NB Victoria next door was covered in frost again this morning, the pontoon was slightly white too. Was the weather really going to change so dramatically?!
We took our time to get up reading our Saturday newspaper at leisure, then joined the Geraghty Zoom. New sofas were absent, football baubles and benylin were all discussed. Then it was time for breakfast. Giant tomatoes ruled the plate today.
Time to try to make Oleanna look a bit festive. I needed to find some wire to hold bits of greenery together first. In a box in the cat proof cupboard I found the wire, I also found bags of press studs. Time to digress.
For months one of the poppers on a blind on the front door has been broken, the bit that goes through the fabric having come away. So for months we have lived with a corner of the blind hanging down. We’ve also lived with not being able to roll that blind up to see out of that side of the door.
A hammer was found in the ‘shed’ cupboard. Using the table didn’t prove to be solid enough, so I moved to the floor with a mat under the base to protect the floor. On my second attempt it worked! We can now sleep in darker conditions, well until the popper falls out again which it will do. I think the punch tool actually needs to be a very tiny bit bigger to get a better hold.
By now outside it was raining. The precipitation started off bouncing off the gunnels of the boats either side, then it just turned into wet rain. Any whiteness on top of the ice vanished quickly, we were now into plus temperatures.
Bag of potential
My bag of ivy was sorted through. The long straggly bits went together in a circle easily, but were just too weedy. Then chunkier bits were joined together, but they didn’t make a pleasing shape. In the end I used the long bits and added into it sprigs of chunkier ivy to beef it up.
Needs beefing up
We had a discussion as to whether it would be better to add battery powered fairy lights or should the long string of lights, we’ll be adding soon, be wound into the wreath. I decided that it would be easier to put the battery powered lights in, if Mick fancies adding even more from the long string then fine.
Just a ribbon needed to help secure it
Once the lights were wound round I added the dried seed heads, which are really quite fragile. They may or may not survive being on the bow. Only thing needed now was a dry ten minutes to put it on the cratch. That didn’t happen, so it ended up sitting in the well deck away from Tillys chewing teeth.
Solid under the surface
By the end of the wet day, the ice surrounding us was now submerged under water. Will we be able to move tomorrow? It would be good, but we don’t think it will be possible, the ice was really quite thick. We’ll be patient.
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 popper/press stud mended, 1 dark bedroom again, 3rd go at wreath, 1 cooked breakfast, 2 invisible sofas, 2 boaters waiting for someone else to move first, -2C to 10C in 14 hours.
It’s been going to happen, inevitable really with -6 or -7C overnight. Oleanna this morning was frozen in solid. No sea legs required on board this morning. The sliding galley window above the cooker is also frozen shut and the condensation on our bedroom window in the morning is solid! Oh for double glazed windows and thermal break frames! But where does all the moisture in the air go to in such situations? It’s still there. Does it just find another cold surface to condensate on? Like in the back of cupboards, under the gunnels? I think I’d rather see it and mop it up than discover damp clothing.
Brrr!
The weather forecast for next week is looking like there should be a thaw, but how long will it take? The only boats trying to move at the moment are the coal boats, and a few odd bods. NB Bargus one of the coal boats on the four counties ring had been forging on until today when 3.5inch thick ice stopped Jason’s progress. NB Mountbatten on the Llangollen, managed 50 yards before the ice was too thick, so Richard ended up reversing back to his mooring, another attempt to move will be made tomorrow.
All the groups are full of discussions about breaking ice. Back in the day there were special icebreaking boats with extra pointy bows to help cut through the ice. Some boats had rigs that the crew could hang onto as they rocked the boat from side to side cracking the ice.
Footage of our next door neighbour breaking ice was come across thanks to a link from Brian on CWF. I wonder if they’d be willing to have a few turns around the marina on Monday to break everything up for us.
A tap on the roof mid afternoon turned out to be a chap from across the way. He had our new water pump! Mick very quickly fitted it and water pressure was restored. It’s noisier than the last good one, but we can cope with that.
Wonder if it’ll give us turbo power?
Mick tried leaving our ash pan next to the water tap, he also poured hot water over it. No joy, still frozen. He then walked up and down trying taps and found one still with a flow a bit further along. Time to fill the tank. The immersion heater was turned on and later on in the day I enjoyed my first shower since London. Oh it’s good to have clean hair again.
Ooo water again!
Later on in the day Oleanna broke free from the ice and was bobbing about again as we moved around inside. Fingers crossed it keeps thawing.
Frost caught by the sun
Saturday, both of us were wanting to head back into town to the Ventura Retail Park to do more shopping. However getting there was proving so complicated. Two buses each way, or a longish walk at both ends of one bus. Buses only every two hours made it hard either to have sufficient time to do shopping or to be back on board for a festive zoom. Looking at the maps we decided we’d do our best to pull in once past Fazeley Junction, then we could walk to the retail park. Here’s hoping we manage to get moving with enough time to conclude our Christmas shopping!
We’ll be following that blue boat
Mick popped over to the office to pay for the new water pump. Word is that at least two boats are hoping to be able to escape on Tuesday. NB Capricorn being one of them is moored further into the marina than us. Hopefully they will do the job of breaking what ice there is, if they manage to escape we will be close behind them.
Cuddling coal
Our coal, delivery arrived just before lunchtime. 10 bags of unknown smokeless coal. Here’s hoping it’s good as our roof and well deck are now filled with it.
Across the road from the marina we’d spotted some ruins when we arrived. I headed over with the garden sheers hoping of finding some ivy to make a wreath.
Alvecote Priory
Alvecote Priory was founded in 1159 by William Burdett who on returning from a crusade stabbed his wife as he’d believed she’d been unfaithful, the monastery was founded for his penance. The ruins that can be seen today are from a house which was built using the stone from the Benedictine Priory. A large arch stands at one end and hidden nearer the canal is quite a substantial Dovecote which would have been two storeys and been able to house 350 birds.
Big arch and me
The trees and bushes around the area provided me with three differing types of ivy and some old seed heads were also picked. The seed heads are quite fragile, but if they survive they will add a bit of interest to my wreath.
The iron came out and was used to add patches of felt to a 40 year old duvet that is currently adding insulation to us over night. Sadly the fabric is starting to give up and leave feathers everywhere. If I can keep it going for a while longer before I sew it into another cover, that will be good.
Fuzzy felt duvet
Mick headed to try to find a parcel and send another on it’s way. There is plenty of stuff that’s been thrown onto the ice of the canal, including a supermarket trolley under Bridge 70. If it’s still evident when we reach the bridge we’ll have a go at hoiking it out.
The surface of the canal is now showing signs of a thaw, puddles appearing on top of the ice. The tap by our mooring was back working, so a top up of the tank was soon followed by plenty of clothes going through the washing machine.
Grumpy chops
A catch up festive zoom with the Scarborough chums was had with festive hats, mince pies and lots of cheer. Good to see those who could make it and sending festive to cheer to those who were battling with snow to be with family or plumbers.
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 new pump, 1 boat frozen solid, 2 pottering days, 2 awol parcels, 1 on it’s way, 10 bags coal, 1 boat starting to free up, 2 loads washing, 6 chums, 1 bag of ivyness.
Christmas card day today. The selection of image this year was pretty straight forward and now that the format has been saved it is quite an easy thing to swap images out from last year, amend the writing then print them out. It used to take forever, with quite a lot of swearing accompaniment.
It’s spitting paper!
A round robin summation of our last year was put together last night and this morning needed a slight alteration as I’d omitted a visit to Birmingham early in the year. With that sorted copies were printed out. Tilly couldn’t cope with the backwards and forwards of the paper in the printer. It kept spitting them out and then swallowing them again! Errgh!!
Cards were scored, trimmed and folded. Greetings written, signed. All ready for stamps. We had quite a lot of left over stamps from previous years, this was the time to use them all up as come next year they won’t be valid. Still a few short and only one large letter stamp remaining.
Even Tilly’s been wrapping presents
#unit21 emails flew around for a while this morning along with whatsap messages from Amy. Lots of trainers were being tried on in Huddersfield, a smaller boiler suit had arrived for the smallest member of the company. A short list of returns will be compiled next week. A good days fittings without having to travel north.
Icy out the back
Mick topped up the water tank. Dish washer and washing machine put to work. However the water pump with the tick started to leak*. The one with the question mark was fitted. This lasted long enough for Mick to have a shower. It was very noisy especially when Mick went to check on it and it was also leaking*, *oll8cks!!!
The third untested pump was fitted. This was quiet, very quiet! It worked, but not very well. The pressure of water coming through the taps was considerably different to normal. With the old pump we know that if you count to 7 and a little bit you have just the right amount of water in the kettle for two mugs of tea or coffee. With this pump we resorted to filling a mug twice, possibly to a count of 20!
Most certainly not enough pressure for a shower. Here’s hoping delivery delays don’t affect our new pumps arrival.
Pastry making
In the afternoon I chopped up some butternut squash, drizzled it with oil and wrapped it in foil on an oven tray, popping it on top of the stove to gradually cook by itself. As it sizzled I made up a batch of sweet pastry for a second batch of frangipane mince pies. Adam had pointed me to the recipe he uses, but it lay behind a paywall. I’d been given enough information to adjust my gluten free pastry recipe, the zest of an orange and to use the juice instead of water to bring it all together. It certainly smelt festive.
The multifuel stove was also used this evening to cook risotto rice for our evening meal. Everything got going on the hob then once the chicken stock was simmering the cast iron pot was popped on top of the stove to carry on bubbling away. It cooked in half an hour, peas and the squash added. Very tasty with a bit of cheese on top.
Butternut squash and chicken risotto
I’d found a knitting pattern for a rabbit, so I cast on the head and worked my way through the pattern. I’ll need to get a bit of stuffing for it once it’s knitted. Progress was slowed somewhat as we watched the last episode of The Serpent which had been broadcast ages ago. Blimey that man was horrid!
0 locks, o miles, 3rd del boy pump, 1 proper one on order, 1 soggy bottom step, 30 round robins, 45 cards, 3 parcels, 1 new recipe pastry, 9 pairs trainers, 1 overall.
A stunning view, but will we ever escape?!
Erratum
*Having not been able to stick my head in the bottom step to observe the problems with the pumps myself, I have had to rely on information passed to me from Mick, who did have his head in the bottom step. This information led me to believe that each and every pump Mick tried leaked. This was incorrect, they simply just stopped working!
Mick was into the engine bay early this morning as last night I’d been able to hear a slight squealing noise, Mick had only been able to hear it with the engine board lifted. This morning he gave the alternator belt a tighten and that seemed to do the trick. He does however have a slight thought that the bearings may be going!
Tilly still isn’t enamoured with our mooring, but she’ll have to put up with it for a few days as access to Rugby Station is required.
The coal skuttle was filled up, yellow water emptied then Mick had an early lunch whilst I had a lemsip. I think these post Christmas show colds are sent by your body to enforce you into having time off, which is good for me right now as resting my calf muscle is the most important thing.
Receipts and tissues
A little before midday Mick set off for the station, a visit to Scarborough needed to meet a plumber. A convoluted route north took him via Sheffield and Hull meaning a saving of at least £20, but he did get to see the Humber Bridge and wave to his Mum.
Back on board Tilly and I had a quiet day. It was time to sort out my expenses from Panto and invoice for the weeks painting I did before rehearsals started. The big stack of receipts were sorted through and then logged on the computer. Scanning followed and all was done. I’ll soon need to update my accounts for last year and file my tax return, maybe in the next few days.
He didn’t do it
Later part of the afternoon was spent in front of a Lewis episode, the one where poor Robbie gets to meet the chap who killed his wife. This was followed by more lemsip and some courgette, pea and feta fritters. The recipe gets better each time I do it, but before I share it with you I’ll need to make a batch of them when I haven’t got a cold.
Fritters
0 locks, 0 miles, 0 steps of the boat, 2 short explores by Tilly, 3 trains, 1 cold house, 1 invoice, £300+ expenses, 1 Lewis, 1 stove piled high, 6 fritters, 2 left for lunch tomorrow.
An early start to meet my lift into Peterborough. Ken from NB Cleddau had very kindly offered to give me a lift to the station this morning saving me sitting defending my model box on the bus as well as trains and the tube today. We arrived in plenty of time, I bought my ticket and then had to wait until 8:30 before the barriers would let me through. I was catching the slower Thameslink train to St Pancras, if I’d waited another ten minutes I could have got to London earlier but it would have cost another £90! I was happy enough sat watching Brampton and St Neots go by, only one boat moored on the GOBA mooring where Tilly got stuck behind the double fence weeks ago.
Panto Model on tour
A quick transfer onto the tube and I was soon walking up to Abi’s house in Golders Green. Today the meeting would just be Abi and myself working through the show scene by scene, scene change by scene change. A few notes were taken for small amendments, but generally all was good. When it came to the troublesome scene I had taken three options with me just in case. I set up the latest which thankfully got the thumbs up! Just some minor adjustments to make it even better. Hooray!
We were joined by Gemma the production manager for the last hour to chat through anything that might be problematical, then tucked into a bowl of soup whilst chatting props. A very productive three hours.
The water tower at St Pancras Cruising Club at the end of the road
Meanwhile my phone kept making noises. News was coming through from Oundle. This morning NB Barbarella who have been moored on the lock landing at Whiston Lock were woken by engineers working on the broken lock. At around 10am I got a message from Mick saying that the lock was open again. Hooray!!
I passed the good news onto Cleddau. But so far no news of Islip Lock.
At 12:30 my phone pinged again. The engineers who’d mended Whiston had just completed works at Islip Lock which was now also open. Hooray!!! Our way ahead is now clear, I just need to get things in the post and then we can push off.
The model managed to have a seat to itself on the way back too
Ken met me at the station again and brought me back to Oleanna who had moved. During the afternoon NB Shadow had decided that they would head off and obviously needed their hook up lead they’d lent us back. There was still credit where they had been moored so Mick moved us up to plug in there instead, our old space soon taken over by NB Charlotte May.
Mick had spent the day washing what ever he could find. The chimney was swept, the boat hoovered through, water tank filled, a busy day. Tilly spent much of the afternoon being adamant that NB Charlotte May was actually Oleanna, she had been inside when Mick had moved the outside but sometimes scent is more persuasive to her than looks. Good job she didn’t go for a walk through of their boat as they have two woofers in residence.
Showing the model on zoom
At 7:30 this evening Mick retreated to sit outside under the clubhouse canopy whilst I took over the dinette table. It was time to do my Final model presentation to Producers, the Writer, Production Manager and Technical Manager. To get a reasonable view of the model it was set up on a couple of shoe boxes and moved to about 14 inches away from the laptop, I had to perch on a radiator as I showed everyone through the model. Another good meeting, half a days work to do tomorrow and then we can be off! HOORAY!!!!
0 locks, 55ft reversed, 2 trains, 2 tubes, 1 shower, 5 thumbs up, 2 mended locks, 1 full tank of water, 1 chimney swept, 1 confused cat, 4 faces almost in my model box, 1 very BIG thank you to Ken for the lifts today.
Not being able to go through Stanground Lock today we had a choice, to stay put on the rural mooring (24hr mooring) or move on and be that bit closer to Stanground for Saturday morning. We chose the latter to cut down on the cruise to get us there for 10am.
Middle view
We un-flung our ropes off the big posts, crossed over Angle Corner, no other boats in view, then I headed back to work below whilst Mick pushed against quite a flow towards Whittlesey.
Fresh air!
A temporary method of holding the mesh in place meant I could have the side hatch open today, Tilly wasn’t too bothered as she was busy having her morning nap, dreaming of Mrs Tilly stamped moorings in the middle of nowhere with no woofers and an abundance of friends.
That’s flowing well
After an hour of work I came back up top ready for Ashline lock. Up ahead we could see the flow coming round the bywash, would this pin us to the lock landing?
At the lock a chap had just arrived and was walking over to the weir with a handle, presumably to adjust how much water was coming through. The lock was full, so required plenty of turns to the slackers for it to slowly empty. Chatting to the chap he said that the Middle Level had been struggling for water for much of the summer, so they were glad of any water they could get, and blimey it was thundering round the lock. Just to raise the lower level by an inch would take time as the drains stretch off in many directions for miles.
Will Mick be able to get her moving?
With Oleanna in the lock Mick passed a rope up to hold her to the side. I started to wind the slackers up. Round and round the windlass/key went. 78 times and 60 times. The force of the water coming into the lock nothing like that going round the bywash. It took forever to fill, almost time to have a morning nap ourselves! Good job we’d roped up to stop her from being bashed about all over the place!
Nearly at the top, only another ten minutes to go!
We pulled in behind NB Nina on the moorings. Gave Tilly six hours, knowing that she was unlikely to make the most of her time, due to the number of woofers and the lack of friendly cover.
Back at work I concentrated on a few versions of my troublesome scene. By the end of the day I had three versions, here’s hoping Abi takes to one of them, I know which one I prefer.
Mick sat out at one of the picnic benches and had a go at mending the water pump that he’d removed yesterday. He thinks it’s sorted again, we’ll see!
Around 7pm a boat pulled up heading towards Stanground. With no space left on the mooring we offered for them to breast up to us, which they accepted. They are booked for 10:15am at the lock, so both boats will be up and off early.
1 lock, 2.67 miles, 1 straight on, 1 fast flow, 1 pump mended for the third time, 1 unimpressed cat, 1 very VERY slow filling lock, 1 woofer neighbour, 3 versions of Petiti, 1 designer with her fingers crossed.
March Visitor Moorings to Angle Bridge Rural Mooring
As I picked up the few things that end up on the floor alongside my side of the bed this morning, I noticed a little glistening under the front steps. Then I remembered that yesterday I’d nudged the mat that lives at the foot of the steps and had noticed a few faint lines on the floor, I’d immediately put this down to the floor needing a good sweeping. Then I remembered that whilst the washing machine had been on yesterday I’d heard a slightly different noise as the machine had been filling. One should always make a comment about such noises, but one doesn’t always get a convinced reply back, so one doesn’t always mention things. I have the better hearing of the two of us, well Tilly most probably beats me but she rarely says anything we can understand.
Delving into the depths of the steps
Everything was lifted up off the floor, the mat lifted to reveal a puddle that capillary action had been holding there. The lids of the steps were opened to reveal a very wet area. Either the water pump was the cause or we had a problem with the water tank! We’d prefer the former if we had a choice.
How many nappies and water pumps does it take to fill a step?
The water pump was turned off, water was mopped up and nappies put under the steps to soak up more as we had our cuppa in bed, we’d not be moving on as being in March might prove useful should we need to purchase things.
Just have to see how the floor dries out
The kettle was filled and my paint pot before there was no water left in the pipes. Mick tinkered away inside the steps. It looked like the main body of the pump was leaking. Under the steps there were several spare pumps, which had been bought last year when Mick had found a leak. These pumps were known to have a possible problem when bought (long story, being sold cheaply I think we ended up with three), Mick had put two of them together and come up with one that would possibly be problem free, this would do for the time being.
The pump that was leaking today was the one that had sprung a leak last year, Mick had mended it and it’s lasted us nine months, so not bad. The pump was turned back on, fresh nappies put beneath it, a fan positioned to help with ventilation, Tilly locked out of the bedroom.
I worked away whilst Mick headed out to the shops. We needed a few nails to make the cat proof screen for the side hatch along with some staples to attach the mesh with. We’d run out of damp crystals so more of those were bought, two big bags to refill our containers.
Thank you March
By lunchtime we were convinced that a temporary solution to the leak was working, we decided to move on and out of town, hopefully so that Tilly could have some shore leave. I stayed up top until we’d passed Foxton Marina, having a nosy at all the numerous sheds and things that people have in their back gardens.
A group of young lads were hanging about under a bridge. We engaged in conversation, only for one of them to throw what turned out to be a none existent stone at us. We both winced unnecessarily.
The going was slow. Weed, the occasional blast of reverse needed. Mick had his instructions. After about an hour to go right, then another hour and we’d reach the rural mooring we hoped to moor at, I would continue to work below.
Hanging gunnel garden
The occasional look out o the windows showed a narrowboat with tomato plants along it’s gunnels, several ripe ready for picking. I bobbed up top to make sure Mick made the correct turn and then carried on working below.
Mick matching the sky
My work wasn’t as productive as I’d hoped today. That one scene (Petiti) still being a problem. I’m not convinced by the current solution, but need to come up with a better one. This along with not trusting Tilly to be able to work with the hatch open meant that inside the boat was getting very stuffy and fractious.
Angle Bridge
Angle Corner came up and the posts we wanted to moor to. We pulled in and quickly realised we’d not be getting off here. The depth was not sufficient to get close to the mooring poles and our plank not long enough to reach dry land. If we let Tilly out we’d not be able to get to her should there be a problem, so much to her annoyance shore leave was cancelled.
Our posts to tie to today
During the afternoon Mick had called ahead to Stanground Lock to see if we could book a passage through tomorrow afternoon. This would not be possible as at the moment there was too much water in the River Nene. Instead of the excess water being allowed to run out to sea it was being sent down onto the Middle Level where it would be of more use. Tina said we’d most probably notice a bit of a flow, this was obviously why our progress had been a touch slower than expected.
Against the bottom not the side
Along with the extra water, they had problems with weed on the Nene side of the lock, they’d had three boats get stuck there today. A booking was made for Saturday morning when hopefully the Nene would have returned to more normal levels.
0 locks, 8.33 miles, 1 puddle, 1 broken water pump, 1 stripy floor, 10 litres crystals, 1 scene not good, 1 model box requiring more mending than originally thought, 1 stroppy cat, 2 temporary measures, 2 much water ! who’d have thought it.
PS The pork pie from Upwell, was reasonable but had a few bits of gristle, it won’t be going on the must stop and purchase list of pork pies.
Cawdle Fen GOBA Moorings to Little Thetford EA Moorings
Opening up the hatch
Plans change when you are on a boat. We’d planned to stay put today as we’d be experiencing the hottest day this year, so far. But as we had our cuppa in bed we decided to move on. Not sure if Tilly’s tale from yesterday of woofer chasing was the truth, we didn’t want to be sat all day with the doors closed for her safety, or with them open wondering how safe she was with three roaming woofers about. The advantage of being on a boat is that if you don’t like your neighbours you can move, not that we didn’t like them, we just wanted Tilly to be able to come and go in safety.
Bye bye
So even before breakfast was considered we pushed off and aimed for the next mooring south. Dipping under the bridges Ely Cathedral vanished behind the concrete.
Soham Lode
We passed Soham Lode which looks like it was once navigable, today no entry signs and a huge mass of weed prevent access.
Moorings ahead
Two miles on the banks are high again and the EA mooring came into sight, plenty of boats there, but a gap big enough for us and maybe a cruiser too. As we pulled closer I spotted a woofer on the boat that would be behind us, hopefully the owners would be a touch more responsible than those we’d just left.
Doors open
Mick had a chat with them, the dogs (two of them) are likely to chase, but do no harm, the owners would keep an eye on them. There was however a request, could we hold off letting Tilly out for a while as one of their dogs was about to have a shower and that job was hard enough without a cat being added to the mix. We obliged, which wasn’t hard as Tilly wasn’t chomping at the bit to go out due to the heat.
Please can we have a cool outside again
The sun was now heating up the port side nicely, curtains drawn to help deflect some of the heat. Covers were poppered in place, sides rolled up to try and give a touch of shade and encourage the breeze in through the open doors. Tilly looked out a couple of times, we walked up to the top of the bank, plenty of friendly cover to keep her busy on the other side, but it was way too hot for her. The escape pod or bathroom floor became her preferred positions for much of the day.
180degrees at 32C
As we had breakfast I cooked some pasta which was then cooled and popped in the fridge for our evening meal, best to get any cooking out of the way before the temperature rose even more.
Tilly sticking to what shade she could find
We pottered the day away inside behind the curtains, the breeze making things bearable inside. As the sun moved over head and started to heat up the starboard side the curtains were opened and closed accordingly, we could now have the hatch open, windows were taken out to encouraging the breeze even more.
Mick spent time moving my email from one provider to another. Quite often my messages end up in peoples spam folders so we’re hoping the move will eliminate some of that.
I set about trying star darning on a t-shirt. My t-shirts get holes easily and I tend to look like quite a scruff in some of them. I chose one and gave it a go, if I can extend their life by another year that would be great. Practicing on my cheapo t-shirts hopefully I’ll be good at it by the time I get to those with sentimental value. I soon learnt that smaller stars were better than bigger ones which with the cotton I was using looked like they will catch on things quite easily.
The maximum temperature reached 32C, the highest temperature recorded today a little before 4pm in Cambridge not that far south of us. Thank goodness or that 16mph wind. I got the cool mat out for Tilly. Last year she’d rejected it, Well it smelt funny and who in their right mind would want to curl up on plastic in this heat! She at least sniffed it, tried to see what it was hiding on the floor and then walked away. Maybe next time she might actually stand on it!
Back they go again
The river was far busier than we’d expected. Plenty of people out and about enjoying the sunshine. We had cruisers of all shapes and sizes. One with six topless chaps came past the captain shouting over his engines so that the world could hear him ‘They (referring to narrowboaters) shout to tell you to slow down and all we do back is say’ a hand gesture involving one finger followed! We said nothing but thought plenty. Strangely enough Oleanna then bumped around for a half hour as the river gradually calmed down.
Hmmmm!
As the temperature started to drop we all headed outside. The solar connection box still needed fixing back onto the roof and with rain forecast for tomorrow it needed doing today. Mick debated on rewiring the panels to be in parallel again. Just because he doesn’t like thick wires was not a reason to keep them as they were. I asked if he’d regret keeping them in series when it came to the winter. Well he thought he would, so the wiring was revisited.
Checked and ready to go back on
A rim of black tack was put around the connection box base, some Captain Tolley’s creeping crack dripped on where the cables came out from the roof, just in case. Then the four screws were done up, the black tack that had squeezed out between the cabin top and box was neatened off. Job done.
Complete!
Well then we found that one of the cables going into the box wasn’t fully tightened up! Mick tried to rectify this without us removing everything off the roof again. Here’s hoping it’s all weather proof!
Thankfully the temperature gradually dropped during the evening and hopefully we’ll be able to get a reasonable nights sleep.
0 locks, 2.17 miles, 1 final goodbye to Ely, until we come back! 3 woofers down to 2, 0 shade, 2 hot or cats, 2 boaters 1 cat sitting in the dark, 1 cool mat rejected again, 1 connector reconnected, 6 lobsters, 32C, 1 hole in the side!
Padnal Fen GOBA Mooring to Cawdle Fen GOBA Mooring
Jobs before breakfast, the yellow water tank needed emptying and a coat of paint on the roof. Mick did the honours with the toilet whilst I put masking tape around the areas to be painted.
A stunning day
All over the roof this morning were small dead insects, as though they had all landed on the roof and died instantly. I suspect that is what’s happened to the white insects that we seem to keep getting on the river side of Oleanna. Each morning when we go out the river side of the boat is covered in these white little creatures. Are they newly hatched nymphs? Have they crawled up the boat mistaking it for reeds where they would mature then fly away? Maybe maturing into the dead things on our roof! I suspect that during the day at the moment these little white creatures cook nicely on the dark blue of the cabin sides.
A better photo today, but a missed bit hard to reach
I cleaned off the areas to be painted and then started with my brush. Thankfully it was still early enough in the day for the cream roof to still be cool, meaning the paint flowed off my brush with relative ease. The downside was that the centre ropes could not be reattached today. Painting the centre line loop I took selfies again to check I’d not missed bits. From what I could see in the bright sunshine it looked pretty good, on later inspection for the blog I’ve noticed that on the inside of the loop I’d missed a section, it wasn’t a shadow!
By the time we’d had breakfast and made ready to push off the surrounding boats had all headed off themselves. With stocks on board now depleted somewhat we needed to do a big shop, just as well we were headed for Ely.
How many fenders!
Back to the Great Ouse we turned southwards. WB Karma sat on the EA moorings, we biped our horn and stopped mid channel to chat briefly with them, they are certainly making slow progress along the river. We may see them again on our way back.
Today fishing could start again on the river. At first we only saw one chap with his full kit set up in a fishing peg. But then the number increased as we got closer to Ely, this also coincided with boats heading towards us and rowers, all really rather congested.
House extension coming on a treat
Once under the railway bridge we paused to let a boat wind and then we tucked ourselves in, stern right under a willow and very close to fishermen. In Ely neither boats or those fishing have more right to use the river bank than the other. So if there is someone fishing in the middle of a gap of boats you have to leave them to it.
Busy Ely
A trip to Sainsburys with the bike to act as a sherpa stocked us up well for the next week or so. Then it was decision time.
Should we find a mooring in Ely, have lunch do a bit more sight seeing and then stay put tomorrow in the heat. As last Friday night had been really quite noisy, the weather today was likely to encourage more people to the river bank for a drink making it even noisier. I had wanted to visit the art gallery and have a general wander around Ely again, but we decided to move on.
Goodbye
Just south of Ely is a GOBA mooring, Heather had suggested Tilly might like it there. So that is where we headed waving Goodbye to Ely and its busyness, although we could walk back into town should we want to. The mooring was quite overgrown, hard to work out where solid ground started and where wet feet ended! It took us a while to find a suitable spot, deployed the plank and then opened all the doors. The day was heating up, so curtains were drawn against the sunshine. Normally on hot days we’d find a good shady mooring, but trees and moorings along the river don’t tend to coincide, I’d hunted round Google earth for ages so I know!
The only tree available
After a late lunch, I pulled the masking tape off the roof, the paint can now cure before the solar connection box gets screwed back on. I then retired to hide inside Oleanna as Tilly made the most of a new area to pounce. She didn’t agree with me when I brought a friend back into the boat to show it how shady it was inside. I was picked up and made to walk the plank carrying my friend all the way!
First rule. No friends home, dead or alive, or putting them on the roof for later!hmnmeowhm!
A cruiser pulled up right in between us and the other boat at the other end of the mooring, they obviously knew each other. Their two dogs, or was it three came sniffing round, obviously their noses had found Tilly. She was quite happy either indoors or out under a nearby tree, in a nice shady spot!
Our mooring
Late afternoon we heard a dash through the friendly cover followed by a scraping sound, then a splash. Almost certainly Tilly going in! In the past she has always run inside to safety, but today she legged it back to the tree. The dogs came to have a look, the lady saying one of them had also fallen in. It was most definitely a woofer related splash, calculations done rapidly had been miscalculated and I lost my footing!It was a very big jump back to the stern.
Try as we might she wasn’t moving from under the tree, at least we knew where she was and she’d come back on board when ready and a touch drier. When she did eventually return she’d still some lick drying to do, her tail a third it’s normal size. Whether it was a woofer induced splosh we’ll never know, at least it had happened where the bank was very easy to get out.
Chicken and Bean Salad
This evening we’ve enjoyed a hot chicken and bean salad. This only ever gets made in the summer, I try to time it for when green beans are in season, a bit early today, but still tasty. Click on the photo for the recipe.
0 locks, 4.88 miles, 1 left, 1 willow for shade, 1 fully laden bike, 2 boxes wine, 3 red peppers, 3 courgettes, 30 cetirizine hydrochloride tablets, 1 after bite pen the horse flies are about! 1 soggy moggy, 0 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval due to pesky woofers, 1 mafting day.
A day of staying put, but not sitting still. Tilly was allowed shore leave first thing, it wouldn’t however be a sausage day, more of a salami day, handed out in slices.
Washing day
The washing machine was put to work, the solar doing it’s thing first thing. The whirligig was erected and soon filled, the washing drawer just about empty. Whilst Mick did this I collected together what I needed to give the covers a spray.
Here’s hoping it works again
Wet and Forget and the new pump spray bottle. At last the covers were going to get a spray. Its quite a while since we gave them a scrub at Pollington Lock and a couple of days sat under the trees in Ely hadn’t helped! Once the mixture was ready it was time for Tilly to come inside. Wet Wet and Forget isn’t good on paws as it can be licked off!
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Hopefully it wasn’t too sunny today for it to have maximum effect
The covers came off and I started to spray them with the new bottle. The last time I actually did this was in lockdown with a standard plant spray, it took forever! Today once I’d got the spray more or less how I wanted it, a fine spray not possible, it took no time at all. Brilliant.
Now what to do?
After a lot of scrubbing, before the scraper came out!
The birds in Ely gave me quite a task to scrub their deposits from the roof and cabin side. The back counter had to wait for the pram cover to be back on as it was hard working away with the brush with the frame and whirligig in the way. Once I could get to the newly decorated deck it took a lot of work. White bird sh*t is easy, it just washes off. It’s the green residue from eating grass and plants that is the problem. It had welded itself onto the lid of the weedhatch. Scrubbing with the yard brush got so far. Leaving it soaking a little bit further. Then the paint scraper came out and a mixture of soaking and scraping away time and time again meant that at least we’d be able to open the weedhatch again!
Checking all’s well
Mick put on his overalls and climbed into the engine bay. He wanted to check over the cooling system after our problems last year. As the engine ran with the header filler cap off (so air could escape if needs be), he sat with his phone in hand watching the gauge as the temperature of the engine gradually rose. All was good thankfully. He also filled the stern greaser, a messy job.
Once the covers were dry they went back on Oleanna so that the grass below could dry off whilst we had lunch. The grass would then be dry enough for feline paws once again., Tilly was allowed a few more slices of shore leave.
Next came the roof. There has been a small bubble of rust gradually showing itself for a while towards the stern along with a couple of patches on the hatch sliders. Earlier in the year we’d had a leak where the solar connection box sits on the roof, a year or so ago I’d done my best to sort a patch of rust here, but it needed looking at properly.
Solar disconnected
Mick undid the screws and I carefully went round the box to break the seal of silicon we’d put on when we added the second panel. Gradually the box lifted and the cable could be disconnected. The rust was scraped away along with any loose paint.
All rusty bits had a good sanding back and then I applied some Fertan, rust convertor. During the remainder of the afternoon I gave the brown fertan the occasional spray with water to keep it active. Early evening the solar connection box was cleaned of old blacktack and silicone then reconnected and a plastic bag taped down over the top, hopefully to stop any possible rain from coming in, but this would also mean the next time I want to do anything all I have to do is lift the tape and bag. I just mustn’t leave it too long so that the tape welds itself to the roof!
One happy cat
Tilly and I had a little walk along the bank, the wind very fierce up there. Gradually as the afternoon turned into evening the wind started to subside, just as well as we’d planned a barbeque.
Everything ready
I made up veg and haloumi kebabs and a spring green and carrot coleslaw with a bit of wholegrain mustard added. The asparagus was threaded onto skewers, burger buns cut in half ready for toasting.
Yum!
We huddled in the corner, knowing that the smoke would be blown away from our washing drying in the cratch. The pork and apple burgers I bought yesterday were very nice as was the asparagus even though the wind had just about cooled it down as soon as it left the barbeque!
Lowering sun
As we sat finishing off our meal a rather plump bird flew along following the reeds on the other bank. Definitely an Owl, we think it was a Barn Owl. We watched it fly along, turn and head back. Sadly I only had my phone on me, but if you look carefully you can see it. It returned and came over our heads. Another privileged moment on the fens, our first sighting of an owl in eight years.
Owl!
0 locks, 0 miles, 0 winding but plenty of wind, 1 coolant system okay, 3 loads washing, 5 rust patches, 32 welded on sh*ts, 1 busy happy cat, 1 set of covers that we can hopefully forget about for a few months (maybe I’ll give them another spray before winter), 4 kebabs, 15 spears asparagus, 2 burgers, 1 low flying Barn Owl, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.
