Category Archives: Nature

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.

The 4th Point. 30th May

Brandon Lock EA Mooring to New Fen GOBA Mooring

The cruiser that went up through the lock yesterday returned, we think they must have been to the end of the navigable Little Ouse to moor overnight, somewhere we can’t go. After breakfast Tilly came back when called so that we could head out to have a look around Brandon and see if I could find some filler for my project.

We walked upstream along the river to where Brandon Bridge crosses, passing a short narrowboat on it’s home mooring and a winding hole long enough for 40ft boats. Up alongside the busy road was our first view of flint used a lot in the building of houses round here. Today we’d see lots more of it.

Brandon is the flint capital of the Brecks. The town has had connections to the mineral for centuries, from flint axe heads to gunflint. Since the Neolithic period flint has been mined in the area, Grime’s Graves, a few miles out of town, is a prehistoric mine dating back to 2800BC. Brandon’s mines and flint knapping trades meant that it was the first choice by the British Army to supply gunflints during the Napoleonic War and in the 1790’s they produced over one million flints a month.

On the north bank of the river there is the station and the Suffolk Norfolk border. Here large coaching houses sit opposite each other, it was obviously change over day as people walked along the footpath with large bags of laundry. A quick visit to Aldi came up trumps on the filler front, they also had beetroot so our weeks menu has reverted back to include risotto.

A typical High Street took us away from the the river, large houses sitting next to small terraces. More and more buildings showing off the local flint. Even what must have been the Post Office at one time displayed fractured squares.

The more corners we turned the more flint we’d see even flint cobbles along the side of the road.

Time for an early lunch before we’d head for the lock. As we sat eating two chaps arrived, lawnmower and strimmer to cut round the mooring and lock. After they’d cut along the mooring, one of them returned with a leaf blower removing any grassy residue from Oleanna’s cabin side. The chap then caught Mick’s attention.

He’d come to warn us about the depth just in front of us. Last time they were at the lock there was a narrowboat who tried to wind, he’d put his bow in towards the slipway and turned, his stern getting very well and truly stuck in the silt. The EA chaps ended up having to assist him. The chap said we should have a good look to see where the shallow bits were as it was quite shallow towards the entrance for the lock. We’d done a recky yesterday, the clear water helpful to see the sandy silt below and just how shallow it was in parts.

Mick chatted to the chap saying we were hoping to be able to get our bow into the lock, this being the furthest east on the connected network we’d be able to take Oleanna. A photo for the scrap book and the final point (East) ticked off the navigable compass for her. He seemed to think we’d manage it, maybe he was just humouring us! If we ended up in difficulty they would be around for another hour and could lend a hand. If we ended up getting well and truly stuck they would be able to open up the sluice to help flush us out, but they’d need to seek authority to do that first.

It couldn’t be that shallow, surly!

I pushed off the bow and walked up to the sluice to take photos of Oleanna not fitting in the lock whilst Mick positioned her to turn towards it. The sandbank reaches out quite a long way, so cutting the corner wouldn’t work, an almost 90 degree turn then another were needed. Mick tried and tried. Oleanna’s length and depth just wouldn’t get past the sandbank on the bend, the current from the sluice not assisting in our aim. Just getting back to where we’d started from took some doing! Photo opportunity had to be aborted, we would simply not get to the lock and back out again.

I was picked up from the mooring. Our guide book suggests leaving your stern rope attached to a bollard on the mooring and then letting the current swing your bow round to wind. But the shallowness and width of the river didn’t look good, we were certain it would not be sufficient to let us turn.

The furthest facing east we were going to get

Mick headed towards the sluice, this would be the furthest east we’d get Oleanna, so at least that ambition could be ticked off as it was the furthest east it was possible to get her.

He turned the bow towards the lock, reversing back, the current pushed the bow round so far. After some toing and froing, giving the engine some wellie we found ourselves facing the opposite direction. Phew! The only problem was we were stuck, sitting on the bottom!

I headed to the bow, moving weight sometimes helps in such situations. I rocked from side to side a touch. The bow moved, but the stern was held fast. Behind us the river seemed to get shallower and we were too far over towards the lock where it was also too shallow. Blasts of forwards and reverse, no use.

The barge pole was retrieved from the roof. Mick tried pushing the stern out back into what we hoped would be deeper water. I could see an inch or two of movement, or was that just the bow moving round a touch. Every now and then the EA chap looked up from his grass cutting, he’d seen we’d winded and gave us a thumbs up, little did he know we wouldn’t be going anywhere soon!

Then the stern started to move, we reversed back into slightly deeper water. Mick engaged forward gear and pushed the tiller over to get the bow clear of the sandbank. But at the bow I could see this was pointless as we’d be on the bank again. We really needed to go further back, just by another couple of feet to be able to swing and get ourselves free. I shouted back to him. Back into reverse, as soon as the bow would clear of the sandbank I gave him the thumbs up. We had just enough water beneath Oleanna to make the move and swung back into the narrow channel.

Thank ****** for that! We really didn’t want to have the EA chaps open a sluice up for us or be stuck at the most eastern point on the network we could get Oleanna to!

The EA chap now waved and gave us a big thumbs up as we started to make our way back west again. If it gets dredged we’d possibly like to try again, but today nature just stopped us.

Our return trip was grey and rainy. We hoped we’d be okay for a night back at the GOBA New Fen mooring, it’s one of those places where you shouldn’t return within 48 hours, but we were returning from the end, anyhow there’d only been one other boat moored there.

Recently sheered sheep ran ahead of us. Cows stood up to give us the once over and a peddleo was about to be craned into the water at the nice house. Numerous birds swooped and chatted away around us and the dart of a Kingfisher kept us on our toes.

As we rounded the last bend to the moorings we could see boats. Three stretching out along the uneven edge. We pulled in after a hallow section, we were more prepared this time with spikes already in hands. The stern was tied up first, then the bow, followed by the plank being put into action.

Three hours Tilly! She was happy with this new outside!

I got on with thinning down some filler and so far it’s done the job I was hoping it would do. It just needs to dry over night before it gets sanded. Then I’ll see if it will need another coat, before some paint and a touch more detailing is applied.

The temperature dropped again at 6pm so the stove was lit for another evening and Tilly’s shore leave was curtailed by half an hour, well our toes were getting mightily cold with a door open!

0 locks, 0 bow in lock, 5.92 miles, 40 minute wind, 4th compass point ticked off, 2 outsides, 1 flint capital, 1 tube of filler, 1 project filled, 1 bunch beetroot, 1 cosy boat.

https://goo.gl/maps/uQPLECuCxn7MtHKv5

Not Quite All The Way There. 29th May

New Fen GOBA Mooring to Brandon Lock EA Mooring

We had to use up the spare potatoes from the moussaka!

Sunday, well you’ve got to!

Rain showers came over, it was chilly outside, extra layers were called for.

Just around the bend the river opened out even more. Large shallow lakes had many a bird dabbling in the mud. The cows with black ears all came to check us out as we passed. They were really rather nosy and the same gang who’d spotted Tilly and myself yesterday afternoon, there has to have been a fence that stopped them cutting us off from the boat.

More cows with their young watched as we passed by. Little birds flitted between the reeds chirping their hearts out. All very pretty, if only it would stop raining!

A bridge, then the concrete walls of the aqueduct over the Cut Off Channel, no views here either.

The engine’s nearly bigger than the boat!

A new looking house, or has it just been repointed with a new roof, showed off an extension made from flint. A small cruiser with a very large outboard sat on the mooring in front, not a bad spot to live.

The railway now got closer, then crossed over head, small trains heading back and forth to Norwich.

Now the river narrows and the current increases, more revs required. Was that a bit of a brick wall? Could it have been Sheepwash Staunch in the past? A check on our map confirmed it was in the right place.

Soon between the trees came the view of our first lock in over a week, Brandon Lock. We pulled in on the moorings below, the lock could wait for tomorrow, we needed to warm up and go shopping.

Brandon Lock Mooring sits alongside a large allotment and some sports facilities. Today a group of men were playing basketball as we passed, a Dad sat on swings with his daughters and a teenage couple hid under the trees to avoid any further rain. We headed to Tescos, just a short walk away to stock up on food for the next week. The shop wasn’t as big as we’d expected but I spied an organic chicken in their sad gits section greatly reduced to the price of a standard chicken, that was the Sunday roast sorted! No beetroot or Polyfilla though. Some rethinking of the weeks menu was required and my project would have to wait until tomorrow to continue.

Oleanna, not quite as far as she can go yet.

Back at Oleanna Tilly had an explore, nowhere near as impressive as the outside we’d left this morning, but she coped, returning fifteen minutes before cat curfew.

Mick and I walked up to the lock to have a look, the bottom gates wide open, expectant of the next uphill boat. Brandon Lock is a lock we know we won’t fit through, it is only 39ft 4inches long and 13ft 1inch wide, so not even two short narrowboats would fit side by side. So not even the 57ft ‘ideal’ length boat would fit through here.

A while after we’d settled with the chicken roasting away and the stove lit a cruiser came past. The chap headed for the lock, in through the open gates. He was short enough to be able to go beyond and see what lies there. Maybe tomorrow we’ll walk a stretch of the river bank.

0 locks, 6.06 miles, 2 bridges, 2 moving boats all day, 1 wet day, 1 cold day, 2 boxes wine, 1 cheep chicken, 3 hours shore leave,1 boater sleeping the furthest east a boater can sleep on a boat over 39ft 4″.

https://goo.gl/maps/mQdHVmtwCbBmyhdT9

Quick! Before The Cows Cut Us Off! 28th May

New Fen Mooring

Yesterday when we pulled up we decided that we’d be staying put today, such a lovely mooring in the middle of nowhere on our own, Tilly could have a field day!

So when the front blinds were rolled up we were surprised to see another narrowboat moored up, at least they were at the other end of the moorings, so neither of us would disturb each other.

All day we saw two walkers, the narrowboat ahead moved off and another came past us heading to Brandon and then returned a couple of hours later. Other than that we’ve had bird song to listen to.

Tilly started the morning by watching the damselflies in the reeds alongside the boat. I was then given 9 and a half hours to explore! But I had to show myself at least ten times during the day which I think I managed quite well.

Despite the incredibly slow internet here we just about managed to join in with the Geraghty zoom this morning, we froze and went silent on several occasions. Topics included the Fens, bunting and even vampires.

There’s lots of grass to tuck yourself away in and sandy mounds, She said she hoped they weren’t ants nests because I’d spend the day being looney loopy if they were. I only managed an hour of looney loops though.

She got on with her project. It gets hidden away when She’s not doing it. Tom sat outside for sometime in his coat. He says he was listening to the birdies with his eyes closed, but I’m not so sure!

Late afternoon I realised I hadn’t even stepped of the boat, so it was time to head for a bit of a walk. With Tilly in tow I climbed onto the flood bank and walked back towards the Great Ouse. Having a cat in tow would mean I wouldn’t be walking miles, but we covered quite a distance until I saw that the next field had cows. So we turned and started to walk back, Tilly only distracted a couple of times so she managed to keep up in her springy way charging ahead to buy her more distraction time.

However on our return our pace had to become a touch quicker. Up ahead I could see quite a lot of cows, all white with black ears. They were very interested in us! Would we make it back in time not to be cut off from the boat by them? I made the decision to get back to the boat with Tilly and shore leave would be over for the day, I really didn’t want her stranded on the other side of inquisitive cows.

With a Moussaka on the cards this evening, I spread the preparation out through the day. Potatoes were boiled and left to cool. Aubergine sliced, salted to get rid of any bitterness, then fried and left to cool. The mince was prepared and everything layered up with the final layer of cheese and egg sauce popped on top. Each bit done whilst things on my project had time to dry off.

I now need some filler for the next phase. Back at the house I have the ideal filler in powder form, but I’ve not seen that kind in shops in years. Hopefully I’ll be able to get some cheap Polyfilla that I can thin down a touch to achieve the same effect when we reach Brandon.

Despite patches of sunshine today the temperature has dropped, so Mick lit the fire this evening. Only a small one as we didn’t want to overheat, but just enough for us not to need blankets on our knees and hopefully keep the boat warm overnight.

0 locks, 0 miles, 2 moving boats, 2 walkers, 2 beads, 1 project fitted and ready for the next stage, 1 box of filler required, 1 aubergine, 1 bag sprouting potatoes, 250grams mince, 0 parmesan, 1 recipe next time, 9.5 hours, 1 field day, 1 km cat walk, 1 stove, 1 heard cows who couldn’t be bothered with us in the end! 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna