NB Cleddau was ready for the off before us this morning, they’d originally planned on being out for a few days, but due to a last minute appointment they would now have to head back to the marina. They pushed off in shirt sleeves and once winded at Elkington Bridge they returned with coats on a touch chilly in the breeze. Good to see you both, until somewhere next year.
It wasn’t until 11:30 before we pushed off and soon we were making plans for our next boat rendez vous. Plenty of boats on the move, many we’d seen in the last couple of days, everyone making the most of the drier weather and pootling up and down the summit pound.
Harvested
As we’d sat out last night we could hear the combines busy harvesting in the fields, today we got to see where they’d been, bales lined up in the fields. A constant drone from more fields followed us.
A pause for lunch, a quick chat about the wind and if it would affect plans. No plan A was still on the cards, no need to abort as yet, if we could find a suitable mooring for two boats.
Right please
Another half hour and we’d reached Welford Junction. We made note of plenty of room along the hard edge before the junction, enough for at least three boats on rings. Oleanna turned right towards Welford, we’ve not been up here for an absolute age.
Busy lock
We passed one boat coming towards us, would we be lucky in finding a mooring? As we approached the lock two boats were waiting to go up, fingers were crossed. I walked up to help. A boat came towards the lock to come down, there was space to moor before you reached the end, still fingers crossed.
One in , one out
The boat in front of us was a hire boat, I chatted to the lady. I asked if she would like some help, she checked she knew what to do. ‘Red before White’, they’d come up Foxton. I explained the difference with normal locks rather than staircases and checked she’d know what to do on their way back down tomorrow.
Our turn!
Another downhill boat, then it was our turn and time to find a big mooring! We were in luck, our preferred mooring was available and there was room for two Oleannas, we pulled in and tucked ourselves up to the boat in front. Mick then noticed a woofer with this boat and went for a chat with the owner, always best to make them aware we have a cat. We pulled Oleanna back to leave a safety gap between feline and canine. The chap sat down had a hold of his dog, when we got the thumbs up Tilly was allowed out. The dog was interested, but soon it was obvious that they’d both do their own thing.
Trees!
A while later Tilly and I wondered back to the lock with a windlass. A woofer coming towards us meant avoidance tactics and a return to the boat for Tilly. A boat was ascending and my arrival with a windlass confused them a touch, especially when I closed the top gate behind them.
There she is!
I kept a keen eye open down the cut and as soon as I saw the bow of NB Panda I lifted the paddles to empty the lock for her. Lizzie has had other things keeping her away from boating for a while and today Welford would be Panda’s first lock in a couple of years!
A perfect fit
Thankfully Panda fitted in the gap in front of us. Drinks on the terrace for a second night in a row. Then we walked down to The Wharf where thankfully we’d booked a table. Blimey it was busy, a band playing outside and just about every table taken inside.
Steaks all round
The menu was pretty good, although the gluten free options were limited to the normal suspects. We all opted for a steak and glasses of wine, very nice. Mick persuaded us all to have a pudding, these filled us all up to the brim!
Mick, Pip and Lizzie!
A good evening had by all and a nice catch up with Lizzie.
If you’d like to show support to The Fund Britains Waterways then please sign the petition Link here
1 lock, 2 nebo voyages, 6.7 miles,1 right, 2 days of rendez vousing with boats, 6 boats assisted through the lock, 2 hours, 1 big woofer, 1 G&T, 2 Pimms, 3 steaks, 6 glasses wine, 2 sundaes, 2 scoops chilled medication, 3 very full boaters.
We tootled along, passing the boat in bits in the field, surely by now there’s no hope for this, it’s been there as long as we can remember admittedly in slightly different positions.
The summit pound takes big wiggles and bends to make it’s way northwards. From our mooring last night to our planned mooring today I think you could cut the distance at least in half if you could go in a straight line. But follow the contours we must.
Hello Yellow!
As we approached Yelvertoft Marina I thought I recognised the pram cover on the stern of NB Lillyanne our old boat, not much further on and it was confirmed by her yellow cabin sides glowing from her mooring, the purple coach lines now very faded. Today we weren’t just going to pass by, we turned into the marina, a top up of diesel required.
He he! A new Wasp
As we got through the narrow entrance I spotted that the boat moored alongside Lillian (NB Lillyanne) was called NB Blackbird! Well what are the odds of that? When we first bought Lillian our friends Bridget and Storm were living on their boat NB Blackbird. Our two boats cruised together when we left Crick back in 2014, the yellow and black boats known as The Wasp. Of course this Blackbird is a different boat, but we’re pleased Lillian has a suitable friend next door.
Glad to hear Tim and Elizabeth are still her owners
Yelvertoft insist that you declare a percentage on diesel, Mick declared 10% propulsion. We have to run our engine a lot more at the moment, even after a good days cruise we need the batteries to be at least 90% charge at 8pm to keep the fridge and freezer going overnight.
Back out onto the cut, waving goodbye to Lillian once more we pootled along. The armco at Yelvertoft water point still sticks out ready to help scrap your gunnels ready for painting. This way then that, I wonder if anyone ever found our lost broom that was blown off the roof. That’s the bridge where I hobbled to a hire car for a check up with my broken ankle. All very familiar territory.
As we came through the wooded section towards Bridge 27 we could see the mooring we were after was available. Houdini’s field the bench end. We pulled in making use of the rings and not our nappy pins. Tilly was given a good 6 hours of towpath exploration. Then we took cover inside, happy to move up for the right boat. Several boats went past, none of them stopping further along where there was a large gap in the moorings.
The right boat
About an hour after we’d arrived the right boat did arrive. We pulled Oleanna along making space for them. NB Cleddau with Ken and Sue. Should they head to wind now or tomorrow? They decided to stay put keeping hold of the mooring. Last summer we’d spent quite a bit of time with Ken and Sue on the Great Ouse and River Nene, so it was lovely to manage to meet up again.
As we stood on the towpath hearing of their plumbing problems Tilly came out from the hedge, saw that there were new people to be wary of. She immediately headed straight for the bow of Cleddau, jumped into the welldeck and inside. Hey hang on! Who’s changed the inside whilst I was inside?!?! Our hotbox isn’t there! Where’s transgender mouse? Sue stepped onboard and Tilly made a quick exit. Putting two and two together, Tilly had followed her nose, the bow of Cleddau now where our side hatch or stern had been when she’d last been on the towpath. She and Tom could have at least have called me when they were moving the outside with me in it!!!!
An afternoon of props lists for panto going back and forth, making sure I knew how John saw various things. Saws with ribbons, 6ft or 10ft, who is making what. There are various items that I’m surprised the costume department are taking on rather than leaving them to Jo. A bit more reference of Columbian Farmers was needed.
I heard that a sample has been printed, where should it be sent to? That old thing a postal address whilst on a boat constantly moving. If it had been a couple of days ago it would have been easy, but now. I tried calling Crick Post Office, they have always been very helpful with post there, but I didn’t want to presume that was still the case. I knew I should have asked out of interest yesterday when I was there.
Pimms o’clock
I then tried calling the Post Office at Welford, a lady answered the phone. They definitely did Post Restante, she seemed a bit bewildered that I was asking, but it’s best to check. I’m not sure if I got the details to the printers in time for the post today, fingers crossed it will be waiting for me and we won’t have to wait for it.
Ken, Sue, Mick and Pip
Drinks on the terrace were enjoyed with Ken and Sue, followed by us all sitting out to eat enjoying the warm evening and a few glasses of wine. All of a sudden it was as if someone had turned the lights out, it had gone dark! Time to pack everything away and retire into our boats, torches required to make sure we’d found everything.
What a lovely evening.
If you’d like to support Fund Britains Waterways please sign the petition. Link here
0 locks, 4.4 miles, there’s only 1 yellow, 1 wasp, 53.7 litres, 10%, 1 right, 1 left, 1 wind, 1 right boat, 1 mooring with a bench, 2 insides, 1 pooped cat, 4 glasses of Pimms, 8 glasses wine, 1 very pleasant evening, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.
PS The house boat with the crane was left over from Crick Boat show it has now been sold. According to Ken and Sue it is headed to Brighton.
Tilly was keen to go out this morning, she likes it here. But as we are the custodians of the doors they stayed firmly shut, we had places to go.
A shady room at the Thai restaurant
Nebo switch flicked on, we were soon on our way, the M1 getting closer all the time. The old Thai Restaurant no longer has a terrace below a weeping willow, there is now an extension containing tables and chairs and TV monitors. This only slightly looks better from the canal than when the place was empty and run down, I hope it looks more inviting from land.
We’d already been passed by a couple of boats this morning, so we knew we’d not be straight up the Watford flight. But only one boat was pulled up in front of us, they were the third boat going up. I walked up to find the Lock Keeper with the book, thankfully he was the first one I came across at the bottom of the staircase locks.
Coming up the second lock to wait
For those who don’t know, Watford has narrow locks and the flight is made up of a couple of single locks, then a staircase of four followed by a single at the top. A staircase is where one lock chamber shares the gates of the next chamber, then the next, then the next depending on how many chambers there are. So boats cannot pass in the staircase and there has to be one chamber left empty between boats, so that you don’t steal the water from the boat ahead of you. Both here and at Foxton (where there are two sets of staircase locks) you have to check in with the Lock Keeper, be patient and wait your turn.
Pushing off from our holding mooring
Today it seemed that they were operating three boats up then three boats down. We were the fourth boat to arrive at the bottom, we’d missed the cut. Our instructions were to come up the two single locks and then wait for the boats to come down before starting up the staircase. More boats arrived behind us, they were told to come up the first lock and then have a cuppa whilst they waited.
We all moved into position, helping each other out. The boat behind us was from Ripon, the boat behind turned out to be from Blue Water Marina in Thorne. We all exchanged stories of sink holes, breaches and being stuck.
Filling the next lock and chatting
As the lead boat came down the staircase we all went to help, Mick and a lady from behind filled the lock below the staircase so that it would be ready for each of the three boats. I helped with gates as the following two boats were single handers, each with a lock keeper winding the paddles. This all helped to speed things up and made for a sociable hour.
Red before …
Time for us to rise in the staircase. ‘Red before white and you’ll be alright!’ the mantra many mutter to themselves as they ascend or descend. There are side pounds here to help conserve water. As you lift the red paddle water from the side pound enters the lower chamber. Then you lift the white paddle this empties water from the higher chamber into the side pound. When all three are at the same level you can open the gates between chambers and move your boat. Then repeat until you reach the top of the staircase where there are normal paddles to fill it.
The top single lock was sat empty waiting for us at the top so were the crew from the first boat waiting to come down, not such a sociable lot.
Now choices, where to moor for the day? We know the summit pound really quite well. Should it be the Sheep Mooring? The towpath not wide enough for a bbq and we needed some suitable supplies to cook. We continued onwards, tunnel mode engaged, me with a coat, Mick without.
Passing
The tunnel was wonderfully cool, the south portal very misty. One boat was passed and then at the far end we got a soaking from the tunnel roof. You always get a soaking in Crick tunnel.
So lifeless now
Around what used to be The Moorings (a restaurant) the area and buildings look like they are being prepared for redevelopment, an area behind the bins has been cleared. Wonder what will be there?
As we carried on past the marina we kept our eyes peeled for familiar boats. Was that our old neighbour? Was that someone we knew walking away with their back to us? Was that the bow of a boat we hope to meet up with? The towpath moorings here were busy as always, we carried on hoping for a space away from the marina.
House boat and crane
Hang on what’s that? A big cane was extended, what looked like a house boat below it. Are Aquavista installing house boats at Crick? Or is it something left over from the boat show?
On we pootled, fingers crossed. As bridge 14 came into view I zoomed in with the camera, the reeds making it hard to see if there would be space for us. Then as we rounded the last bit of the bend we could see that there was plenty of space available. Quickly we pulled in and tied up. A quick pace out in front of us to see how much room there still was before a boat would be in the way of the winding hole. Enough for another Oleanna.
Our preferred Crick mooring
As the weather was so good provisions for a barbeque were required, our shopping trip in Rugby had been on a rainy day, our purchases had reflected this. Across the fields, through the woods over the A428 on the little footbridge. It’s funny the first few times we visited Crick we sat on this road in long tail backs heading to Crick show, today only one car passed below me. A wiggle round the houses and I was at the Post Office.
Goody Post Office beans
Birthday cards popped in the post and a quick check to see what local grown veg was available for sale. Then down to the Co-op for some pork chops, milk and a few more bits before returning to the Post Office for some peppers and the obligatory Runner Beans. Back along the bridleway spotting little blue butterflies flitting this way and that, but none of them staying put long enough for a photo.
Some work emails to catch up with. New printing costs were in, with a few extra pieces added to the list we’d managed to get the price down by £1000. Still waiting to hear about everything else though.
Yum!
Another Christmas rub/marinade was tried out on the pork chops, all very tasty sat outside. The evening wasn’t quite as sunny as the day had been, but it was nice to be able to sit out again. If the weather continues to be good we may have to find ourselves a new bbq as the one we’ve had for nine years now is starting to disintegrate.
Cracks Hill
A boat arrived wanting to wind. We watched as the70ft boat turned into the winding hole. Bow thruster, pole. The bottom was really quite silted up, another attempt to get tucked further in. Eventually they managed to have enough room to swing the stern round. So glad Oleanna’s not that long!
7 locks, 4 a staircase, 3.8 miles at the top of the Nebo report, 5.2 at the bottom, 1 tunnel, 1 boat passed, 0 mysterons, 1 pipe delayed rendez vous, 1 mooring just for us, 1 big bunch of beans, 2 cards, 2 chops, 4 kebabs, 4 hours shore leave, 1 tiny limp.
Bridge 67 that was to Welton Hythe, Leicester Section, Grand Union Canal
Leg inspection this morning
Time to make up for yesterday, we were ready and pushing off a little before 9:30, several boats had already passed us heading towards the locks, would there be a queue? Thankfully not. The volunteers were chatting to a chap and his dog at the bottom lock the lefthand chamber sat ready for us.
Up the bottom lock
At the middle lock it looked like both of the paired locks were full, a crew just opening a gate on the right side to bring a boat down, I indicated to Mick to head for that lock. However on arrival the other lock was two thirds full and the boat coming into the other lock were being very very careful and taking their time. I indicated to Mick the other lock and emptied it. We were up and able to assist the crew of the downhill boat with their gates before we headed on to the top lock.
Careful
Once up on the long pound I disappeared below for a panto chat with the production manager regarding the budget. More quotes were in and she was aiming to have a chat with the set builders about the changes I’d drawn up over the weekend. In my reckoning we’ve saved just about enough, but there was still one more quote to come in. Gemma is hoping to get the final figures together and approved by the end of the week, she goes on holiday next week, I’d quite like my next fee, but I’m also likely to be in a dodgy area for phone and the internet! Fingers crossed.
It was so nice to have the sun back out and blue skies helping to lift spirits. Plenty of people were out sanding back, applying coats of paint to their roofs. I’d been hoping to do the same last weekend, but the rain and having to work had put paid to that.
B.. Ba.. Bang… Braunston!
We considered stopping at one of the moorings just short of Braunston, but that would still leave us behind where we were hoping to be, and anyway that would mean taking mushroom vents off the roof to attack the rust! Mick thought it a better idea for us to carry on.
There was space for a second boat at the first water point, we pulled in, tying up as best we could. The lady from the other boat explained that her husband had headed into the village to do some shopping whilst they filled with water, ‘You know how it is mooring in Braunston, so busy!’ We declined her offer of us using the tap she was plumbed into as there was a second tap. As we started to fill her boat started to overflow, she turned the water point off, her expanding hose then decided to pop out of her tank and into the canal. Eek! ‘You’ll want to run water through that before you stow it away’. She dithered and chatted away, then just popped the end of the hose back into her water tank, eoow! The muck and stuff that ends up in canals, I hope they don’t get poorly tummies.
Braunston Turn
Chores finished we pushed over to the towpath where there was a handy space for lunch.
Through Braunston. Well there had either been a mass exodus since the boat at the waterpoint had come through or she was just trying to cover her back for sitting on a water point! We slowed at the entrance to the marina having spotted NB Pea Green and Kay. She’d been concerned about Tilly and there is always concern for Monty her cat who is of many years. Good to see her again.
The bottom lock of the Braunston flight was emptying, I walked up to lend a hand. The crews from the two boats had obviously got to know each other, both heading for Cropredy. One boat was under the impression they’d just be able to moor up easily at Cropredy, I said to the enthusiastic lady that a week ago it was already rather full. She said she’d read a blog post on the 1st of August saying as much. I smiled to myself strongly suspecting they were my words she’d read. I refrained from saying that I’d read that blog too, I always proofread posts before publishing them. Instead I was given information on how wet Blisworth Tunnel had been. I wonder is she is a frequent reader or had just come across my post in a google search.
We were joined by a hire boat from North Kilworth Marina. This boat had a bow thruster and a solar panel, things not often associated with hire boats. This was their second hire boat and they were loving. They made good company up the flight.
The second lock that was hard to fill
The third lock from the top required the top gates to be encouraged to open as we’d reached the point where the water coming in wasn’t beating the water leaking out the bottom gates. With the next pound quite low we decided to close the top gates to hopefully save water even thought there was a boat waiting to come down above the next lock. I walked up to explain as they were doing that thing we all do when we see gates being closed in front of you. Thankfully they understood.
The next lock was even worse. We needed everyone to push on gates to get the level to equalise, this took quite a bit of umph, we got there in the end still with enough water left in the pound above for boats to move. The amount of time this had all taken, it was a very good job we’d closed the gates on the next lock as there may not have been enough water left to get over cills.
The hire boat headed for the tunnel first, they were hoping to get up Watford today. We were just heading for where we’d be able to get moored for the day.
Tunnel mode engaged, cabin lights, torch at the stern pointing to the right, life jackets. In we went, Mick’s least favourite tunnel on the network. We conferred on where the big wiggle was 400 to 300m from the far end? We thought so. In we went.
Passing
It was soon obvious that we’d meet at least two boats in the dark, we also got a bonus third one. A wiggle just at 400m was followed by another where we’d remembered. A forth boat was holding back being very patient to enter the tunnel when he knew there was a clear way ahead at least for a while. At least if he met someone it should be beyond the wiggles.
Blue sky and a view
Maybe we were distracted by passing boats but I only counted one mysteron today, I thought there were three!
Turning left to head northwards
Space under trees in the cutting, this didn’t appeal. We carried on knowing it was very unlikely that we’d find a space on the prime stretch before Norton Junction and we were right. Instead we decided to opt for our old favourite mooring, a left onto the Leicester Section then a short pootle to opposite Welton Hythe Marina.
Hooray for towpath dust!
Tilly was given an hour and a bit of shore leave. As she stepped off a slight limp was still noticeable, but nowhere near as bad as yesterday. A touch of towpath dust and mouse magic did the trick.
Down the bank into the field behind us Mick foundsome Giant Puffballs the size of his foot. I believed they were safe and good eating. Some internet browsing was down. Instructions on how to identify them suggested that they were easy, next to no poisonous fungi having a similar look. I started browsing recipes, cut in slices and fried in breadcrumbs was popular. What to do? I didn’t want to miss out of a free culinary delight, but also didn’t want us to be poorly.
That’s pretty big!
One minute I was down the bank picking one of them. I weighed it 1.5kg. It was obviously tasty as plenty of grubs were having a feast. I chopped some off. White with a tinge of yellow to it. Hmmmm! What to do?
Various comments suggested it should be white when cut into, if yellow it was starting to mature and get ready to send out it’s spores. Should we, shouldn’t we? In the end we chickened out, there being a bit of yellow would mean we’d not be trying it at it’s best. I later conferred with a couple of people who said white was best and maybe a smaller one would be better especially with some bacon for breakfast. One lady did say we’d be very bored with it by the time we’d eaten it all.
North
Tonight we had spaghetti bolognaise.
9 locks, 10.8 miles, 3 canals, 1 water tank full, 1 hose in the cut, 2 solutions, 2 boxes, 1 banana, 1 left, 1 old favourite, 1.5kg of puffball, 2 fungi wimps, 7,000,000,000,000 spores per ball, 1 limp improving, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.
Broughton Road Bridge to Rugby Wharf to Bridge 67 that was
Before we set off Mick wanted to fit the switch he’d bought in Scarborough to the Nebolink. Because our slow speed isn’t enough to alert the nebolink that we are moving for it to automatically record our journey we needed to make use of the white wire. Mick’s solution was to add a switch that we could turn on when we are about to push off and switch off when we stop for the day. Last night Dave (Scouts) had suggested we use a voltage sensitive relay. This would notice when the battery voltage goes up as the alternator starts to charge the batteries, this would alert the nebolink and therefore record our journey automatically. There then followed a Telephone Engineers discussion on multimeters. Here Dave is a photo of Mick’s multimeter that he has on board Oleanna.
Mick’s multimeter
Mick flicked the switch and within a couple of minutes I received an email from Nebo saying that Oleanna was on the move! Hooray that bit worked. Time to get moving.
NB Momentous
We pootled up to the Tesco moorings, blimey it was busy up there. NB Momentous had passed us this morning when the sun was trying to make an appearance, we now passed them, a quick hello and, ‘We’ll be back’ was exchanged before we pulled in right at the end of the moorings. A stock up at Tescos required.
Catch it!
As we walked back up the hill with our full bags it started to drizzle. Boring! We decided to have lunch and hope that things would improve before we set off again. SOoo many boats came past squeezing their way between boats moored on the towpath and off side. People keep saying where has everyone gone, the canals are so quiet this year. Well that’s because everyone is here in Rugby!
Eventually we pushed out and made our way along the embankment to the arm towards Rugby Wharf. Mick didn’t spot the winding hole just beyond the arm with it’s spanning bridge and turned Oleanna’s bow in to turn. He’d expected the stern to be able to swing round with the amount of water behind us, but no, we ended up bow in the greenery under the bridge and stern stuck several feet away from the offside diagonally across the cut with a boat approaching.
The boat hook was required to push the stern off, then Mick tried again and this time succeeded in getting our bow down into the arm. Once we’d tucked ourselves out of the way we waved the oncoming boat to come past.
Now we were on our way, facing the correct direction. Luckily there wasn’t too much traffic so we could slow down and say a proper hello to Jenny and Pete, we’ve been boats that pass in the day this week, waving, but now we’ve finally met. Good to have a chat, see you somewhere sometime.
Passing or being passed by Momentous for the third time today
Drizzly. Our plan had been to get quite a few miles ticked off back towards Braunston, but cruising whilst getting wet was wearing thin. We passed our station mooring, got close to the golf course and decided to stop for the day.
Todays journey on Nebo
As I dropped down the cratch covers I also switched the switch on the Nebolink to off. We’d been able to see that we were moving on our phones but would it now send us a report. It took a few minutes and then the report arrived. Brilliant the £2 switch had done the trick, our route shown on the map had a couple of small lengths that weren’t shown of our journey, but so far all good.
It seems to work, just needs a bot of double sided tape to tidy it up a bit
Tilly was let out and had an explore returning after a while and sat on the Houdini shelf in the window. Mick pointed out to me that she was holding her right paw up, he also mentioned that he thought she’d been limping as she got off the boat. I was allowed to gently stroke her paw and leg. Tilly’s weepy eye all teary for maximum sympathy was noted. Nothing was obvious and she didn’t wince.
Poorly paw!
I stopped what I was doing and sat on the sofa to encourage her to rest her limping leg. This worked for a while, Tilly sat on my knee, knee rest. Then she decided that she’d rather be out and Mick opened the back door. Was this a good idea, certainly to stop her shouting at a closed door it was! She hadn’t ventured far when it was time for Dingding, but she did need some encouragement to come in.
For medicinal purposes I requested that the firebox be lit. It would help heal my poorly arm. Tom obliged and then She came and joined me finishing off her first sock for her. I didn’t help as my arm was too sore. Have I mentioned that I’ve got a poorly arm?
Those mushrooms in the fridge needed eating up, so I had to make some mushrooms on toast ala Pip this morning, sorry Mick!
Emails back and forth to the printers. Update from me to Production Manager and Director. A new coach drawing done. Sideways trees checked over a few more times.
Go away, I’m recharging my solar!
Mick still in Scarborough was being kept busy too. A chap had come to measure up for wooden double glazed windows to replace the single glazing. Numerous questions were phoned through to me. If we had one type of stop on the highest window in the house we’d loose the squiggly bit, we like our squiggly bits so a key option was okayed. A cottage style was rejected, but brass furniture approved, all whilst I was drawing up the coach.
On his way to the station Mick popped into Clockhandyman and purchased a switch to add to our Nebolink set up. Then he caught three trains back to Rugby.
Time for a detour
A Google for copy shops came up with The Printing Works, time to get my updated plans scanned and copied. The usual walk across the park towards the station was closed due to an emergency closure on the bridge across the Avon, just a short detour required to get back on track. The very helpful chap took his time, concerned about the grey background on the scans. I checked them over, not a problem you could see all the information required, they wouldn’t be for display.
As he scanned and printed we chatted about what I did, he got a sneaky peek at a photo of my model. He very kindly let me borrow a Pantone swatch book so that I could identify the shades of blue I’d used on my portals. This is so the printers can add in a coloured border that will wrap around our scenery instead of it being white. I promised to email a photo when the show was up and running so he could see how it all came out.
Pantone charted
New sets of plans were popped in the post as I walked back to the boat. Then it was time to make the new bits for the model. A simpler coach, two bits of handrail and a dustbin. MIck was back shortly before I’d finished. Over the next few days I’ll have to dig my paint box back out from under the dinette to paint them, but hopefully the majority of everything is now done. Time to get back to boating life.
0 locks, 0 miles, 3 trains, 4 window phone calls, maybe it should have been me that went to Scarborough, 15 scans, 12 copies, 2 envelopes posted, 2 hand rails, 1 dustbin, 1 coach, 2 plates of pork fried rice, 1 switch.
Thankfully the weather was better today, still a touch chilly, but the sun was showing it’s face. Boats that had been stationary yesterday were on the move , including NB Momentous, I happened to glance up from what I was doing as they passed to wave hello.
A generous plate full of pancakes
Blueberry pancakes for breakfast were very tasty, followed by the Geraghty zoom. Subjects included Shap, Huel, Portsea and when is an island an almost island! Then it was time to get on with work.
Just keeping an eye on you
Today the drawing board came out. My technical drawings needed updating with the cuts and alterations that had been discussed. As I worked away Tilly came and went exploring the world behind the sideways trees and Mick worked away washing bedlinen and making beds in Scarborough.
Tanya our most frequent lodger arrived mid afternoon soon followed by Georgia, two actors from the new Ayckbourn cast that starts rehearsals this week.
Once I’d finished updating one set of plans I started working out how to split the print of the portals, a quote from a new company to me had come in a quarter cheaper, if I could squeeze extra leaves in around the edges it would save us some money.
Updated plans
Tilly persuaded me that the stove needed lighting again, she enjoyed having prime position in front of it for several hours whilst I worked away. After dinner I reimagined Cinderella’s coach, if I could get the build cost for this down from £1800 it would be good. Several sketches were done, all of them must be cheaper!
0 locks, 0 miles, 10 sheets adjusted, 2 beds made, 2 new lodgers, 1 stove relit, 1 hire boat boating into the night, 11pm finish.
Glad we’d not planned on moving today, the rain wasn’t torrential it just hung around in the air keeping everything very wet. Mick kindly lit the stove, emptied the ash pan and filled the coal skuttle, today was definitely a day for a fire.
Moored just down the way
Thankfully Tilly wasn’t too keen on being outdoors, the stove was far more appealing. So the two of us got to stay cosy inside, unlike Mick who had to walk to the station to catch a train to Scarborough to do the next turn around between lodgers.
I had a long chat with Jo the props maker for panto. Going through the props list I’d finished off this morning. Jo does all the buying and making of props and with quite a good lead up time she is hoping to import a LOT of fake bananas, maybe 300! We talked beasts, plants, buckets, chairs, all sorts, taking 2.5 hours!
I did have to venture out for a pint of milk. The nearest shop looked like it would be Tescos so I set off along the muddy towpath, hopping over puddles here there and everywhere.
The people of Rugby don’t seem to be wanting to buy ice at the moment that’s for sure. I spent a bit of time by the lemonade bottles measuring them up to use as bases for lanterns. Then I found a route back to Oleanna through the housing estate to avoid getting muddy again.
Autumn!
Apparently it wasn’t raining in Yorkshire when Mick came through Standedge Tunnel on the train, but the River Ouse was up a touch and there had been some localised flooding in Scarborough, thankfully not near the house.
Propy bits
The afternoon was spent doing emails and sketches of props, whilst numerous hire boats cruised past each and everyone of them getting really quite soggy.
0 locks, 0 miles, 2 trains for Mick, 1 very very full, 150 minutes props chat, 300 bananas, 4 sketches, 1 cosy boat, 1 long snoozy cat.
More and more boats came past including the little green tug we’d encountered yesterday, maybe they’d been for water at Braunston last night. Eventually we found a gap in the traffic and pulled out continuing our journey towards Braunston.
Not a bad view from bed this morning
Below I busied myself cleaning Tilly’s pooh box and trying to encourage her back into the bedroom. If I was stood in the well deck she’d brave crossing the bedroom to peek out of the front window, but otherwise the bedroom was still a place to be very very wary of. There’s a monster in there I tell you!!!
Turn
The bangers spire came into view followed by Braunston Turn. Over the junction we could make out that there was a boat moored at Midland Chandlers, but when the water point came into view and that was free we made ready to moor up. Whilst I dealt with the water and rubbish Mick headed into the chandlers to see what they had in the way of switches. Sadly nothing that we could use. The Nebolink can wait a few more days until we find a switch more suitable.
Reading as we go
Onwards now north. I brought the new panto script out the back and as we pootled along the North Oxford Canal I read it through. A pencil should I need to make notes for set things and a blue highlighter pen to underline props as I went. Only one set thing I noted, I need to rehang a door to open the other way. Lots of blue for props and quite a few new chuckles.
This pound is always busy. Today boats seemed to come in threes towards us, just where were they all coming from? We’re normally on a canal or river away from the crowds at this time of year, so it maybe feels that bit more busy to us. We pootled onwards past the nice moorings north of Braunston, these all seemed to be busy.
Barby Straight we only encountered a couple of boats, but the last one must have been really deep draughted as we ended up being on the bottom at quite a tilt. Inside I could hear drawers opening, items falling, Tilly balls all rolling to the port side. The MONSTER’s back!!!! Just when I thought she was getting over the printer!
Lots going on here
Lots of work seems to have taken place near Hillmorton. New sheds with boats under cover being worked on. A little boat was out on the hard with the chalk marks of hull thickness, hopefully the results good for a prospective new owner.
Still pesky those bananas
We pulled into a space above the locks for lunch. During the morning reading the script I’d grown to like panto again, during lunch the emails started again and my top lip started to curl up. A quick response to one of them, the others could wait till we’d moored up for the day.
Time to drop down the three Hillmorton Locks. Time to find a gap in the passing boats! Maybe we shouldn’t have stopped for lunch, all of a sudden we were surrounded with boats wanting to descend the majority hire boats heading back to base. We trod water alongside a moored boat, the boat ahead got caught out by the flow coming from the weir. He decided to stay put on the off side and let us have the next available chamber on the towpath side.
Rush hour at the locks
So many crew at each lock. Some knew what they were doing, others didn’t and I winced at some of the practices. One boat insisted on lifting paddles halfway to empty the lock and then they were going to close the gates despite a boat heading uphill towards them.
Now we were meeting the next set of hirers coming out from the Rugby bases. It was noisy and chaotic to say the least. One boat had young crew sat in the well deck urging Grandad to open the gate ‘It must be ready now!’ as Dad chatted to me at the stern, narrowboating a favorite pass time for his family, costs him a fortune, grandad’s first time, want a boat of their own but wouldn’t know what to do if it broke down, couldn’t afford it anyway. I suggested they should look into a share boat, it works out cheaper than hiring every holiday. Eventually he moved the morse control and headed off to the next lock, his daughter having almost exploded in the welldeck at her Dad not getting a move on!
Into the bottom lock
The last lock down to the Rugby pound seemed quieter, a volunteer helped with the bottom gates and as we left she indicated to the following boat which of the paired locks they should aim for. All could be peaceful again. Time for the final scene of panto.
There was space on the armco closest to Rugby Station. We pulled in, then quite quickly moved along a boats length as we’d disturbed a wasps nest. Tilly was given two hours shore leave, preferring to use the stern and hatch avoiding the bow and the bedroom!
Panto emails kept me busy for much of the remainder of the day. A new print company wanting to charge £200 for a sample?! I’m sure their printing is very good, but we’re possibly looking at two companies doing different elements that all have to look the same, I want reassurance that I won’t end up with a right mishmash of colours. The carpenters were updated with my thoughts, new drawings needed.
Roast Pork, yum
A joint of pork came out of the fridge and an hour later went in the oven. A Friday night roast would help warm the boat up for the evening. As I started to collate a props list together Mick prepared the vegetables. A very tasty meal indeed and Act 1 props all listed. I even ended up with Tilly sat on my knee the bedroom starting to loose it’s scareyness.
3 locks, 10.3 miles, 0 journey on Nebolink, 1 left, 0 switch, 1 monster in THAT bag! 4 balls, 1 temperature gauge, 1 miss timed lunch break, 1 clean pooh box, 6 hire boats all at once, 1 spliff and a can of larger, 2 hours, 1 wasps nest, 5m not 3m, 1 long list of things to do, Act1 props done, 1 heel turned.
Priors Hardwick Bridge 123 to Bridge 100 gap in the hedge
A zoom to try to sort out the budget for panto was on the schedule this morning along with a phone appointment for Mick with his doctor back in Scarborough. Some aspects of doctors appointments work better for boaters than they used to, the only thing is the first Mick heard of his face to face appointment was a reminder text yesterday, thankfully it was easy enough to change it to a phone call.
Only one thing for it with the panto set, the pruning shears had to come out. I’d made a list yesterday of items that could be pruned that wouldn’t affect things horribly, 3 sections of rostra instead of 5, 1 facia instead of 2, fabric instead of twinwall. John had also had chance to think about things and added to the list. Not sure if we’ve lost enough. I’ve some more work to do now, but that would have to wait until later.
Those pesky bananas!
Time to see if the new Nebolink would start as we moved off. Mick has done some more research into them. They are made up from tracking devices designed for cars, so we weren’t sure if our slow pace as we moved off from our mooring would automatically kick the Nebolink into action. For the last few months we’ve had two accounts tracking Oleanna, one of those accounts is now linked to the Nebolink, the other dormant, Mick has set up another account on the free starter service so that we can track our journeys whilst we iron out any problems we may have with the nebolink.
Buffalo
As we were about to untie a boat came past, at the bridge in front of us another boat. Some do-si-doing was required before the two boats sorted themselves out, only to find there was another boat following. In the end things sorted themselves out and we managed to find a gap in traffic to pull out.
There was the expected queue at the top of Marston Doles, not as long as it could have been, there was still enough room for us to pull in. One hire boat waiting to go down, another on the water point. Another boat waited to come up. The crews chatted away, the next uphill boat originated from north of York. Mick had managed to leap frog the boat at the water point so it was soon our turn.
Near sunshine!
The first few locks we met boats coming towards us, but when we reached the main Napton flight there were few uphill boats meaning more walking round locks to open and shut gates, everyone else apart from us and a boat behind must have stopped for lunch.
Three blue shirts waiting
From a few locks from the bottom I could see that there were volunteers on duty at the bottom. Why do the volunteers here never venture past the bottom lock? Why were there three of them? We chatted as Oleanna came into the lock and then the paddles were lifted and we were on our way again.
Keep your hat on!
The water point was busy, so were the moorings, we’d have lunch on the go and head for a mooring by Bridge 100 where we’ve had a Christmas or two.
How many boats coming towards us!?! Hopefully they’d not all be wanting to moor below the flight. A boat came out from the GU at Napton Junction, then more and more boats came towards us.
This was before the high speed overtaking
We were gradually catching up a little tug. They pulled over to the towpath and waved us past. Naturally we thought they had found a straight for us to overtake at, so we didn’t check our maps, we couldn’t see round a tree and bend. Oleanna sped up to pass as quickly as possible. As we rounded the bend past the tug we quickly realised we were now facing another bend and just as that dawned a boat came round it. More umph needed to avoid collision, thankfully the lady at the helm of the Kate Hire boat kept her cool and both boats passed without touching, the little tug clinging onto the bank for dear life. Hopefully next time they wave a boat past they will wait for a straight length of canal.
Oh my!
Considering the canal was so busy it was surprising that there were so many moorings available. When we reached Bridge 100 we headed for the gap in the hedge, a golden field stretched off across the shallow valley, this would do us for the night.
So how had our new Nebolink done today? Well Oleanna’s location had stayed static for quite some time, then she was shown to be moored in a lock. Then just shortly before we moored up I received an email from Nebo ‘Nebo has detected that Oleanna is moving. Thanks!’ After stopping an email report came through, our journey today had been 0.3 miles! Well we’d actually done 9.3.
New script
In the nebolink there is a white wire which can be attached to a cable that only has power when the engine starts, this will kick start the box into recording a journey. The box being at the bow, this will be hard to achieve, so Mick’s intention is to fit a small switch to the white wire, this will then be turned on when we set off and turned off when we stop for the day. We’ll see if this works.
A rather nice view this evening
Dressing tables, bananas were looked at for panto. A new version of the script needed to be read too before I can make any more decisions. A paper copy is far easier to make notes in so I started to print it out. For some reason printing on both sides of the paper set the fear of whatever into Tilly. There’s a monster in the bedroom! She cowered in a corner. Oh blimey! She didn’t even sit on my lap this evening, I think my toes will be cold overnight too, I’d best knit quicker!
A toe for me
9 locks, 9.3 mile, 0.3 on nebo, 2 route plans not uploading, -£3500? 1 quote on the way, 2 busy, 2 many boats, 4.1, 2 sided printing, 1 scaredy cat, 1 disheartened designer, 1 sock progressing, 3 near misses, 1 Christmas mooring, 1 sunset.
