Category Archives: Narrowboat Maintenance

We Don’t Do Boats. 14th July

St Pancras Cruising Club

Mick rang back a company he’d tried yesterday to see when an engineer might be able to come out to look at our dead washer/dryer. We’d been given several options yesterday regarding payment and we’d decided that £125 to fix it wasn’t too bad, a new one being at least £300, if they couldn’t fix it then £55 would be the call out charge. However when he tried calling the department to see when they would be able to visit the phone just rang and rang and rang. He gave up.

Google suggested several other firms. ‘Sorry we don’t cover that area’ was quite a common response. Others suggested they’d be able to get someone out to us this afternoon. ‘What’s your postcode?’ This was given, handy to be at the Cruising Club and have an address. Then Mick would say we were on a boat. ‘Oh, we don’t do boats. Houses yes, boats no!’

A notice was put on the London Boaters group, but the only suggestion was to buy a new one as they are so cheap now. We’d rather see if it can be mended, but we might just be giving someone some money to look at a totally dead machine.

Eventually a company was found who didn’t have a problem coming out to us on a boat. An appointment made for tomorrow afternoon. Mick called the Harbour Master, Tony to see if we could stay a bit longer in the basin. This was fine and a key holder for the gate into the car park would be found to let the engineer in.

Mick headed off to find a new connecting hose for the washing machine, a longer one would help when pulling it out from it’s cupboard. 2.5m would do and be handy even if we end up having to buy a new machine.

Back onboard I, at last, had a chat with Gemma (Production Manager for Panto). We talked painting the set, a quote for more than my design fee had come in from a scenic artist. I know you can earn more money painting than designing, but when I’d already said I’d paint the show for a top up on my fee! Logistics in our pandemic world make things a little more complicated than before, but hopefully with a bit of thought things will work out.

I decided that as we wouldn’t be moving today that I’d do some work. The drawing board came out and my assistant sat by and watched as I drew up some basic plans for the set of #unit 21. This didn’t take too long, I just need to get them scanned now and sent off for a friend in Leeds to give me a quote.

Mick had another trip to make to Christine’s. A new propmate had arrived for us to replace the one now sat on the bottom of Limehouse Basin. The design has changed a bit since we bought our original one. Now made from pipe with a bent handle and it comes with a wrist strap already attached! Hopefully this one will be with us for longer than the old one.

Being cooped up in the boat all day I had a walk around the Kings Cross development. A meander of a walk took me through the new buildings, many empty. Landscaping and seating is everywhere making for a green environment.

I walked past York Road Station, one of the original stations on the Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway. Opened in 1906 it was designed by Leslie Green and connected to the platforms by two lifts. It closed in 1932, discussions have been made about reopening it, but as it’s quite close to Kings Cross the £21million (2005 estimate) needed to bring it up to modern day standards it is unlikely to happen.

A cinema screen plays to an audience on the steps across the canal. A couple of films are shown a day along with the Tour De France at lunchtimes. All the restaurants and bars were packed, as much as they can be and the whole area had a hubhub about it.

Art covers walls and expensive shops fill an area which used to be full of railway lines delivering coal.

It being Wednesday night it was club night at the Waterpoint the old water tower that overlooks the basin. A glass of wine and being sociable was on the cards, hopefully with a visit to the roof of the tower.

Our luck was in and we got shown up onto the roof. From here views down to St Pancras Station, BT tower, a bit of the London Eye and the numerous cranes which are on the site of the new Google building.

Northwards is mostly railways and tower blocks, but all the same with the sun gradually going down it was still quite a sight.

The roof is what used to be the water tank which used to hold 17,000 gallons of water which was used to fill the tanks of the steam locomotives. In one corner is the ballcock, pretty much like a toilet ballcock only far bigger!

The tower used to be situated along the lines at St Pancras, however it was in the way of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link HS1 so it had to be moved. The tower was split into three, the top two layers moved to behind the lock cottage. A new bottom third was built and the top two thirds were craned in on top. The Cruising Club are custodians of the water tower, it is currently their club house. You’ll find it open to the public several times a year.

The whole area around Kings Cross was a huge coal depot. Where the basin is now used to have railtracks running over the top of it. The gas holders have been moved from their original site and new buildings built within them to suggest the old tanks. Using this link you can see how much the area has changed since 1892 by sliding the button on the bottom left.

Today a new C&RT notice came in

Aire & Calder Navigation Main Line
Location: Lock 11, Ferrybridge Flood Lock, Aire & Calder Navigation

Navigation Closure

Monday 19 July 2021 08:00 until Friday 13 August 2021 16:00

A stoppage is required to replace the downstream gates and cills. Check and repair downstream sluices.

Here’s hoping the end of this stoppage coincides with the breach site reopening.

0 locks, 0 miles, 0 washing machine, 1 engineer booked, 2 new quotes, 1 conversation, 1 set drawn up, 16 more panto photos, 1 dormant station, 2 glasses up on the roof.

Coming Back Round. 13th July

Ballot Box Bridge 13 to St Pancras Cruising Club

Before we got invited to join the tideway cruise we had other plans, this was to venture out to the eastern side of London and onto the Lee and Stort to finish what we started in January 2015. Our cruise then had to be curtailed due to rising water and an imminent lock closure.

So today we carried on back round to where we started last Friday. This should have been quite an uneventful day, some work for me organising the return of overalls to Amazon whilst Mick stood at the helm and brought us in to London.

No visitors in the middle of the night at Horsenden Hill this time

The final pair of overalls were tried on in Huddersfield and didn’t fit so a larger size was ordered and then I went through the website to arrange the return of five pairs. The paperwork took next to no time but a copy of the QR code did not arrive by email for at least an hour. But in the end everything was returned and by the end of the day a refund had been triggered to arrive back to my credit card in the next few days.

Small World still with the tide behind them

Up on deck we were soon caught up by NB Small World, their cruising speed greater than ours. When an opportune moment came Mick pulled over to let them pass.

The pipes that had snaked their way along the edge of the canal close to the temporary HS2 bridge have now vanished, wonder what they had been for? Duck weed is starting to take over though.

Just as we were coming up to a bend to the left near Old Oak a cyclist warned us of a boat adrift ahead. Sure enough there it was just off centre, a big widebeam. There was space to get past. Was it on the bottom? Could we help?

We slowed as we passed it, the front mooring line along with spike were sat on the bow, almost as if someone had pulled the pin out and coiled the rope up ready to push off! It did mean there was some rope we could get hold of. Mick looped the rope over a dolly and started to pull forwards, it wasn’t grounded it just needed some umph to get moving.

