ‘we need to make a back-up plan.’
That one’s done, apart from the floor!
Over their mid day dingding they counted miles, lock, cruising time. Three long days one way, two if we really had to. Backwards was two long days, or there was back to Oundle outside, half a day. Friday would be D’day, this is a very different sort of day to a sausage day, just thought I should point that out in case you got confused.
The next time I ventured out there was another boat, FIVE now clinging on to trees trying to keep the outside under control. Peartree Triangle where boats appear!
Sending out the Bat signal for help
She got the drawing board out. Time to check through the drawings and make amendments. I did the checking for her whilst sitting in a nice sunny spot.
On days like this Tom and I have very few places we can sit. A cat’s life time mission is to sit in any box they come across, but here on Oleanna there are boxes that are poisonous, that have to be walked round carefully. Tom ended up going outside to make fire with the other Toms, they all stood around the fire talking Tom things, some of them were still Grrring!
Tom’s vying for top Tom fire lighter
Another boat arrived, but they decided to keep on going despite the Toms saying there was nowhere for them to moor further on. Maybe they thought five boats was enough to keep the outside under control. It wasn’t. She still checked for news. There was more news.
Another lock ahead with another mechanical failure!Grrrr!!!
Perez needs help with that fly on his cheek
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 boat to 5, 1 woofer, 2 Grring Toms, 1 sausage day with wind, 1 D-day, 10 boaters with their fingers crossed, 8 paws crossed, 4 legs crossed, 1 pump out past being needed!1 more broken lock!
Just before 9am a Sainsburys van arrived with a big order for us, a good stock up especially when we had a voucher for triple nectar points to use. Everything was brought in through the side hatch and then stowed away. Good job Mick had gone through the stash of cat food the other day and donated brands and flavours Tilly turns her nose up at to the RSPCA in March. The space is now filled with porridge oats, oat milk and wine.
Time to return the van. I caught a lift into Oundle to have a bit of a look around and see if the Co-op had a few things that Sainsburys didn’t. I don’t know what I’d been expecting but it wasn’t such a large fine town. Georgian buildings with bold chimney stacks limestone everywhere. Plenty of independent shops. A prescription was collected, cat food and ketchup purchased then I headed back to Oleanna.
Is the front cloth finished?
Ken and Sue had their hoses out so it made sense to fill our tank up too. Mick was given a lift to the bus station in Peterborough by Enterprise, they weren’t keen on bringing him all the way to Oundle. Then we made ready to push off.
Word on the towpath was that the levels above Islip Lock had dropped 18″ overnight. Someone had left the top paddles up on the broken lock. Engineers had been to site and removed the gear box and taken it away for investigation in the mean time a replacement was being sought. EA notices came out confirming what we’d heard, the next update may be midday tomorrow via one of the engineers.
Despite the unknown length of stoppage we decided to push onwards and cover a few locks and miles, but most importantly moor up somewhere Tilly could go out. We pushed back and pulled onto the service mooring just as it was starting to rain!
The diesel tank was filled, £1.45 a litre. We thanked Mark and Jacqui who had been very welcoming and helpful. This is their last week in charge as they are retiring after many many years running Oundle Marina. Then it was time to say goodbye to Ken and Sue, although if Islip Lock reopens soon we’ll be seeing them shortly, or if it is doomed to be a long closure we’ll be returning in a few days as I’ll be needing to get to London for meetings.
Goodbye Cleddau
Across the pool, right out of the narrow entrance. Soon at Upper Barnwell Lock. Todays locks would all have powered guillotine gates, each of them sat open waiting for an uphill boat to arrive. Lunch was eaten on the go to be able to maximise shore leave for Tilly. It was windy!
We passed one boat NB Orinoco whom we’d shared a lock with on our way downstream. There was space at Wadenhoe. We considered mooring there and going for a pub meal, but instead I prepared a joint of pork, after all we’d just spent quite a bit of money on food.
As we rounded the big curve of the river, in one direction we could see Wadenhoe Church high on the hill, the other direction a triangle of tall trees, Pear Tree Farm mooring. We were quite surprised to find no other boats moored up, it meant we could pick the sunniest spot for our solar panels we pulled into Harpers Brook.
Clinging on in the wind
It took quite a bit to moor up as the wind was pushing Oleanna away from the bank constantly. First we tied to trees, then hammered spikes in and pulled Oleanna as close to the bank as possible at one end and then the other. Then Tilly could be let out.
Trees!!
Straight up one of the many trees. This mooring had many things to climb, but very little friendly cover, so Tilly came and went numerous times topping up on Dreamies.
The remainder of the afternoon was spent working, roasting the pork joint and trying to arrange rendez vous whilst we still don’t know how long we’ll be held up by Islip Lock. At around 7pm we were joined by another narrowboat who also pulled up on the sunny side of the triangle.
Sunset
3 locks, 4.59 miles, 89.3 litres, 1 full water tank, 1 farewell wave, 1 triangle, 1.5 miles of low water, 1 gear box, quite a few boaters with fingers crossed, 1 approval, 800 lights, 1 front cloth, 1 big joint of pork, 2 windy for a stamp of approval.
With more than half an egg left from making a Nan bread last night and it being a Bank Holiday I treated myself to some scrambled eggs this morning, adding another egg, a large handful of spinach and a good grating of parmesan. Very tasty indeed.
Yummy
Time to actually step off Oleanna and have a little wander about the marina. A team of chaps were busy polishing a Merc, I wondered how much it would be for them to give Oleanna a good wash and polish. If only someone would create a cruise through boat wash. At least we’re dong our bit for water conservation in a drought.
Someone put their feet up and left them behind!
This isn’t the first time we’ve been to Oundle Marina. Back in 2014 this is where NB Lillyanne came for her out of water survey. Merve and Elaine her previous owners had cruised her here, I think this was only the second or third time they’d been anywhere on her. They’d thoroughly enjoyed their time and we were relieved that they’d already moved onto a widebeam and really didn’t need a second boat.
Lillian’s prop
We chatted with the surveyor, he’d done an in water survey as we’d been a little concerned at damp marks inside, but the report hadn’t put us off so we’d been willing to spend the extra money to get her out of the water and check her hull. All was good, she got the thumbs up.
That day we watched Lillian being lowered back into the water, then Merve reversed her out of the bay, winded and start to head upstream. We climbed in the car, drove to Upper Barnwell Lock and made the phone call to ABNB to confirm the sale. As we hung up Lillian in her yellow glory arrived and we were able to confirm the deal face to face with Merve and Elaine.
Hello Yellow
I think we then drove over to Crick so that we could sign the paperwork there and then, saving two lots of postage. On our way we managed, with the help of Lizzie to secure a mooring at Crick for a few months whilst we finished sorting out the house to let and prepare ourselves for a year afloat!
You can just see a bit of Oleanna
Enough of the nostalgia. I returned to Oleanna and continued with my work. A fresh pair of eyes on the front cloth had been needed, a touch more dark and then maybe a thin wash of green.
By the end of the day I’d made another version of the troublesome scene, half painted it and am left with just a few notes to complete. Mick arrived back from his trip to Scarborough, all is ready and waiting for our next lodger to move in.
Version Fifty Five Frillion!
News on the towpath drums is that the problem at Islip Lock is due to the gear box. They will see if they have a spare tomorrow , if so then it shouldn’t be too long before the lock is back in operation. Fingers and Paws crossed.
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 short walk, 6 men to polish a car, 1 very bored cat, 1 shopping order complete, 1 model nearly there.
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.
Goodbye 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.
Shopping mooring for 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.
BOAT!
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?
At last passing on the right
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.
Hello Ken!
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.
Pontoon sharing
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.
A bored bundle of 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.
The big glasses of Pimms
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.
