Sunday we dug out Tilly’s magic food bowl and set it ready to open in 8 hours time, topped up her biscuit bowl, then packed bags and popped the cheesecake into a cool bag and set off to walk to Newark Northgate Station.
Moo planters
Our train was delayed, engineering works had overrun so our train was held in London, this made for a slower walk to the station. Stood on the platform we had speeding train after train whizzing through the station, all trying to catch up with themselves. I wonder if the delay repay on such occasions gets handed onto Network Rail?
Museum Gardens moorings in York
In York, Mick caught a bus to Fishergate whilst I walked to the London Leckenby’s flat. I chose to walk past Clifford’s Tower and then alongside Castle Mills Lock to see if the works on replacing the gates were complete. At the beginning of June we’d seen new lock gates sitting alongside the lock and a work boat in it. Today the work boat was still there, so were the dams either side of the lock. There was a lot more fencing up around the place and acros spanning the lock. At least the bottom gates looked to have been installed, the top ones still sitting on the bank. At least something this year is taking as long as Oleanna’s repaint!
We were here for a lunch with an old family friend Ian. Ian was one of the younger friends of my parents, he used to work at Rowntree’s and soon after starting he joined the Rowntree Players, the factory’s amateur theatre group, and he got a part in Billy Liar. Ian was a favourite with me, as for a while he worked in the jelly department and at Christmas he’d arrive with a big box (possibly 12 packs) of Rowntree’s blackcurrant jelly, which I used to eat in chunks straight from the box.
It was very lovely to see him, Andrew and Jac have seen him quite recently at various fundraisers he’s been holding to raise funds for The Brain Tumour Charity. He set up the Janis Connell fund three years ago with the goal of raising £100,000 in memory of his wife which he achieved recently. There was talk of more fundraising. Sponsored walks, sky diving, Jac may just have been signed up to that one!
Some lovely slow cooked lamb, with potatoes and a salad were followed by my cheesecake, quite a bit of wine but more importantly lots of conversation. I don’t think Mick, Josh or I had seen Ian since my Dad’s funeral in 2012, so it was wonderful to catch up with him.
Some of the conversation had been about my best friend Emma and her sister Jane. Jane’s second husband, an actor had played Inspector Goole in the National Theatres production of an Inspector Calls in the West End quite some years ago. This prompted us to nestle down on the sofas to watch the BBC version. It was interesting compared to the stage version with added scenes which put the time line off just a bit. It was still enjoyed by those who managed to keep awake after our lovely meal.
28th September
Skeldregate Bridge
Everyone was up early. The flat was to be packed up, trains to be caught in differing directions. Josh headed back to Manchester to attend his first lecture of his third year at University. I was next to leave to catch a train to Scarborough, shortly followed by Mick heading to York hospital for a blood test (this saved him going back to Scarborough) but in the end it may have taken far less time as he sat waiting in the blood test queue for an hour and three quarters! This left Andrew and Jac to pack their car and head back to London.
Breakfast with added sanitiser
In Scarbrough I had a day planned to help with things for Frank. Tucker an old work colleague picked me up from the station and we headed to Franks house to try to find some documents and to meet a cleaner. James was a very nice chap and knew exactly what was needed at the house. Sadly Tucker and my hunt proved fruitless.
I got a lift to our house to pick up the second toothbrush charger and Brompton bag that we’d forgotten. Anna our lodger had left out the copy of an old program from a Theatre In the Round production in 1957 which has Alan Ayckbourn playing a part and as the Stage Manager. A wonderful piece of theatre history.
I had a chat to various people keeping them up to date over the phone, then walked over to Scarborough Hospital to visit Frank and update him too. There were things he needed to read, more visitors arrived who patiently waited as I chatted to Frank about important things. A catch up with Steve before I left Frank, Geoff and Steve to have a far more interesting conversation. My tasks were done apart from posting a form for Frank which was dropped off at the Post Office on my way back to the station.
This cat will talk to absolutely anyone!
A catch up chat with Ben, who is back for a week from touring with The Calendar Girls. Ben is one of the original Frankness group and we had lots to chat about. This would be my last visit to Scarborough for some time so passing on some jobs that needed to be done.
Mick had arrived back at Oleanna earlier in the day, another £10 M&S pie deal had been purchased. This was enjoyed with a very large glass of much needed wine.
0 locks, 0 miles, 5 trains, 14 years too long, 1 lovely lunch, 1 odd time line, 1 sandwich for breakfast, 1 ex Technical Stage Manager, 1 Film and Live Streaming Co-Ordinator, 1 ex Senior Technician currently Sound No 1, 1 ex Master Carpenter, 1 ex Resident Designer, 1 form of ID, 1 cleaner, 1 plan coming together, 2 pies, 1 portion of mash left for another day.
There were several jobs we wanted to do whilst still being on the pontoon. The dishwasher had a clean cycle, the wet dry vac was used to go through the boat and then retreated back into it’s cupboard, it’s been out under the dinette table for far too long!
Mick headed to Waitrose early on for a newspaper and to see what they might have in their sad gits yellow stickers section, he came back with some chicken in sweet chilli sauce and a box of sweet potato fries all at half price.
Back to B24
By the time the chores were done it was lunchtime. After several days of just about nothing moving in Newark, all of a sudden there were boats. First the wide beam we’d shared Stoke Lock with, they were headed back to their mooring today, then the trip boat from Newark Marina. No need for us to push off to make room for someone, but once lunch was done we pushed off anyway. Winding, then heading down stream, taking the first left. Now where was B24?
Next to the Waverely
Well we guessed, and guessed correctly. This is where we’d had a mooring a few years ago. Once secured to the short pontoon in Kings Marina we walked up to the office to check in. Part way there we were greeted by the husband of the lady who runs Kings, she was hot on his heels. Once we’d said we weren’t part of the Aquavista 100 club, just old fashioned visitors we were invited to pay for our three nights here. Paula and her team were very welcoming as ever. No need to show us around as we’ve been here quite a bit including our second winter on NB Lillyanne, but she did introduce us to their cow planters, each named after the flowers in them. King’s has won the Aquavista Marina in bloom four years now, two on the trot. Close to the office was an honesty table with fruit and veg, including pears and garlic, maybe I’d come back later for some to go with our chicken.
Tilly managing to balance on the FEED ME shelf
Tilly’s pooh box was refreshed. We need to make an adjustment to her box. Even though this box is higher than her previous box, and she got used to it back at the house, she keeps missing it. Why oh why did we get a cat who doesn’t sit down on the loo! We think a heavy bit of board might do the trick, or try to cut the lid sections in half.
The Parish Church
I walked to Argos to see if the mats I’d ordered had arrived, I’ve not had anything from ebay about them even being dispatched, but it was worth a try. Sadly they weren’t there! They should have arrived yesterday. We’ll try again on Monday, but that is our cut off point.
I then went in search of paper bags to use alongside our separating toilet. Our toilet paper goes in a bin which is lined with a paper bag for ease of disposal. Mick had tried all the supermarkets to buy some. But he’d forgotten that Morrisons have paper bags for their fruit and veg. I picked some up along with some beans for this evening.
Home grown produce at the marina with an honesty box
Back at Oleanna, Mick had dealt with the yellow water and Tilly was doing her best to sort through our dirty washing into piles on the bedroom floor. I set about making a baked French Cheesecake to take to my brothers tomorrow. I’d made this for my birthday cake last Christmas and it was very nice, just a little risky in a different oven. It browned a little bit quickly, but came out looking good after being covered in foil.
One expanded cheesecake before it sank
I did an update of Frank things to one of his old friends. Dave has been very useful with extra information when needed and I wanted him to know that things were on course for Franks release from hospital. He made one comment in his reply which may change everything. I might be looking for an understanding plumber at very short notice to sort the problem which may stop our plan in it’s tracks. Not much I can do about things until Monday now. Here’s hoping Frank’s past actions or lack of them are not going to come back and bite him!
0 locks, 0.2 miles, 1 wind, 1 left, B24, 2 friendly welcomes, 1 empty wee tank, 1 clean pooh box, 8 paperbags, 1 hoovered boat, 2nd Saturday with a newspaper, 1 spanner possibly in the works, 1 cheese cake chilling in the fridge.
This morning we were up and walking to Newark Northgate to catch a train northwards. Mick had a hospital appointment in Scarborough to attend and it would give us the opportunity to visit our friend Frank who is also at the hospital. The trains ran as timed and when we arrived in Scarborough Mick headed to the house to pick up items we’d omitted to bring with us, the most important one being Tilly’s dingding bell. Although I suspect we miss it more than she does! Whilst at the house he also cut the grass.
Pesky seagull
I on the other hand headed to Tescos to purchase a few things for Frank. Yes I could have bought things in Newark but Frank is particular about the size of his bananas etc, so it was just safer to go to the right shop. I still had quite a bit of time before visiting hours started so I headed to the Town Hall to eat my butties with a view of the sea. Here there was a juvenile seagull who sat and watched my every mouthful. I did wonder if I’d be mugged by adult gulls as so often happens around Scarborough, but I managed to consume everything myself.
Latest pair of socks
It’s quite a walk to the hospital, Mick caught the bus and we met outside the main entrance. Time to find Frank, who had moved wards last night, luckily someone had left a message with our friend Ben as to where Frank was. Frank had been admitted about ten days ago in not such a good state. Whilst he’s been here they have fed and watered him and thankfully he now has a walking frame, I’ve been trying to get hold of walking aids for him for the last month, being passed from GP to Council and back again. Frank looked far better than the last time we’d seen him.
The ward staff had been waiting for our arrival and phone calls were made saying we’d arrived and a nice nurse Joni came down to meet with us. Frank is now stable enough to go home, but there are things that need to happen before he can. A care package and his house needs making suitable for him and his new walking frames, he’s got two! They’d like to be able to move Frank home as soon as possible. I put my PA’s hat on, Oh blimey there’s a lot to do!
Boaty artworks in the hospital corridors
Next, we headed to find Mick’s appointment, arriving early he was called straight in by a nurse, soon followed on by the consultant. Questions asked, answers given. A blood test requested and another test to follow. Now came the question from Mick regarding the blood test, could it be done anywhere in the country as we don’t plan on being in Scarborough again soon. As ever the answer came back as expected, it would be unlikely that the consultant would get to see the results. I put my PA’s hat on again, could he have them done in York? Yes! Brilliant, this was possible next week.
Sun setting on the way back
Back across the hospital back to see Frank. We made plans, chatted through things that should be set up and found and followed up on. We came away with a long list of jobs to try to put into action. All fairly easy when in Scarborough, but not so when in Newark! The train journey back was spent compiling a Call To Arms for the Frankness group of friends.
Not the best pizza!
Back in Newark we headed to feed Tilly, then straight out to Pizza Express for some food. There was only one other table occupied and we’d been warned that they close at 9pm. We ordered a large glass of wine each, some dough balls and a pizza each. Well, we’ve had far better from Pizza Express in the past, in fact we were quite disappointed by it. I’d rather have made my own pizza, it would have been far tastier and we’d not have needed a saw to cut into them! Of well it was sustenance after a long day.
Friday. Today we should move off, maybe back to the bank opposite, maybe down to Cromwell Visitor mooring. But there was a lot to get done today and we’d not seen any boats moving. If it got busy, we’d move off.
Walking the streets of Scarborough from Newark
I set about finding cleaners for Franks house. Mick set about trying to sort out paperwork for Frank. At times we became detectives working out old addresses. Thank goodness Mick had turned the volume up on Franks phone yesterday. He couldn’t remember house numbers, but the houses names. I spent an age walking up and down streets via google street view looking for the house name, then Mick found a lead.
It was soon decided that spending a day in Scarborough would be wise to make sure things would happen at Franks house even if I can’t be there all the time to help. Various Frankness friends had limited availability, one comment was if only this had happened during the school holidays, have to admit that would have been easier for us too. But you can’t help when you get ill. During the day, numerous messages, phone calls were made and a plan came together. It would take maybe a bit more time than the nurse we’d talked to yesterday had hoped, but Frank’s house should be sorted for him to go home soon.
Time for some head space, I was sent a video of a cement mixer, that helped a touch, but a walk would be far better.
I set off to head to Kilham Hall. Across the railway line at Newark Castle I stopped to look at the objects outside a place we’d once attended an auction for a new mattress for NB Lillyanne. What an eclectic mix of things! Polar bears, lions, chandeliers, Hulk Hogan, Policemen, fancy chairs, trunks, signage, all sorts piled up high inside the big old railway buildings. I considered a chair for panto, but it was far too expensive to just chop up for what we want.
Right back to that walk. I turned off and found the footpath, however the path had to cross two very busy roads, even busier on a Friday afternoon. I’d hoped there would be an underpass, but no such luck. I wasn’t in the mood to dice with death, so I opted to return to town and do some shopping instead.
However, there was another antique place that needed to be looked at on the way back. This was far more classic antiques. Everything spaced out with more air round it and the price tags far more too. Lovely wooden this and that. I was caught by a chap with a thick Irish accent as I looked at a marble table with such an intricate inlaid pattern. ‘Isn’t it wonderful, so much work, solid marble, that blue is the most expensive marble you can get. It’s a stupid price too. A table like that is worth £10,000, but it’s for sale for £1,700!’ Well I didn’t want it for Oleanna, extra ballast of that type would have her capsize. I said I wasn’t buying, just looking, he soon left me alone.
Outside there were two chaps trying to sort how to fit a Grandfathers clock into their convertible Audi. I left them to it and climbed a staircase to a big heavy door, it said as much on it. Opening it I was suddenly greeted by music, lift music! Outside there had been no noise what-so-ever, but inside the vault on the first floor the music played out loud and clear. Most surreal! I looked round all the cases of silver, jewellery, pottery, etc. Maybe there’d be something for friends for their 60th birthdays coming up. No, nobody actually needs any of this stuff, so I opted to leave empty handed, closed the door behind me, shutting the music inside.
Strawberries!
Time to shop for things to make a cheese cake, Aldi did me proud for most things, but I really didn’t want six lemons or four oranges. So Morrisons came up trumps with those and some vanilla essence. Back on board I made some Strawberry coulis to go with my cheesecake and once cool it went in the freezer to help keep things cool on Sunday.
A bowl of pasta each, a glass of wine and a sit down. A pretty full on day, but hopefully the Frank plan will come together next week.
0 locks, 0 miles, 9p after three days, 4 trains, 2 buses, 1 annoying seagull, 1 seriously bored cat, 1st plan hatched, 15 minutes before the appointment time, 2 disappointing pizzas, 2nd plan hatched, 1 distracted walk, 2 Stage Management heavens, 2 detectives, 1 form filled in and ready, 2 crackers with cheese, 1 pot of bubbling strawberries.
Opposite Kiln Pontoon, Newark to Kiln Pontoon, Newark
Whilst having our morning cuppa in bed we could hear a boat across the way on the pontoon heading off. A peek out of the front blinds, it was the smaller of the narrowboats, we might just fit, but then we might not. We opted to stay in bed a while longer and see what happened.
A while later the narrowboat that had been moored in front was making to head off, well I could see the chap had a life jacket on and was about to untie his bow, time for us to get dressed and spring into action.
Such a pretty theatre
We pushed over and into the now large space, tied up and got on with the rest of the day. There was a brief chat with Heather from NB Bleasdale who is currently on her other boat in Ireland, as ever she suggested somewhere to visit nearby, Kelham Hall, I may have a walk over there in the coming days.
I spent sometime finding some foam mats for our lockers, thank you Ken for the suggestion. A purchase on Ebay which I should be able to pick up in a few days time from Argos here in Newark.
Fray Bentos originally came from Uruguay
Then it was time to finalise the artwork for panto ready to be sent to the printers. Have to admit I’ve been putting this off for a while, nervous as to whether I’ve got the artwork as good as I can and if it’s in the right format etc. Doing this kind of thing once a year isn’t really enough for it to have become second nature to me and when the order is around £5000 worth, it needs to be correct! Checking and double checking, I uploaded it all to WeTransfer and off it went, only for an out of office email to come back from the chap I’ve been dealing with. Argh! The link would expire before he’s back! I resent it to his colleague, then after a brief chat the order was placed. I can now forget about that part of the show.
The comprehensive scaffolding at the castle
I made a list of other jobs still outstanding and gradually worked my way through them. All done by mid afternoon, time to go for a walk and find something to eat tonight. As the temperature today was far lower than yesterday I opted to make use of the current Pie and Mash deal at M&S, £10 for two pies and three side dishes, more than enough for us.
Artists impression
Up at the castle I got chance to have a look at what is happening. With the aid of funding from the National Heritage Lottery Fund and the Government’s Local Regeneration Fund, the castle’s Romanesque Gatehouse is being reinstated, well, rebuilt! Lost rooms will be brought back to life. What I suspect is a visitors centre will be below. The artists impression of the finished tower includes a roof top area which will give a good view over the river.
New stonework everywhere
Whilst out I realised that I’d forgotten to order the paints for panto and I needed to check what undercoats I’d like the set builder to put on the set pieces before it gets to Chippy. This worked really well last year and cut down my hours, meaning I got to have a few evenings not working my socks off. All this was done and emailed off to the relevant people. I think that is now panto back in hand apart from answering questions from people, fingers crossed.
0 locks, 120ft reversed, 1 pontoon mooring, 1 whinging cat, 0 shore leave, 1 blog still not working, 47 emails about it in a day, 7 cleaned up scans sent to the printers, £500 worth of paint ordered, 2 pies, 1 creamed spinach, 1 carrot and swede, 1 lot of garlic potato wedges.
Today was a work day for me, a couple of panto meetings to fill the day. However the day started off with conversations with Chris who hosts the blog. His servers were having some problems, we’d been wondering if the blog had now got far too big and thoughts had turned to splitting the last ten years of posts onto a separate blog to reduce the blog’s size. Conversations were had, maybe he should try turning things off? So for the time being you may not be able to comment, or you may have to sign in to comment, we’ll see what the next few days brings.
Hello down there!
Tilly asked to be let out early, just as we’d been getting ready for breakfast. We were going to be here all day, but I did want to see her so I limited her shore leave to a couple of hours. She returned within the time limit, jumping onto the stern, Mick opened the back door and in she came. Hang on! What’s that in your mouth Tilly? I£&(*s a M&”&***Se my F*&%£DY. I hadn’t really wanted to know as she had broken the first rule of ‘NO friends home’ She was picked up and escorted straight to the bow doors and out onto the well deck, the doors closed firmly behind her. Mick hadn’t spotted that she had company! She soon didn’t anymore!!
Tractor thankfully not making smells
My first meeting of the day was with Gemma the Production Manager for panto. The last few weeks she’s been busy, I’ve been moving to the boat and been occupied with other things, so we both felt quite a bit detached from the show. We chatted through where we’d got to, should we try to source 4m long cardboard tubes locally so they can stay in long lengths? After a pause to take a phone call we decided that we were still in quite a good place, just the order for the print to be placed, I need to do a little bit more to the artwork and then it will be ready.
After lunch we had a catch up chat with Helen and Min the props makers. Conversations about confectionizers, snowballs, skis, buckets all sorts were followed by lantern discussions. All good and on course.
Very Important Cattle
Time for a walk, I crossed the river and headed down stream to Fiskerton, passing numerous fishermen, through several clapper gates and arriving at The Bromley pub which seemed to be popular for a Monday late afternoon. I carried on past the big houses hiding behind their flood walls and on to where a footpath heads away from the river along a flood bank, it was quite nettley!
The Moo Hoofpath
The path then crossed over a steam, into a field which was close to where cattle live, their hoofpath surrounded by wooden fencing and a rather interesting gate. Then I was at Fiskerton Mill which sits on the River Greet. It began as a corn mill run by Osbert the ‘milner’ in 1248. In 1579 it was listed as two mills, by 1792 it was listed as a cotton mill. In 1829 there were five bobbinet machines in use and by 1832 it was a lace thread mill. 1837 it was converted back into a corn mill which burnt down in 1851, the mill was rebuilt in 1872 with several sets of stones, it continued to work into the 1920’s when it started to produce animal feed which stayed in production until 1980s.
Fiskerton Mill
Today it seems to be split into a few homes. At the front there was a box of eating apples left for people to help themselves. I still had a bag for such finds from last year in my bumbag so I helped myself, I think I picked an apple of each variety. Thank you.
Quite expensive this one
Back through the village and to the pub. Here the old wharf building is for sale. A modern conversion of quite a large building the ground floor high above where flood waters come. It comes with the moorings on the river, all yours for £1.5 million. It’s a little odd that there are no interior photos in the brochure, but then a lady was just finishing varnishing the balcony doors, maybe more photos will follow.
A Tilly friend safe on the opposite river bank
Back at the boat I spent some time sending messages to friends before chopping up some of yesterdays roast pork and making us Paprika Peppery Pork. Very nice, it’s a favourite that I haven’t made in an age.
During the day we’ve constantly been getting emails from the blog saying that it was unresponsive, then a while later that it was back online. This evening on a few occasions when we’ve been informed it was back online we had a go at putting up a post about our technical difficulties. This took about 2 hours to actually achieve a post, that is seriously slow. Chris has spent a lot of time trying to sort things today, but unfortunately he’s not had any luck, it sounds like it’s something out of his hands.
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 grounded cat, 1 friend, 1 upset stomach, 2 panto meetings, 1st contact in 5 days, 1 little list of jobs, 4.58 miles walked, 1 impossible blog, 312 emails, 1 very sad message to send, 1st Mrs Tilly stamp of approval of the year!
22nd September
Hazelford Lock to Opposite Kiln Pontoon, Newark
This morning Chris called, where his server is located is apparently being hit by a Denial-of-Service Attack, commonly known as a DOS attack. So for the time being Chris can do very little. Apparently the part of the centre where his server is located people were now installing something that should help, but only time will tell. Have to say I’m a little bored of writing the blog in Word, so I hope it gets sorted soon.
Tilly wasn’t allowed out today, yesterday she’d had a bit of a dodgy tummy so she was on reduced rations. Hopefully a quiet day inside would help to sort her out. After breakfast we winded and headed on further downstream to Newark.
Blue skies
We’d started off in jumpers, but soon with not a cloud in the sky, these came off! We nearly brought out the sun cream. The last few days have been windy, but today not a jot of a breeze, just blue skies, what a wonderful day to cruise.
Mick radioed ahead to Town Lock, the Lockie was just letting someone down and then would refill the lock for us. No Heather Bleasdale on the mooring by the weir, no rubbish bins by the CRT yard, they have gone. Soon we were descending in the lock with the Lockie asking if Oleanna was a new boat, no just a new paint job.
Quiet at Newark Castle today
Past the castle which seems to be having quite a bit of building work going on with scaffolding up at one end. Under Trent Bridge, ahh no space on the Kiln Pontoon. A couple of the boats we recognised from our trip a few years ago on the Great Ouse. Dutch Barge Karma was moored right on the end , followed by a cruiser so accessing the water point was going to be seriously hard. Our tank was down to about a quarter, so we needed a fill up especially as we’ve been on frugal rations for a few days and really wanted to have showers. Only one thing for it, head into King’s Marina and fill up there.
Maybe we should stay in here
An angler had just cast their line across the entrance to the marina as we approached, I called out to them and they reeled it in. Our arrival on the service pontoon ended up being timed with lunchtime. Mick walked up to the office, then called the number left on the door, it went to a mobile and then to an answerphone. He left a message saying we hoped it was alright to fill up and if we needed to pay then that was fine as we’d be back to moor for a couple of days at the weekend. No one challenged us as we filled up the tank. We also took advantage of being at a good level to empty the yellow water, Mick decided not to use the elsan as that would be a touch too cheeky!
Back out of the marina we headed back upstream and pulled in a bit of a way behind The Newark Barge and tied Oleanna to the wall. From here we’d be able to see when a space appeared on the pontoon and being alongside the low wall we’d just about be able to get on and off the boat to head into town.
Gosh it was warm now, mid 20s. This is when Tilly prevents us from having front and back doors open to get a breeze through the boat. I do have a plan for the stern doors at some point so that we could have the rear hatch slid open, but my carpentry skills leave a bit to be desired.
Back of one of the old breweries
A list of items to be bought was made then I headed into town to see what I could find locally. B&Q, M&S, B&M, do all shops have to operate under initials nowadays? I worked my way along the retail park on the east bank of the river. Very few yellow labels in M&S for a ‘Sad Git’s’ meal, I opted to see what Waitrose might have instead. Into town and to Boyes for some new egg poach pods as the old ones had gone very sticky over this winter.
WHAT!!!!
No market today, I strode across the market place. Hang on! What!? WHAT??! On the front of Boyes there was an obvious gap no Boyes sign just their tag line partially visible. Initial panic subsided when I noticed a sign saying they’d moved, Phew! Round into a more modern building not far away. Well as with the Doncaster store the new shop is bigger and brighter than the old one. There are still all the reassuring items for sale.
Phew!
Poach pods, something to be able to keep my CP ring around my neck when painting or working locks, a new retractable tape measure for knitting and a few more items. Next was Waitrose to see what sad gits items I’d find there. I’d timed my arrival too early really, the staff were just starting to pull items off the shelves, but I came away with a curry for this evening.
After sweeping the chimney the other day Mick had laid the fire ready to be lit, well tonight was not going to be the night as it was still very warm when we retired to bed.
1 lock, 9 miles, 1 very sunny day, 25C? 0 clouds, 1 full water tank, 1 empty yellow water tank, 2 paddling cows, 1 mooring against a wall, 0 view, 1 suede strip too short, 1 lobster clasp only just big enough, 2 hot for pies, 2 poach pods, 1 new store, 1 new innards for sheep, 1 bored Tilly still with a dodgy tummy!
Here’s hoping our blogging woes have all been sorted. One thing that will be a bit different for a while is that Mick will be updating our blog roll manually, as and when, rather than it being automatic. We also think we’ll be reducing the number of blogs we have links to with the hope of returning the roll to automatic at some point in the future.
So, whilst we’ve not been posting I’ve been writing blogs in word to try to keep on top of things and remember stuff. They now need photos adding and formatting etc which all takes time. So because we’re also on the move now I’ve decided to update you all by putting two days together until we’re just about caught up.
19th September
Stoke Lock, River Trent
Tilly was given 8.5 hours of shore leave this morning as we’d decided to stay put for the day. There were jobs to do. Tilly came and went, had a roll around on the bank where the silt was at its best, turning her sleek black and white to a dusty grey! But once this was done, she seemed to come and go purely for the Dreamies, I’d bought catnip flavour to help attract her back to the boat and it was working, working very well, every five minutes!
There were people to message, a receipt for rent to redo as I’d missed a couple of payments, oops!
Then I had a chat with Jamie regarding the set build of panto. We briefly went through each item Jamie will be building, any problems I’d designed into them that could be rectified, maybe widen a base a little for stability, was there room for maybe an extra inch for structure? I made a list of jobs I needed to do, questions I need to ask. Work done for the day.
Serious fishing
After lunch I headed off for a walk, retracing a walk I did last year to Burton Joyce. Past the lock, along the long access road where numerous vans were parked up and what looked like a very serious fishing match was on going. If Gongoozler is the name for a person who watches boats going through locks, what is the name for people who watch fishermen? One group had brought their chairs and a picnic to watch one chap.
With an audience
Along a stretch of road, through a wooded area and into another field where the fishing match continued. When the match ended how would they notify one end to the other, the wind today was really rather strong and was likely to blow away any call, maybe the stewards had horns that they could sound in relay down the river bank to stop fishing.
I turned into the village, crossed the railway line and then headed for the Co-op. It’s quite a long way to walk for a Saturday newspaper and a parsnip, but the Co-op is of a reasonable size. Mid afternoon they still had a paper of our chosen flavour but sadly no parsnip, maybe some sweet potato would do for the roast instead.
Tilly’s km Marker
My return walk was via the road, over the level crossing at the station, this is possibly where Tilly and her brothers were rescued getting on for eleven years ago, abandoned by their original owner at around four months old.
I like village signs, this one has 2.5D details!
The under sink cupboard in the galley was cleared out, given a wipe down along with all the things inside it. Thankfully I managed to put everything back in a slightly more ordered manor, at least I now know what’s in there! There was only one empty bottle to remove.
Chicken Tagliatelle tonight and some knitting with Tilly sat on my knee.
This evening we discovered that maybe our new 5G router was interfering with the TV signal. Mick turned it off and the picture returned to normal. The router was put on to 4G and we could all now watch TV without it breaking up.
0 locks, 0 miles, 5.07miles walked, 3 for a fishing picnic, 1 newsapaper, 2 sweet potatoes, 150 or 200 treads, 350 or 450 bar, 1 clean cupboard, 5G bad!
20th September
Stoke Lock to Hazelford Lock, River Trent
The blog is starting to run reeeallllyy sloooowly. Taking an eternity to load photos when normally it takes a second or two, in fact it was soooo slow at doing anything! During the day I battled on when I had time, but soon it was apparent that there was something happening beyond our control so I gave up. The blog is normally a couple of days behind us anyway so I always have a bit of leeway.
A Mick breakfast followed by the Sunday morning Geraghty zoom, included subjects that I now can’t remember, but it was an interesting zoom.
We made ready to push off. I walked up to check whether there might be a lock keeper on duty today, the light at the lock was on red not amber, someone was about! Mick radioed to the lock, no answer came. He tried again, still no answer, but then a chap wearing blue appeared at the top of the steps, ‘Morning, are you okay?’ We were, just wanting to use the lock please.
Gongoozlers at Stoke Lock
With covers rolled we headed towards the lock, down the lock cut there was a widebeam getting ready to go down too. He asked if we could take the starboard side of the lock as his throttle is on the port side, of course we could oblige. I think last time we shared Stoke Lock with a widebeam the crew had no idea how to keep their boat under control in the lock, but todays crew were totally in control. Up above by the lock control tower there was a group of walkers who’d been invited up there to watch what happens, the Lockie was very informative. Once down we headed off first, the widebeam would be mooring at Gunthorpe, but they’d come and work the lock for us as we’d helped them.
The next reach is so pretty. Grassy fields down to the river, the blue sky and sunshine glistening on the water. I think it’s our favourite reach of the Trent. Geese a gogo, sheep, it’s just lovely.
The widebeam following on
We seemed to be quite a distance ahead of the widebeam so we pulled back on the throttle to let them catch up. Plenty of space on the Gunthorpe Visitors pontoon, but it is quite a distance from the lock, they’d be an age coming to help us. I saw them pull in, the lady jumping off the bow to moor up. We loitered in the lock cut, maybe we’d be quicker if I climbed a ladder to work the lock. Then whizzing along the road came the chap on an electric scooter, very happy to press the buttons at the lock for us.
Gunthorpe Lock, for those who have followed the blog since our Lillian days will know this is my least favourite lock and why. I checked to see if I could see a large fish or a clone of myself, but the water was too cloudy for that. Mick brought Oleanna in gently to THE blue riser on the port side. I passed the end of the rope round it. Was that an indentation to the blue plastic coating?!
Now on towards Hazelford Lock, our chosen mooring for the day. More walkers fewer fishermen on the bank. I looked at Nebo and spotted a Lancaster Bomber Memorial on the the map, maybe a good location to walk to this afternoon.
Tugs and crane boats above Hazelford
The Lockie responded to our radio call and penned us through, only one sluice operational on the bottom gates so it would take a while to empty the lock. Below we winded to face the current coming over the large weir and pulled in to moor on the lower wall, it’s still quite a way up from the bow, far bigger than a step.
Long shadows at the big steps
Tilly was given an hour or so whilst we had lunch. She needed a bit of encouragement to get to the top of the big steps, but there lies a cats wonderland of who knows what! After a while she returned to use the onboard facilities at quite a rush. Hmmm, she had a dodgy tummy, time for her to have a snooze inside!
The path back to Gunthorpe
My walk took me over the bridge below the weir and back along the river bank we’d just passed. Moored boats, narrow tracks, then out into green lush fields, a big lake reaching off to the west, sheep, horse riders, and Trent clapper gates. The sun shone what a lovely walk.
At the far end of the boating lake stand two tall stones, a memorial to two Lancaster Bombers that crashed close by in 1945 two weeks apart. They had been on training flights from RAF Syerston, one’s portside engines had caught fire, the other had over ran the runway, all the crew of both planes had died, Canadians, New Zealanders and British airmen.
Hazelford Weir just before sundown
On my return a joint of pork went in the oven and then my attention turned back to panto. Updating the technical drawings for Jamie. Asking questions of the lighting designer, Checking a few depths, all good.
3 locks, 9.7 miles,2 lock keepers, 1 zooming scooter, 1 poorly cat, 2 Mark 3s, 5.21 miles walked, 1 joint of pork, 9 big red crosses, 1 sock up to it’s heel.
I was expecting a phone call from the panto set builder this morning. I got my drawings out from the cupboard and sketchbook to make notes, have to say over the last couple of weeks I’ve been ignoring panto, too many other things going on, but that will soon be changing. As I’d not had a call by 10am we decided to push off, todays goal a cat friendly mooring, after all Tilly’s been inside for too long now!
Oleanna so small
I walked down to Castle Lock, passing a burnt out, sunken boat. As we arrived a family were sitting down at one of the tables outside the pub alongside the lock, not sure if they were having breakfast or an early lunch. Dad complimented Oleanna on her looks. All four paddles worked at the top end of the lock today, just as well as the bottom gates were leaking lots. Then the bottom gate wanted to swing open and stay that way, it always does. Mick and Oleanna headed off into the distance as I walked round to close everything up, which did mean I got quite a nice photo of the British Waterways building with Oleanna looking insignificant below it. I caught them up at the sharp bend. Spotted a flood level stone by the railway bridges I’d not seen before.
Meadow Lane Lock was full, top gates closed, but they only needed a slight push to get them moving. As I lifted the paddles on the bottom gates I took a look onto the river to see if there was much traffic around. Firstly a few canoes, but they’d be long gone by the time the lock was empty. There was however a blue van half submerged on the opposite bank. Firecrews, Ambulance, Police all in attendance. A Rescue rib joined them from up stream and gradually the van was being winched out.
As Oleanna left the lock I told Mick there was nothing on the river apart from a blue van, he of course knew nothing about it and thought I was bonkers! The off-side gate wanted to swing open so he reached up with a boat hook as he left to encourage it to close behind him, only managing to leave the boat hook hooked onto the gate. These gates are so tall I do my best not to cross them, thankfully Mick managed to reverse back up to them to retrieve the hook.
Onwards downstream. About this time last year we’d seen the new Waterside Bridge being put together on the bank, this year it spans the river very elegantly. A yellow diamond, we presume, marks the highest point of the arch and green triangles point to it.
Something happening at the Weir
As we passed the sailing club we radioed ahead to Holme Lock where there was a Lockie on duty. Thankfully the lock was already in our favour, so there was no hanging about for it to fill. We were directed to the island side of the lock where the steel risers go higher up the lock wall.
Going Down
Onwards under Radcliffe Viaduct Rail Bridge, round the big bend towards the weir and Stoke Lock. I zoomed in on my camera, two boats were moored. Hang on, they were both on the pontoon and the low wall mooring was free! Yes, Tilly you shall have shore leave!!!
Tilly and Tilly Too so excited about shore leave
We pulled in with the port side to the bank, Mick would now be able to sweep the chimney too. Once moored up the noise of excitement from Tilly inside the cabin was incredible! Tilly Too stayed quiet, she always does! Rules are rules though, the three words have to be written down first! Then shore leave rules recited.
Tilly you have four and a half hours, no friends home dead or alive or putting them on the roof for later, no jumping in, no bullying, no going on other peoples boats! Enjoy yourself!!Okay then, if I must!
A job needed doing straight away, attaching the new landing net to the old pole. The connector through the years had come apart and been taped up. Some maximum uhu glue and a lot of lx tape to keep everything in place was used connecting everything together. It was now laid on the roof to go off and hopefully will take the weight of a second mate should it need to.
But…….
Well I never!?! How did they do that!?! I had to look twice, thrice, four times! I checked through the one way hatch. Yes inside was still the same. But outside isn’t! They’ve not only moved the outside, but they’ve changed what goes around the inside too! It’s all milky creamy now, but the front and the back are still the same! Wow!
I’m kind of glad that we’re the only boat here on the low wall. Who knows, other than Tilly, if she is going to get confused now her boat is no longer dark blue? Or has she always and will always just go by scent too and fro from Oleanna. Well she smells differently too!
The insides the same!
Tilly didn’t venture very far, possibly because the Dreamies on offer are the Catnip ones, their purchase done on purpose to attract her home more often, or maybe this outside isn’t as good as we thought?
After lunch Mick swept the chimney, maybe a job that should have been done before the repaint to cream, but then it was also good to get rid of any grit from the grit blasting too. We had a go at emptying the yellow water. This was interesting, the new pump worked, but only for about five seconds! When installing it Mick had added a fuse as the instructions had suggested, on the original fitout there hadn’t been one. There is already a suitable breaker on the circuit in the electric cupboard so he removed the fuse at the pump and now it works. Phew no need to keep our legs crossed!
I’d intended doing more kitchen cupboard tidying, but ran out of motivation. Anyway my afternoon was taken over by whatsapp messages from Scarborough and from panto people, things are starting to heat up on that front!
I had a walk down to the bins at the other end of the lock cut. Thankfully they are still there. We’ve heard so much over the last few months about bins being removed from the network on social media.
Mick installed our new 5G router. This should improve our internet, but it appears to have affected our TV signal, or it may just be that the signal is bad here as we’re in a dip. Although it did get a thumbs up last time we were here. Other moorings will assist in this.
David Leckenby 1925 to 2012
3 locks, 6.9 miles, 0 Chippy chippy call, 1852, 14 years, 1 submerged blue van, 1 low wall, 1 befuddled cat, 0 friends, 1 net mended I hope, 1 fuse, 1 fire laid ready and waiting, 1 sock fairy, 1 empty yellow water tank, 1 clean pooh box, but does this mooring deserve a Mrs Tilly stamp of approval? 1 cat not too sure!
Redhill Marina to New Boots Footbridge 18, Beeston Canal
Now that Tilly is sitting in the windows she’s been eyeing up the grassy bank alongside the mooring here. There will be friends in there, but there is also a wasps nest that I’ve told her she’d best not go sticking her arms down!
Mick phoned round and found a suitable 24 volt Whale Gulper at Sawley Marina to replace the broken one we use for the yellow water, then Tom arrived with our fridge, all going well so far this morning, we’d soon be on our way! Unfortunately a phone call put a damper on our mood.
Fridge delivery
Tom very kindly brought the new fridge on board and down the stern steps for us. It needed wiring in and then leaving for six hours before we could use it. It worked!!! Hooray!!!!! We did have to remove a batten from the cubby hole it went into as it was just a little bit taller than the old fridge, I suspect the batten was only there for neatness by Finesse.
Apparently these were instead of the fridge!?!
I mentioned the scratch and misty windows to Tom. He returned with some Tcut for the scratch and thinners for the windows, all easily remedied. There was also a big box of paints for us. 2 Pack blacking, coloured top coats, Multiforte for the gunnels and some yacht varnish. All in pretty big tins! I’ll need to cull the old paints and varnishes that I’ve had for ages as they won’t be needed now.
Paints
I was given instructions about touching up. If anything goes back to bare steel, put some blacking on it no matter where on the boat as Oleanna was blacked top and bottom. Then finish off with which ever colour is required. Multiforte use a flock roller and the others a brush which should be cleaned in standard thinners. Mick asked about washing and polishing, not sure why he asked as he does his very best not to have to do either! The paint on Oleanna will continue to cure for the next six months, so we should only wash her with water and a microfiber cloth for the first year. Keep on top of any paint work touch ups and if we get a bit of a mark use some Tcut. After a year, maybe we could give her a buff up, should we feel she needs it. Hopefully I’ve remembered it all here for our future reference.
The gas bottles in the bow were nudged about to accommodate the third one, which currently is empty. Mick then turned his attention to the single light above the sofa. The wiring at the switch had different colours to the wiring at the bulb end. The switch is actually a two way switch so Mick moved the wires and hey presto the light works again! Hooray!!!
My inbox pinged. Someone had made a donation to the Felicity Edition Sockathon. It was from Felicity’s children, Bubbles and her brother Matt. Originally Bubbles had said they would donate £2000 from their Mums estate, but they had gone a touch better with £2500! Wow, how wonderful. I’m glad the light above the sofa is mended now, as I’ve still a lot of socks to get through!
As we finished our lunch I sent a message to Tom giving him a ten minute warning of our departure. Covers down. Life jackets on. Nebo on. Anything else. No. Time to push off. Did we still know how to boat?
11 months later
Tom waited by the bridge over the flood lock to film us going through. Oleanna is the 52nd boat he’s painted. It’s rather a nice landmark to pass through with it’s redbrick arch. We’d passed through it on the 13th October last year and now 11 months and 3 days later we were leaving Redhill and setting off on our travels. A wave back to Tom and a thank you.
Bye Tom
Time to put my navigators hat back on, that way please! Straight, left, left and on upstream to Sawley Locks. The sun was shining through the clouds, blue sky, so wonderful to be moving again. Have to say the day had made me a bit emotional!
Left please.
Approaching Sawley, two volunteers appeared, pointing us to the left hand lock, then to the left hand side of the lock for an easier ride up. One of them came to take my bow rope which had handily got itself into a knot despite having been coiled properly. They were suggesting passing the rope around two bollards behind me which didn’t make sense as Mick would have a stern rope up to a bollard. We rose and chatted with the volunteers, a boat heading towards them wanting to come down, we said we’d be coming back shortly as we were only going to pick something up at the marina.
Going up!
We pulled in by the diesel point and headed into the office. Our pump was sat waiting for us. We looked round for some matting to go in lockers, so that tins of paint don’t go rusty on the new paintwork! But all they had was thin antislip matting which I just know would be annoying. We’ll keep looking and the box of paints will sit and wait a while longer before being stowed away.
Moving again
Winding was interesting as there was a sunken cruiser exactly where the bow wanted to go, so Mick resorted to steering with the bow thruster. We were directed to the other lock this time and chatted away to the volunteers again. It was one ladies first season as a volunteer and she had loved it, shame the season was nearly over. This was strange to us as today we had that Spring feeling you get when you first set off for the year, not that the end of the boating season is getting close!
That’s a nice boat you’ve got there
Navigation again, second left please! Trent Junction was very busy, hardly any space on the moorings at the top of Cranfleet Cut, just as well we wanted to go further. The lock was set against us, I remembered from last year how it takes an age to level out to open the top gate, it still did. In fact I had to call Mick over to lend his bum.
Down back on the River. Ahead big plumes of black smoke were billowing from a fire in Barton in Fabis. Thankfully it wasn’t coming near the river. This section of the Trent is very familiar, the lovely houses on stilts, two had been for sale last year, they must have new owners now. Keeping to the left of obstructions, no-one to rescue today, but it did look very shallow in places.
As we approached Beeston Lock we wondered if there would be boats moored on the lock landing. Yes two narrowboats, but there seemed to be space at the end. No hang on a dark green small cruiser was sat right in the middle, from a distance it had just merged into the pontoon. We managed, you have to really.
Down the few inches of the lock, Mick bumping Oleanna as he’d brought her into the lock, the first scars to the gunnels. Good job they are easy to touch up, well, when you get round to it!
One very happy boat
Our original plan had been to moor up at Sainsburys and finish off our shopping now that we can have a freezer as well as a fridge. But Mick really wanted to sit down, so we called it a day, pulling in where we always seem to moor at Beeston.
Tilly was so excited at us stopping. She escorted me to the table to find the note book to write down our location. Next thing is to let me out! You need to stroke my head now, and open the door. No, really you have to open the door now! NEOWWWW!! Sorry Tilly, the bikes are too fast, you’ve told us how pants it is here several times before and it’s Ding Ding time anyway.
Time to pop that bottle of bubbles
Mick started to fit the new pump as I put together Chicken Curry Old Style. When food was ready it was time to celebrate properly. Mark who had been a witness at our Civil Partnership, had given us a bottle of champagne, we’d planned to drink it the first night all three of us were back on the boat, however not being able to chill it meant we postponed it to tonight. Thank you Mark for helping us celebrate moving again.
Cheers!
8.8 miles, 4 locks, 2 flood locks, 1 new fridge, 1 mended light switch, 3 months maybe, 1 big box of paints, 1 filmed departure, 1 navigator, 1 new pump, 1st cruise of the year, 3.5 hours, 1 disappointed cat, £2.5k! 1 diplomatic message, 2 boaters glad to be back moving, 2 chinks of glasses.
Saturday morning, clothes packing. Finding a bag big enough to pack our dirty washing was one job.
I’d made a list of things not to forget, the Christmas hamper, Tilly Too, my scene painting straight edge and some big rollers for panto. I walked up to Sainsbury’s to get provisions for food this evening.
Yes that’s a suitable way for Tilly Too to travel.
Anna our lodger had baked us some of her lace biscuits to bring with us and we gave her instructions about the central heating as she may be needing it in the next few weeks.
Lunch, the last few items into the van. Were we ready? Was Tilly ready? Last call for the pooh box Tilly! No takers. It was washed and packed in the van.
All morning Tilly had been following me round the house, she’d had a final snooze on the back of her favourite armchair, had sniffed at the cat caravan which was sat ready in the shed. She knew exactly what was happening. She positioned herself behind a table in the living room where I could see her, but it would be tricksy to pick her up, was that a purr I could hear?
Do I really need to be in here!?!
She and Tom sat down! What’s that all about? You are meant to pick me up and bundle me into the caravan. I’ve heard you closing all the doors in the hallway! They just sat there, I thought ‘Come on! Get on with it!!’ She lunged, but I slipped through. Ah nearly had you there!
On the third approach from Tilly, who was very quietly purring, I succeeded in picking her up and popped her into the caravan. Shouts of dismay came from within as she was carried out to the awaiting van. Time to say goodbye to Scarboreugh Tilly.
Only one cat comfort break on our way south was required today. It was very obvious that she prefers straight roads at a constant speed. On these she fell quiet and laid down. But approaching junctions, slowing turning corners these had her shouting at us. Next time we’ll consider using the A64 to Scarborough as it has far fewer twists and turns and roundabouts.
As soon as the van door opened Tilly knew she was back to boat life, not sure she recognised Oleanna from the outside, but inside things required checking out. First things first. Try to gain access to the secret passage, fail! Check high shelf, tick. Where’s my food bowls? Houdini shelf, tick. These curtains look different, might save them for later. What’s happened to my water bowl? I need a drink after all that fastness!!!
New access to the pooh box
Tilly has a bigger pooh box now, so some thought was needed as it lives under the bathroom sink, and I’m nearly 11 you know! So access needed to be thought about as she gets in it from above. We’ll see how having one corner sticking out works for us all.
More unpacking and attempting to stow things, when will it ever stop! Last of the frozen food items from Scarborough were consumed and then we spent sometime going through our click and collect order deleting all the things I’d added to go in the freezer. Minimum fridge items too.
Then time to sit on the sofa and relax. Normally we have one light on above the sofa, its sufficient light for everything, even knitting. But it seems that this one light has given up on us. We decided to turn on the other lights which feel like the Blackpool Illuminations and require eclipse glasses so as not to go blind! Another job to add to the list.
New mugs and a lace biscuit
Sunday morning. The very last day of the Redhill Marina Cafe, she was open from 8:30 until she ran out of sausages, breakfasts only today. We felt we needed to go and support her on her last day, unlike Friday morning it was raining, so we had no view.
It would have been rude not to
The Geraghty zoom followed. Subjects included Social Services for cats, O level German umlauts, bus shelters or the lack of them, carpet gardens and silver sofa surfers.
The click and collect was collected. Chicken wrapped in two insulated bags until later when it would be roasted. Items in the freezer/fridge were edited to accommodate items that have to be in a fridge.
Pictureskew
In the afternoon the sun came out which meant we could film the reveal of Oleanna’s livery from the other river bank. It took a few goes at finding somewhere with enough sunlight to light my model and be able to see Oleanna sideways on.
Conversations were had with our friend Steve in Scarborough who had gone to visit a friend whose health has been failing. After a discussion, they decided he’d be better off in hospital. By late evening I had a call saying he was in A&E, he already sounded so much better. I’ve spent the last three weeks trying to get him assessed for walking aids. Hopefully now someone at the hospital will sort him out, rather than me being passed back and forth, time after time, between social services and the GP.
Mick checked out the light above the sofa. The bulb is fine, we’re hoping it’s the fitting and not the wiring. Plus there seems to now be a loose connection on the temporary fridge!
Looking towards Redhill Flood Lock
Having not been for a meaningful walk for a few days I decided to see what Trent Lock looked like from the other side than we’re used to. I crossed over the bridge by the flood lock, across the next bridge to get off the island then along the towpath where I could then start to head north towards Trent Lock.
Trent Lock
A lovely early Sunday evening, the sun shining across the fields and I could hear a squeeze box, fiddle and guitar drifting from Trent Lock, a very jolly jig. The corner of Cranfleet cut was chocka block with boats, but there was space for two on the pontoon. Sods law as we don’t want to move until the engine has been serviced and we’ve taken delivery of the new fridge! A nice walk away from stowing items on the boat.
Fields and sky
Sunday roast chicken was enjoyed. Now that all three of us were aboard, we’d planned to crack open the bottle of champagne we’d been given by Mark one of our witnesses for our Tuesday Civil Partnership. However, not having a fridge or space in the temporary one means that we will now hang onto it to celebrate us all being back on board with brand new refrigeration!
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 cat safely moved, 2nd mate settling in, 1 box of biscuits, 1 chicken not 2, 2 much STUFF!!!! 3 9’s, 1 right decision, 1 failed light 2 add to the list, 1 box of warm white wine, 2nd cooked breakfast in a week, 0 knitting, 2 boaters 1 cat back on the waterways, lets hope there’s enough water to get us places!
We’d hoped to be able to head down to see Oleanna on Monday, but we also wanted to coincide with Matt from Onboard Solar and he was busy. I worked the whole day model making for panto which meant I could afford to have a day off on Tuesday to accompany Mick to Redhill.
The temperatures in Scarborough were to remain below 30°C on Tuesday, well, they’ve managed to stay pretty low all week, but Redhill was in the Amber zone, so we opted to hire a car with air conditioning. I made sure I had plenty of knitting to keep me occupied in the car, casting on a second sock just in case I ran out.
The journey down was pretty pleasant, the temperature gradually rising the further south we ventured. An eye was kept out for the brief glimpse of the River Trent from the M1, just in case NB Alchemy had headed that way, but no boat was spotted, green or otherwise. Nb Alchemy had actually set off pretty early to avoid the heat of the day and headed for the River Soar, they were most probably already moored up in Zouch for the day the time we arrived at the marina a little before midday.
There she is
The roller shutters were rolled part way up at the front and back of the paint shed, almost a breeze rolling through past the two boats. One chap was busy sanding away the gunnels of the boat next to Oleanna, the blue paint on its bow a mirror finish. Not much left to do on this boat which is headed to AquaNarrowboats for fit out.
Stood in front of Oleanna we could now see where the blasting had happened and where had been left. The front bulkhead was just about untouched, which had been deceiving in the photos we’d had last week, but stood here in front of her it was now obvious why it had been left, the wooden front doors and hooks would need removing first.
Big rusty patch where the wooden rest for the top of the cratch normally sits
Tom was busy with a scabbler stripping the paint off around Oleanna’s starboard side gally window, the last of the paintwork to be stripped on the cabin sides and gunnels. Apparently under the top coats Oleanna had what I think Tom called a filling coat which was taking time to grind off to get back to the steel. This may have contributed to some of the rust patches we’d been getting as once chipped, water could easily get behind it and make it bubble up, the bond between it and the steel not so good.
Dribblyness
A drain from the galley was dribbling, possibly where a damp trap had been emptied down the kitchen sink when she’d been stood out on the hard. Now Oleanna sits at a different angle, so what was left in the sinnk bend is able to leak out. Tom will put a bung in this and clean up before she is blacked.
Attention was given to the porthole above our crossbed. When Oleanna’s layout was designed we wanted a porthole behind our heads and a picture window at the foot of the bed, so we’d have a nice view to drink our morning cuppa’s infront of. Once the plans had been handed over to Finesse, we remembered that we’d wanted to have the stove chimney on the port side. A quick solution was to flip my tracing paper drawings over and rescan them so that the apertures could be cut in the correct places on the other cabin sides.
You can see the rectangle of what was a hopper window!
In early years I’d often stood looking down at Oleanna in a lock, her (then) shiny paintwork slightly rippling in the sunlight around the bedroom porthole. Then after she’d been sat on the bottom in Goole after the Aire and Calder breach, the sun had started to bleach the paintwork, revealing the reason for the ripples. Where the porthole was had originally had the picture window cut in it. Once the mistake had been spotted the hole was filled back in with steel. Thank goodness it was only one opening.
Enough of the anodes left for a few more years
The chap who does the welding had been to have a look at the couple of jobs we’re wanting doing. He’d walked all the way round Oleanna to check the state of the steel. No signs of any pitting, no dints from collisions and the prop dint free too.
The stick on solar panels had been removed. You hear so much about how the roof can rust underneath them, Tom said the roof wasn’t bad at all.
Checking out the gas locker
Now our attention turned to the bow thruster locker, the main reason for our visit, to try find the cause of all the water in there. First things first, empty the water out of it. A wet dry vac was found, but there was far too much water for that, so instead a bilge pump was set up with an added hose reaching out of the paintshed door. The pump was set going, it carried on for getting on for an hour, the colour of the water checked. If it was clear water, that would suggest it had come from the fresh water tank, but it had a tint of canal colour to it, so it had come from outside. Good in one way, bad in another!
You can see where the water tends to sit in the gas locker
The gas locker was emptied of gas bottles and hoovered out. The vents very visibly below the water line. Oleanna has always sat low in the water, most probably lower than thought when the gas locker floor was welded in. When Tom had been removing the windows and their liners he’d noted that above gunnel height the cabin sides had been lined with 18mm ply. This is usually 9mm. I wonder if my choice to not have any visible grain on the painted cabinsides meant they ended up using 18mm? Anyway all that extra weight will be helping her to sit low.
No obvious hole in the locker floor could be seen. So whilst the bilge pump continued to do its thing, we headed to the cafe for lunch. We managed to find a bench outside the portacabin just about in the shade to have our cuppas and sandwiches. Next we headed to the office to pay the remainder of our dues for sitting out on the hard for eight months. We chatted with Mandy about when we go back in the water and that we might need to be on one of their moorings for a couple of days, this was fine with her, if the boat that had been dumped would only move on, it’s been there for weeks!
Redhill is very much a working boat yard. One old wooden cruiser came past heading to sit out on the hard for a while. Then another narrowboat came past, this was laid off outside Tom’s paintshop. It had been jet washed on the hill and was now due to be blacked.
Whilst we’d been elsewhere Tom had managed to get his phone deep into the bow thruster locker to see if there was any sign of where water might have been coming in. He videoed a pan round, the depth the water had been obvious. Right at the pointy end of the bow, possibly the least accessible part of the hull. A rusty dribble from an inch under the gas locker floor which had then spread. Somehow the water was getting in here. Possibly a failed weld at the pointy end of the gas locker floor which always sits in the water. This leak I suspect has been happening for sometime, but Mick reckons he’d have noticed water on the bowthruster locker floor. When was the last time he’d looked in there? Just how long had the leak been leaking? How had the weld failed if that’s where the water is coming from? Well we just need a solution for it.
That looks like where it’s been coming in!
Can it be welded? Most probably not as this part of the boat is likely to have been made early on in the construction, working from bow to stern and getting in to weld it just about impossible. Tom could do a broad band of PU filler around the edge of the gas locker floor, sealing in the weld. Or maybe some two part epoxy putty could be pushed in where the hole might be. We planned on emailing Ricky at Finesse to see what his thoughts might be on a solution.
Matt from Onboard Solar arrived. Mick chatted away to him about solar panels. I’ll let him chat about those later.
18mm ply cabin sides visible here
The odd wiring, loose connections were chatted about. It looks like the cables from the electric cupboard to the junction on the roof had been cut too short on the original fitout, so short lengths had been chock blocked on the end, these were loose when Tom came to remove the junction. Matt will see if it’s possible to replace the wiring in the roof. We’ve dug out photos of the fitout and the cables should run in a conduit along the edge of the roof, but to access this will mean removing the covers which have been plugged with wooden dowels.
Matt is going to email through a quote for new panels and installation next week sometime
So Oleanna will continue to be prepared this week, it’s all in the preparation, After the preparation is completed she’ll have a good clean inside and out. She’s quite a state inside, so I strongly suspect we’ll be hoovering for a while once we start to move back onboard, maybe we should have removed EVERYTHING to make this easier, but we didn’t as that would have required several more trips in a van and then finding somewhere to store it all.
Just because they are there, demolition due 2029/30
Once Tom gets started with painting, the blacking will go on, the whole boat gets painted. Jacks will lift her so they can paint the base plate too, then below the gunnels will be skirted off with brown paper for them to work on the cabin sides and roof. The next coats will go on the day after so that there is a good bond between coats and no need to sand between them. Then layer on layer and sanding smooth will happen to get a mirror finish.
We reminded Tom of when we’ll be needing to move back on board. Claire the signwriter is booked for the beginning of that week so all the major painting will be done by then.
Will high temperatures affect the painting? Tom said that actually the heat will make the paint more viscus, so they shouldn’t need to thin it down. It’s more about keeping himself hydrated as he paints. He wears a suit and gloves, fresh air is pumped to his face behind his mask, so that is quite pleasant. But when he takes his gloves off they tend to be full of sweat! We wished him well, wanting to provide icelollies to keep moral up, but they’d melt before they got anywhere near the paintshed.
We headed back to Scarborough with a little list of jobs that need doing. New fenders, photos of the electrics to find, an email to Ricky.
Wednesday Mick put together an email with photos for Ricky at Finesse. Maybe he could come up with a solution to the leaking gas locker. On Saturday morning we’ve still not heard anything back.
Pretty carrots from our veg box
Mick also chatted to Hannah our most recent BSS examiner regarding the vents from the gas locker. She’d be happy to leave the existing ones and then add new ones above the next rubbing strake which will be above the water line.
Friday morning an email came from Claire regarding the bow flash design. She has worked up the one we prefer, suggesting keeping lines parallel to each other rather than parallel to the shape of the bow, all of which we are very happy with, so she has been given a big thumbs up from us.
My last mosaic session
Little else to report this week. Hopefully sometime next week we will get info about the solar panels, finalise a solution for the leak and maybe just maybe Oleanna will start to change colour, but that may be the following week.
Christmas!!!
Meanwhile I continue to paint my panto model, being in a snowy world is helping with the heat, although we are very lucky not to have reached silly temperatures. The other evening we used the barbecue to roast a mass of root veg from our veg box, the aim of keeping things cool in the house, we however required jumpers as we watched things cooking. I’ve attended the last mosaic session I think I’ll be able to go to, things are nearing completion, and too many hands are trying to fill gaps now. Hopefully soon we’ll get time to think about starting to pack our belongings ready to move.
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 hire car, 30+C, 1 cool Scarborough, 1 almost naked Oleanna, 1 shiny neighbour, 1 leak! 1 welder with Gogo Gadget arms required, 10cm christmas tree, 18mm! 1 prospective lodger informed, 1 last mosaic, 1 set of bow and stern fenders to find.