Along the towpath there was a big gap where we could pull in past a moored boat that we didn’t want to bump into. Gingerly we pulled the widebeam across slowing and letting it’s bow nudge into the bank rather than our stern. Now what? Would we be able to bang the spikes into the towpath or was this stretch empty for a reason.

C&RT chaps ringing base and left incharge

Fortunately this problem became someone else’s as two C&RT chaps just happened to be walking the towpath. They didn’t mention that they were coming to find an adrift boat, but they ended up with one. We helped nudge the stern in and left one chap holding a rope whilst the other went to their van for a mallet and a bigger spike. Who knows how the boat got in the middle of the cut. A speeding boater? Or someone had assisted it by pulling out the pins, coiling up the rope and giving the boat a push? Anyhow it was back on the bank now.

Onwards. I was waiting for a phone call from the panto Production Manager, to try to sort logistics of painting the show this year. A phone call at lunchtime had been arranged and all the time we were getting closer to Little Venice and Maida Hill Tunnel. We passed NB Small World who’d managed to find a towpath mooring. The water point at Little Venice was occupied so we couldn’t hang around there. Both of Rembrandt Garden moorings were full, although the community space was empty. We carried on and joined a line of trip boats going through the tunnel.

Popping out the other side I was busy trying to get hold of Gemma, only to get her answer phone, as we passed where the work boats and tugs had been two weeks ago. Here containers which had been sat on boats were now half submerged, apparently lots of high vis clothing was hanging up to dry draped around the bank.

We paused for canoeists to come round the bend at Cumberland Basin then we turned the left hand bend towards Camden. Around half of the boats on the moorings were the same as they’d been twelve days before, they were just in a slightly different order and some had turned round. No chance of us fitting in there today.

No Christine today, we’d refrained from telling her we’d be in Camden today for her own safety

The gates to the top lock were wide open waiting for us. As we pulled in the volunteer we’d seen last time appeared like Mr Ben. Today he was the only volunteer on duty.

Now please don’t get me wrong, I like volunteers. I also like doing locks, that’s why I love boating. I can manage lock gates and do not jump down onto boats as they are descending in locks, especially when I can just step aboard below. I also check that the helm is happy for me to start emptying or filling a lock and I would never lift a paddle when Mick was not at the helm of our boat and home! We really must remember to have a whistle at the ready, both on the boat and with the windlass. There is being efficient and there is being an accident waiting to happen!

We then had a short distance to travel back to St Pancras Cruising Club where we had a nights mooring booked. Mick reversed Oleanna into the basin. Boat movements in the last week had made it easier to get the stern in. The bow however was a different matter.

Mick tied the stern off, then pulled us over using the centre line until the bow was close enough for me to pass over the bow rope to him on the gunnel of the boat we’d be facing. A lot of pulling and eventually we were in, nestled against NB Misty Blue again.

We hooked up and got a load of washing ready. Mick closed the door of the machine, pressed the buttons. Nothing! No beep, no light, no click, no nothing! He checked the socket, that worked. He checked the fuse in the washing machine plug, that was fine. Time to pull the machine out.

Everything was built quite tightly, but the washing machine pulls out relatively easily, once you’ve removed the handle of the laundry drawer and the door to the cupboard the machine sits in. As Mick pulled the machine out we both heard the water pump start up. Was this a good or bad thing?

BAD!!!

‘Turn the water pump off!!!’ The switch was switched in the electrics cupboard, towels flung on the floor to soak up the river of water appearing from below the machine. Bu**er! The pipe supplying the machine had broken. This wasn’t the original problem, just one that came along to keep the original one company!

We’ve now got dirty towels and nothing to wash them in!

Mick had look at the machine, but couldn’t find anything obvious. Maybe our Tideway Cruise had caused this. Had the machine been buffeted about on the waves? Well it ‘s in quite a tight fitting cupboard so most probably not.

Water over the skin fitting of the outflow pipe! We’ll put tape over that next time.

Had the ballast inside it caused a problem? Maybe. Or had water come in through the outflow pipe and done something? This is very possible looking back at Adam’s photos of us in the swell on Saturday.

Whilst all this was happening Tilly did her best to investigate things too. I had to pull her out from the electrics cupboard that she’d got half into and round the internal door. Then with the shelving unit pulled out from below the gunnel behind the shower she was trying to get through the gap into the washing machine cupboard too! Doors needed closing, with her on the outside. I was just trying to help get to the bottom of things and lend a paw!

Everything was put back in place, water mopped up, stop cock closed. Time to call an engineer. If it’s a dead machine we’ll need to plan it’s extraction from the boat and where and how to dispose of it. But for now we’ll be wearing slightly more holey clothes.

3 locks, 10.4 miles, 1 left, 1 tunnel, 1 reverse, 1 small minded boat, 1 adrift boat, 1 rescue operation, 0 phone call, 1 over keen volunteer, 1 sideways manoeuvre, 1 dead machine, 1 curious cat.

https://goo.gl/maps/r261ZH111x4vhGqa9

Escapees. 9th July

St Pancras Cruising Club to Limehouse Basin

Did someone say something about moving the outside!?!

Having stayed a day longer than we’d originally planned, today we’d be pushing off. Push isn’t the right way to say it, but I can’t think of a way to put ‘pull’ or ‘tug’ and ‘off’ together without it being rather rude!

NB Chance were assisted out from beside us. Richard pushing the bow out as he walked along a neighbouring boats gunnel, then a throw rope was used from beside the dry dock to pull the bow right out, now engine power could be used to get them out of the basin and weed.

Next it was our turn. Heather came along to wish us well and ended up discovering how heavy Oleanna is whilst giving us a big push. I then had a go with a pole to get the bow a touch further out before a chap by the dry dock introduced himself as Simon, he threw me a rope which was tied off to the bow. He then pulled our bow over out from behind the moored boats. Mick put the throttle into gear and we slowly made our way out of the basin. Others followed.

When we were on our way southwards we’d both had a look at the St Pancras Cruising Clubs website to see if they had any cruises planned. But this section of the website had been empty, we’d both assumed this was due to the pandemic. In the past we’ve never been in the right place at the right time, or the cruises had been fully booked up. However about ten days ago we received an email from Simon asking if we’d like to join their next Tideway cruise there was one space free and it could be ours if we acted quickly. As the cruise was something we’ve always wanted to do but have been cautious about doing just by ourselves, this was an offer we couldn’t turn down.

Mick spent that morning filling out forms, every time he looked at his inbox there was another email from Simon.

The cruising club has a diesel point which is open at certain times, today being one of those, we topped up the tank, only 13 litres needed as we’ve not really been anywhere and been plugged in for a week.

Boats were collecting above the lock, the next locking was ours with NB Albert Victor, we would soon be followed by another two, then another two.

It was good to be moving again, we’re not ones to sit still for too long. Ahead Islington Tunnel. Was that the boats ahead of us, or was someone heading our way? Okay so there wasn’t a tunnel light, but there still could have been a boat coming towards us. Zooming in with my camera I could see a lot of people on board, four maybe, we hovered for a little while, then I could see that it was actually two boats both heading away from us. In we went.

Popping out the other end there was a boat waiting patiently. One more behind us, then another two, they were going to have quite a wait! We told them to be swift getting into the tunnel otherwise they could be there all day!

Here there is a stretch of the new Eco Moorings that C&RT have put in. 7 day moorings with electric hook up so that boats don’t need to run their engines. The moorings are free and you get a code once you have booked to be able to use the hook up.

At City Road Lock NB Chance and NB Thermopylae were just leaving the lock. We were joined by a lady who would only be doing one lock, heading to her next mooring. She was quite casual about the whole thing heading off to buy a coffee as her boat lowered in the lock.

We waited at Sturt’s Lock but now the boats behind had reorganised themselves, so we headed down on our own. As soon as I closed the gates behind us a paddle was being lifted to refill it.

Going through Hackney we got to see the Hackney Sharks. These were to be an installation, singing and blowing bubbles, but Hackney Council won an injunction against them saying they were an unauthorised change of use and a breach of planning permission. So now the sharks sit in a boat waiting to see what will happen to them.

Four years ago we came across some filming in some houses alongside the canal. Today the site is very different, fresh paint and no greenery climbing up the walls.

At Acton’s Lock we were re-joined by NB Victor Albert to go down the remaining locks to Limehouse. Boats of all shapes, sizes and names.

Straight on towards Canary Wharf passing the Hertford Union Canal, gradually the canal got weedier and weedier, but it was still passable. At just gone 3pm we dropped down into Limehouse Basin with the assistance of Kevin from NB Combs Lass. Simon and John were standing along the high wall directing where people should moor. We got a bit of curved wall, but there was a ladder we could use to get on and off.

Soon after we arrived more boats came down into the basin, one pulling up to breast up alongside. Mick went to the stern, I went to the bow to help. The lady passed me a rope saying, ‘Are you Pip?’. A blog reader, well not really. Vicki and I had quite a chat, we were now breasted up with NB Misty Blue another escapee from Goole! Graeme had left a couple of weeks before us having taken advantage of an offer from Little Shuva a tug at Goole who was heading onto the Trent for a job. They shared Ocean Lock and headed down stream, at Trent Falls they had hooked up and Little Shuva took the strain and pulled NB Misty Blue round onto the Trent, Graeme mooring for the night on the Gainsborough pontoon. We’d heard of someone doing this, and now we were moored up next to them.

After a spot of late lunch it was time to start preparing Oleanna for tomorrow. Mick checked the weedhatch, unfortunately dropping our prop mate into the deep water. He managed to pick it up with the sea magnet, only for it to drop off before he could grab hold of it. That will be a new one on order, this time a wrist strap will be attached so this can’t happen again!

Anchors and chains could be heard being brought out from storage and laid somewhere for easy deployment. We headed to look at the lock and at the Thames. We last did this in 2015 when we imagined that one day we’d be heading out of the lock early one summers morning before all the traffic got going. Speed boats hurtled past along with Uber Clippers, waves ricocheting of the opposite bank. Tomorrow we’d be heading out mid morning! Gulp!!

At 7pm there was a briefing held at the Cruising Association. Only skippers allowed due to covid measures. Mick returned with a lot of laminated sheets, approximate timings of our cruise and most importantly the abort plans should we not be able to continue upstream to Brentford. We joined others for a meal and drink at the Cruising Association Galley. Here’s hoping we sleep better tonight than we did before setting forth to do Trent Falls!

9 locks, 5.62 miles, 1 big pull, 1 big push, 2 sharers, 5 sharks, 1 straight on, 10 boats, 9 excited boaters waiting for the tide, 9 experienced excited boaters waiting for the tide, 1st cat added to the spread sheet, 1 propmate lost forever, 1 borrowed, 1 anchor chain and rope, 1 shower full, 1 river reckie, 1 big gulp, 2 laminated sheets, 1 hour briefing, 1 beef pie, 1 salmon and chips, 6 scoops of chilled medication between us.

https://goo.gl/maps/qp7cwgu5hBSJBnjm7

Shooting Buns. 6th 7th July

Huddersfield and St Pancras Cruising Club

Mick has been doing a few boat jobs. He decided to check the fuel filters over, finding a bit of crud in the first and second ones. He replaced the second one and gave the first one a good clean out. A hunt through the lockers for a pipe we bought ages ago was successful. With this pipe you can dip your tank and it gives you a view of what lies down in the dark. The fuel looked just how it should, so no worries there.

Back in Huddersfield Tuesday had me running all the overalls I’d tacked on Monday through the Directors sewing machine. Tacking was removed, excess fabric removed and edges finished off.

The second bubble of actors was in so I did three more fittings. Everyone on Monday had been a small or even smaller! Two of todays actors were the same, so they were fitted with ease. Then there was Toby, I knew he’d be at least an XL, but this only got so far. An XXL got further and Toby did manage to get the zip done up but it was all really quite tight fitting! Unless he lost some weight the seems would only hold for a certain amount of time. It would do for the photo shoot so I pinned the legs up.

By the end of the actors working day I only had one bit of hand sewing left to do which I could do back at the hotel. The studio was set up for a busy day on Wednesday.

Back at the Dark Horse office I sat down with Amy (Director), Lynda (Producer) and Penny (Stage Manager, Technical and Digital person) for a meeting. This was my first face to face design meeting since the beginning of the pandemic. Not a computer screen in view, just a big table, open windows and Bento boxes from the restaurant down stairs. So lovely to be able to interact with people in one room again.

We talked lights on costumes, lights on the set, flooring, projection, colours. My prep work for the set had been worthwhile and a vague idea of what things were likely to cost meant we could be creative yet realistic at the same time. Penny and I were left with a list of things to pursue, I’ll do some technical drawings and get the set priced up in the next couple of weeks.

Wednesday, an early start to get everyone’s outfits ironed and ready for the photo shoot. Two hair dressing stations were set up and we were all ready for the ensemble when they arrived. This is the first time the two bubbles have met up since March last year. Everyone was pleased to see each other even if it was at a distance. It was actually a good job that we were a couple of actors down as it gave us all a little bit more space.

At 11am the photographer arrived, set his big light up and I started to put people into costume. The ladies had their hair done, coloured extensions and braids added to their big space buns. Then the music was turned up and the photo shoot was started. Toby was shoe horned into his overall just before his photos, they were checked over, a few more taken then he could be released from the tight zip.

The amount of energy in that room! Between helping people get changed, sanitising hands I managed to get a few photos myself. Have to say my eyes welled up on a couple of occasions. Here we all were in one room, the thoughts that have cumulated over the last year of lockdowns, all the actors giving their best, the energy, dancing and smiles from everyone was electric. We were back doing what we do, only one thing missing, the audience to share it with.

Today photos were being taken for leading images for the show which will have a showing early next year. The costumes will change a bit between now and then and an XXXL overall will arrive in August for Toby.

The whole day had been scheduled for the photo shoot, but everything went so smoothly that we had finished by lunchtime. This gave me plenty of time to tidy up, make notes and sit around as my train back south wasn’t until 5:15pm. A very good three days work with a great theatre company.

My train back south took me through torrential rain, outside was darker than dark. Then within a ten minute window the clouds cleared and the sun came out. At the cruising club it was club night, the bar was open and a TV set was showing the match, benches were pulled up around the set overlooking the basin.

Mick was having a beer with several people and I joined for a glass of wine and a sociable chat as the sun was starting to dip.

0 locks, 0 miles, 2 trains, 7 actors, 7 overalls, 1 tight squeeze, 672 lots of hand sanitiser, 90 minute photo shoot, 1 electric morning, 1 show just about designed, 4 bento boxes, 3 productive days, 2 filters cleaned, 2 pints 1 glass of wine at the water tower, 1 cat watching the football!

Eleven In A Lock. 19th June

Little Tring Bridge to Berkhamsted Top Lock 53

With the possibility of more rain today we popped on our waterproofs, trousers at hand should the need arise. The going was slow back along the arm and just when we’d given up hope of company from our fishing friend it reappeared.

Another 50 odd photos trying to get one really good one, but terns swoop and dip and dive so quickly it was really hard to keep up with it. One failed dive brought a loud skwark! Bit a few moments later the dip into the water was far more fruitful as it came back out with it’s mouth full of silver fish. This morning we’d seen a much bigger fish swimming past the moored boats, getting on for 18inches long, too much of a mouthful for a tern.

Newish signs warn of a submerged ledge. The one on the way out doesn’t give any indication of where the shelf might be, at least the one on the way back does mention the offside!

I walked up to the bow to act as look out at Bulbourne Junction, nobody coming so we could swing out and return to our route southwards a couple of groups of trainee canoeists slowing our progress.

The development at Bulbourne Wharf has come on in the last couple of years. A new house stands elevated at the end of the plot followed by the old warehouse and workshop buildings all now with new upvc windows that mimic the original metal frames. A block of new builds stands at the back of the plot, still some way to go before they are inhabitable.

The road and towpath are closed by Bulbourne Bridge 133, a new footbridge is being built alongside the road bridge. The bank is being reinforced and so is the edge of the road, a diversion whilst the work is ongoing is through the pub garden.

As we made our way along the tree filled cutting to Cowroast we joined the weekly Geraghty Zoom. Birthday cakes, armless tennis players and flamingos were todays topics, hope Penelope’s 2nd Birthday party went well.

At Cowroast we took advantage of the towpath being on the portside and emptied the yellow water for disposal at the elsan. Another boat had just finished filling with water so we could share the lock. The chap was a single hander who’s knees had known better days so he preferred to pull his boat out of the locks rather than climb back down.

We shared Cowroast and the two Dudswell Locks with him, he was gradually making his way to Berko in time to see the two Mikron shows in a few weeks time at the Rising Sun. So he would pull up somewhere in the pound to Northchurch Lock. He must have found space as we took our time setting the lock and he didn’t show.

All locks so far down from the summit are to be left empty, whether this is to stop water leaking through the walls into nearby properties, or the top gates seal better than the bottom ones who knows, but it does mean that the locks are set against you, all requiring to be filled.

A pump pumped out clean clean water just above the lock, here the greenery on the canal bottom could be seen clearly. As we set the lock Mum and Dad brought their teenage offspring over to say hello, eight cygnets all now with necks long enough to feed from well below the waters surface.

They then stopped pulling at the weed and sat waiting patiently for the gates to open. Oh blimey, they were here for a free ride down the lock! Mick tried throwing fake bread which distracted them towards the stern of Oleanna. I opened the gate, hoping we’d managed to get them far enough away, but no such luck they easily beat Oleanna into the lock. Thankfully the locks are long enough to accommodate ten swans and a narrowboat!

The gate was closed behind everyone and I slowly opened the bottom gate paddles, taking our time keeping everyone safe. Our passengers became impatient as the last foot of water dropped. As soon as the gate opened they were straight out, a quick head count, ten, all were accounted for before I let the gate go into the recess. Swan noises came from below, were they ‘Thank you‘ s or ‘About Bloomin time!’ ?

The house with the garden gate made of branches has a friendly dragon keeping an eye on the towpath and a bunny sits high up for safety.

With all the locks being left empty it means paddles are left up at the bottom end which need closing before you can start to fill a lock. At the two Gas Locks they were both empty, I could see people at the second one so I pushed the bottom gate open at our lock and let Mick know a boat was coming up. I then walked down to see if I could lend a hand.

A cruiser was being pulled into the lock, the chamber was then filled as the lightweight boat bobbed about. The chap then started to pull the boat out from the lock. ‘You’ve got a quiet engine there’, a comment we quite often receive, but this chaps engine was so quiet, it was absent and currently in Rickmansworth being mended. So he was bow hauling his boat up the two locks to the next mooring, to get away from the park and most probably make his 14 day move. He said he’d be back for his other boat a 70fter he’d just bought, also without an engine!

In the top lock, cruiser being pulled along the side of a widebeam

At the second lock there was extra crew, a young lad eager to help open gates. We all let him push the gate on his own, the other being opened by two, blimey he was strong and beat the others to have his gate fully open.

Our turn now, Mick moved Oleanna out of the way for the chap to pull the cruiser out of the lock. As we started our descent the chap could be seen walking along peoples gunnels pulling his boat to get to the next available space.

Footbridge 140A is covered in scaffolding. The towpath has been built out over the canal using temporary pontoon sections. The astro turf on the surface squelched as I walked on it after yesterdays rain. There was plenty of space on the 4hr shopping mooring, so we made use of it for lunch and a top up shop from Waitrose. We managed to time our visit well to coincide with the next round of reductions of the ‘Sad Git’ items. When we were in Newark one winter we got to know the best time to shop at Waitrose and ended up having bargain shops along with free newspapers quite frequently.

There was a space towards the next lock, so we pushed off and claimed our space. This end of the moorings has less footfall and is sheltered somewhat from the trains whizzing through Berko station.

Tilly headed out to explore the narrow strip of friendly cover, although the local birdies weren’t too impressed with her presence! She spent most of her time sitting on the stern watching the world go by. That was until we heard a lot of SHOUTING from a lady who obviously had a dog. The dog had spotted Tilly and thought she looked tasty! Tilly started to puff herself up to be threatening back. But that SHOUTING She kept SHOUTING and SCREAMING at her woofer, so noisy! I decided to protect my precious hearing and retire inside at speed. One needs to keep one’s hearing in good order for hearing friends in the friendly cover.

7 locks, 7.01 miles, 1 tern turning, 1 empty wee tank, 1 Mikron fan, 11 in a lock, 2 engineless boats, 1 handy pole, 4hr shopping spot, 2 wrens, 1 big ginger disobedient woofer, 1 very loud She, 2 hours model making the last bits, I hope.

https://goo.gl/maps/RRnHUmG7NzX1Vcvb9

A Little Bit Disappointing.14th June

Mill Lane Bridge 102

A day to sit in the shadows as the temperature was forecast to rise. So we just about managed a lie in, then enjoyed our Saturday newspaper with a cuppa in bed.

Tilly was given 9.5 hours which she used pretty much all of, just returning for the occasional ‘thank you for coming home’ Dreamie and to check we hadn’t moved the outside with her in it.

Mick filled the stern gland greaser and tightened the stern gland, a job to do when the engine is cold.

I set about hunting for hooded zip front overalls on the internet. Overalls tend not to have too many measurements, height, chest and sometimes waist or across the back. These of course are helpful. But when the majority of your actors have a body shape that does not conform to the average trying to find the right size can be a touch of a mine field. One of the actors would fit a Small height an shoulder wise, a Large chest wise, but a XXXL waist wise.

I worked through one brand hoping I was making the correct decisions on sizes, then found the same overalls elsewhere £5 cheaper with different sizes and measurements! In the end there was only one way to go forward, order one of every other size and get them delivered to me to be measured. This unfortunately meant signing up for Amazon Prime, a service I know a lot of people can’t live without, but it pains me not being able to support smaller companies. At least it’s a free months trial so it’s not costing me or Dark Horse anything and I have already put a reminder in the diary to cancel it before it starts to cost.

A long awaited for chat with David the Director of Chippy Panto regarding the coloured model. One or two small adjustments needed and a few extra bits of dressing are required such as a wheel barrow and a tea urn. He’s considering cutting a whole scene, one that doesn’t progress the plot and would save a lot of puppet making and UV paint.

Then it was back to putting some paint on the costume designs for #unit 21 whilst listening to the Prime Minister delaying the lifting of restrictions for four weeks. Later on the local news we realised just how far down the country we’ve come. Jo from Chippy Theatre was being interviewed with regard to the delay and how panto has been on sale for two years now. Looking at a map, we are currently level in north/southness with Chipping Norton which lies just an hours drive away to our west.

A towpath barbecue was enjoyed with an abundance of asparagus followed by salmon and veg kebabs. The day hadn’t turned out to be that hot, in fact it was a little bit disappointing in the heat department.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 stern gland greased, 1 stern gland tightened, 9.5 hours of towpath frolics, 1 speedy hire boat, 2 many measurements and not enough, 4 overalls ordered, 1 float, 9 costumes half painted, 3 highlight pens required, 1 hour chatting panto, 1 urn, 1 wheelbarrow and a few flowers, 4 more weeks, 2 London Leckenby chats, 1 Fatso windfall, 21 C Max.

Rinsing Down the Port Side. 11th June

Evan’s Bridge 42 to Fessey Bridge 58

About five minutes after lights out last night, Mick already making the sound of a man asleep I heard a noise. I sat upright in bed. What was that?! It was a similar noise to that which Tilly makes when she comes home to find the back doors closed, she jumps up from the board that covers the engine onto the sliding hatch, the engine board making a slight rocking noise which is subtly echoed by being over the engine bay. Who was in the pram cover?

Had we got an intruder? Had the ants come back on mass? Mick being on that side of the bed headed off to investigate.

So much for checking the ropes on a night time and locking up! According to Mick, Tilly must have opened the hatch, all by herself! I gave Tom a Tilly look, She understood my look.

Shortly before Gayton Junction, by a bridge there was what looked like a LOT of rubbish that had been dumped there. But on closer inspection there was a canoe tied up to two mooring spikes. A bag and a rucksack, an assortment of cuddly toys. By the bridge was a carrymat and possibly a sleeping bag. Was someone living on the canoe? Using it to move their possessions? Had they settled by the bridge?

At Gayton Junction we looked down the Northampton Arm, one day we will venture down there and explore new waters, but not this year there are more important things to do this year.

Soon we were approaching Blisworth Mill, looking fine as ever. New houses were going up on the towpath side, this is where Mikron’s van was parked last time we passed, it would most probably now be in someone’s living room.

An interesting greenhouse, wonder if it folds flat for bridges?

Then Blisworth Tunnel. 1.75 miles long it is straight and quite often you can see from one end to the other. Today however the tunnel was full of mist, fogging up our view. We were glad of an extra layer of clothing under our waterproofs because it was decidedly parky in there. Beams from our lights were visible as the light from the northern portal faded away.

Blisworth is wide, two narrowboats can easily pass , which is what happened at the 1km mark. The light from ventilation shafts showed quite clearly in the mist, then the water coming from them would be caught in our tunnel light, a quick mental note of where the heaviest water was before we found out if we’d missed it. One shaft gave the port side quite a good rinse down.

At the southern end we came back out into the sun, a wide beam moored up presumably waiting for a booked passage tomorrow morning. Two narrowboats may be able to pass in the tunnel, but if you came across a widebeam, one of you would have to reverse.

With no one following us through the tunnel we watched people on their boats to see if anyone sprung into action hoping to share the locks ahead. But no such intention was seen. The top lock was full so we went straight in and started to work our way down.

We passed an uphill boat in the next pound which saved opening gates. The next long pound has moorings, but nobody was getting ready to go down hill there either so we carried on.

The next three locks are quite close together, you can get one going and walk to set the next one without too much of a walk. I set the top lock, the next one having just emptied and the bottom gates were being pushed open, the next lock sitting with the gates open waiting.

The boat came out of the lock and went way over to the offside. What were they doing? Then I could see the side of it, an ABC hire boat, maybe they’d got their lefts and rights mixed up and gone drastically off course. Then there was more cabin side visible, ahh they were winding! Another boat came into the lock, soon followed by the hire boat having successfully winded.

I waited for them to start filling the lock before I opened up the bottom paddles, our water could help raise them. By now the lock below had been turned for an uphill boat, so when we’d moved into the next lock we waited again before emptying the lock. I spent the wait admiring the cow parsley growing on the lock gates!

Below Lock 18 you used to be able to walk under the bridge on the offside, but now a very big pipe fills the walkway access blocked by fences.

A chap was trying to open the bottom gate at Lock 19, here only one paddle works and the amount of water leaking in at the top was just about winning. The two of us managed to get the gate moving, he headed off to get his boat. He’d been expecting to share with another boat that was following at the lock below, but instead a Weedon hire boat came along to share. They pulled into the lock, I suspect their second ever uphill lock with the amount of panic showing in the chaps eyes.

The chap at the helm shouted to his wife to hold the boat in at the bow using a rope. I suggested his centre line would be a better idea, he should take his time instead of trying to rush. By now the boat wanted to be on the other side of the lock and fortunately the chap bringing in his boat behind was able to avoid any collision.

Discussions were had how to do the next lock between the hirers. All very well having a plan, but both boats ended up on the same side of the lock! I think the single hander was going to need quite a lot of patience to get up the flight!

Plenty more boats were waiting to come up, the one working paddle creating a queue. Mick wove his way through the uphill boats and brought Oleanna into the bottom lock. Now we just wanted to find ourselves a mooring with a view.

We worked our way past numerous boats, the container boat moored by Bridge 57, I don’t think it can travel very far due to it’s height and straight sides.

Sadly no space showed itself deep enough for us with a view to the east, so we made do with a high hedge and gaps across the way. None of this mattered to Tilly as there was plenty of friendly cover and trees to climb.

Whilst Mick listened to the cricket I set about with a brush, buckets and cloths. Time to spruce Oleanna up. It’s a long time since she’s had a wash, the mooring in Goole wasn’t long enough to make washing the cabin sides easy, then I had work, then there has been the escape and now our continued journey southwards.

After a couple of hours half the roof was clean and the port cabin side was reminded of what shade blue she had originally been painted. One half of the tunnel bands got a good wash and were returned to being shiny again. Just have to wait for the towpath to be on the starboard side to finish the job.

7 locks, 8.61 miles, 1 straight on, 1.75 mile tunnel, 5 mysterons, 1 near escape, 2 many boats, 40% of Oleanna clean again, 60% still revolting, 1 happy cat to have towpath company, 8 actors measurements.

https://goo.gl/maps/yX1v8PUSBXAk55GeA

Plop! 4th June

Alrewas Lock to Kings Orchard Marina, Coventry Canal

Pushing off just a touch earlier than yesterday we weren’t the first to move by any means but we did miss out on any queues that might form later in the day.

Alrewas is such a pretty place with it’s half timbered buildings and thatched roofs. On the narrow stretch it was a relief to see that the boat on the off side was no longer there, the house recently sold. Sadly I couldn’t find the details to have a nosy.

Bagnall Lock despite it’s new (to us) gate beams still doesn’t want the gates to stay shut, luckily Mick had equipped himself with the boat hook to hold them closed for our second attempt.

A greeting came from NB Bridge Street as we passed. They had been one of the boats around Nantwich and Hurleston in the first lockdown last year. I wonder who else we’ll come across this summer?

Fradley Marina is under construction close to Common Lock, the pontoons already numbered. We wondered where the entrance would be, only to find it with a digger moving earth around and a chap stood by the stop planks, still a while before the marina gets connected to the canal system.

We swapped with a boat coming down and headed on up to Hunts Lock, here the first volunteer greeted us, each lock manned at Fradley and advance warning radioed up to the next lock.

Pulling in at the services the café was quite busy. A chap sat with his head in the clouds whilst waiting for his water tank to fill, here is a very slow tap and he’d already enjoyed a cooked breakfast from the café. Fortunately we were only after emptying our yellow water tank and dispose of the rubbish.

Mick got out the adapter and hose connectors for the wee pump whilst I got everything ready inside. Plop! “Oh BUgger!!!” What had gone in the drink? If it was the lid that would be quite easy to replace, but the adaptor would be a problem!

Sure enough it was the adaptor. Time to get magnet fishing and hope that something on it was magnetic. A few dips into the gloom of the canal and fortunately it resurfaced, a jubilee clip coming to our aid. I think we’ll be adding a few more to the adaptor before too long. Now with everything we needed we could pump out the last few days worth of yellow water to dispose of in the elsan.

The lockie at Junction Lock was absent, but the locks are really easy so I just carried on until she returned. Gongoozlers watched our ascent, one little boy being quite disappointed that we’d finished as the gates opened. A lady from an on coming boat had come to help and as the Lockie made a comment about there being a butty with the boat I realised why the ladies face seemed familiar.

The little lad seemed to perk up when I said that the next boat had an extra boat in tow and inside that boat I was pretty sure it would be filled with jam!

Unfortunately I couldn’t remember Helen’s name at the time and we’ve never met and we were now at the point where a conversation would have got in the way of a lot of boats as two were holding back at the swing bridge waiting for us to exit the lock and turn onto the Coventry Canal. She acknowledged that I was correct about the jam just before I headed round the corner to hop back on board, Mick turning as Andy Tidy brought NB Wand’ring Bark and the Jam Butty into the lock.

One of the lockies had made a comment that we were taking the easy route by turning down the Coventry, lock free cruising for 14.4 miles. Well after the miles we’ve done in the last week and a bit, we’re allowed an easy day!

Now on the flat we were on the look out for places to moor. Passing the garden that gets narrower and narrower until a railway line pushes it into none existence. Fields of wheat rippling in the breeze. Streethay Wharf where the diesel is 86p a litre. Here the canal thankfully turns away from the A38 and starts to make it’s way across country towards Fazeley Junction. So far no sign of HS2 handily shown on Waterway Routes maps.

A place we’ve stopped before is Kings Orchard Marina, armco either side of the entrance, we pulled in calling it a day before lunchtime. Tilly was given a couple of extra rules due to our proximity to car parking on the other side of the hedge. Luckily no car would be going fast as the gravel seemed to be quite noisy and would put a curious cat off nosing around too much.

I finished my illustration, scanned it and printed out a couple of copies, then walked down to Hudlesford Junction where a post box sat by a pub ready to receive my offerings. The day had become much hotter than we’d thought it would.

Mick clambered onto the bow to adjust our bow fenders whilst Tilly did her best to find some shade. The lower fender had maybe been a touch too low for river cruising, so Mick had removed it for the last few days. Now we are back on the canals and narrow locks it would be better if it was back on the bow to help protect the paintwork.

The anchor, chain and rope were all given a dip in the canal and then laid out to dry before being put back in the bucket all ready for deployment the next time. However, the next time won’t be for a while so it will all be stowed in a locker, making more space in the well deck.

5 locks, 5.6 miles, 1 left, 1 swung bridge, 1 magnet find, 1 empty wee tank, 1 jam filled boat, 6 hours Tilly time, 2 cards posted, 1 parrot walk, 1 clean anchor, chain and rope, 1 muddy locker lid still, 0 reusable blocks!

Thumbs up!

Oh Pooh! Breach Update 51. 1st June

Shardlow to Sarson’s Bridge 11, Trent and Mersey

An earlier start is required when the canals or rivers are busy, an early boater tends to get the better mooring. So to try to change our habits the alarm had been set for early o’clock, we’ve done earlier but that’s when temperatures are set to soar.

Mick got up to put the kettle on. He turned the kitchen tap to count to eleven/twelve (the correct amount of water to boil for two mugs of tea). A feeble noise could be heard. What was it? Was a small cruiser heading away from the moorings? I lifted the top step to where the water pump lives, it was quietly whirring rather than forcefully pumping.

The battery voltage was checked, 20. Not good it’s normally around 26.something. Lithium batteries can discharge more than lead acid batteries but this was the first time we’ve noticed them being low. After all the cruising we’ve been doing for them to be this low was a surprise. Yes Mick had run the dishwasher after we’d stopped last night, but we’ve done this before when we know the batteries are full after a days cruise.

It was still before 8am so the only way to run the engine was by moving. We had our tea and then pushed off hoping to be able to top up the batteries a touch before breakfast. Maybe the amount of bird poo on the roof had drained the voltage away!

We passed JD Narrowboats, plenty of shells sitting about waiting to be fitted out. Most would need grit blasting before a coat of paint could be applied as rust has set in from sitting about for a year or more.

Shardlow is so pretty. A wisteria arch at the bottom of a narrow garden, followed by a K6 surrounded by willow. The old warehouses glowing orange in the morning sunlight, hopefully one day they will be given a new lease of life. The clock warehouse sat peacefully, no doubt the pub being a pull on a summers evening.

Shardlow Lock sat empty, waiting for us, the lock cottage wearing a wisteria moustache. Up Oleanna came. This is the easiest of the broad locks at this end of the T&M, the others have big heavy gates to hold back the depth of water, hopefully we’d come across someone to share the others with.

Just past the line of permanent moorings there was a space. A couple busied themselves pushing out. Were they keen to find a partner for the big locks ahead, no they’d not spotted us, when they did they pulled back in to let us pass. We of course then just pulled in grounding where the bottom was too close to the top. A reverse and we found more depth and stopped for breakfast. Our batteries were already showing improvement after half a mile.

An hour later we pushed off again, a couple of boats having passed us so we knew we’d have a wait at Aston Lock. Here there was a pair of boats waiting to come down too.

I walked to lend a hand and have a chat whilst Mick secured Oleanna’s bow with a rope. As these deep locks empty they can push the bow right out and if you are only tied up on a centre line this can be a problem.

We were soon in the lock, followed by a small cruiser that was out for the day. They soon stopped where the towpath was wide enough to sit out with shade from some trees, a nice relaxed day planned before returning to their mooring.

At Weston Lock two boats had joined the uphill trend so there was a wait again. Here the gates can be a right pig, heavy and not want to come out of their recesses but fortunately by the time it was our turn another boat had appeared behind us and a crew member from the following boat came to help too. Many hands as they say.

We shared the lock with NB Purple Emperor the couple of board were heading to the Gloucester and Sharpness. He was wanting to go down the Severn to Bristol for a second time, but his wife wasn’t too keen! Should that be our next big adventure? Or the Wash? Or the Humber? Who knows, for now we were just enjoying being back on a canal.

Three canoes tucked in behind us after the lock, they then spent a lot of energy paddling to get past us. Maybe they don’t realise that boats slow down as they pass moored boats, then speed up once past. They overtook us then slowed down again, a touch slower than we’d normally cruise at. So we pootled along behind.

Yesterday we’d got ahead of schedule, today we thought we might keep that up, climbing the next two big locks before the canal becomes a narrow canal, having a locking partner now this maybe would be wise. But behind the canoes it was slow going. Then trees offering some shade, an almost view of the River Trent and a wide towpath suitable for our barbecue came into view. We pulled in and called it a day.

The batteries had recovered, but some investigation was required once everything had cooled down.

Tilly headed off to explore the trees and friendly cover for the afternoon, life returning to some sort of boat normal.

I spent much of the afternoon getting the blog up to date. Our adventures over the last week have taken quite a bit of writing about. Not just an hour whilst having breakfast! I really must stop taking SO many photos and edit them before I even take them!

Once the engine had cooled down Mick went into the engine bay to check the batteries to see if one of them was causing a problem. They all had the same voltage which was at 26.11, so no problem there. It must have been the running of the dishwasher once we’d moored up that did it. We’ll keep an eye on them over the next few days, hopefully there’s not a problem.

I made a start to an illustration which we’ll use as a card for people lodging in our house. I’m hoping to do a series of canal scenes to sell, but I’ve not had the time as yet to start on them.

All set up, it’s charcoal in the coal bag honest

This evening we dug out the barbecue for our celebratory meal, it was also our first of the year. The bag of charcoal we bought from Bollington Wharf isn’t even half used so should keep us going this summer.

A very pleasant meal with asparagus, veg kebabs, salmon with ginger and soya sauce, all followed by bananas with chocolate and of course a glass or two of wine. Tilly missed all of this as by 6.30pm she had totally worn herself out. They made me use all six hours finding and consuming friends, they made me!

3 locks, 4.09 miles, 1 early start, 20! 1 early but late breakfast, 2 locking partners, 4 legs outs, 1 early stop, 8 spears, 4 kebabs, 2 salmon steaks, 2 bananas, 8 cubes chocolate, 26.11, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval,1 evening of speedy circuits, phew!

https://goo.gl/maps/8cqBFefwFnRJA41Z7

Breach Update

With the weather having improved Mark has been back to the breach site with his drone. Quite a lot has happened there.

A second line of piling has been put in in front of the line we’d seen a couple of weeks ago.

I can’t see from Marks photos if the outer line of piling goes right across the drain below, it might do.

The cofferdam has some water in it. Not sure if this is intentional as I can’t see any pumps or pipes that would have been used to do this.

Below in the drain the water looks cloudy as if water is coming from within the cofferdam. Possibly water is coming round over the top of the drain as it did when the breach first happened. If it is hopefully this is intentional.

A large mound of what might just be earth is towards the south east end of the cofferdam, it’s surface higher than the water.

Thank you Mark once again for the photos.

The Goole Escape, Danny’s 17th. 24th May

Selby Basin

Today passage had not been possible due to staffing shortages. Nigel was at Naburn this morning to pen a cruiser down onto the river, this would mean there being nobody available to pen us at a suitable time of the tide, so today had not been an option. This did however mean everyone had their radios on to listen in.

Around about 9am we could hear one side of a conversation on Channel 9, the cruiser was approaching the bridges. We all gathered at the lock hoping to see what we could see.

The amount of trees not only inhibit an advanced view of the lock, but also there are only a couple of places you can stand to be able to see Selby Rail Bridge swing.

Air droughts were checked with the bridges. Yes they would need to swing. The cruiser was told to hang back whilst permission was sought for the Rail Bridge to swing. There was a gap in trains so the bridge keeper commenced the procedure. Selby Toll bridge followed suit, the traffic there a lot easier to stop.

Once the bridges were open the cruiser was allowed through, having to turn back round to go with the flow.

The skipper wasn’t aware that there was another bridge coming up, Selby Bypass Bridge, so we could hear conversations on the radio down there. Hope they made it to Grimsby okay.

Yesterday David had sent through a set of charts for Trent Falls, the Lower Ouse and the Lower Trent. Humber Charts. These lay out not only the depths of channel, but also the heights of the sand banks above the lowest tides, it is essential to understand these sections of the rivers. We printed them out, all the figures too small to read, ideally you’d want them on a computer so as to be able to zoom in at any given time. Under cover this would be possible, but we prefer to cruise with our pram hood down, giving better visibility all round, this does however have the drawback of things getting wet should it rain.

Mick headed off to chat with David about the charts as I set too hoping to make the most a spare day to get some work done. I put together a story board of panto with photographs of my model and emailed it off to keep others informed.

A blue van came past the chink in the curtains, Nigel was here, he pulled up alongside Sea Maiden. Time for the escape committee to convene.

David had been looking again at the weather at Trent Falls for tomorrow. The patches of sun were now replaced by rain and thunder, wind a touch more than we’d had on our journey up to Selby. He wasn’t too keen. The weather for Thursday looked much much better, sunshine and gentle winds. Tides would mean a later start, therefore a later finish. Another option would be to go to Barmby Barrage a day before and set off from there saving an hours cruise, giving us an extra hour in bed.

Martin and Wendy on Lulabelle are thinking of staying in Selby to wait for the swing bridge at the end of the basin to be mended. A notice a couple of days ago had suggested the bridge would be lifted out mid to late June, opening up the navigation again. At the other end of the Selby Canal there is currently a height restriction at Tankards Bridge. Nigel confirmed that this was set at 7ft, a scaffolding bar flattening off the arch of the bridge. With the current fluctuation of the canal level with water coming off the fields 7ft was a safe height. This of course means Sea Maiden wouldn’t be able to go that way until the bridge is mended. The dredging on the Aire is scheduled for around about now, so the rest of the way back onto the Aire and Calder Navigation should be fine.

Nigel called someone up to enquire if there was any more news of the basin swing bridge, there had been a big meeting last Friday with lots of pointing going on. Permission is still need for a road closure from the council, then works can begin. The official line still being around three weeks.

Maybe in a couple of days time passage up to York would be possible, the fresh water having decreased by then. Time waiting for suitable tides and weather could be done whilst bobbing back and forth between Naburn and York. The next morning tides not for a couple of weeks.

Conversation came back to Thursday. Low tide at Trent Falls would be 16:24. The cruise from there with the incoming tide would be around a couple of hours to reach Keadby Lock. So arrival would be around 18:30 maybe a touch later. All fine until the Keadby Lock Keepers hours were checked. Currently the shift finishes at 20:00, but Thursday 16:30! Oh B***er!!! We’d still be two hours away.

Maybe we could carry on to Gainsborough and moor on the pontoon there overnight and be up early for the next incoming tide? Maybe!

This would be further than David and Karl had planned and the conditions would need to be spot on for them to go, they may stay and pootle up to York for a bit waiting for the next set of suitable tides and lock opening hours.

Nigel would still be here at a suitable time to let us out tomorrow morning if the forecast improved and we decided to go for it.

We chatted through the charts with David. Learnt of another useful app called Anchor Watch. You can set the position of your phone (boat) on the app and should your phone move by more than 20m an alarm will sound. We then all went away to think things over.

I got the drawing board out. Time to update my technical drawings for panto. Not too much has changed so alterations and a tidy up adding title boxes to my plans. I worked through most of them before it was time to pack up for the day.

Mick busied himself in the engine bay. The new bilge pump he’d put in a little while ago hasn’t been working. It makes the right sort of noise, but no water has been pumped over board. Yesterday he’d had a look at it, maybe the bodge job he’d done fitting it had failed!

The new bilge pump has a wider diameter fitting than the old one did. This means that the pipe from the skin fitting is too narrow to fit onto it. Mick has added a short length of narrower pipe which fits inside both pipes. This is taped and jubilee clipped in position as a temporary fix until we can get some pipe of the correct diameter.

Now we watch the weather, river levels, and wind. What else could be added to our escape calculations?

Ah Yes! The Trent Aegir!

0 locks, 0 miles, 0 penning, 2 cruisers zooming by, 1 postponed cruise, 3 charts, 3 weeks, 1 very helpful Lockie, 4:30 clocking off, 3 to 2 to 1 possibly, 8 sheets, 3 pipes become 1, 3rd episode LOD, 1 cat who has given up all hope!

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna