Ten Mile Bank GOBA mooring to Jubilee Gardens, Ely
Eleanor sneaking past as we drank tea
The curtains on the porthole in the bedroom were pushed aside this morning so that we could spy for any passing boats as we had our cuppa in bed. NB Eleanor pushed off from behind us and I think a cruiser also came past. As we had breakfast, rolled up the covers we kept an eye open for a boat we’ve yet to meet, but there was still no sign. We needed to get moving to secure a mooring in Ely. Our paths, with the yet to meet boat, will cross at some point.
Blue skies and wind
Today was still windy, is it always so down here on the flat lands? Another blue and green day.
Hello again
We passed WB Karma, biped our horn, but no one was about, Klaud or Kato had been left in charge of the wheelhouse, a head bobbing up to see who was disturbing his snooze.
We passed the sad house, the last pylon in a line, the closed moorings at Littleport where the ducks, moles and weeds are enjoying themselves with no boaters around to disturb them.
Then the long straight sections towards Ely, the occasional slight bend and the turn off to the River Lark. Onwards. We were gradually catching up with a boat ahead who were overtaken by rowers. Then it was time to seek out a mooring.
Back to back rowing, going nowhere
Where we’d been before was chocka, but further along nearer the bars there were a few spaces. We pulled in at the bottom of Jubilee Gardens, hopefully here would be far enough away from any cars for Tilly to possibly have some shore leave.
Maybe there? Avoiding the trip boat mooring of course
The overhang on the mooring meant deploying the fat fender and a wheel to save the cabin side. The boat behind us was nicely wedged under the edge! The doors were opened and we waited to see what Tilly made of it.
Or there?
She stood, had a look this way and that, then scurried through a gap in the passing legs to find some sideways trees to lurk around. We wondered if she’d ever make it back for us to be able to go out this evening, but thankfully she succeeded requesting to have her evening ding ding early!
Our evening ding ding, not bad for a gluten free fish
Around 6pm there was a tap on the roof, Heather Bleasdale. She’d been up to see her, new to her boat that is having work done to it further upstream. Chats over a cuppa on board were followed by fish and chips at RBK. The fish was very large and the chips exceedingly hot. We whiled away a few hours catching up on news and comparing notes of our travels. Hopefully her new boat will be back on the water soon and we might meet up somewhere.
The Swan On The River to New Fen GOBA Mooring, River Little Ouse
Boat grown addition to breakfast today
Time to unplug ourselves and push over to the other side for water, boats had been moving off including the Black Prince boat that would have been in our way. As we rolled up the covers a chap from the hire cruiser ahead of us stepped off his boat.
Yep I’m looking at you.
He’d been around yesterday showing off his jacket. Then his wife stepped off the boat in her pyjamas, they kicked their heels for a little while, obviously waiting for us to go, she made out she was doing some exercises.
Christine you are right, the elephants are upside down!
As soon as we’d pushed the bow out and waved them goodbye, they sprang into action. She got her phone out, he donned a Captains hat and held a pipe in his hand, then posed in front of their cruiser. Glad they are having a lovely time on their hols.
Sun’s out
Thankfully the water pressure was good and we were soon able to push off again, winding and heading northwards. Our first job today was to fill with diesel, the tank gauge was reading a quarter full, the lowest we’ve had it since Oleanna was brand new. We’d last filled at Rugby Boats at the beginning of May since when we’ve covered quite a lot of water.
We passed the high banks, a chap was doing something at the EA moorings just north of The Boat Haven, the recent rain having helped give the grass seed a helping hand. A wonky cottage when zoomed in on looks even wonkier. The window sills peeling away from the windows and some disturbingly large cracks, we doubted you’d be able to get a mortgage on such a house. This wasn’t the last such property we’d be seeing today.
At The Ship we turned onto the River Little Ouse and slowed right down, the tributary far narrower and lined on both sides with boats. After a half mile we spotted the Little Ouse Moorings service pontoon and pulled in. Thank you Paul and Brian for pointing us here. Mick tried calling the phone number but got an answer phone, so we climbed up over the flood bank and down the other side to find the farm with its big modern gates and rang the doorbell.
What a poppy!
Natalie appeared, collected her keys and came to fill up our diesel tank. There was time to chat diesel, white versus red, Calor gas and the shortages, she suggested where we might try if we needed a new bottle in the coming weeks, she’s only had one new bottle since October!
Snoozing in the sunshine
At £1.48 a litre we knew the bill would be high, not as high as if we’d filled in Ely where their pump was boasting £1.51 the other day. We took on 125 litres, paid in the office, then had a quick lunch before pushing away from the pump.
We had a two hours cruise before we’d reach a mooring today, thank goodness the flood banks came and went opening out the view first one side then the other. A distant view of Ely Cathedral, tractors in the fields, trees blew in the wind as we chose whether to wear coats or not.
Only two bridges to pass under, neither of them taking much traffic other than for farming.
Then the end of a wonderful ramshackled building came into view. The end wall somehow standing up, a large brick chimney in the middle. As we came round to view the longer side of the building the floors really couldn’t find any more angles to lean at. This was The Waterman’s Arms at Redmere it closed in 1956 and still stands , sort of!
Left please
The navigation bends off to the left as Lakenheath Lode joins. High up on a bank I could spy what I thought were two herons. Not often you see herons together.
Common Crane
But later on zooming in on the one photo I’d managed to take I spotted that the bird had a touch of red to it’s head and it’s neck was far too thick for a Heron. This I’m fairly sure was a Common Crane.
Xanadu!
More unused buildings were Xanadu Boat Hire, portacabins not that appealing.
Bird of prey, but which one?
There were also birds of prey circling above. Were these Marsh Harriers, Kites, other birds of prey? A look on the internet gave us comparisons between birds, but for that to be of any use you really need to know more about what you are looking at, rather than just the silhouette against the sky.
The GOBA mooring signs came into view. The edge a touch uneven and overgrown, this would need a considered step off to moor up. We continued a little way before trying, but then neither of us could get back on board! Once Mick was back at the helm we pulled back almost to the start of the moorings where it was easier to get on and off. The plank came out to make it even easier, even Tilly was quite happy to make use of it before she pranced about in the long grass.
The planks out
0 locks, 11.04 miles, 2 winds, 1 right, 1 left, 100ft backwards,14 boat grown strawberries, 1 Captain twonk, 125 litres, 2 wonky buildings, 3.5 hours shore leave, 2 cranes, 4673 damselflies, 24569 yoyo flies, 1 Kingfisher this way, 1 Kingfisher that way, 1 mooring in the middle of nowhere.
Blimey the wind was going for it, luckily not a head wind, it was coming from the stern!
We made our way downstream. A couple of eights came towards us along the straight that was used for the Boat Race last year. These were novice crew, but who knows some of them may end up rowing for their University in years to come.
Leaving Ely
Behind us huge black clouds loomed over our wake, the engine revs higher today keeping our momentum on a straight course. We timed ourselves again, 42 seconds today, still not speeding.
Rowing
Was this boat quite so low in the water when we’d passed a couple of days ago? Checking back on photos (right), no it wasn’t. Was it down to the thunder storms that had passed over yesterday?
After the long straight we could see our intended mooring for the day, outside The Swan On The River. Here there are two EA 48hour moorings along with a patron mooring outside the pub. £10 a night with electric or free if you go in for a meal.
Ahead looked bright, but behind was a different story!
We pulled up on the EA moorings, but close enough to the last electric hook up for us to plug in. As I did a cat Health and Safety check regarding the proximity of the railway, Mick went to chat to staff at the pub about plugging in. They were fine about this as we’d a table booked for six.
Early evening a face popped into view, Christine, everyone had arrived! Christine, Paul, Marion and John have been staying nearby for a few days walking, sight seeing and bird watching.
Me, Christine, Paul, John, Marion, Mick
A photograph of William Henry Chignall was handed over to Marion and John to go on their wall of relatives, he’d been keeping an eye on our house in a back room and it was time he was reunited with family. This evening he was positioned at the end of the table to keep an eye on his great grand children.
The food was okay. I only had three choices and decided on a steak, which arrived devoid of any rareness that I’d requested. However the very gooey warm chocolate brownie more than made up for my grey steak.
Colours
As we left the pub the sun was just casting colours across the sky. It was lovely having an evening in the company of family, hope they enjoy the cathedral tomorrow.
Last night we watched the bats swooping for insects around our mooring. Apart from the occasional train we had a peaceful night. Last time we moored here I had a broken ankle, so Mick single handed the flight with Tilly and myself trying to watch films below. On that occasion we paused on this mooring for a whole day to let storm Doris go over, we wouldn’t be staying as long this time.
The thick behind us
Before we were ready to push off this morning a pair came up the flight. We weren’t in a hurry to set off and kept an eye out behind in case a boat was making it’s way down that we could share the second half of the locks with. But there was no sign.
Pulling back to approach the lock
At 10am we were ready. A volunteer had arrived too, he went down to the next lock to set it ready for us and check nobody was coming up. We were then joined by another two volunteers. One chap carried on down the flight to set ahead with the other two helping to close gates and work paddles.
Heading upwards
We now started to meet boats coming up, another pair and one on it’s own. This meant we lost some volunteers, but by now we’d also picked up another two! Five volunteers in all.
We knew that they wouldn’t all stay with us to the bottom lock, but the chap who’d started helping us first kept setting the lock ahead for us. With the pounds between locks getting longer and longer this was very handy indeed. Another chap with a bike carried on down, leaving us with the last couple still to do. Thank you to them all for their help.
Hatton Bottom Lock
We came out of the bottom lock at around 11.30 and pootled our way round Budbrooke Junction. The sun was out, not as warm as yesterday but we wanted to make use of the sunlight. We pulled in behind another boat a short distance before Wedgenock Lane Bridge, further along we’d be over shadowed by flats and trees.
The back doors of NB Hadar open
A quick check on the lane alongside the moorings and both of us agreed that Tilly’s shore leave would have to wait for another day. The lane leads to the cemetery, it isn’t busy, but vehicles tend not to go along it slowly, the worst kind for a cat escaping danger.
Look out for raspberries on the off side later in the year
The afternoon passed with Mick trying to sort out the best route back to Scarborough to collect our postal votes, neither of us are convinced that if they were posted on to us that we would receive them in time to make our votes count. I knitted another couple of pairs of baby socks and Tilly complained about being shut in doors.
The Cape of Good Hope
This evening we headed along the towpath and crossed the lock to have a meal at The Cape Of Good Hope. We’ve only eaten out a couple of times since we last ate here last September. We’d booked an early table so as to avoid the crowds coming in for the pub quiz.
Burgers
A burger each, mine with a gluten free bun, half the size of Mick’s costing an extra £1.50! But worth it. These were followed by a chocolate fondant and banoffee cheesecake. All very nice apart from Mick’s arriving on a roofing slate from which cherry juice dropped onto his clean pair of jeans! Mental note, always ask for food to be served on standard crockery.
Puddings
We’d just finished our meal as the quiz teams arrived. We’re still not keen on sharing air space with lots of people.
Plenty more of these to come
11 locks, 1.87 miles, 5 volunteers, 1 easy descent, 23hours 28 minutes, 1 slow afternoon, 4 baby socks, 1 annoying howling second mate, 2 burgers, 1 glass wine, 1 pint, 2 puddings, Happy (what would have been his) 97th Birthday to my Dad.
Keadby Visitor Moorings to Muskham Ferry, River Trent
Neither of us slept well last night. An early start on tidal waters, the trains going over Vazon Sliding Bridge through the night, not knowing what we would find when we reached David, plus the thought that the conditions on the river could be unsafe due to high winds so we’d not reach Cromwell today.
Almost ready to go down
The alarm went off at 6am, enough time for a cuppa, do final checks and put Tilly’s escape pod together. A phone call from Kirsty saying we had ten minutes before she’d open the road bridge in front of the lock. Covers were sorted quickly, ash can back on board then we followed NB No Rush towards the lock, the light having turned green a couple of minutes earlier.
Water pouring over from the canal
Kirsty said the flood was still a way off so she would let us down the lock slowly and wait for the level outside the lock to be right before opening the gates. We sat in the lock gradually going down chatting away to Will on NB No Rush. Both boats had the same plan, Cromwell, but if conditions were bad then a stop at either Torksey or Dunham. We exchanged phone numbers and with both boats having VHF we knew we could be in touch even if we were out of sight of each other.
Thank you Kirtsy
It took 40 minutes for things to be right before the gates opened in front of us. Will suggested we went first as we had more reason to get somewhere today and he’d been told he travels a touch slower than most. Out onto the river, the push from the tide not yet really going for it.
We’d not been down to the lock to check if there were any ships moored on the river as we do normally, so it was a relief that there wasn’t one there to surprise us.
A ship across the way
Dressed appropriately, thermals, padded waterproof trousers, jumpers, fleece, waterproof coat, we hoped we’d be able to withstand what ever the weather threw at us. The large expanse of river was ahead, we gradually crossed over to go under the eastern span of Keadby Bridge. NB No Rush appeared from the lock behind, at first seeming to keep up with us, but as the two boats settled into their cruising speed with the tide we slowly pulled away from them.
Breakfast on the move
Time for breakfast, sausage sarnies and an insulated mug of something hot. Meanwhile below Tilly was not impressed with the speed we were moving the outside, I’m not a speed monster!
Follow the red line
With our Trent chart in a plastic bag for protection from a little rain early on, we followed the red line marking the channel, around us the level gradually rising with the tide.
NB No Rush behind
This was our fourth trip southwards on the Tidal Trent. First trip was on NB Lillyanne in 2015, then on Oleanna’s maiden voyage when we managed to catch an early morning spring tide which carried us all the way to Cromwell. Then last year when we’d come round Trent Falls escaping from Goole. Today the westerly wind would be over the tide giving us waves when we turned into it. Thankfully they weren’t too big.
Familiar landmarks were passed, Owston Ferry (Which pub did Mick’s grandfather stay at?), The entrance to the River Idle, West Stockwith Lock.
Gainsborough where we’d considered stopping last year, but with spring tides and a possible Aegir the following morning we ended up continuing on to Torksey. We were rushing with the tide by now as the river narrows and twists through the city. Areas where the water gets confused as to which way to flow, bubbling around Oleanna.
Gainsborough pontoon
Then the power stations still with their full compliment of cooling towers could be seen, at one stage both in line with each other.
Gainsborough Bridge
Torksey Viaduct. A quick check of Windy and the forecast strong winds had moved on a few hours. We agreed to carry on, so far conditions hadn’t been too bad. We passed the turn off to the lock and the pontoons below it, not a boat in sight.
No Rush still in view
Along the straight to Dunham Toll Bridge we could see NB No Rush was still with us. Last chance to stop on the pontoon here, but we kept on going. A phone call to Cromwell had been made to make sure we’d be able to get in with them today, all was fine.
Torksey Viaduct, now a footpath
Things were getting choppier, more twists bringing us in to the wind. Gradually our speed dropped as the push from the tide dropped away and the push the other way from 2ft of fresh water coming down from Cromwell took over, a few more revs needed from Oleanna’s engine.
Cooling towers
Overhead power lines were being worked on, pinging in the wind as they whipped around as we followed the channel directly underneath them, a rescue boat was moored at the corner just in case.
Round the meanders where posts sit far out in the water marking where sandbags extend to. Under Fledborough Viaduct where someone needs to refresh the England graffiti so you get the right span for the channel.
Then at the bends where you line up with an old mill on the bank we came across two narrowboats heading downstream, luckily there was enough water for us all to pass without anyone going aground, handy it was a spring tide with fresh coming down.
Nearly there!
We’d been told to call the Lock Keeper at the 48km marker, Mick left a message. The final bend and Cromwell Weir came into view followed by the lock. The light was red, but shortly turned to green as the gates opened to welcome us off the tidal Trent. Being able to be right back in the lock made for a gentle ascent.
Cromwell Lock
We needed a pit stop so pulled on to the inside of the pontoon mooring alongside a chap who’d just come from Torksey this morning. Lunch and an empty of our wee tank. NB No Rush soon followed us up, they’d stopped to give the dog a comfort break at Dunham. Blimey that wind and now rain had got up, Will very nearly lost his boat whilst trying to moor up, Mick ran to lend a hand and between everyone they got their boat secured.
Would there be space for us
Time to move on. David was moored at North Muskham outside the Muskham Ferry. Here there are finger pontoons, short finger pontoons, would we be able to moor up safely? It took three attempts to get Oleanna’s bow close enough to the pontoon for me to jump off and quickly secure the bow rope before the wind and current dragged the stern away down stream pivoting the bow into the side of a cruiser. Thankfully things held and we could finish securing Oleanna next door to David.
Just like Mr Ben a chap turned up on the pontoon, saying he was from the local parish council and asked if we were David’s friends? We’re not sure how it came about, but David has been supported by the Parish Council of North Muskham for about a week. Piles of fire wood sat on the pontoon and a pub meal was being paid for by them each day.
So pretty and in better light than last time we passed.
We are by no means mental health experts, we can listen, hold a hand, give hugs and try and help with practical things. David was in a state as we’d expected. The man we’d met last year we knew we’d not be seeing today. With his problems he’s let the boat and himself go.
Where to start? What to do?
Cormorant and Swan convention
David had been in touch with so many organisations, he’d managed to register with a GP in Newark, the Crisis team had been out to him. But it all felt like he was going round and round in circles, nothing helping, nothing working, just constantly being pushed to the next organisation or a different part of the NHS.
We made a call to his GP. The receptionist tried to help but couldn’t, if David was feeling suicidal than he had to go to A&E something he really really didn’t want to do. Eventually we were given the number of the Crisis team. Mick called them leaving a message voicing our concerns. He had a call back, data protection meant that David had to give consent for us to be part of the conversation, so the phone had to come off speaker and be handed to him. Once that was sorted we were told that David had an appointment for the morning in Newark.
Torksey Lock
We did a bit of shopping for him, an idyllic walk along the side of the A1 to get to the service station! Sitting outside chatting with David we were joined by a lady who’d been wild swimming, she knew the right things to say, to ask questions, showed care for a complete stranger. What a wonderful person she was.
David joined us inside Oleanna to warm up, have some food, maybe a shower. Instead we ended up chatting with Heather Bleasdale on the phone about all sorts of things, quite a bit about the cruiser she bought a few months ago and what jobs were needing to be done. The pub delivered some chips for David, but they weren’t what he needed, sleep was more important to him even if he’d not eaten properly for a few days.
Neighbours
Later on Mick got another phone call from the crisis team, where were we and what time would we like a cab to get us to the meeting in the morning. We’d assumed that the meeting had already been planned, but it turns out our concerned phone calls had triggered it. The lady was very helpful, told us who we’d be meeting. We hoped that this would be the way out of the circle David felt he was in.
I cooked a meal, we watched TV, went to bed early hoping we’d get a better nights sleep.
2 locks, 1 swing bridge, 1 windy day, 2 possible stop offs, 0 used, 2 sausage sarnies, 1 pit stop, 3 attempts to moor, 1 narrowboat clinging on for dear life, 1 broken man, 1 wonderful woman, 2 phone calls of concern, £19.75 for 30grams of tobacco! 1 meeting for tomorrow.
An early Sunday lunch was enjoyed before we got in the car to drive over to Huddersfield. This visit I’d be staying four nights so being nearer to the theatre would be good so I booked into the Premier Inn at Apsley Basin. This not only meant I’d be able to pop into Sainsburys on my way to and from work but I’d also get to see boats every day.
Boats and us!
My chauffer stayed or a cuppa before heading back to Scarborough.
Valentines cards
Monday morning and I found a couple of cards in one of my bags. Somehow the postman had delivered a small box of chocolates and cards to me which I opened whilst waiting for my lateral flow test to to do its thing.
Then it was time to head on up to the theatre to wait for the set to arrive on the back of Grahams trailer. The last time Graham and I worked together was also on a Dark Horse Theatre production, seven years ago, Snakebite. There was a time where I saw more of Graham than I did of Mick! Once the set was in the building Graham and I started to bolt the sections together whilst Penny (the Stage Manager/Lighting Designer) started to rig the lights and soft black masking.
By lunchtime the floor was laid, the flats were in position. Graham had rigged the lift door mechanism and then explained it to me. The warmth of the building had helped by tightening up the fabric the set had been covered in. Ripstock doesn’t like the cold and even just a few degrees can mean a baggy set.
After lunch I proceeded to stick green neon gaffa tape onto the set whilst the sound was sorted for the show. Penny followed on with focusing the lights. Down in the dressing rooms I sewed names into costumes and adulting badges were added to the front of the overalls.
Tuesday, Penny plotted the lights, sound and computer animation whilst I hunted round every clothes shop in Huddersfield for a vest top which I hoped would cover up a pink sports bra. I returned with a few choices and later in the day one of them did the job.
After lunch we were joined by the actors to do a technical rehearsal. Making sure the actors knew where to stand in light, where to stand out of view. Making sure the sound levels were suitable and that the lighting states did the job whilst not overpowering the animation on the set.
This normally would be done in full costume, but we saved that for a tech run later in the afternoon. After work I treated myself to a hot meal next door at Table Table, there are only so many wraps you can eat in a week!
Hair and make up
Wednesday started with a full dress rehearsal. Make up and hair were added into the equation. With three of the Dark Horse staff members on hand to do space buns I managed to avoid having to lend a hand.
An audience and Penny with all her screens
Two shows today. The first with quite a large audience. A local learning disabled school along with representatives from theatres the show may tour to next year. Then in the evening we had an audience of friends and family.
The shows were development showings, half the show with full production values. Although if Dark Horse manage to get more funding for the show next year then we will add neon lights into the set rather than having to rely on neon tape.
Both shows went down well and I got chance to have a catch up with the Assistant Producer from the SJT in Scarborough.
Subdued crochet compared to my socks
Normally on Panto Postcards I do a tally of how many hours I’ve worked. Well with most of the work having been done in advance the days were short. Monday and Tuesday starting at 9am and finishing at 6pm, I was glad I’d taken some crochet along with me as there was quite a gap between shows.
All gone!
Then once the final audience member had left the auditorium it was time to take everything down. This took all of 35 minutes. The original plan had been to ferry all the set over to the rehearsal space, but because of Storm Dudley it was decided to take it to the office instead. Better that people didn’t fly away.
A couple of drinks in the pub next door to wind down was followed by some chips which I managed to eat all of on the way back to my hotel. The second photo is of an empty box overlooking the canal basin whilst Dudley did it’s worst, nothing to do with the wine I’d drunk!
Thursday morning Mick arrived to pick me up. It was time to celebrate Christmas with the London Leckenbys. The four hour drive wasn’t too bad as the worst effects of the storm had passed. A pizza followed by some chilled medication was enjoyed at Wells Street Pizza in Hackney.
Friday we managed to avoid the worst effects of the fresh air Storm Eustice was blowing around. Jac and Josh headed off to do a bit of shopping and get a hair cut at Bermondsey Market, but neither Mick or I fancied sitting on a double decker bus at the height of the storm. Instead we got to watch the womens curling instead.
Christmas presents were unwrapped in the evening. Mick got a hedge trimmer and a webcam. I got a big saute pan, a red fleece top, a new duvet cover and the latest Andy Griffee hard backs. A very good haul, worth the trip to London.
More watery mysteries
Saturday we said our farewells, hopefully we’ll get to see Andrew Jac and Josh next just before Easter. We’d managed to miss the really bad weather again for our trip back to Scarborough, although we did have torrential rain, then sunshine. When we turned onto the M18 we then got sleet which by the time we turned off the M62 had turned into snow, much of it looking like it would be hanging around.
Snowy Wolds
A road closure meant we had to divert to Bridlington and as soon as we ducked under the railway line all of the snow vanished, Scarborough was having quite a pleasant day!
My pretty little Thug
Tilly’s magic food bowl was totally empty and the biscuit bowl had been licked clean too.
Good job they came back when they did as Tom hadn’t left ANY reserves!
0 locks, 0 miles, 2 hire cars, 24 hours work, 7 actors, 21 strips of neon gaffa, 100 dabs of glue, 1 baggy set, 1 tight as a drum set, 2 showings, 1 happy director, 4 nights, 4 pizzas, 1 family Christmas, 1 whole salmon, 2 storms, 1 snowy landscape, 1 cat happy to have us home.
Sunday. What a lovely day off spent with family. Finn the feline version of a silver back was first to say good morning to me, I was honoured as he rarely makes his way upstairs. Then Ziggy made sure I had enough feline attention by sitting on me and demanding I leave the crochet blanket alone to give her plenty of chin rubs.
Family!
The day was spent chatting with Andrew and Jac followed by an early lunch. A joint of lamb with plenty of vegetables and masses of cauliflower cheese. All was very very yummy and just what was needed to refuel me for the journey back to Chippy. I even got to take a generous doggy bag back with me!
Google had been good on the way to Hackney with it’s timings, I aimed for an earlier bus than suggested, just missing it. Then with the volume of people at Paddington it was slow going getting up into the station, I was there a minute before my train departed, but there was no mention of which platform, so I missed it! A change of route however got me back to Oxford in time for a bus back to Chippy before they became hourly.
Just a bit of prop veg
Monday. Jo returned with a mass of giant prop veg. Those turnips nearly looked good enough to eat and her leeks made from yoga mats were a triumph! We were joined by Tim for a second day helping to work the way through the remainder of the prop makes.
The Cotswold Thunderbolt
The local BBC reporters came to film us getting ready to open the show. A few interviews were recorded and then Ash and Gav got to wheel the cannons across stage at speed, which of course was the bit that was used.
I know how to live!
The dress rehearsal from Saturday was finished off, followed by a full dress with another set of Pippins. This then left the evening to do work. I decamped into the bar and spent several hours sewing velcro onto ribbons, sadly the bar wasn’t open!
Tuesday. More fairy lights went up in the auditorium and we were joined by the ushers for the final dress rehearsal when photos were taken. There were still notes to work on and the show was running a touch too long for days with two school shows. Whilst cuts were discussed long into the evening glittering happened in the auditorium, adding that bit of eco sparkle to the show.
Drying leaves
Wednesday. I spent all morning in the land of latex glue. The auditorium needed a good leafing. I got into my stride with three plastic bags where leaves could be glued and left to dry as I stuck the driest onto the balcony fronts. The morning soon disappeared and it was time to clear everything away as we had two previews.
Audience!
The first preview was filled with a school and a group of about 30 adults. Sadly after a couple of songs a fault developed with the sound so the show had to be stopped as nobody could hear the music. People ran round to find the fault and ended up replacing a faulty cable which seemed to do the trick. But by the time we were ready to start again there was a very long line of kids waiting for the toilet! The delay of around twenty minutes meant that the schools bus would arrive before the end of the show, so it was decided to get to the song sheet and then say farewell to the kids, the adults then more than made up for the lack of bums on seats whilst the show finished.
Rudi and Rapunzel with the portrait
The second preview went much better, even the cannons did their best to impress and soak! The old Producer Will was in to watch, which was lovely as he put together the team and contracted us all before he left to go freelance.
Still my favourite set
During the show I realised what was missing from one of my sets. The interior of the tower had been bothering me, it was because it didn’t have any panto shadows. So the set was put on stage ready for some attention first thing in the morning.
Almost finished England on the Wold
Thursday, I was just about first in. Shadows painted before the cast arrived to work through the cuts that would be put in today. I had a few more notes to do before having a really good tidy up. Paints were labelled and stored back in the shed. The model was removed from the model box of the theatre, I keep a few bits as mementos but the rest has served its purpose so just ends up in the bin. All my possessions were collected together and piled up in the shower, the only place left in the building with space!
Just a few more leaves were added and the very last one recorded for posterity. I used a few leaves and added strawberries for my first night cards, the remaining ones were all packed up and put in the attic for someone to find in years to come. Out of the 3588 leaves I’d cut for the show I think I had about 900 left and if I’d had one more day I’d have used them all up.
In fact it’s loads of scaf clamps
At bang on 4pm I got a message, Mick had arrived in Chippy! A hire car had been picked up this morning in Scarborough. The car was loaded and the shower made available to the cast again.
Notes
The evenings performance was a socially distanced one, only 65 in the audience, but they all seemed to enjoy it. Maybe it was because there were lots of the team in as it was our last evening. Mick enjoyed the show and I was especially pleased that the Pippin team on tonight included my favourite, she tends to steal the show when she’s on stage.
Time to say Goodbye to panto
After the show I joined the rest of the team in the stalls for notes. This actually was more of a goodbye to many of us who’d be leaving tomorrow. Tiredness and emotion took over a touch for me. After spending almost 18 months talking about the show and the design having been worked on for a year, there it was on the stage in front of an audience. We were all back doing what we love and sharing it with an audience. I’d avoided going to the pub for four weeks and kept my distance, worn my mask for eleven hours a day (sometimes more) but now hugs could not be refused.
Yum!
Time to eat. Only one thing I could eat, and that was fish and chips at the Blue Boar.
Chipping Norton is where Bagpuss resides of course
Friday. No time to sleep in, there was more to pack in the car and time to say goodbye to Suzanne. Thank you once again for my Chippy Panto home.
Festive breakfast/lunch
Then we were on our way heading northwards. We paused to pick up some breakfast at Leicester Forest East Services. Last time we’d stopped here was when we moved NB Winding Down from Elton Moss, on that occasion we’d had three weeks of boat life and were deafened by the chairs in the dining area being scraped on the floor. Sandwiches would do us today.
There she is!
We turned off the M18 at junction 6 and wove our way through Thorne to reach Blue Water Marina. There sat Oleanna tucked in with her new friends, a few with familiar names about the place.
It’s been strange not being able to go home to the boat whilst working on panto this year, my life having developed a north south divide! So it was good to see her in her winter home. Time to collect a few things I would want before it was time to say Toodle Pip to her for the time being.
Drax
The rest of our journey back to the house was filled with autumnal scenes up over the Wolds. Drax the only power station in the area still with it’s full compliment of cooling towers was busy working hard.
Yes it is me, I’m home now!
Sat in the bay window on our return was Tilly. I got a bit of a telling off to start off with but she soon remembered that I give better head nudges than Mick. Well first you’d gone and left me, then Tom did too! He’d even left me with the magic food bowl which had only popped once! I’d got bored of waiting for it to pop again. I was soon pinned down to the sofa by Tilly, Mick gave me a glass of wine and I caught up on Bake Off again.
Pinned down
Three weeks ago on the day we moved Tilly back to Scarborough, we were contacted by the SJT regarding a lodger for 6 weeks next spring, hopefully our first of several. So this year we know when we’ll be back on Oleanna, well hopefully if the plague doesn’t get out of control!
Protecting the bench
This does now mean that unless there is something boaty to write about, the blog will be going into hibernation again, hopefully not for as long as last winter as we’ll be back on board before C&RT’s winter maintenance is finished. In the meantime we’re working on a few new things to be included on the blog.
Now where’s that stoppage list gone?
for now
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 missed train, 1 huge leg of lamb, 2 feline cuddles, 4 last days, 2667 leaves stuck, 21 leaf cards, 6 ribbons, 1 last night visit to the pub, 1 Oleanna visit, 1 ikea bag of stuff, 1 shouting cat, 1 warm lap, 1 designer pinned to the sofa, 1 panto opened, 1 Pip taking it easy for a while.
Mick wanted another go in the engine bay this morning to see if he could free what remained of the cable around the pulley on the alternator. I in the mean time sat down to hand write the post you read yesterday so as not to forget things. I’ve discovered that hand writing is actually a touch quicker than tapping the words out on a keyboard, I tend not to re-read everything several times. If only the words would now leap onto the computer for me, I’m going to try dictating them into Word when we have power restored and see how that goes.
Hand written
Mick beavered away at the back. First the remaining cable was prised out from the pulley, Hooray!!! Then he fitted the new belt to the alternator. On Saturday morning he’d been a touch cautious about this, RCR could have done it if the cable hadn’t been a problem. But having spent quite a bit of time up close with the beating heart of Oleanna over the last couple of days he felt that he was more than capable. By 11 am the engine was started, things checked over in the engine bay. Inverter was turned on along with the fridge, everything sprang back into life. We had POWER again!
POWER!!!!
With plenty of time to make it down to Lock 1E for 3pm it had been a morning well spent. Once the batteries had had a little boost the dish washer was turned on, now very full. The covers were rolled back and I set off to walk most of the rest of the way down into Huddersfield.
The character of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal now changes, far less leafy, more old mills, roads and the railway. Industry the reason for the canal existing in the first place. Businesses were proud of themselves when mills and factories were built, carving their names in stone, building their names into the brickwork, established dates forever.
At 8E there was at last a walkway over the top gates. I soon worked out that this was because there was no other way to get to the offside, despite there being a bridge just below the lock there was no means of getting to the gate that side. Time to walk round the lock the other way time and time again. The beams overhang the bridge below, the beams having been shaped round it. This does mean that the final push closed of the gates can be done from the road, saving one trip all the way round the lock, no walkway to jump from one gate to the other here on the Narrow.
A boat! I was so surprised I didn’t manage to get it in focus!
Between 6E and 5E the level was down, was this to be the start of our water worries? I walked on ahead, safer that way so as not to have to launch oneself off the boat if you can’t get into the side. Up ahead I could see a boat coming towards us, they must have come up 1E at 9am. They loitered for Mick to come through a bridge and there was time to chat. The level between 1 and 2 had been very low, they’d only just made it. I warned them about Lock 1W and how much of a b**rd it was.
NB Bridge Street was one of the boats we saw a lot of in Nantwich last year during lockdown 1. We also saw them somewhere near Fradley earlier this year. I said they’d recognise the boat when they passed. They did and asked Mick how Tilly was.
Just a touch low
The bywash certainly wasn’t flowing at lock 5E, the lock needed just a touch more water to level out, a C&RT key was required for the locks on the paddles, that of course was onboard.
Towering over Oleanna
Down under the very tall viaduct which helps connect Huddersfield to Sheffield, the trains too high up to get in a picture as they cross.
Gong along the old tunnel
Down 4E and then the long narrow channel past new University buildings. The position of Lock 3E has been moved twice. Factories had been built upstream of the lock and Lock 2E after the canal had been abandoned, they were built on the line of the canal and thus blocked it. The solution was to relocate the lock upstream of the factories and have a tunnel built under the factory. Eleven years later Sellers Engineering relocated to a new site, enabling Lock 3E to move a second time, nearer to the original Lock 3E. The section that had been the tunnel was now brought to the surface and is the narrow channel leading to the new lock. Link
Dropping down 3E you have to get back on your boat as there is no land access to Lock 2E. This is where we met NB Jubilee six years ago. They were just arriving at the empty Lock 2E and it was in their favour. We pulled in on the lock landing awaiting our turn. As the lock filled and NB Jubilee rose the rapid level drop above the lock caused Lillian to go on such an alarming list we dropped the paddles very quickly!
Today we had no problem as no-one was coming up the lock. We dropped down, Mick picking me up again and headed on down to Lock 1E through another tunnel and the old Lock 2E. I remembered Frank and myself having to go to the front of Lillian to help raise the stern on this pound, it also made it easier to get off the bow as the stern would not get into the side.
A touch low towards Lock 1E
Today the pound looked a touch low so I replicated what I’d done six years earlier, hopping off the bow to tie Oleanna up. Lunch was had at a jaunty angle whilst we waited for 3pm and the chaps from C&RT to come and open the lock for us.
As close to the side as we could manage
Discussions on various forums have been that the University alongside the canal here was able to use water from the canal to cool things, the warm water then being put into the river, thus explaining why the pound above Lock 1E is quite often so low. Mick spotted someone wearing blue outside so popped out to see if it was C&RT. It wasn’t, but was a chap who knew about the water at the University. No water is taken from the canal, there wouldn’t be enough for their needs in that pound as the level is always so low!
At just gone 3pm a van arrived with two C&RT employees. One chap told Mick how to move Oleanna into the centre of the canal, he knew everything, apart from how our boat reacted. Mick however did get Oleanna lined up with her bow close to the top gates so that the lock could be filled. Then he nudged backwards so we could open the gates and bring her into her last lock of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal. Another tick off the list of waterways for Oleanna.
We’d started at Bridge 111 and Lock 1W, we were now coming off the Narrow at Lock 1E and Bridge 18! The bridge numbers continue onto the Huddersfield Broad Canal to where it meets the Calder and Hebble. Under Wakefield Road Bridge, slowly, we popped out at Aspley Basin.
A familiar place
First thing was to top up on water, dispose of rubbish at the C&RT services. Then we pushed over to the diesel point at the marina to wait for the chap who would be with us after 4pm. When he arrived we were given the option to stay on the diesel point and be able to plug in or move up to where there would be no hook up, but it would be free for 72 hours, there after it would be £8 a night. We wanted to be plugged in so as to make use of the washing machine and at £10 a night including power we could run the machine as much as wanted and gorge ourselves with light, charging everything within sight.
The lights of Huddersfield
To celebrate our arrival and power being restored, we headed over to the okay Aspley Table Table for some reasonably priced food. If I hadn’t just spent the last three days walking all the way down from Marsden, then we’d have headed into town to the Chilli Lounge for a curry, but my legs really didn’t want to do any more steps.
8 locks, 83ft 6″ descended, 2.54 miles, 1 last tuft of wire, 1 belt, 1 alternator working again, 1 boat with POWER! 1 jaunty lunch break, £10 incl, 3 loads washing, 2 loads dishwasher, 1 gammon, 1 chicken breast, 0.5 rack of pork ribs, 2 glasses of wine, 1 narrow canal completed and I got to work every lock this time, well apart from the guillotine bit! 0 shore leave!
Stone Bottom Lock Winding Hole to Brook House Winding Hole
A restock for the next few days was in order and M&S Foodhall called. Yes we could have walked to Morrisons and saved ourselves a few pennies, but the time factor was more important. We were still quarter of an hour late to join the Geraghty zoom after which it was time to head off and climb up through Stone.
Star Lock was mostly set against us, so I topped it up for a single hander who was coming down. Mick brought Oleanna into the lock and as I closed the bottom gates a lady from the next down hill boat arrived, she stood by the gate paddle and said something. Engines and leaking gates meant I couldn’t hear her so I asked her to wait and then asked her to wind the ground paddle up rather than the gate which she seemed keen to do. I’d rather do the gate paddle myself, yes the locks are long and Oleanna can sit towards the back of the lock, but I’d still rather know that the water wasn’t coming into our bow.
Star Lock
As often on bottom gate paddles these were painted white, so that you can see if the paddle is down fully from the other end of the lock. I’d already spotted one hadn’t looked quite right and checked it when the single hander had gone down, so I knew it was closed. But Mick didn’t. As Oleanna got to a height where he could step off he did so with a windlass, lifted the pawl and tried winding the paddle down. The lady from the boat ahead was totally aghast at how STUPID someone could be to be emptying the lock they were coming up in! I explained that he was just checking it was down, I knew it was down, but he didn’t.
With a boat waiting to come up behind us Mick informed them that there was one waiting to come down, even if it was waiting by the lock above and not obvious about it’s intentions!
Yard Lock looking huge!
Yard Lock was already full again a second boat starting to come down. As I walked up I realised it was Helen from NB Avalon 2. We shared some of the locks on the Regents Canal a few years ago and moored behind them at The Globe Inn at Linslade four years back. We had a chat and I realised I’d not seen her blog for a while, she has moved it to blogger and our blog roll needed updating. If you ever want to know where to go for a decent pint on the network Helen’s blog is the one to follow. Nice to see you Helen and have a good trip southwards.
Crown Wharf
Above the lock a boat was about to turn into the boatyard for some welding as another arrived behind it. Today the flow on the Four Counties was most definitely clockwise, for each lock we did there were two boats coming down. This did however mean not having to close gates behind us.
Newcastle Road Lock with its horse tunnel
The new Joules Brewery pub, Crown Wharf, looks very enticing. A new build with plenty of space both inside and out, shame we’ve a schedule to keep to.
Lime Kiln Lock with the handy bridge
I like Lime Kiln Lock as you can stand below on the bridge to open and close the gates. Here we met another two downhill boats. Busy!
A cat watched us from a window sill as we crossed the longish pound to the Meaford Locks. The bottom two just about empty, but so was the pound between them. This necessitated running some water down for Oleanna to get over the cill, thankfully the level in the next pound was good.
Meaford Locks
Only one boat coming down the four locks and we swapped right in the middle pound. A lunch break was required so we made use of some armco a short distance on. Our aim for the day had been to get up Trentham Lock, leaving the final ascent up into Stoke for tomorrow, but being as close as we could. But the rather nice moorings just after the Plume of Feathers pulled us in, a popular place.
Tilly had an extra rule before she disembarked for the afternoon, ‘No Rounding up Foxes!’ She once refused to come home for hours after dark here. I could hear her bell and noises that suggested that she and a fox were having a stand off and I think she had it cornered!
However, She was far too interesting to leave this afternoon. She emptied the well deck and gave it all a jolly good wash and dry all over. Some things were hidden away, others put on the roof where I had to keep guard. She was very busy! We’re expecting visitors who may be better off sitting up at the front, so the layers of mud needed removing. This was followed by a quick sweep through. All spick and span again, well as spick and span as we get!
After yesterdays exertions our pace slowed down somewhat. Pushing off around 11 we left our high up mooring for someone else to enjoy, shame the weather hadn’t been better last night as it would have been a lovely spot for a barbeque.
We tried to guess how many goats we’d see before Tom O Wood Bridge, Mick said 15 I said 12, it turned out to be only 7, only two were sat outside their huts. The Virginia Creeper over the bridge will soon look wonderful, shades of red starting to come through. We pulled in at the water point to fill the tank, a load of washing had been on the go.
Whilst we filled I made use of an over ripe banana that Mick had wanted to throw out! It was sooo ripe that the skin fell to bits as the almost liquid flesh slid into my mixing bowl. Don’t think I’ve ever seen a banana soooo ripe. Another not so ripe one was added, chocolate, sugar and butter put on to melt. With flour added the batter was ready for the oven just as the water tank boomed. I set the timer and off we set again.
Stratford canal that way
At Kingswood Junction we kept a straight course. Here at Lapworth a link joins the Stratford Upon Avon Canal to the Grand Union, narrow locks take you down to Stratford or up towards the Worcester and Birmingham Canal. But we were going straight on keeping on the Grand Union.
Once past the junction Oleanna was on new water, new water for Tilly also! We’ve been up here on a hire boat to wind, and back in May 2015 we came out from Birmingham this way, this time we’re climbing in to Birmingham.
Wonder if there is a cat on board?
We pootled on for about three quarters of an hour, the timer reminding me to check the contents in the oven, that just needed another five minutes, perfectly timed as we were now looking for somewhere to moor for the day.
Entrance and long pontoons
On the off side we’d noticed there was a marina under construction. Big piles of earth sit behind what looks like a channel wide enough to take moored boats on either side with space in between to move a boat, no winding hole visible. There was a stoppage last year for the marina to be connected to the canal and today it was certainly in water, but with stop planks across the entrance.
A long line of water
A brief look on line has brought up reports of planning permission refusals, appeals and construction going ahead despite these. But these reports were from a decade ago, for them to have almost linked to the canal planning permission must have been granted. On Google earth it looks like the marina may be intended to grow.
Yummy, Christine fit up cake
With space at the end of the moorings before Black Boy Bridge we pulled in for the day, the chocolate banana loaf now cooling and making us very hungry, time for lunch. Tilly was given a couple of hours to explore her new surroundings, they must have been appealing as we didn’t hear anything from her for quite sometime.
A little bit of gardening was called for. My wild strawberries needed some pruning. I managed one trough of what had been four plants, this trough had produced 57 babies. Anne had suggested trimming most of them off and removing any dead leaves which I did. The bigger babies were popped into another trough with compost, the others were donated to the hedgerow.
The Black Boy
Only time to do one trough before Tilly was left to keep an eye on Oleanna and we headed to the pub to meet up with my college friend Emma who lives in Warwick.
Emma, Mick and me.
Today was her day off from the British Motor Museum where she is the Life Long Learning Officer. We had chance for a quick catch up over a cuppa (and a pint for Mick) whilst sheltering under a huge umbrella outside the pub. Emma has been kept very busy during the pandemic producing online content for the museum and breeding Burmese cats. Lovely to have a catch up, next time we must make sure we do Hatton when she has a day off as Emma used to own a narrowboat, so knows how to weald a windlass.
Lego head
Sadly I didn’t have enough chocolate of the right sort to properly ice the loaf, but I made do with what I had and it passed muster for pudding.
0 locks, 4.32 miles,1 straight on, 7, 1 liquid banana, 1 not so ripe, 20 minutes to melt and mix, 20 minutes to fill up, 1 hour to bake, 1 hour to cruise, 4 plants now 8, 57 babies, 3 years, 2 cuppas, 1 pint, 4 kittens, 80 grams not 100! 0 butter just spread, 2 light as anything slices of slightly oddly iced chocolate banana loaf, 450 leaves, 1 almost but not quite Mrs Tilly stamp.
