Category Archives: Moorings

In America We Have Bigger Narrowboats! 16th August

Salters Lode To St Peter’s Wharf, Outwell, Well Creek

Yesterday a third boat crossed over from Denver, NB Watt Way with Anita, her dog and cat onboard. This morning she was nowhere to be seen, she must have pushed off early and it being an electric boat she had quietly passed us without waking us.

The day started off cloudy, heavy grey everywhere. In distant fields we could see clouds rising up. Was this caused by a tractor ploughing through the dry earth? Or wind catching dust? Or a fire? We couldn’t decide what it was but with no smell of smoke it was likely to just be dust.

No boats moored at Glady Dacks. Quite a few fishermen, one asking if there would be any more of us today, not until the next crossing or boats heading eastwards. Soon afterwards we came across the first east bound boat, a hire boat from March.

Slow going on the Creek, shallow and narrow we pootled along. This gave us time to think about the coming weeks. The need to be near transport for my final model meeting, hire car to get up to Scarborough to do a turn around. We’d also planned on exploring the Middle Level and taking our time climbing up the River Nene as we’d come down quite quickly. But with the next three weeks being full of work for me, any time we’re not moving will be spent working, not good for wanting to explore the areas.

I made a suggestion. Instead of trying to work and explore, which won’t work and any pleasure out of each activity will be lost with concern over time or feeling like we’ve missed something, I suggested that we leave exploration to the next time. In a couple of years we could get a gold licence again and come back to spend time earlier in the year before school holidays and weed takes over. It would also give us the excuse to cross The Wash to get here. Mentioning The Wash swung it for Mick. We’ll just need to find a boat to do the crossing with. Anyone fancy it 2024?

We passed the blue house, the windmill, sunflowers drying out for seeds. Over the Middle Level Main Drain. A house called Riverside Dreams seems to have shut off the world, locking their dreams behind a big brown fence!

30 Downham Road looks like it is straight from a theatre stage, a set John Godber wouldn’t require to be broken down anymore. I wonder who lives here other than the skeleton sat in the window today.

Round the sharp bend after St Clements Church. We took note of the fish and chip shop number, but sadly they don’t do gluten free.

Narrower and shallower still we slowly progressed ducking under the bridges until we came alongside the wharf by St Peter’s Church. This would do us for today. With what looked like a butchers above we went to have a look to see if they had any pork pies. It being Tuesday the pies were about to go in the oven, they’d be ready for purchase at 4:30. Mick returned for one, we’ll let you know what it was like tomorrow.

Behind St Peter’s we spied a brick tower. It turned out to be in the grounds of Welle Manor Hall rather than in the church yard. It used to be a tower at the former entrance to a courtyard, the 30m tower is all that is left now, built circa 1480.

The afternoon was spent tracing the designs onto my panto portals then carefully painting in the black. These will be the most time consuming part of the set. I’ll make some big patterns so that I can just draw round them to help save time as most bits are repeated at least four times.

During the day we had a few short showers. A lady with an American lad came for a chat, she said they’d had two inches in March (the place not month). She asked the boy if they had such boats as ours in America, ‘Yes some, but in America we have bigger Narrowboats’!

We had rumbles of thunder in the afternoon and a short shower, but by the evening rain came properly. The almost forgotten sound of rain on the roof, it almost made us turn the TV off to listen.

0 locks, 5.98 miles, 1 boat passed, 1 skeleton, 0 shore leave, 1 pork pie, 0 fish and chips, 2 portals blacked, 1 very achy hand, 1 cruising plan for two years time.

https://goo.gl/maps/QKhgkNGgnGuvTY9C9

Goodbye Great Ouse. 15th August

River Wissey GOBA mooring to Salters Lode, Middle Level

Still with water to get we were on our way quite early. We knew there was little chance of being able to wind before we reached Hilgay, we’d tried a couple of months ago and now with the levels lower and more reed growth there wasn’t even any point in trying. A dog stuck it’s nose out from the stern of the narrowboat nestled into the bank as it’s owner yawned as we passed.

It was a little bit tight turning by the water point rather than heading a bit further on to the official winding hole, but Mick managed in the end and we were soon moored up by the water point, filling up and having breakfast.

A new blue plaque on the bridge shows off it’s new name and a chap walked back and forth watering the flowers.

Back to the junction with the Great Ouse where we turned right, time to head to Denver for our crossing at midday. The birds are starting to gather overhead, readying themselves to head for warmer climes!

The two long stretches of EA moorings are still fenced off as you approach Denver. Today the notice regarding Littleport Station Road EA mooring dated January 2021 was rescinded and the mooring we’d been staying on recently is now officially open again. It sounds like piling work was carried out there and it looks like something similar will need to happen at Denver to get the banks stable again.

Denver Sluice came into view, we pulled up alongside NB Poppy May to make sure we were all ready for our tidal crossing. The anchor has been attached and ready to be deployed for months now, the well deck just needed a bit of a tidy up, excess items put into the shower. Then we waited and chatted with Angus and Julie (I think) from Poppy May.

A few years ago they had brought their boat onto the Great Ouse, now they were heading back towards C&RT waters, so this would be the first time for both of us heading downstream with the tide to Salters Lode.

The Lock Keeper arrived and started to empty the lock, he came for a chat. He would lock us both through at the same time, no need to worry about sand banks lurking under the surface. We were to lead the way with NB Poppy May following a short distance behind. One boat would be heading towards us. We would head straight into the lock and Poppy May should turn in towards the lock and wait by the guillotine gate for their turn. At 62ft long they were on the border of requiring the river to be on the same level as Well Creek.

The gate opened and as we went into the lock we turned and said our farewell to the Great Ouse. We arrived on the 20th May and now twelve and a half weeks later we were leaving.

A cautionary tale of ropes and loops and locks was told to Julie who then proceeded to pull her rope all the way through the big riser at the bow. The bottom guillotine gate was lifted just a bit and cloudy silty water started to swirl around the bows of the boats. We were going up several feet onto the out going tide.

Thumbs up, we were on our way to cross the half mile of tide, the ebb pulling us out towards Kings Lynn. I stayed at the bow knowing a rope may come in handy at Salters Lode. Up ahead we could already see the boat heading for Denver, we passed and carried on down stream.

There were a few houses on the west bank, one with quite a lot of washing out. Was this where the lock was? Or was it just that bit further on round the next bend near the next house? A chap sat on a chair watching us approach. I shouted back to Mick that this was the lock. ‘Are you sure?’ Fairly. As the chap stood up from his chair I could now see the LOCK sign, but I checked anyway. ‘Yep this is it’. Just in time for Mick to start to make the turn. With the tide going out we’d been told to head straight for the lock and not to turn to face the out going tide as we’d end up dragging along the tyre wall.

The approach to the lock is narrow with a wooden fence helping to guide you in. Mick turned, a blast of bow thruster to avoid the starboard side from hitting the bank and into the lock we shot. Full power to stern! We’d not touched the side. Phew!

**Mick chatting to Paul the Lock Keeper**

At the bow it had seemed a lot calmer than our first ever turn in at Selby, but I believe the atmosphere was a touch more at the stern.

Now we dropped down on to Well Creek. A quick discussion as to where to aim for today. The moorings on the Middle Level tend to be 36hours, not helpful for having a full day to work for me. The next couple of places we’d be stopping at will not be cat friendly either, so we decided to stay put and moored up on the landing a short distance away from the lock.

Tilly got to have a good explore round. She wasn’t that impressed, less so with the pontoon surface. Every step had to be checked twice, then the gathering swallows swooped down on her, angry at her existence.

**Template for my model with a stretching cat**

Work came out and I concentrated on my painted ironwork for the portals. Part way through the afternoon however my right hand started to ache a lot. Yesterday when we’d pulled up on the Wissey I’d done something to my hand whilst moving a fender. It had been painful for a little while but eased off. Today it warranted some pain killers and an early stop to work, not something I’ll be able to do every day.

***I’m going to end up like a waffle if I lie on here too long!***

As we watched the TV this evening Tilly decided that she’d head out again for a twilight check of the surroundings. Thankfully today the one way door returned to being one way. We did our best not to laugh out loud as Tilly crashed into the glazing and slid down onto the floor. Not deterred she tried again, clinging on with her claws for a while before giving up and heading into the bathroom to check on the new doorway there. Of course this was also glazed!

2 locks, 5.24 miles, 0.5 miles tidal, 2 rivers, 1 creek, 1 right, 1 left, 1 full water tank, 1 load washing, 1 holey outside, 2 many birdies, 2 portals closed, 1 farewell to the Great Ouse, 1 left handed mouse.

https://goo.gl/maps/vHG1A5nVkSiyiXr27

The Day One Way Became Two Way! 14th August

Littleport Station Road EA mooring to River Wissey GOBA mooring

After a good nights sleep away from the noises of London and the retained heat big cities hold we were up and breakfasted early ready to get on the move. We pushed off, winded and headed northwards, sun cream was already a requirement before 9am.

The high banks block any view, roof tops occasionally peek above to say hello. The pink house with windows pointing both up and down stream, the sad house even sadder now we’re leaving the Great Ouse, just one more night before we’ll be gone.

The marching line of pylons, we’ll next see them on the Middle Level. Passing the Little Ouse, plenty of moorings available in full sunshine there today.

By the time we reached Ten Mile Bank we’d just about caught up with another narrowboat. No sign of Neil the seal, but a tell tale gap had been left between boats suggesting he may have been about when people moored up. We were wanting water, so was the narrowboat in front, they loitered waiting for a boat to pull out as we discussed our options and then carried on down stream, water could wait for tomorrow.

Turning down the River Wissey we had our fingers crossed not only for a mooring but also one in shade. The first stretch of moorings was empty, here the bank is gradually falling towards the river, big cracks were noticeable when we arrived on our first day on the Great Ouse. However there was a willow tree overhanging the river, it would give us some shade, but should we take the risk? Willows in dry weather are known to loose limbs, cracking and splitting away from the main trunk. We decided to risk it and tied up with the bow in sunshine, the stern in shade.

An early lunch, then an afternoon at work for me, taking photos of the set pieces so that the builders can see them in more detail. A new version of the storyboard was put together and file after file were added to the panto dropbox.

Tilly headed out for the first time in what feels like weeks, too hot really so she kept returning to lie on the floor for a while. Adding more ventilation to the boat in recent days the port side bathroom porthole glass has been removed. Tilly found this most interesting, a new way inside!

Mick took up position under the willow tree, we all settled down for the afternoon. However around 4pm he decided that he would pull us along a touch, further into the sun! This was actually quite sensible as above his head he’d started to hear an amount of creaking from the tree!

Tilly and I had a stretch of our legs as the temperature started to subside, then it was time for the doors to close as it was Dingding time. Inside the boat was now the same temperature as outside, a cooling breeze through the boat would have been nice, but we coped with the side hatch, bathroom porthole, front door open with the bathroom door closed so that our second mate couldn’t head off to do some evening friend hunting.

Mick had a shower and as soon as he opened the bathroom door, Tilly saw an opportunity the other side of the bathroom was open, she was straight out through the front door. B**gger! Our first mistake! Thankfully she was a touch too glib about it and was quite easy to pick up. She was passed back into the boat through the bathroom porthole, which turned out to be our second mistake.

Oleanna has a one way doorway for felines, the side hatch. This is quite clever as access is only in one direction and that is inwards. On a couple of occasions Tilly has tried to exit via this doorway only to do a cartoon splat on the internal glazed doors. Today we had added a second such doorway, the bathroom porthole.

A clunk came from the toilet seat, this happens when you sit on our compost toilet, opening up the containers for what ever you may produce. Neither myself or Mick were sat on it. As I peeked round the door I saw the back of Tilly disappearing through the porthole!

She was hot, tired and too glib again at her achievement so was fairly easy to catch. What a shame she’d discovered the porthole worked in both directions, the glass was put back in and we all settled down to watch TV.

Then our third mistake. If it wasn’t for us not wanting Tilly to be out all night (shh! she doesn’t know other cats do such things), during these hot days we would possibly sleep with more windows removed and have the front doors open to let cooling night time air in. We made such a remark out loud.

Well you said if I wasn’t about you’d have all the doors open, so I thought I’d give the side hatch another go to see if it was two way like the bathroom window. Blimey it was!!! Brilliant, I could find more friends and She and Tom could get cooler, they’re not allowed out after dark, well not very often!

This time she was out and there was no catching her. Time to open all the doors and let in the tropical sunset for an hour whilst we finished watching Van der Valk. Thankfully after an hour I called for her and she returned quickly. Here’s hoping that we can persuade her that the hatch had a little blip and has now returned to being one way only, inwards!

0 locks, 9.01 miles, 1 wind, 1 right, 1 shady tree, 1 storyboard, 1 rock, 1 hot cat, 3 mistakes, 3 back on board to sleep.

Out Of The Freezer. 13th August

Littleport Station Road EA mooring

A rail workers strike day, thankfully getting back to Oleanna shouldn’t be affected by it too much, but the hot weather could still have an effect. On Thursday trains between Ely and Cambridge were cancelled due to the heat in the afternoon and yesterday speed limits had been imposed, so I was eager to get heading back to the boat early on if I could.

Andrew and Jac were up just in time to say goodbye to me as I headed off for the bus then two tubes to get to Kings Cross, I’d ended up giving myself plenty of time to get to the station so had 45minutes to wait for my train, which was jam packed all the way to Cambridge. This meant sitting with my model box on my knee for an hour as there hadn’t been a seat near the luggage racks to keep an eye on it.

Apart from it being busy it was really rather pleasant because of the air-conditioning. Oh why aren’t boats all built with air con!

Just past Ely the train slowed right down 20mph limits, slow going past all the Ely moorings, I think I spotted NB Misty Blue with other boats breasted up to him. Then about ten minutes late the train pulled into Littleport, the doors opened to a wall of heat. Blimey I’d had over an hour of not feeling clammy that I’d forgotten this would hit when stepping off the train.

**The golden crisp dry world we live in**

Back onboard Tilly was being a long cat. The fan was moving air around, wet towels hung up and a couple of windows had been removed to encourage a breeze through the boat.

My bags were unpacked and I was at work within minutes. We were near to a post box and two things needed to be sent off. 1 a full set of drawings for panto, 2 Josh’s birthday card, most important. Mick was going to bring it to London but that of course hadn’t happened, so presents will have to wait till we see them next.

With a hot and bored cat the afternoon dragged on as we didn’t want to move at the hottest point of the day. Mick headed off to the Co-op to stock up on a few bits whilst I worked following up on notes from the meeting.

Boats came and went from behind us, the river quite busy well into the evening. Mick rang Denver to see if we could find out what time we’d be able to lock through on Monday, he left a message. We think it’ll be around midday, but hopefully someone will call back.

It’s nice to be home, but I so wish someone would turn the oven off!

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 bus, 2 tubes, 1 train, 1 hot and bothered cat, 1 hot and dripping Mick, 31C inside, 1 cooler evening thankfully.

Filling Up On Halibut. 12th August

The Swan on the River mooring to Littleport Station Road mooring

A very hot humid night in London and I suspect onboard Oleanna too. Today the temperature would rise that bit more and would end up changing our plans.

**I wonder what used to be on the ground floor**

After breakfast I headed of with a bottle of water in hand, caught a bus then the tube into Piccadilly Circus. I was here to check things out. I wanted to see which way Eros faced, get some photos of my own and then take a look at the building that stands on the corner of Shaftsbury Avenue and Great Windmill Street as I want to use it in my panto set.

I got some good photos, but not quite at the right angle, I needed to look across at Eros, not up at him. Lilywhites was nearly at the right angle and there was a staircase up through the building. It was worth a look. Well it wasn’t really as they position things on the window sills to deter photographers don’t they! Hopefully I’ve enough images to work from.

I decided to walk up Piccadilly, sticking to the shade, bobbing into Fortnum and Masons to appreciate their air conditioning for a little while and watch people stacking expensive teas into their shopping baskets.

I then dropped down into the underground at Green Park and took the tube to Stockwell, here my plans were stalled, the Northern line south bound was suspended. Time to join a massive queue for the 155 bus. I soon realised that this bus would take me along a part of London I used to know very well. Clapham North was were I lived in my final year at college and the route south from here had many places I used to visit when I lived in Brixton for three years. I’ve not really been back to Clapham Common since I left so it was lovely to see that somethings hadn’t changed in the last 26 years.

I hopped off the bus in Balham and kept myself in the shade walking to my friend Morag’s flat. Despite the hold up with transport I arrived perfectly as she’d just finished a Teams meeting for work. Morag is a very good school friend of mine, we’d last met when we were in Marple last year. There was lots to catch up on and a very lovely vegetarian lunch to enjoy before she had to be back at work for her next Teams meeting at her dining room table.

Meanwhile back on Oleanna, Mick spotted a boat that had been moored behind us yesterday near the station, so he knew there should be a space there. He pushed off, winded and returned to the handier mooring for trains to London. The electric boat we’ve seen a few times on our way back from Bedford was there and Mick pulled in. The lady on board was having problems with her generator, so Mick mentioned he’d just left the pub mooring where there is hook up. She was off like a shot to plug in and wait for someone to come out and sort her troublesome generator.

Our original plan had been for Mick to catch a train sometime in the afternoon and come down to join me at the London Leckenby’s for the night. But as there was no shade at the mooring the temperature was rising inside Oleanna. 31C. Not too bad when you can have the windows and hatch open to encourage a breeze to pass through. But with everything shut up to keep a cat indoors it would be really unpleasant. This along with longer delays on the trains due to the heat we decided that Mick should stay with Tilly and make sure she didn’t cook overnight. A real shame, but better for our second mate.

My next port of call was the British Museum. I joined a rather long queue of people going through the security checks and headed indoors, I think a lot of people were heading in doors out of the sunshine. I headed straight for the right room, one that was built to house what are known to many as The Elgin Marbles. One day they will be sent back to Greece, but today I was glad they were still here as I wanted a closer look and to take photos as I’d like to do a touch of a panto joke with them. Lots of photos later and a comfort break I was heading back out to Hackney to help with the final preparations for dinner.

During the afternoon in Littleport a boat had pulled up behind Oleanna. There was then a bold knock on the roof. Mick popped his head out to see if he could help only to find Graham from NB Misty Blue who we did the Tideway and cruised some of the Regents Canal with last summer. He’d spotted Oleanna and stopped to say hello before carrying on for the day, looking for shade. Now some people think we move fast, we know we don’t! But Graham has been all over the place since we last saw him. Then he was heading for the Kennet and Avon which he did and carried on up the River Severn to the Gloucester Sharpness, he was one of the last boats across the Rochdale before it closed and a couple of days ago he crossed The Wash. Hopefully I’ll get chance to say hello when he comes past us next.

This evening we were joined by Jane and her new (to us) boyfriend Kevin, who are over visiting from Sydney. We all grew up together in York as our Mum’s were best friends. It was so lovely to see Jane, hear the news from Australia. Of course there was food, including a whole halibut a first for Andrew to cook. What a wonderful fish, I suspect they will be eating the left overs for days to come.

Conversation kept going until midnight when slightly boozy photos were taken. What a lovely evening.

0 locks, 0.621371 miles back, 2 moorings swapped, 5 buses, 4 tubes, 31C inside at 2pm, 1 London trip abandoned, 1 breezy boat, 1 hot but safe cat, 1 statue, 2 rooms of marbles, 2 old friends, 1 new friend made, 34C, 1 day of shade finding.

**Pip, Jane, Emma, Andrew 1968. Just like it was yesterday**

Where The Streets Are Paved In Gold. 11th August

Littleport Station Road EA mooring to Swan On The River mooring

Early morning start for me today, catching the 8:12am train to Kings Cross with my white card model and overnight bag. Due to the heat that was already building my train had speed restrictions on much of the line in towards Ely where there was a backlog of trains, but thankfully we got moving soon enough and I actually arrived in Golders Green for my meeting bang on time.

Today had originally been a meeting for myself Abi, the Director and Gemma, the Production Manager to look at the white card model and for me to hand over drawings to be priced up. However we were also joined by Suzette, Producer from Chippy, Lily, the Choreographer and Maryna Costume Designer. We had four hours to work our way through the show with the aim of a common direction for the production.

Maryna comes from an Opera and Ballet background, she also has not grown up with all that is panto. So quite a lot of time was taken up looking at her wonderful drawings and then explaining about the audiences expectations for the characters. Thankfully there was just about enough time to also go through my model scene by scene, but sadly a few tricky props got forgotten about which really should have been discussed. There can always be phone calls to sort those out though.

Meanwhile back on Oleanna, Mick and Tilly pushed off and headed back upstream to the Swan on the River. Here he managed to get a mooring outside the pub and in the afternoon he met up with Mick and Andy who at one time used to work for Philips and then all three of them worked in the Telecoms Department at Lloyds Bank, most probably in one of those buildings Mick pointed out to us along the Thames on Monday. They had a couple of hours sat in the pub garden reminiscing about old times.

After my meeting I then relived the experience of transporting a model on London transport! It’s amazing how protective you become over a model you’ve spent hours working on. I headed out to Hackney to my brothers.

It was very nice having a catch up on their latest holiday and seeing how much Josh has grown both height and maturity wise. In the evening we all went out for a Turkish meal at Scoffs, it’s worth a visit if you end up mooring on the River Lee near Hackney Marshes. We shared a platter intended for two between the four of us with a portion of Haloumi and chips extra, there was plenty of food at a reasonable price.

0 locks, 0.621371 miles, 1 wind, 1 train, 3 tubes, 1 bus, 1 model approved, 2 hours drinking with old mates, 1 vast platter of kebabs, 1 pleasant evening with family, 33C, 3 pillows to choose from, 0 shore leave!

https://goo.gl/maps/2zkDMTMjxh6XumfG6

Working Pootling. 9th 10th August

Jubilee Gardens, Ely to Padnell Fen GOBA mooring to Littleport Station Road, EA Mooring

The drawing board was out straight after breakfast, time for the final push before my white card model meeting on Thursday. Mick popped to Sainsburys to get a few things to keep us going, Then we winded in the entrance of Cathedral Marina waved to Stewart on WB Misty and headed for the service mooring, well to join the queue.

**Can you tie up a better outside PLEASE!**

A boat had just pushed off allowing the next one to pull in to fill and empty as required. We pulled alongside them to wait, I continued working below as Mick chatted away. It seemed to be taking forever for them to fill with water, the lady had filled a couple of buckets then turned the hose on again. It turned out that she’d only just turned the tap back on! Once they were full we pushed out to let them out then came back in to fill our water tank and empty yellow water. The washing machine had been busy so we needed quite a bit. By the time we’d finished another two boats were waiting.

Time to say a final farewell to Ely.

The chap who we watched building extensions to his boat appears to have built a couple of what might be granny annexes, each with a tent on a floating platform.

With Mick at the helm and me below we pootled our way downstream on the Great Ouse, the high banks masking any view, but there was a nice cool breeze coming in through the hatch. We’d decided to head for the River Lark and the nice mooring there where Tilly could have some shore leave. Thankfully there was space and we made ourselves at home quickly.

All afternoon I continued amending drawings so that the set can be priced up. Only one scene left to draw up, the final one where I’d changed everything.

As we were somewhere nice with space to sit out we got the barbeque out. Mick filled a bucket of water which was placed close to the fire just in case. We enjoyed veg kebabs and some teriyaki salmon before the sun started to set and both of us started to feel very chilly, in fact we even got goose bumps!

What a wonderful sunset. Every time I looked out of the hatch it had gone one step redder.

Amazing.

Wednesday. We needed to move for ease of access to a station. Our advance party on NB Cleddau had checked to see if the moorings near Littleport station had reopened. Photos had been sent to us a few days ago, we just hoped that there would be space for us.

Facing the wrong way we tried a couple of times to wind, but the river was just about 60ft wide, a little bit further upstream we managed and headed back to the Great Ouse where we slowed to let a cruiser pass and then turned right towards Littleport.

The missing scene was almost drawn up by the time we had passed The Swan on the River pub, there was space here, but we carried on to the mooring nearer the station.

Not one boat was moored, so we pulled in at the far end then pulled back hoping a tree might just give us a touch of shade this afternoon. Sadly what shade fell on Oleanna only lasted about an hour until she was back in full sun!

By 6:30 all the technical drawings for panto were done. Tilly was hot and bored and annoying. A blue Ikea bag came out and the model was packed away into it ready for the morning. Here’s hoping it gets approved and I can quickly get it coloured up.

0 locks, 7.22 miles, 2 rights, 2 winds, 1 slow tap, 1 full turn, 1 quick tap, 1 empty wee tank, 1 favourite mooring, 3.5 hours shore leave, 2 owls heard not seen, 1 stunner of a sunset, 1 pantomime drawn up, 28C inside, 1 model all packed up, 1 designer with her fingers crossed for tomorrow.

https://goo.gl/maps/eG4WNDumbiSSnpU46

https://goo.gl/maps/jpPszqTqWusc9oK99

Ely Busy. 7th August

Stretham Ferry GOBA to right under Muckhill Railway Bridge to Jubilee Gardens, Ely

A slightly relaxed start to the morning, time for a cuppa in bed followed by a bacon buttie. Then we pushed away the outside a little after 10, almost all the other boats having left already.

We slowly pootled along passing Stretham Pumping Station, plenty of moorings there, the EA moorings before the bend at Popes Corner were half empty.

A day boat was just about to push off from the Fish and Duck, we slowed to let them set off and then pulled in onto the service mooring. A top up of diesel, a bottle of gas and a fill of the water tank, we decided to pay the nominal fee for the water in case we couldn’t top up in Ely. We chatted with the chap about where we’ve been and how come he seems to be the only place with gas, his reply was ‘we get it via a back route’!

As the water finished filling up another boat load of day trippers arrived and listened to instruction and then headed off for the day in the sunshine. Normal instructions are to keep to the right, today it was keep to the centre and move over if you meet another boat.

A left turn for us between paddleboarders and cruisers and soon Ely Cathedral could be seen on the horizon.

There was space on the GOBA mooring just south of the town, so we pulled in. Well we tried and tried. The bow came close enough to launch myself off, but try as we did Oleanna really wouldn’t come in close enough for us to use our plank without us being on a list to start with. In the end we gave up, waited for a gap in the passing traffic and carried on in to Ely.

There were a few spaces, but sadly none quite long enough for us. In places they were three abreast. Arriving late in the morning hadn’t worked for the first time, maybe people were arriving or staying to have lunch before heading off today. One space was available right by and almost underneath the Railway bridge. We pulled in as trains rumbled over head and the smell of either cow pooh or the pumpout wafting in the air.

Boats were moving all the time, so I walked back to see if enough space had been made. Still the same gap we’d tried earlier. Then another which might just fit us. I rang Mick, but no answer came.

Arriving back at Oleanna Mick seemed to be dealing with gas bottles, except all his cash cards lay on the roof. Pulling his phone out of his pocket he’d also pulled his wallet out which fell straight into the river. He’d managed to get his main wallet out, but somewhere below the surface lay another card, his old gits oyster card! We decided to stay put, fishing mor important than a good nights sleep. Eventually Mick was successful and all his cards were laid out to dry.

I got all my model bits out and spent a couple of hours taking photos. For some reason the bulb on my angle poise flickered and my camera wasn’t going to focus properly, so my phone did the best job it could.

A space had become available by the Italian restaurant, so we winded and headed back through Ely, spotting a space sooner at the bottom of Jubilee Gardens. As we pulled up a brass band were playing in the band stand, Concerto de Orange Juice. I like a brass band me, so did of plenty others.

0 locks, 6.31 miles, 1 left, 45 litres, 1 gas bottle, £5! 1 wind, 205 photos of a model, 3 moorings, 2 successful, 1 noisy and stinky, 0 shore leave, 1 brass band, 1 props list.

https://goo.gl/maps/CdhdaQDbDBxLM8zi8

Wishee Washie. 6th August

Aldreth GOBA Mooring to Stretham Ferry GOBA Mooring

We allowed ourselves a cuppa in bed this morning and exchanged notes on the depth of the Old West on Facebook with the cruiser that had pulled up yesterday afternoon almost at the other end of the moorings. Wasps still wanted to gain access to Oleanna, so we sat and had breakfast with all the windows closed. That didn’t matter to the wasps as they still found their way in, down the chimney!

Along our way we passed bullocks all heading in the same direction as us, one of them had set a trend, the others had followed, none knowing why. Long maned ponies grazed what green morsels they could find and stared into the depths of the one tree.

A Lapwing blew it’s kazoo and circled round us a few times. Egrets watched our slow progress and Cormorants sat high on the power lines surveying for fish. Two baby Grebes sat on Mums back hitching a ride.

We passed a boat, who exclaimed how shallow it was. Not much different to the Grand Union we thought, but if you are from these parts and used to river cruising then it must feel very shallow round here. The 4mph speed restriction signs don’t help!

Back in the land where water is pumped from the low lying land into the river in less arid times. Today pumps pump water back onto the land, last night I could see four spraying their plumes of water over fields yet to be harvested.

**Some friendly cover to keep Tilly occupied today**

Passing what used to be the Lazy Otter we soon arrived at the long length of GOBA moorings. We’d come far enough for the day and pulled up at the far end, plenty of space for more boats. Tilly was given 6.5 hours, we had an early lunch and then I started work.

Today I concentrated on pantomime advertising for Piccadilly Circus, Wishee Washie Soap, Buttons, Lions Tea. I still need a couple more to fill the scenery, but there’s enough for now. By the end of the afternoon I’d completed my notes and the shoe box was really quite full. A good couple of days.

Plenty of boats came and went as the afternoon progressed. Hire boats fresh out from Ely, cruisers heading out for the weekend. A look out of the hatch at the line of boats and I could see people swimming. They then set about giving the offside of their boat a wash. The depth seemed suitable for such a job. Oleanna is in desperate need of a wash, but I’m not prepared to get into the river to give her a spruce up.

0 locks, 5.85 miles, 6.5 hours, 5 swimmers, 2 washing their boat, 1 box of panto complete, 4mph!

Maybe It’s The Cinnamon. 5th August

Middle Fen (One Pound) GOBA Mooring to Aldreth GOBA Mooring, Old West

The Middle Fen/ One Pound mooring might just be my favourite from this summer. Once up the bank there is plenty of space to sit out. There is no passing footfall, and your nearest neighbour is a few boat lengths away. On an evening the Kingfishers dart back and forth, several of them. Sadly this morning it was time to move on and leave a space for someone else to enjoy the mooring.

Today blue skies had returned, we’ve had a lot of cloud lately.

Brownshill Lock needed setting in our favour. When we’d come upstream a chap had been confused about how to open and close the guillotine gates (it has one at each end) he’d not seen the downstream control cabinet, small and identical to the one at the top gate. I had no such problem and filled the lock by pressing buttons whilst Mick managed to keep our cabin sides away from the big overhang of the lock landing.

We were joined for our descent by a small rib, who were out for an adventure. They didn’t have a key to operate the lock, so seeing a narrowboat arriving below they decided to go straight back up with them.

Across the tidal section passing Earith. We kept our eyes peeled for GT, Heathers boat that is now in the water, but we couldn’t spot her. The water point here has been closed by the EA until it has had a thorough clean, the Littleport tap on the Ely Ouse is also closed leaving one tap between us and Denver sluice.

At one time we’d toyed with the idea of returning along the Hundred Foot Drain to Salters Lode, cutting down on our return trip. But with water levels low we’ve abandoned the idea, the thought of getting stuck and having to wait for the next tide not that appealing at the moment, if ever.

A nose peeked up to our port side, a seal, most probably heading towards Westview Marina where a Mum and her pup can often be seen. It dived before I got chance to take a picture, instead I got three Egrets a Cormorant and a few ducks in one shot.

Whilst in Brownshill Lock Mick had called ahead to the lock keeper at Hermitage Lock, as we approached the light turned from red to green and we were soon inside the lock under the road and heading down onto the Old West. There have been plenty of tales of how low the Old West is, these started about a month ago. The lock keeper had said we’d only be dropping about 8 inches and the Tidal level was lowest he’d known it. Well he was wrong, we dropped at least 2 foot onto the Old West where the tide mark is visible about 9 inches above the current water level.

It was slow on our way out, today it was slow going on our way back. We kept to the middle, watched weed glide past beneath us and were soon joined by the Terns fishing in our wake.

The GOBA mooring at Aldreth came into view, one cruiser sat at the near end, we headed to the far end and moored up, enough depth so no problem. Tilly was given 6.5 hours, I’d promised to go for a walk with her today, so I walked as she skipped along the top of the flood bank to the next bend and then back again.

It was a bit early for lunch, so I started to prepare a Moussaka for our evening meal. As I added the red wine to the mince, oregano and cinnamon, a wasp came in through the window attracted by something. Then as I stirred the meat sauce another three came in to join it. What was it they were coming in for? Red wine? Cinnamon?

We checked outside to see if we’d moored alongside a nest. No sign of one, just a few wasps doing their best to get in through closed windows, some aiming for the mushroom vents. We kept everything closed and hoped they’d get bored and move off. The cruiser moved off, Tilly came in, the doors were shut and we reversed back to the other end of the mooring. I didn’t actually believe that they’d managed to move the outside. But this other outside wasn’t half as good as the first one!

I got on with model making, propy bits, a few tweaks, alterations and additions, managing to cross off five hours work.

As I put the moussaka together the wasps came back and hung around until it was baked and eaten. Doors closed again, just as we wanted to have windows open to cool the boat down too!

2 locks, 6.86 miles, 2 miles tidal, 1 seal, 1 rib, 3 egrets, 543 wasps, 1 inside the stove! 2 outsides, 5 hours model making, 2 thrones, 1 wasp magnet, 1 cinnamon stick, 200ml red wine, 1 lovely sunset.

https://goo.gl/maps/bGDHi7VC1JcYYwyv5

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna