Category Archives: Nature

Topping Up At Jesus. 24th June

Fort St George to Waterbeach GOBA Mooring

Another night of fireworks and music into the early hours, thankfully the fair shuts down promptly and we didn’t get too much footfall past Oleanna afterwards. This morning it was very much time to move on, we’d stayed an extra night and had only just managed to tick off the top things on our list. We may need to return as there is the Fitzwilliam Museum and a David Hockney exhibition to go to amongst other things, oh and some more chilled medication needs sampling!

A top up shop was needed from the nearby Co-op, once this was stowed we pushed off and headed up towards Jesus Lock to do the necessaries, water and yellow water. We’d been pipped to the post by a hire boat, so we waited and watched the daily trip by the chaps with a bar on a punt, two fridges packed with beers, Pimms and Gin and tonic.

Once we’d finished our chores we pushed Cambridge away, winded and headed down stream. Novice crews sat in rowing boats being shown how to move their oars. The fair had it’s shutters down, resting before a busy Friday night. Tilly took up position on top of our washing that had been drying under the pram cover.

Heading downstream was that bit quicker. We swapped sides by Fen Ditton, the moorings at the pub filled with the two local hire boats. Cormorants sat drying their wings, they just look so evil to me!

Baits Bite Lock was in our favour so we just slid in and I stepped off, closing the guillotine gate behind Oleanna and then lifting the bottom paddle to empty the chamber. If you are coming to Cambridge in the next few months it looks like there will be a sculpture trail along the river bank which might be worth keeping an eye out for.

There was space where we’d moored at Clayhithe but we hoped for a space at the GOBA mooring where we’d met NB Cleddau last weekend. As we approached we could see one, then two narrowboats and a cruiser. We knew you could fit three narrowboats along the mooring so Mick called out to the chap in the middle to see if he’d mind nudging up. He pulled back, the chap from the cruiser in front came and took a rope from the bow then hammered in a spike for us at the front as the bank was very uneven to get off with any ease. Brilliant we’d got a space, just a shame it was going to be too windy to have a barbeque!

Shortly after we’d moored up, Tilly was allowed out. The covers on the boat next door look interesting so she needed to be discouraged in her calculations. Then the smell of the woofer next door brought her inside, just as I was putting down the covers. I heard a sploshing noise, had Tilly fallen overboard? Had she tried jumping onto our cratch cover and fallen in? I looked round, no sign of her in the water, maybe she was under the hull? But there were no ripples in the water. I turned round to see her standing in the doorway Some people have no faith! It was the water tank overflow, even I knew that! But what was more worrying was the two Toms heading straight for us aided by their big blue sheet!

Once Tilly had got past the flood bank we didn’t see her for the remainder of the day until DingDing time. I got on with writing up blog posts, it’s hard to find the time when there is so much to see and do, in fact I’m writing this post before the one before!

1 lock, 5.92 miles, 4 meals planned, 1 full water tank, 1 empty yellow water tank, 1 wind, 1 windy day, 2 gaps made into 1, 1 swimmer, 1 Kamikaze dinghy, 1 Friday night roast chicken, 1 blog post still to write.

https://goo.gl/maps/LdygtvSY4wWKR3m46

Midsummers. 21st June

Clayhithe Moorings to Fort St George Moorings, Cambridge

The river was so clear this morning, all the reeds and plants intermingled with the fish below us. The sun was out again with the temperatures requiring shorts and shady hats.

We pootled our way in towards Cambridge, much of the journey we were surrounded by trees offering us some shelter. Baits Bite was to be our second lock of the week. Accompanied by a Lock Keepers hut and behind that a rather shy thatched cottage hiding behind high fencing.

By The Plough Pub in Fen Ditton there are signs asking you to keep left, this means passing boats on the wrong side. A rowing boat came round the bend ahead of us, a touch too close to the bank and old man in the pub garden shouted across to them about a painting of the Bumps at this location.

Maybe this is the one he was on about. The bend here is known as The Gut, keeping to the left is because of the difficulty in steering a 60ft rowing VIII, as the boat ahead of us had just found out.

**Wonder if these cows have better manors than those at Lechlade?**

We’d been surviving on what water we had left since filling up at Prickwillow so we gladly stopped in between the moored boats along Stourbridge Common. Here cows graze right up to the river, leaving their calling cards on the banks. Thankfully today any cowpats were dried out making stepping off to tie up easier than it would have been otherwise.

Whilst the tank filled up I had a shower hoping we still had far enough to go to heat up another tank full for Mick later on. Some bins were found nearby, including recycling which was a relief as our rubbish mountain was getting close to engulfing us.

Under Riverside Bridge where two lanes cross the river, one for pedestrians the other bikes. Past Cambridge Museum of Technology with it’s high brick chimney. Terraced houses were soon replaced with boat houses, one for each college, the river narrower than the Thames through Oxford, but still full of boats.

We kept our eyes peeled for spaces, the first one too close to a bridge and right outside a pub. Midsummer Fair was set up on Midsummer Common ready to draw in the crowds later this week, maybe we’d be better further in. Then a space with some wonderful shade, we couldn’t let that go to someone else!

Only a few poles to tie to meant the spikes came out. Mick bashed them into the ground, on the final hit the hammer flew out of his hand and straight into the river! A mental note was taken to it’s location and the Sea Searcher magnet earnt it’s keep assisted by the river clearing a touch and the handle of the hammer being bright yellow!

Despite Tilly’s protestations the doors remained shut for her. The amount of foot fall, bikes, scooters and proximity of a busy road means that sadly she won’t be exploring Cambridge.

First port of call was a visit to Heffers. Heffers was established 140 years ago and was the equivalent to Blackwells in Oxford, the university bookshop. In 1999 Blackwells bought the shop, it still retains it’s name. In a previous life I was a book and map seller at Blackwells in York, so time to have a browse was on the cards. With aircon and some birthday presents to purchase I was going to be kept busy for a while. Mick browsed from a chair near the front doors whilst I headed off to find the Crime Section. One title I was after was easy to find, another however wasn’t there. A friendly chap asked if he could help, the other title was currently being considered for reprint. He then suggested various authors that might be suitable, this was a man who knew his stock inside and out. In fact he turns out to have worked in bookselling for 40 years, 38 of them for Heffers and he is also a judge for the Golden Dagger Awards for thrillers. So I purchased a wild card paperback suggested by him, hope Andrew will enjoy it.

A couple of hours had us bimbling around the city along with many thousands of tourists. We did have a couple of aims.

The Mathematical Bridge which crosses the River Cam at Queens College. The bridge was designed by William Etheredge in 1748 and built by John Essex in1749. It spans the 50ft wide river using short lengths of timber. These short lengths of timber are held in a state of compression by the action of gravity on the whole structure, based on a voussoir bridge requiring strong abutments to balance the compressive forces created by the spring of the arch. The triangulation in the structure makes it very strong. Since it was first built it was repaired in 1866 and then rebuilt to the same design in 1904.

Below on the river the punts were in use, several with experienced guides gliding the punts along with ease showing up those having their first attempt. Just beyond Silver Street Bridge is the limit of navigation, although it is only possible to bring powered craft into The Backs between October and March with permission from the Cam Conservators, between March and October the furthest we can go is to below Jesus Lock. Today we weren’t tempted to have a go on a punt.

**At weekends they have a second shop elsewhere in the city**

Walking back through the city we headed up Bene’t Street. As soon as we’d turned the corner I could see the queue, at least thirty people standing in line. Slow decisions at the head of the queue very necessary. Jack’s Gelato will be visited before we leave, but I didn’t really want to stand around for half an hour today, so we even refrained from looking at todays flavours as that would have been torture.

The walk back to Oleanna passed numerous other University buildings and colleges, the bus station (possibly handy for tomorrow) and then across Christ’s Pieces a park filled with trees offering walkers wonderful shade. Then along and across Midsummer Common which one end was almost totally taken over by the fair, we’ll see how noisy it gets tomorrow when it opens.

1 lock, 4.96 miles, 1 full water tank, 2 clean boaters, 1 miffed cat, 1 big splash, 1 handy magnet, 1 first perusal of Cambridge, 2 long a queue, 1 list, 1 joint membership, 3 options, 1st to read the letter, 2 presents, 1 vat of bolognaise sauce.

https://goo.gl/maps/HJsuUQJGYfGUJeT19

Waterbeach 20th June

Clayhithe Bridge

Last night we were treated to a rather good sunset. The trees across the way glowed from the setting sun and the sky looked like dragons had been breathed a huge smoky sigh.

A slow start to the day, yesterday we’d decided to wait another day before heading into Cambridge. I’d hunted around places that we could visit locally. Anglesey Abbey 4 miles away, too far to walk there and back and using public transport would take well over an hour. Another Abbey, Denny, still a 3 mile walk and only open Thursday to Sunday.

Then Waterbeach Military Heritage Museum caught my eye. Sadly only currently open on the first Sunday and Wednesday of every month. Oh well, we’d go and see what we could see in Waterbeach, maybe try to find the airfield.

From Clayhithe Bridge you can walk through Cow Hollow Wood a local nature reserve. We took the path to the Remarkable Reedbed, not very remarkable, but the areas were named by school kids when it was first put together in 2000. It makes a nice walk into the village avoiding the road.

We followed Station Road into the village, now classed as a new town since 2018. Plenty of nice looking smart houses around the place. A triangular village green with a post office, convenience store and a couple of pubs.

A stop to look round St John the Evangelist, dating back to the 12th Century the tower and spire collapsed and were replaced in 1821. It undertook a Victorian restoration in 1871 by JM Fawcett and John Ladds in 1878. The mosaics on the pulpit and behind the alter most probably date from this time.

There was a plaque and book of remembrance for 514 Squadron Bomber Command who were stationed at RAF Waterbeach between 1943 and 45, just how many had given their lives.

We carried on walking through the centre to try to reach the airfield which is quite obvious on Google maps. But today an area of it is now used for NHS staff accommodation. We walked down to the cemetery to see if we could see anything from there, sadly failing. It kind of looks like the airfield is being redeveloped, most probably for housing.

We walked back to the river on Bannold Road crossing the railway line which brought us to Bottisham Lock. A wonderful view upstream to be had from the weir.

Today there was plenty of space on the GOBA mooring, NB Cleddau and the others having moved off this morning. We then followed the flood bank back to Clayhithe, at times having to lift our arms to avoid the masses of nettles.

The list of places to visit in Cambridge is long and could get expensive. I think this evening we will have to pin the tail on the donkey to choose which things we’re going to do and see.

0 locks, 0 miles, 4 miles walk, 1 church, 17 hollyhocks, 0 airfield, 2 abbeys 2 far away on foot, 2 far away for the bus, 2 sessions of shore leave, 8 times no, 8 courgette and pea fritters for the first time.

At Last! 19th June

Fidwell Fen EA Mooring to Clayhithe Bridge Public Mooring

Tilly was given an hour and a half whilst we had breakfast and discussed our next move. There are so many things we want to do in this area, Wicken Fen, Burwell church, a long list of places in and around Cambridge, all to manage around 48hour moorings in a popular area!

We decided to keep heading south towards Cambridge, if we couldn’t get moored there we’d return and get the train in, but that also needed to be thought about with the train strikes looming. However today we’d only be moving so far, we had our eyes and hopes set on the next GOBA Mooring at Waterbeach.

Odd horned cattle grazed the banks as we moved along.

The geese had sorted themselves, Greylags to the east, Canadian to the west leaving just enough room for passing boats in between.

There are plenty of Hitchhikers Guide fans on the network and as we passed one I noticed we’d got our own hitchhiker a rather pretty spider, I think it’s a Missing Sector Orb Web.

Spiders have certainly been busy on Oleanna, the port side windows and cratch are sporting rather fine cobwebs at the moment!

Soon Bottisham Lock came into view. A long lock landing stretching out below with a cruiser sat right in the middle. I headed to the bow to step off. They’d settled in nicely with a gas stove out of the bank, the crew all returning to their boat with fishing rods.

The lock had both guillotine and vee gates closed, it was neither full nor empty. Inside the control panel were a different line of buttons and instructions written in marker pen to not close both ends of the lock on leaving. I worked Oleanna up, the guillotine gate rising only a small amount. The filling seemed to stall after a while, water still coming into the lock but not rising Oleanna any higher. I tried pressing the gate button again, but the timed delay was still delaying things. Patience was all that was needed and soon the light went out and I could raise the gate fully.

**This is where you need an Anglian Pass**

Now we were on the Cam Conservancy water. Up ahead were the moorings we’d been hoping for. Three narrowboats fitted it nicely. Oh well, we’d hopefully find somewhere further on. The first two boats were familiar, we’d first seen them on the Relief Channel, then in Ely. They were travelling together and had their bows facing each other so they could sit in their well decks and be sociable.

The third boat looked like they’d just arrived, or where they leaving? The chap at the stern had a life jacket on, was our luck in? Then the side hatch opened. No we’d missed the space by about fifteen minutes!

Then Mick realised who it was. A boat we’ve been hoping to meet for a couple of weeks now. We’ve been a mooring apart without knowing it, passed one another whilst one has been tucked up on a tributary. Emails have been swapped with cruising plans, my last one said we’d be heading to the Lodes and not in to Cambridge, Sue’s last one mentioned they were heading to Cambridge then onto the Old West River, I’d imagined them to be long gone. But no here they were, at last!

A bip of Oleanna’s horn caught their attention and we were soon breasted up alongside NB Cleddau. We’ve followed each others blogs for some time and last winter I’d contacted Sue for information regarding Bedford River Festival as they had been before and we were considering a visit this year. Several emails had gone back and forth between us and today we were finally in the same place as one another.

**Ken and Sue, Sue most probably has a similar photo of me taking photos**

We must have chatted for at least an hour, we could have gone on for longer but we were wanting somewhere for Tilly today as she’s likely to be cooped up whilst we go sight seeing. Our paths will cross again in the coming weeks, hopefully somewhere we can both moor up bank side and continue our conversations.

Pushing off after a couple of boats had come past we weren’t hopeful for a mooring, the river now quite busy and not many moorings available. We waved goodbye to Sue and Ken hoping we’d not be returning to breast up to them for the night.

At the Cam Sailing Club boats were being tucked up for the week. A big boat came towards us, mast lowered for the bridges, a hen do sitting out on the spacious bow having a great time in the sunshine.

The pub mooring was empty, but had a long line of gongoozlers sat on chairs, possibly awaiting a trip boat, or maybe just enjoying the scene and a pint. Not a suitable place for Tilly.

Thankfully through the bridge there were a couple of spaces available, we pulled in to the one furthest away from the road and let the cat out. This would do us for the day, possibly the closest cat friendly mooring to Cambridge we’re going to get.

Now to start planning what to see, when and how to get there!

1 lock, 4.24 miles, 2 passed Lodes, 1 Anglian Pass in the window, 1 familiar boat, 1st meeting, 1 sunny day, 1 late lunch, 1 space, 2nd helpings of quiche, 8th navigation authority.

https://goo.gl/maps/c1yxZNmRGDeBLytP6

Deja Goose. 15th June

Jude’s Ferry to Padnal Fen GOBA Mooring

I decided to do a touch of filling on a couple of the places I’m in the process of touching up. Yes I could apply several layers of primer, undercoat to build the layers up to meet with the existing top coat. But I want there to be at least one top coat before the forecast rain on Saturday, I’d also like not to be trying to get a coat of paint on on Friday as the temperature is due to be in the 30’s.

Back in Goole I’d bought some car body two pack filler. I mixed up a small amount with the catalyst, hoping I’d have enough for the job and that it wouldn’t go off too quickly before I’d had chance to use it all up. I had gauged the quantity perfectly, but another two minutes would have helped before it started to set! I managed anyway.

Time to set off, retracing our route, round the bends passing soooo many damselflies. The farmers were out making hay, cutting and turning the long grass in the fields.

Below us we could see clearly, long reeds flowing in the gentle current, fish from 2mm to nearly a foot in length. Then blanket weed which slowed our progress as it had done yesterday.

The lock was set ready for us, the guillotine gate raised as I’d left it, we’d almost certainly been the last boat through.

I closed the guillotine then lifted the slackers on the bottom gates until we dropped the 1ft 11″. Slackers closed, gates open and we were on our way again.

High above us two large planes circled from Mildenhall, a Hercules, the other we don’t know. Later in the day three fighter planes could be seen in formation some distance away.

Damselflies flitted about in their masses just above the surface of the water. A gaggle of geese, White and Greylags, squabbled and swam in line to our port side.

Closer to us were the Black Headed Gulls and today we had Terns too. The Gulls dipped in flight for insects, the Terns followed our wake hovering ready for any sign of a fish to then dive in and grab.

Round the next slight bend. A gaggle of geese, White and Greylags, squabbled and swam in line to our port side. Hang on! Haven’t I said that before? Had we just seen the same bunch doing exactly the same thing? Or was that yesterday? No it wasn’t deja vu, just another gaggle. This lot crossed over in front of us and continued to squabble.

Now the long straights, moored boats, the old mill. A heron moved along to loose us, only to find we caught it up a few minutes later, time and time again. Why they don’t head in the opposite direction only they know!

Arriving at Prickwillow we noticed a makeshift rope swing had been attached to the bridge, almost dangling in the water. This turned out to have been the hose that someone had left on the pontoon, now removed from its reel. We stopped to fill up with water, hopefully saving us the job tomorrow when back in Ely. It was good to be inside out of the sun, the closed curtains had kept inside Oleanna at a reasonable temperature.

Then onwards again, hoping for a space on the GOBA mooring where we’d been two days ago. Two cruisers were there, but plenty of space for us too. As soon as we were tied up the doors were opened.

At first it was a touch too hot for Tilly, she returned and took up a long cat position on the bathroom floor. I suspect on really hot days she wishes we still had ceramic tiles like those on Lillian, Karndean looks nice but doesn’t stay as cool!

Mick had been thinking about the solar. The panels had been wired in parallel, but he was going to see what happens with them wired in series. This is for ease of wiring with thick wires (always a telephone engineer!) and they may just be more efficient. However if a shadow is cast over one of our two panels this affects the output from both panels. They will stay in this configuration until I’ve finished painting to see what effect it has.

The masking tape came out, marking squares around where I’d primed the roof for touch up. Then the areas were sanded for a key, the dust cleaned off.

The undercoat took quite a lot of stirring to get it mixed and then I applied a coat. The roof was maybe a touch too warm for this as I didn’t have much time to move the paint around to get a good finish. I tried using a selfie to see if I’d managed to paint all the centre line ring, but being able to see my phone screen proved just as hard as seeing round corners! Hopefully it wasn’t too late in the day and would avoid getting covered in flies.

As the afternoon continued the temperature dropped which meant our second mate was out and pouncing in the friendly cover. She’d been allowed an extra hour and she made full use of it.

1 lock, 9.33 miles, 5467288 damselflies, 203 geese, twice, 2 big planes, 3 pointy planes, 2 terns, 1 full water tank, 4 hours shore leave, 2 spent on the bathroom floor, 1 top coat to do, 2 panels in series.

Flipper Wave. 8th June

2nd GOBA Mooring River Wissey to Ten Mile Bank GOBA Mooring, River Great Ouse

Last night when Mick went to close the hatch he discovered that the level had dropped. We’d noticed that the flow had been greater than we’d remembered it but we hadn’t thought that the level would have gone down by about 3inches. Possibly down to the EA draining water off in case the levels rose with the forecast rain last night. It had rained but we were still quite low this morning, the flow now much slower.

There wasn’t too much protesting from Tilly not to be allowed out this morning, I think she was still worn out from yesterday. Late morning we pushed off and headed upstream towards Hilgay Bridge wondering if we’d need to go all the way before we could wind.

Catching a ride with elevenses in it’s beak

Mick gave it a go a little after the big bend, we might have made it but it looked to be a close thing, so he changed his mind and we carried on towards the bridges. Here we managed to wind just by the 48hr mooring and made our way back under the two bridges.

Over Jubilee weekend Hilgay Bridge was renamed, now Hilgay Jubilee Bridge. There had been a big party and the village had been bedecked with bunting, the avenue up to the church swaged with hundreds of meters.

We made our way back towards the Great Ouse, coming across a cruiser who stopped and let us go past. We wondered what would have happened should we have met yesterdays speeding cruiser at one of the bends or where the trees overhang obscuring the view ahead. This is one of the reasons why there is a 4mph speed limit on the river.

Back at the junction we turned left, heading upstream. The wind got up and buffeted us about a touch, but the air was warm and being able to do a faster speed meant we could hold our course.

Big dramatic skies. Bright blue against the bright green of the banks.

Approaching the other Hilgay Bridge we could see a couple of hire boats and the familiar shape on the moorings of Neil. He lifted his head up to check us out, a flipper may have waved in our direction too. He then just rolled over to get another area of his mass warm in the sunshine.

Not much further and we arrived at the GOBA mooring, pulling in in front of NB Eleanor Rugby an Aintree Beetle. We seemed to have managed to skirt round the rain clouds. Mick went to have a chat with the chap behind who was touching up his paintwork to check if he had a dog about the place before I let Tilly out. The coast was clear so she was given five hours.

What in this wind! If I had to be out there someone had to be out in it with me! She came for a walk. First this way and then that, although I didn’t at first hear that She’d changed direction. Bloomin windy!

Tonight the internet has improved so we’ll be able to watch the episodes of Gentleman Jack that hadn’t been recorded due to either bad signal or memory loss!

0 locks, 6.97 miles, 1 wind, 1 left, 2 rivers, 1 blowy yet surprisingly dry day, 1 flipper wave, 1 remote mooring, 1 Gentleman Jack, 1 lodger okay with the increase, thank goodness.

https://goo.gl/maps/L2oWuibUC1CKhir69

Wissey Tilly. 7th June

2nd GOBA Mooring, River Wissey

As Tilly has been cooped up inside for ~~a few days~~ a life time! today would be a sausage day. We’d not be moving anywhere or requiring her to come in so that we could go out, so a full round of Cumberland Sausage!

The weather was wonderful, just perfect for cruising. The sun shone all day long. Blue skies which during the afternoon filled with willow fluff drifting on the gentle breeze and resting gently on the waters surface. It also fills the boat, collecting in corners and on surfaces, requiring the hoover to remove the fluffy fairies.

Tilly came and went, dropping in for Dreamies every now and them. But watching and waiting patiently followed by pouncing took up most of her day.

Once the blog was written I went for a little walk along the bank, first this way. I could have dropped down into the woods and walked a circuit back to Hilgay and back along the bank, but without knowing where Tilly was I may have been followed. So instead I headed that way, spotting a pair of black ears quite a distance away from Oleanna in the friendly cover.

The two of us walked along the top of the bank for a while longer before I decided that we’d gone far enough and it was time for Tilly to be reminded where the boat was. She soon cottoned on and came hopping and skipping along overtaking me with her tail held high.

It’s so lovely to find moorings like this that have just about nobody walking past all day.

A few boats came past, including a small sporty number that had to jam on the breaks when it saw us moored, we’d already started to move about on our ropes long before we realised the noise wasn’t a motorbike overtaking on the none existent motorway!

As Tilly occupied herself outside we got on with admin type jobs. I put together the figures for the house, needed for our tax returns but also so that we could see if the house had managed to pay for itself last year. Apart from plumbing and roofing costs it did. Then it was time to sus out what we’ll need to charge from now on, our utility price cap ends in the next few weeks. Estimated on last years bills at the new rates the house will cost an extra £68 on average a week to run! Our lodgers, mainly actors get subsistence payments for living away from home, these have not gone up this year. We now need to come up with new prices, we can’t afford for the house to be empty, but we also can’t afford to subsidise people living there. It all feels a bit like Russian Roulette!

Mick spent time trying to get home insurance quotes, having short term lodgers makes it somewhat difficult to get a policy that covers everything. The hunt on that front continues. He did however succeed on another front today. This afternoon he received an email from the EA regarding our Anglian Pass, which allows us to cruise the Middle Level and the River Cam, they had processed our application and were now ready to take payment. His first attempt at paying didn’t work as the person who answered the phone had a dodgy microphone and sounded like a Dalek with laryngitis. Second attempt worked, so we can now cruise to our hearts content.

In between our computer hours we had numerous visitors.

First the Damselflies flew in to say hello. Bright emerald green followed by an electric blue. These were relatively easy to assist back outside.

Then came the Dragonflies, two attached making babies. The far larger delicate insects proved harder to assist, but once they’d parted it became easier. Such beautiful creatures so close up. Another privileged moment with nature. There has to have been something about Oleanna today, the open hatch being very attractive as we had at least another five rescue missions with our winged friends. This more than made up for the admin filled day.

Later in the evening we’d just settled down to watch some tv when we could hear that motorbike returning, louder than before! Oleanna started to move, it only took enough time for us to stand up for the speedboat to be alongside us, almost on the plane, they only knocked back their revs as we started to shake our fists at them. Foot high waves ricocheting back and forth across the narrow river. No time to take photos, no time to get the boat name, but plenty of time to carry on bobbing about in their wake!

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 large Cumberland sausage swirl, 2 many friends, 1 willow tree snow storm, 3 dragonflies, 18 rated dragonflies, 5 damselflies, 2 diddy ones, 4 quotes, £5000+! 1 exol spreadsheet filled with numbers, 3 new rates agreed on, 4mph not 9! 9.5 hrs shore leave, 1 happy exhausted cat, 1 Anglian Pass, 1 more Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.

What A Relief! 3rd June

Denver EA Mooring to Wiggenhall St Mary Magdalen EA Mooring

It felt like a Sunday today, so with not much in the fridge except mushrooms Mick cooked them up and we had them on a couple of slices of toast for breakfast. Then it was time to move on, we couldn’t dally as we needed to find a suitable mooring.

Around Denver there are all sorts of structures, sluices here there and everywhere. We headed over to the east towards the Relief Channel Lock. Here two sets of pointing gates drop you down onto the Relief Channel, the lock is fully automated, despite the instructions suggesting you need a windlass.

Time for the Abloy Key of Power, our key ring is getting a touch full. A boat had just gone down the lock, so the bottom gates needed closing then the lock filling for us to enter. This lock is a slow filler, thank goodness you don’t have to keep your finger on the button! It is also a slow emptier the slackers/paddles only moving by about foot, so you have to be patient as your boat slowly drops the 2meters. It was nice to be changing height again, but I have to say I miss working locks.

Vermuyden back in the 1640’s, proposed works to help relieve the Ely Ouse of extra water, but it wasn’t until 1964 that the Relief Channel and Cut Off Channel were constructed. The Cut Off Channel diverts waters away from the Rivers Wissey, Little Ouse and Lark in times of flood by partially closing the rivers. The extra water runs towards Denver where the Impounding Sluice joins it to the Relief Channel, taking the waters 11 miles further downstream before it joins the Tidal Great Ouse near Kings Lynn.

Turning below the lock, Cut Off Channel behind

In 2001 the lock connecting the channel to the River Great Ouse, above Denver, was constructed and three sets of visitor moorings added.

The Channel is wide, deep and fairly straight. Today it was windy out there. Swans took off in front of us hoping to loose us, only to find we’d catch them up again, necessitating another take off, time and time again, until they either diverted their route to behind us or over towards the tidal river.

The first mooring at Downham Market is long, able to hold quite a few boats. Today it was very full, good job we’d not been wanting to stop there today. Our guide book suggests that there is more to the town than just Haygates flour mill, which sits alongside the channel. The town used to be renowned for it’s butter market, moving large quantities up to Cambridge on the river.

The next mooring follows at Stowbridge close to a pub. Today two narrowboats filled the pontoon busy with boat chores, everyone waved as we waved back. Another half hour north we passed under a footbridge where a canoeist lolled with his back to us, we moved over so as not to disturb him.

Then the next and final pontoon at Wiggenhall St Marys Magdalen came into view. There was the cruiser I’d seen at the lock and what looked like a narrowboat, would there be space for us? As we got closer we could see there were two narrowboats breasted up. To our relief a lady came dashing down the ramp and untied the inner narrowboat and starting to pull it back towards the cruiser making space for us. The wind didn’t help us moor as the bow kept being pushed towards the bank which in turn pushed the stern out, but we got there in the end, Oleanna’s bow over hanging the pontoon.

The lady from the breasted up pair was very chatty, offered us a lift to the pub tonight and introduced us to Freddie her Irish Terrier. He wanted to come and say hello, but immediately got distracted by a scent, Tilly! Blimey Tilly smelt soo good, he was all over Oleanna as Tilly watched on from the Houdini shelf. She had been hoping that the friendly cover could be explored, but being on a pontoon the health and safety committee had already made their decision. Now with Freddie sniffing the air at the open window where Tilly sat, only an inch or two away, their decision was reinforced!

It took Freddie quite a while to actually be able to see Tilly through the glass. At that moment their noses were less than an inch apart with a sheet of glass thankfully between them, Tilly now three times her normal size! Freddie was immediately put back on a lead and taken inside his boat.

Finishing touches, including some clamping

Summer clothes were retrieved from under the bed a smart shirt brought out to be washed. Winter clothing was not fully stowed away, but that will need to happen before I start on my panto model as my clothes cupboard is where I store it away from feline jaws. Then it was time to finish off my project. Fittings, securing, wires twisted, glue applied, foam added for comfort and a final fitting. All was finished and ready.

Relief Channel on the left, Tidal River Great Ouse right

Time for a walk over Magdalen Bridge which crosses the Tidal River Great Ouse, the tide was out. Down stream of here lies Kings Lynn and then The Wash, which if crossed with the aid of a pilot would take us to Boston and then further north on the River Witham. That trip will be for another time.

The village was covered in bunting as to be expected. The church sitting proudly in the centre. A fish and chip shop round the next corner smelt good, but I returned up Prophets Lane which led to the river bank and back across the bridge to Oleanna where there would have been just enough room for another boat to breast up alongside us.

A couple of weeks ago I asked if the Middle Level was as low as we could get on the network. A few days later Paul from Waterway Routes replied with this answer.

The Middle Levels between Ashline and Marmont Priory Locks is maintained at 35cm below Ordnance Datum (approximately seal level), although the level will vary a little after rain etc. The Relief Channel summer level is approximately 98cm below Ordnance Datum (sea level), although this level isn’t maintained particularly accurately so you could be more than a metre below sea level at times.

So we are now the lowest we can be, below sea level!

1 lock, 6.9 miles, 1 right, 1 left, 3 moorings, 2 boats pulled back, 1 Freddie, 3 times bigger, 1 last mooring space, 2 relieved boaters, 2 fixings, 2 fittings, 1 project complete, 1 fridge just about empty.

https://goo.gl/maps/7VBmus1JwhtJFSyM9

But I Can’t Hear You When I Slow Down! 1st June

Ten Mile Bank EA Mooring

A staying put day as we need to pace ourselves to make the most of a 48 hour mooring we’ve our sights set on at the weekend.

Tilly was allowed out this morning, no sign of Neil, however she wasn’t too keen on using the stern doors and preferred the bow to come and go, just incase. The washing machine was put to use and both hose pipes were uncoiled joined together to refill with water. This meant there was time to chat with our neighbours on WB Karma. They plan on heading as far as they can on the Great Ouse until a low bridge will stop them, their wheelhouse can be collapsed, but is a right pain.

During the morning I carried on working on my project. More layers of paint followed by some more filler applied with a pin to get extra details into 3D.

Early afternoon there was a sploshing noise from the river, followed by a gentle snort. It was Neil. He bobbed about for a while, the occasional attempt to get out onto the bank, followed by more gliding around. As we watched Tilly came out to observe too, she really doesn’t know what to make of him. Mick had a thought, maybe we should be a touch more careful with Tilly, not so much what she might do, but she might be seen as a tasty morsel by Neil!

It’s seriously filthy under the mats where the bags of coal live

With water easily on tap for the next few days I decided to give Oleanna a much needed wash down, her first since winter. The starboard side half of the roof was cleared, buckets retrieved from lockers along with boat wash.

Being outside meant I could supervise Tilly and make sure she stayed away from Neil. She did try on several occasions to bypass me, behind the fence, on top of the bank, but thankfully a warning from me turned her around. She busied herself jumping from fence posts to higher fence posts, if her calculations had been out then she’d have landed in a bed of nettles!

A hire boat approached the moorings. A lady stood at the front ready with the bow line, they intended to moor behind us, Neil not initially visible as he’d decided to have an afternoon dip. Although as soon as the boat was starting to get close he bobbed his head up, giving the lady a start.

‘Slow Down! There’s a seal!’ The chap at the stern shouted back ‘But I can’t hear you when I slow down!’ He obviously couldn’t see Neil who was now trying to claim his space on the mooring, bobbing up. The boat slowed, she shouted back ‘There’s a seal!’ There was an incredulous look back.

Neil by now was midstream bobbing about. I pointed, the chaps head turned ‘IT’S A SEAL!’

They managed to bring their boat in leaving a good 8ft gap between our stern and their bow which Neil then used to get in and out of the water, showing off to the cameras. he’s so tame he didn’t mind me getting close as I was finishing off the cabin side and windows.

Cat curfew time. Tilly bobbed out of the friendly cover, but then decided to play up as she had an audience, Klaud, John and Neil. First she decided to make use of a big pile of wood chip next to a tree down the other side of the bank, Shore based facilities you know!

Then what followed was a stroppy cat who decided that she wouldn’t be coming in just yet as she was far too busy! I should have given up straight away, but with Neil back on the bank and the proximity of the road bridge I did my best to be fascinating, excelling at failing! I know not to try to follow Tilly as that only encourages her to carry on in the direction she has decided on, unfortunately that route today was up the bank and onto the road!

I had to follow, being near should anything happen would be better than not knowing. We crossed the road and then came back, thankfully the road void of traffic, but my heart was still in my throat. Then she trotted of along the lane alongside the road, a possible route back onto the tarmac through the friendly cover not passable for a human. I tried playing stick, then gave up. Sitting on the ground tossing stones into the air so that she could hear me.

This nearly worked twice, but she just managed to escape my grasp at the last minute!

We’d been gone for so long that Mick came to find us. This was good as he was far FAR more interesting than I was. Still she escaped our grasp. But she started to follow us back towards the river, only for a man to ask ‘Is that your cat?’ Yes and please would you disappear as your presence isn’t helping in our mission.

Fifty minutes after I’d gone out to encourage her home she trotted back on board in front of us! Well it was only because you wouldn’t let me go on WB Karma to say hello to the boys!

As the sun started to descend, Neil slipped back into the water for his last swim around. He was heading off somewhere else for the night.

Please excuse the soundtrack, Mick was doing the washing up at the time!

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 seal back, 3 figures painted and glazed, 0.5 roof washed, 4 rust spots noted, 1 cabin side washed, 1 cabin side in need of a polish, 1 seal, 1 hire boat, 1 stroppy cat, 1 road, 754 stones tossed, 50 minutes, 1 under bridge inspection, 1 stunning evening swim.

It’s Never Just A Dull Grey Day. 31st May

New Fen GOBA Mooring to Ten Mile Bank EA Mooring

Today was going to be a very dull grey day. Boats started moving off first thing, the cruiser and narrowboat ahead of us headed towards Brandon, I suspect they’d both make it over the sandbank and fully into the lock. As the cruiser went past he said to get the binoculars out and have a look for the two Common Cranes in the next field. We did as told but the cranes didn’t show themselves on the bank.

We’d prepared for rain so that is what we got, proper rain too! This of course put paid to my idea that I would do some sanding on my project whilst we cruised. I got a bit done, but it was soon stashed away on the Nicholsons shelf to stay dry.

The odd patch of blue sky was soon followed by black and more rain!

We passed the old pub again. I’d so like a closer look, the structure of it’s first floor very visible.

As we cruise I tend to collect things that I think I’ll write about in the blog. Today the list wasn’t going to be long, a short post for a grey day. Maybe the tree about to be felled would take the lead, but the last cut was still a way off! Or maybe the boat all ready for the jubilee, the Queen hiding away inside the cabin, her standard flying in the breeze.

Back past Little Ouse Moorings, we may pop back to top up on diesel in a few weeks time before we leave the area. Then a right turn back out onto the River Great Ouse, heading down stream towards Denver.

Where to moor though? The GOBA mooring was empty, the wind turbine across the way with blades that had been missing a few days ago was now turning. As it wasn’t raining at that moment we decided to chance it and head another twenty minutes on and see if there was space at the EA moorings where we’d stopped for water. If we could get on the very end, furthest away from the road here would be a good place for Tilly.

Up ahead we could see a narrowboat on the moorings and then a gap just where we wanted to be, brilliant! I bobbed to the bow to get ready to moor up. Now what was that on the mooring? Had some selfish boater left some unwanted item on the moorings? A mattress perhaps? A duvet? Part of a sofa with the rest lurking in the depths?

As we got closer I was still puzzled as to what it was, until it moved!

A seal!

People have been telling us to keep an eye out for seals, but we’d been thinking that was more likely to be nearer to Denver, and more likely to be on the tidal stretch, not here! We pulled in slowly, would there be enough space beyond the seal to moor without disturbing it? It didn’t seem too phased by us pulling in close. A keen eye was kept on us, but there was no urgency to dive in and swim away. We would fit, nose to nose to the narrowboat in front, leaving the seal plenty of room to carry on basking in the now appearing sunshine.

Tilly was kept in, we decided supervised shore leave was in order today, not knowing what she’d make of the seal and what it would make of her. I took a chair out to do more sanding, the dust better in the open air than inside. I had a long chat with the lady from NB Tunnels End. When they’d arrived the seal was attempting to get out of the water, several attempts were made until it was successful.

Once the lady had gone with her dog Tilly was allowed out of the bow door. The usual looking around, a sniff or two along the mooring, it must have smelt of woofer and needed accessing. She walked along the gunnel and then a smell hit the air. She stopped in her tracks, nose held high, what the…..

I’d never smelt anything like it, a touch of Whiskas white fish mixed with yellow biscuits. Then I spotted this big thing. It needed caution, I put on my slowest and lowest of walks possible, my bell none existent. She gave my location away and these two eyes opened up. She told me to look at it’s claws each one the size of one of my arms! I managed to move even slower still. But in the end She interjected, saying that the seal had been here before me and demanded respect. Okay, off into the friendly cover it was.

During the afternoon the heavens opened up a few more times, we did washing and stayed in doors to get on with my project, the paints even came out. Still the seal basked in the sunshine and rain, it didn’t really matter which.

A rather nice Wide Beam pulled up called Karma, Mick got chatting to John and Lana whilst keeping an eye on Tilly, she was far more interested in the trees on the other side of the bank. On board Karma there are two other crew mates, Klaud and Kato (hope I’ve got their names correct) two very handsome black cats, who watched Tilly from their wheelhouse. Because there was an audience, when it was cat curfew she immediately sprang out of the friendly cover to show how good she was. But then trotted off shouting something about needing the loo and she’d rather do it outside! So in full view of Klaud she proceeded to strop off to find a suitable spot. She then played at being in control until a rugby tackle did the trick. I could see her almost waving at Klaud as she was carried back inside!

Early evening we heard a splosh by the hatch. Too big for a fish. Was it the seal? It sure was. Neil the seal (named by the locals) is a celebrity round here. There used to be two of them that frequented the moorings but he now seems to come on his own although this late in the year he is rarely seen.

He swam round, diving and reappearing what felt like miles away. Another dive to pop up by the mooring, several attempts were made until he had enough momentum to pop up onto the bank. What a privilege it is to witness such creatures. We were memorised. Good job Mick gave lighting the stove a good blast to get it going, we managed to cook our jacket potatoes and cook a pie all whilst being entertained by Neil.

It’s never just a dull grey day on a boat.

0 locks, 10.87 miles, 1 right, 1 grey wet day, 1 almost feld tree, 2 hours sanding, 1st coats, 1 layer of detail, 1 lump to avoid, 1 Neil the seal, 1 American, 1 stove lit late, 3 jacket potatoes and pie by 8:30, 1 lap to show off.

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna