A few boats came past us this morning, in both directions, but we knew the first lock of the day would be against us. Not a problem really as a boat was waiting above Somerton Deep Lock. The boat in front of us had knocked on the roof of the waiting boat, but had been ignored by the chap inside, but as the levels equalised a head appeared from below. I think he’d been waiting for someone to come along and work the lock for him, cutting out the need to climb the ladder, he was very happy for Mick and myself to close gates and lift paddles for him.
Next it was our turn. Somerton Deep Lock is just that, deep! 12ft 1″ deep and narrow which makes it seem even deeper. Waiting for Oleanna to stop moving about in the lock below means the bottom gate closes easier. After a thumbs up from Mick at the helm I then lift the paddles. The lady from the boat ahead of us had said the paddles were really really hard to work. With a long reach windlass and adjusting where you start to turn the mechanism you can increase your advantage. Starting your turn at the bottom (pulling the windlass toward you) isn’t as good as starting at the top where your weight gives the windlass more umph! as you push down. This does mean checking to see where the paddle gear bites and then adjusting your windlass accordingly before giving yourself a hernia. One slightly stiff turn and both paddles came up.
The cottage
The lock cottage here has no road access, it looks as if the current owner is doing some building work as a cement mixer sat near the front door. Two years ago there had been a small porch in front of the door, today only the flashing was left.
Sandbags
Also two years ago the landscape that surrounded the cottage was more lake like than meadows. Plenty of rain at the beginning of November had brought the rivers up, the Cherwell spilling over the fields and in places into the canal. There are areas where sandbags have been added to the banks of the canal, reinforcing them from water erosion.
That’ll need lifting
Chisnell Lift Bridge 193 was down, we think it’s been down more than up for us. It is quite finely balanced and would most probably just require a push up then pull back down with the chain from the towpath, but I don’t trust these bridges so would rather sit on the beam to keep them open.
One for the telephone engineers
Lots was happening to telephone poles, we spotted at least three Openreach vans in fields. One lucky chap was stood at the top of a cherry picker, in a another field a ladder leant against another pole. It’s a long long time since Mick had to climb one of these.
Aynho Wharf
Aynho Wharf provided us with a top up of diesel at 82p a litre, it was worth filling up.
Aynho Weir Lock took forever to empty and then refill. I checked the river level board before we exited, well in the green today, we’d be fine passing under Nell’s Bridge. A couple of knowledgeable gongoozlers stood and admired our ‘back garden’ in the well deck of Oleanna at the bow! They continued with their dodgy knowledge leaving me smiling.
Nell’s Bridge Lock was waiting for us with open gates, a boat waiting to come down and plenty of people around to help. No limboing under the bridge today and up we rose.
Sofas, fires, bacon and beer
A brief stop for lunch, before passing The Pig Place. Maybe this would have been a better campsite for the London Leckenbys last weekend as they have a bar on site and bacon frying in the morning is just standard.
M40 and a bridge for cows
The canal meanders round the contour and crawls under the M40 where old and new bridges sit side by side.
Bovine Gongoozlers
Cole’s Lift Bridge was down. Where could I be dropped off? The bridge landings overgrown and vegetation along the edge making it hard to actually see the edge. We tried backing up but I wasn’t too sure my footing would be good, my knees don’t like a leap of faith. So we nudged the bow up to the off side and I managed to get off there.
watching every move
The chain was too high to pull on, so it was time to hang off the beam, hoping my weight would bring it down sufficiently for me to get above it. All the time I could see beady eyes following my every move from behind a gate onto the towpath, the reason the bridge exists. My second attempt worked, thank goodness I have quite a bit of inbuilt ballast!
Mooed scores
I couldn’t find anywhere to fix the bridge open so once Oleanna was through it just wanted to close itself. As it dropped back reconnecting the towpath with the offside the cows gave me their marks. 10 out of 10 for effort, 7 for style!
Kings Sutton Lock, after all the building work is settling in nicely. The grass is neat, flower beds established and if the sun had been a touch lower the honey coloured Cotswold stone of the cottage would have glowed at us. A very nice lock.
Kings Sutton Lock
We pulled up for the day, our aim had been Banbury, but the Post Office and shops could wait for tomorrow. After we pulled in several others joined us, here the canal sits half way between the M40 and the railway. Also, thankfully, you only occasionally get the wiff from Kenco in Banbury. I’m not too keen on the slightly burnt treacly smell it produces.
4 locks, 6.21 miles, 2 lift bridges, 1 garden at the wrong end, 1 river in the green, 70.52 litres, 3 bovine judges, 10, 7, 456 sandbags, 1 length of new piling, 4 savoury pancakes, 3 sweet.
The alarm not being set meant we both slept in, maybe a little too much, but so long as we got to where we needed to be tonight it didn’t really matter. There were a few bits and bobs that needed finishing up so Mick set too in the kitchen for breakfast.
Turkey sausages
Then we walked down to the maltings where several antique places sell their stuff. The first we went into was very organised and a touch posh really. Lots of jewellery and china.
Maybe the carpet too!
A few bits of furniture. We considered swapping our sofa bed for a curly low sofa which would fit under the gunnels nicely, but we’d have nowhere for the two matching chairs.
Steps
‘One’ would need a leather bound library for a Victorian wooden step ladder.
Cats, pig marching bands and Clarice Cliff bowls tucked away in the display cabinets. Nothing for us here.
£550 for a dog puppet!
A units further on was Acorn Auctions, not open today for viewing, never mind there was plenty more to look at.
A Stage Managers heaven
Riverside Antiques covered several floors and for those who have ever visited Josie’s in Bempton, it reminded me of there, just a touch tidier and you didn’t come out feeling grubby!
From Fred and Wilma, to Walter White.
Captain Scarlet and Blue to Thunderbird 2.
Railway paraphernalia, cap badges and Trains in Trouble singles.
Telephones, crockery, horse brasses. I took lots of photos of horse brasses as reference for panto.
1950’s clock with a timer, a calculator, beer steins, typewriters.
So much stuff, it went on and on for ages! The chap from the red boat had been right, these places could fill up a whole day if we let them. So much stuff nobody needs!
Mick’s choice
Oh hang on! We did find one thing each that maybe we’d have bought. Mick, an Aston Martin DB5 Corgie car. This was James Bond’s car, first seen in Goldfinger. It had rotating number plates, a retractable bullet proof rear shield, extending front over-riders, pop out machine guns, and, of course, a functioning passenger ejector seat! £15 a bargain!
My choice
Mine, a cream tea pot with chrome cosy. I used to have one of these that I think I bought at the aforementioned Josie’s. I would make my morning cuppa in it every day, but sadly quite a few years ago it broke or started to leek. Today I could have replaced it for £8, I very nearly did too!
Then near to the Ercol pebble tables and the canteen/table of cutlery there were two Victorian photographs which had dolls faces added to them. Three dimensions morphing out from two, quite disturbing really. Had someone made these up for a Halloween party?!
Even more!
Yet another floor showed itself to us, but here we decided that we’d seen enough and that it was time to push off and get a few miles done.
Improvised cover for phone
Today there were thunderstorms forecast for the afternoon. We gathered together our waterproofs before setting off, we knew we would be needing them today!
Heading down with the key of power
NB Small World had already moved off when we passed the gated community. We dropped back down Sheering Mill Lock all the time the skies behind us getting darker. There was a queue at the water point at Harlow Mill Lock which stretched back towards the lock, we managed to get past but a widebeam wouldn’t.
Just before the rain caught us up
Here as we finished dropping down the lock the heavens opened, just enough time to get waterproofs on, I’d already put shorts on to save over heating in clinging waterproof trousers. Mick stayed up top and brought us along the pound reaching Latton Lock where we’d stopped for our Tesco’s click and collect the other day. Derek and Margaret waved from their comfortable dry seats as we passed, hoping there would be space for us to pull in before the lock.
A cruiser out there
We ended up on the lock landing. Covers back up and dripping under cover. We really wanted to be further on today so we waited and waited for the rain to subside. At one point it started to look good and Mick walked to set the lock. A cruiser was just arriving, so he helped them up, leaving the top gates ready for us, of course now it was heaving it down again!
Burnt Mill Lock
Almost an hour later the rain dried up, covers were dropped and time to move on again. Thunder continuously rumbled around above, it was hard to hear the crack associated with each lightening flash. Above Burnt Mill Lock there were now three trip boats moored on the off side and David and Ted’s boat was sat on the visitor moorings, he’d said he needed some shopping.
Parndon Mill
It stayed almost dry through Parndon Lock but then on our last stretch of water the heavens opened up again. I made an excuse of preparing our evening meal whilst Mick stood at the tiller through the driving rain. Thankfully at Hunsdon Lock there was plenty of space for us to pull in.
Before it got really really wet
Drip drying we checked the river levels. Tomorrow we need to pass under Roydon Railway Bridge on the river section. The pound we were in had risen by about four inches and we were seeing footage of flooded tube stations at Stratford! We’ll see what happens.
7 locks, 6.61 miles, 2 antique shops, 6 scarlet, 6 blue, 87 brasses, 7 piece band, 2 much to look at, 2 down pours, 25 minutes constant rumbling, 16 meatballs with celeriac, 0 shore leave, 1 very steamed up boat, 1 cruising plan coming together.
A photo heavy post! If you click on a photo it should enlarge.
Limehouse Basin to Ontario Bridge 205A Grand Union Canal
Not much of view this morning!
Tilly seemed keen to be out this morning despite the not so inviting view from our bedroom window. Today we’d be heading out onto the Tidal Thames so no shore leave for cats, no matter how much they shout!
One of the last jobs to do today was put Tilly’s escape pod back together ready should there be any necessity to abandon ship. She also quite likes to sit in there anyway.
Final briefing
At 10:30 all crews congregated in the car park for our final briefing. An extra sheet of paper was passed round which detailed the distances between bridges on our cruise upstream. We were reminded to keep looking behind us as that is where the danger can lie, make sure our anchors were actually attached to our boats and just to hold our course and not to turn into waves as they can come from any and every direction. VHF radios were handed to crew who didn’t have their own, ship to ship being on channel 8.
Simon watching the lock open up
St Pancras Leader, Simon, would radio VTS (Vessel Traffic Service) when they left the lock and the third lock leader would do the same when the last and final boat entered the tide way, Tail end Charlie would be Oleanna today. There wouldn’t be much commercial traffic on the river, but plenty of Clippers and speed boats. The weather forecast wasn’t so good, everyone prepared for rain which was just trying to start.
Moving into position
The first locking of four boats was at 11:15. Limehouse Lock can hold three narrowboats abreast and as two boats were short they could sit one behind the other. We watched as the boats pulled into the lock, each passing ropes round the risers on the lock walls, these are positioned directly under the bollards above.
Waiting for NB Chance to take her position in the lock
The pull as the lock starts to empty, radial gates not paddles, is strong necessitating ropes needing to be passed round a T stud to help you keep hold.
We watched as the lock emptied and then the boats departed. NB Thermopylae led the way followed by NB Chance, NB Misty Blue and NB Mobius brought up the rear. Each boat motoring out of the lock and turning right onto the Thames keeping a distance between each other.
Next lock full
The next boats were ready and waiting for the lock to be refilled, we headed back to Oleanna for a final briefing with our second mate, move the towline to the bow and untie ourselves from the mooring.
Oleanna looking forward to her trip up the Thames
Tilly was warned that that the outside we’d be moving today was likely to be quite lumpy bumpy for a while, she retired to her escape pod and waited to see what happened.
NB Coracle was lead boat, followed by NB Small World then us at the very back. As the lock gates fully opened Andrew on NB Coracle said ‘Let’s go boating!’ It was 11:48 we were 15 minutes ahead of schedule.
Leaving Limehouse Lock, the river was big but not as big as leaving Goole
I closed the cratch cover up and moved through Oleanna to the stern. I was soon pleased that I’d thought to move bottles from the galley shelves and counter tops as the river was most certainly lumpy. We turned into the flow of the tide heading upstream.
Speed boats zipped past their wakes moving across the river. They were towards the south bank, we were towards the north bank, the waves kept coming and coming, first this way then that.You said it was going to be lumpy! You didn’t say that we would be looping the loop!!!!
Tilly wasn’t happy, she was shouting at the back doors! I have to admit that I wasn’t too happy either as Oleanna rose and fell with the waves. Please excuse the out of focusness of this footage as my camera had no idea what it should focus on! This is by far the lumpiest water we’ve encountered. As a child I used to be seasick every time I even stood near to a boat, so today I did my best to keep calm and looked round at everything to keep my mind off the swell.
We fell in line behind the lead boat and NB Small World, one yellow buoy coming a touch close to us. The river was moving us along, at one point I couldn’t hear the engine, Mick had put Oleanna into tickover as we had been gaining on the boat ahead.
Behind us Canary Wharf, ahead old warehouses, the River Police jetty.
Shard ahead
The Shard came into view, then as we rounded the bend at Wapping the view opened out.
Quite a view!
The Walkie Talkie, St Pauls, BT Tower, City Hall and of course Tower Bridge. Wow!
Dora May just off centre with a blue and cream wheelhouse
At Tower Moorings we tried to spot Dora May that used to belong to my friend Kathy. She is still moored there, wheelhouse positioned with a great view over to Tower Bridge.
Just look at that! Tower Bridge built between 1886 and 1894
We managed to line ourselves up briefly for a photo we’ve been dreaming of for years, under the central span of Tower Bridge.
Then we got back in line with the two boats ahead and headed for span 1 to the north side. It is quite an impressive bridge to walk over, but more so to pass under.
We waved to the south bank of the river where Mick’s sister Christine had positioned herself.
Christine’s over there somewhere!
No chance of spotting her, but thankfully she spotted us.
There we are
Past the clipper terminal
Tower of London
I especially like the one in front of the Tower of London.
HMS Belfast and The Shard
The bridges now come thick and fast as did the swell.
Bridges lining up ahead
Trying to take photos clinging on, trying to stay upright at times was quite hard.
London Bridge Hospital looks like a new coat of white paint has been added, keeping it crisply clean, soon followed by Hays Wharf. This wonderful deco building once a wharf now contains consulting rooms and the cardiology department for the hospital.
Follow my leader under the correct spans of the bridges as waves buffeted themselves against Oleanna.
Tate Modern (opened 2000) and the wibbly wobbly Millennium Bridge (opened 2000, reopened 2002).
The Samuel Pepys pub is where Mick used to drink when he worked almost next door for BT in the red brick building.
More bridges, more sights, more big trip boats.
Pillars where old railway bridges used to be. The Oxo tower (originally a power station supplying the Post Office, built at the end of the 19th Century) more shiny tower blocks.
Waterloo Bridge (opened 1942, fully opened 1945), The National Theatre (opened 1976). Have to say I was a touch disappointed that the National hadn’t brought the horses out from War Horse onto the terrace to see us pass as they did for the Queen!
Not much traffic behind
Frequent glances behind brought different views as well as checking if we were being followed.
Hungerford Bridge (opened 1864) and the Golden Jubilee Bridges (completed 2002)
Then Hungerford Bridge and the Golden Jubilee Bridges. Were we early? We looked up as we came under the bridge.
A pair of shoes, legs, a radio 2 news presenter stood phone in hand ready to capture us as we passed below.
The London Eye (opened 2000), County Hall (1922), Tattershall Castle (a steamer built in 1934 and was used as a Humber Ferry) and onwards to the Houses of Parliament (finished in 1860) and Westminster Bridge (opened 1862).
Heading up stream
Such a shame Big Ben is still swathed in scaffolding, maybe we’ll just have to come and do the trip again in the latter part of 2022!
As we passed the exclusion zone in front of the Houses of Parliament I shouted out a few comments to those who run our country. I so hope they heard and will take heed of my words!
Under Lambeth Bridge ( 1932) with the MI5 offices (1929) with it’s gold roof.
Tamesis Dock
A boat sat out of the water a structure held it upright. I wonder if those eating and drinking at Tamesis Dock knew they weren’t afloat.
Mick tried pointing out another building he used to work in. ‘That one with all the windows’! It turns out Mick used to work next door to the MI6 building on the south bank, well before it was built.
Vauxhall Bridge Built in 1906
By now the river traffic was easing, the swell gone. Under Vauxhall Bridge, the four towers of Battersea Power Station (completed in 1955) rose from the redevelopment below.
Next week will see the return of the open-air cinema and theatre at The Coal Jetty. Apartments are being sold and retail and restaurants are already open. We do wonder what the residents will think of living next door to the Super Sewer though! I’m sure it will all be below ground.
Victoria Railway Bridge rebuilt and widened in the 1960’s
Chelsea, originally Victoria Bridge, rebuilt in 1937
Albert Bridge, built 1873, suspension bridge incorporated in 1884-7 and final alterations made in 1973
Victoria, Chelsea and Albert Bridges. The question is who was Chelsea? Did she have a bit of a fling with Albert getting between them!
Albert Bridge painted in pastel shades has a touch of a Wedgewood feel to it.
Battersea Road Bridge built 1885
Battersea Road Bridge was followed by numerous house boats.
House boats side by side
I wonder what it’s like living on one of those with the tides coming and going.
Lots Road Power Station, built in 1904
Lots Road Power Station which used to produce electricity for the underground is having a makeover. The internal structures have been removed and 800 tonnes of steel have been used to retain the exterior façade. Along with four new buildings the development will provide 420 residential units.
Hanging under Wandsworth Bridge ( built in 1940) is a dishevelled bail of straw. It’s an ancient bylaw of uncertain heritage that if a bridge arch is open to river traffic, but with restricted headroom, then a bundle of straw should be hung from the bridge as a warning. At night time it is replaced by a white light.
Fulham Railway Bridge (1889) and Putney Bridge (1886)
Down stream of Putney Bridge (1886) is where the Oxford Cambridge boat race starts, the course passes under Hammersmith Bridge, Barnes Bridge and finishes just before Chiswick Bridge a distance of four miles.
Fulham Football Club is having major works. The riverside stand at Craven Cottage was demolished and is being redeveloped into more than just a football stand. Floating pontoons are being used in the building work and an exclusion zone around these is in force on the river marked with yellow buoys.
Rowers
Now we started to encounter rowers as we approached Hammersmith Bridge (1887). An area along the southern bank has been marked out for the rowers to use, keeping normal river traffic away from the area.
Hammersmith Bridge currently closed
Hammersmith Bridge has been closed to motor traffic since August 2019 after cracks were discovered in the bridges pedestals. The closure was extended to pedestrians, cyclists and normal boat traffic last year. It is however open for pre-booked transits which are subject to a lot of conditions. One of which is that you have an abort plan should the bridge be closed in front of you. This would entail winding and stemming the tide in a predetermined section of the river, contact with VTS would be made and then we would wait for slack water before returning all the way to Limehouse Lock with the outgoing tide.
All three groups had to pass under the bridge in an hours window. Thankfully no abort signal was given and we as Tail end Charlie passed under the bridge at 13:38, well within the hour. Phew!
Under Barnes Railway Bridge ( built in the 1890’s), more rowers and paddleboarders.
Chiswick Bridge built 1933
We received a phone call from Simon checking our location at 14:00, we could confirm we were under Chiswick Bridge and all was fine at the back of the flotilla.
Boats ahead under Kew Railway Bridge
A zoom in on the camera to Kew Railway Bridge confirmed we were catching up the second group. NB Combs Lass and NB Galatea were just passing under the bridge, it was the first time we’d seen them since Limehouse.
Kew Bridge built in 1903
Kew Bridge a wide span bridge was to be the last we’d pass under, the Tower of Kew Bridge Pumping Station watching our approach towards Brentford Junction.
Liquidity ahead
Passing islands to our starboard side we could see the sculpture Liquidity by Simon Packard. This to boaters helps mark the entrance of Brentford Junction on the Thames, to locals it caused a big hoo-ha when it was first erected as it blocked the view from new flats and a local restaurant to the river.
This was where the flotilla would split. Three boats could be seen continuing on up stream towards Teddington. NB Thermopylae now at the back. The third locks worth of boats veered off at the Junction and headed for Thames Lock. Here NB Albert Victor was joined by NB Coracle our lead boat and we joined NB Small World in the second lock to rise up to the semi tidal stretch at the bottom of the Grand Union Canal.
It wasn’t me!
I had chance to check on everything below, half expecting Tilly to still be in a tizz and maybe for her to have suffered from seasickness. I was greeted by a cat who was trying to be quite cool about everything, even if she was a little bit shouty! There was also a bit of a puddle in the main cabin. Oh dear.
However it didn’t take me long to realise that this was just water and it must have come in through our hatch despite the outer doors being closed. There was water on the surround. In absolute torrential rain with howling gales we’ve had water come in having been forced up under the doors. This must have happened when we were in the really lumpy water.
Thames Lock which takes us onto semi-tidal water
Heading to the bow to open up the cratch I also noticed a very small amount of water had made it’s way up under the front doors. These are raised off the floor of the well deck and have a frame that sits quite a bit higher than the doors. Water will have come in through the well deck drains on the choppy sections of the river and some of that made it’s way inside!
Maybe if we plan to do more rough cruises we should look at adding extra protection to these areas, the amount of water wasn’t alarming, but it would have been better to have come in to a dry boat.
A lock keeper was also on duty at Brentford Gauging Locks bring us up off the tidal water and onto the canal proper. We were now bunched up and a queue had formed at Clitheroe’s Lock. I headed up to help , other crew walking on ahead to set Osterley Lock.
When we reached the final lock of the day NB Albert Victor was waiting for a partner, so NB Small World joined them, leaving us to lock up on our own. The off side bottom gate refused, despite a bit of a waggle back and forth, to open fully, so it was one boat in at a time. On leaving half a tree trunk floated above the lock gates. NB Small World pushed it out of the way, but by the time I’d refilled the lock it had drifted back down to be in the way again!
The first sign of a gap in the moorings we pulled in, close to the community gardens. Tilly’s paw was already clinging onto the bathroom porthole her nose sniffing the fresh air, the trees here already having been given feline approval. As soon as our location had been noted with co-ordinates and what3words the rules were recited to Tilly and she was given 2 hours shore leave.
Tideway Tilly back on dry land
Time for a well deserved cup of tea!
Graeme and David with everyone else behind them
This evening we joined everyone else who’d come off the river at Brentford along with Simon who’d made it over from Teddington for a meal at The Fox. This is a pub Mick knows well as he used to live about 200 yards away. I was famished, but had also forgotten about the portion sizes. A portion of chicken wings arrived as a starter, I’d been expecting 4 or 6, but 12! Mick and I should have shared them. Sadly they had run out of rainbow trout so I chose pork belly with mash, Mick had sausage and mash. All the food was very tasty as expected.
VHF and laminated sheets
A very good evening wrapping up an incredible day. The rain had held off, the planning had been spot on, the waves added extra adrenalin, advice was shared, lead boats knew the river, tail boats were VHF qualified. Thank you very much Simon for offering us the final space on the cruise. Thank you also to St Pancras Cruising Club, from start to finish we felt we were in safe hands.
Waterway Routes under new improved rain shield which wasn’t required today
5 locks, 18.75 miles, 2 rights, 34 bridges, 3rd locking, 10th in line, 1st St Pancras cruising cat, 1 lumpy river, 1 shouty cat, 2 puddles, 1 sister-out-law, 1 fellow blogger, 1 boat in tickover much of the time, 4 rice crispie cakes, 0 flying pigs, 4 power stations, 3 lock keepers, 2 hours shore leave, 1 fox, 807 photos, 1 very nice meal, 1 fantastic day.
https://goo.gl/maps/kU1p4HBtsysYSh7c7
A fab photo of Group 1
For more photos of the trip from the front of the flotilla follow this link to Scholar Gypsy
Adam has also published a post with his photos this morning, showing the second group of boats as they headed for Westminster Bridge. A link to his blog Briar Rose
All that rain yesterday was added to today with some very blustery torrential showers. I’m really hoping that all the dust that had accumulated on the cabin sides has been washed off saving me a job. Lisa popped her head round the side of the hatch, she was heading back to Scarborough, so depending on when we leave we may not see her again until later in the year.
At 10am my phone rang and it was Sainsburys here with our delivery. Mick let the driver in and we off loaded our shopping by the van, the blustering wind keeping us away from the back doors which really wanted to be closed! Quarantine goods were left in the cratch and everything else brought in to be sorted.
Filling Up
Yesterday we’d turned the freezer on so that it could chill down ready for things today. Fish pie mix, peas, sausages, mince and a large chicken which I jointed and bagged up into meal sized portions. There was still plenty of room, most probably only half full, but enough for a couple of weeks meals, just fresh veg required.
Herbs and spices back on the shelves
The car then was finally emptied, lots of knitting, panto model, shoes and work things. Now Mick could return the hire car to Scarborough. We’d hoped to be able to assist the company in returning it to a different base like Hull or Doncaster, but sadly that wasn’t possible. So Mick set off late morning as I sorted things to make space to do some work.
Paint from pantos past
I’ve commandeered another shelf in a cupboard at the front of the boat for work things and have kept a shelf in my clothes cupboard free for the model. Last panto I made my own model box and it fitted in the cupboard wonderfully. It now has a box for protection which the other day I trimmed down knowing that the height would be a problem.
That way it fitted perfectly. A shame the box was an inch too long meaning the cupboard door wouldn’t close. A line was drawn on the box for trimming later.
In my work room at the house everything has it’s place, a slightly messy place but easy to get at. Here on the boat storage requires things to go into places in a certain order. So I spent the first hour collecting things together I’d be needing for a few hours work. One thing was in the folder in the drawing board slot, stools removed, folder slid out, item found. Everything put back. But where was the carbon paper? Had I put it in with my model making bits? With card and tracing paper? Drawing board slot emptied again, then put back. It was with my sketch books at the front of the boat.
Studio all set up ready
By lunchtime I was ready. But sadly half way through painting the back drop for the pub I made a bum decision on a colour. I’ll leave it overnight to see what I think, but I may have to start the whole thing over.
Mick had a pleasant journey back to Scarborough. He managed to catch a train from Seamer to Hull and made the one minute connection onto a train to Goole. A short distance out from the station he spotted some jolly brickwork on the side of some houses.
Boat
The rain came and went all afternoon. Had Mick taken his waterproofs? The mile walk from town to Viking Marina has little if any shelter. He decided to go into town to see if we could upgrade our internet to unlimited with EE.
Currently we have my phone on one account. Then Micks phone, a data sim on the boat and a data sim at the house on another. We have never used all our data, but now with lodgers in the house this will change and you can’t really not offer wifi. Mick managed to miss most of the showers by being in EE for getting on for an hour but he succeeded with the plan. A little paddling was required to get him back to the marina so apart from his feet he was more or less dry.
Train!
Tilly spent much of the day keeping a beady eye on the moorhens on our pontoon. They appear to be building a nest, thankfully under the pontoon and not on Oleanna. Here’s hoping this stays like this as we don’t want another reason to be added to the list stopping us from being able to move.
0 locks, 0 miles, 0 car now, 2 big bags still to stow, 1 model box box trimmed to fit, 1 backdrop failed, 2 busy moorhens, 1 level dropping, 2 soggy socks, 0 limit data, 8 weeks paid, 6 more possible.
Lisa sent through a photo of Oleanna this morning. The level at the docks is just about normal and Oleanna was sitting there in the rain. Yesterday it must have been sunny at the marina as the solar panels were doing a good job of keeping the batteries topped up and the engine bay got up to 8 C. It’s handy being able to check on her from afar, keeps our minds at rest.
Paper stretched and ready
Here in Scarborough I’ve been busy with work. A new, to me, art shop is proving very handy. I’ve not had chance to go into The Art Room yet and I can’t see what art materials they normally stock, Delia responds to emails swiftly and is very helpful. This week I was after a pad of thick cartridge paper and a wooden board so that I can stretch the paper properly. If water colour paper isn’t stretched, when you start to paint the paper cockles and will never lie flat again. In the past I’ve half heartedly taped paper to a plastic board, but this never really worked that well. So I have invested in a board that will take A3 paper comfortably. This will first get used for my boat origami paper design. Then I hope to use it for paintings of the waterways, which I’ve been planning on doing for some time now. I have the equipment, the reference, all I need now is the time!
This week I’ve started work in earnest on Panto for Chipping Norton. Sketch technical drawings enable me to make pieces of model, then do adjustments. Yesterday I finished working my way through the show, there is still lots to alter and work out, but I have solutions for most things. I’m quite happy with my galleon set, but the smugglers inn isn’t right yet! Hopefully this coming week things will get sorted before my next work arrives on the doorstep!
Cotton top measuring up
I’ve finally finished knitting a top for my sister-in-law which is now measured out and blocking on some new foam mats I’ve treated myself to. These will be handy to take back to the boat as they breakdown into foot squares, but once clipped together they give me 3ft square to pin items onto. They will save me pinning things out onto the back of our mattress on the boat and hoping things will be dry before bedtime!
Cricket on the TV, who’d have thought
Mick, whilst not watching the cricket, has been working on the blog. Two years ago we moved to WordPress and our current deal is nearly up. There are things we’d like to try to improve, but unless we spend more money they are proving hard to sort. Paul (Waterway Routes) suggested sometime ago we tried WordPress.org, this is free but we’d need to pay to have the blog hosted, which is all working out at a similar price to if we stayed put. We could go back to Blogger and Open Live Writer, but photos had been problematic, Mick is still working his way through the blog inserting them and I like the way wordpress works.
Tomorrow Tilly it’s too dark to go for a walk now!
However we miss having a blog roll that moves with peoples posts and a forwards and back button. Mick has found the relevant code, we may need to enlist my nephew Josh into giving us some guidance with this. We’ll see what happens.
Mick is taking his time reading the book he selected from our Christmas stash. The chap has left Kate Saffin and Alarum, headed to the Exeter Canal and is now somewhere on the Bridgewater Canal.
I on the other hand have finished mine, which I’ve really enjoyed. When we first moved on board I read a lot, but in the last couple of years I’d got out of the habit. With so many books to choose from I was spoilt for choice. So when Sam from NB Red Wharf said that Canal Pushers was really good and Debby from NB Chuffed asked for a review I thought I’d best start there.
I like a good crime story and with it being set on the canals it started off on a good footing. Andy Griffee has taken the theory of a serial killer, pushing people into the waterways around Manchester and set a similar story on the Stratford, Worcester and Birmingham Canals.
Jack has just picked up a narrowboat to see if a life afloat will suit him after recently being divorced. Let down by a friend who was going to help him learn the ropes he is soon rescued by a lady walking the towpath, Nina. A friendship is formed between the two of them, Nina keeping herself a bit of a mystery.
Look at those whiskers
Knowing the stretch of canal where the book is set is quite warming to a sole that misses being on the cut right now. Jack’s experience of The Navigation Inn at Wooten Wawen made me smile as it was very similar to ours when we hired our last boat from there seven years ago. Stratford with the tourists and theatre, Wedges, Packwood House, all the time Jack learning how to handle the boat as the mystery of the death of a young homeless lad unfolds.
Not breakfast, but a beetroot and feta burger in homemade gf buns with lockdown chips
Several plots intertwine, gradually unravelling themselves at a narrowboat pace. There are several moments where the pace speeds up which has lead to a couple of nights where I’ve kept the light on whilst Mick has snored away. I don’t want to say too much as I don’t want to give the plot away, as it is well worth a read. My only criticism, I’ve always walked down hill to the shops in Alvechurch, not up hill.
Verdict, a good read especially for those with a canal interest, but this is not required and it certainly doesn’t turn into a manual for narrowboat handling. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series River Rats which takes place in Bath. I may read my way down towards the Kennet and Avon via Murder on the Oxford Canal by Faith Martin. I wonder if there are enough novels to cover the whole network?
Also not breakfast, but turnip curry, beetroot and carrot curry with homemade gf nan breads
This weekends walk will prove to be a rosy cheeked one as it is currently trying it’s best to snow, although I doubt it will settle. An east wind will be whipping up the sea and will chill us to the bone, thermals needed today.
Last week we braved the climb up onto Oliver’s Mount. Down into the valley to then climb back up the other side and then further all up hill. We chose to go cross country avoiding felled trees up to the top.
Up the top
Here on the summit a telecommunications mast stands. Back in the early 1990’s this was the only place in Scarborough to get mobile phone signal when the telephone exchange had a serious fire knocking out all landlines in the town. The other high point here is the war memorial that marks a view point.
We took our time looking for family names. None from the Geraghty side, but quite a few Capplemans. I shall have to dig out the family tree I was sent after my Dad passed away and see if any of them are mentioned.
The view right up the coast
Oliver’s Mount makes for a great view point. Looking down all the usual landmarks have found new positions around town (as they do!) and the South Bay looks more like a smugglers cove. Views right into the North Bay and up the coast, we took our time spotting friends houses.
The South Bay
The way back down we followed the roads which make up the Oliver’s Mount race track, stopping to say hello to the beach donkeys who are on their winter holiday, sadly they were just a touch too far away for a good photo.
Us last week
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 level back up, 1 glimpse, A3 sketch board, 20 sheets, 0 cow gum, 1 new proscenium, 1 white card sketch model complete, 409 pages, 1 cotton top, 67 pins, 2 t-towels, 6 capplemans, 5 miles up and down, 1 bored cat in need of a hobby, 1 windswept short walk, 0 cobwebs.
Us today!
Where Were We
2020. Sheepcote Street Bridge, Birmingham.
2019. Thorne Lock, Stainforth and Keadby Canal. LINK
It’s been a busy week for us here in Scarborough. A visit from a plumber gave us a more favourable quote than one we’d had a month or so ago. Then last weekend we heard from Darran (the plumber) that the job he should have been doing this week was delayed so he could fit us in. He arrived Tuesday morning and by the time he left that day the old boiler and tank had been removed and replaced with a combi.
The new boiler provides heat to half the house and hot water to a bathroom. That night we both partook of showers and sat on the sofa warm without having to have electric heaters on. The following day Darran finished the set up then ran through a list of other jobs, including two new toilet innards and several sticking taps.
A builder has been to look at damp we’ve got in a couple of places and we’ve had a chimney sweep so we can now have fires again.
Paint has been stripped from the rotting window sills to see to what extent they need replacing and Frank by the end of yesterday finished securing the first new piece of wood onto the first sill, along with realigning a set of bannisters and gluing a spindle back together. Hopefully the weather will be okay to do more next week along with changing the locks on the front doors now that we’ve managed to get the springs changed inside them and have new keys.
It’s just too noisy in there!
Tilly hasn’t been too pleased with people coming and going, making noise and her areas of the house reducing in size depending on where people were working.
Inspecting the bay tree
Her job title has changed a couple of times this week. On Oleanna she is the Second Mate, earlier this week she became Clark of Works and yesterday she decided on another job.
Her beautiful white paws no longer white!
As yet we’re not sure if she would like to be a chimney sweep or if she has ideas of being a feline Fred Dibner! Her route up the chimney has hopefully now been blocked successfully.
The kitchen and utility room are almost complete paint wise, just some undercoat and white gloss (hard to get hold of currently) to go and they can be ticked off the list. Just a shame that it looks like our kitchen floor will have to be dug up. Remedial work for damp a few years ago meant the builder, whilst digging up the kitchen floor put a nick into a gas pipe leading to the hob. This was spotted a year or so later and a new copper pipe was passed through the flexible stainless steel pipe. This works, but the two metals should not be together so will degrade, therefore it needs replacing. We’ll replace the gas hob with electric, but a suitable cable can’t go through the flexible pipe, hence the floor needs to be dug up! I am currently on the hunt for matching tiles.
He only needed two jelly beans
Mick got several parcels. One containing some jelly beans which meant he could move the internet up to the room we call the shed. Our internet still isn’t as good as on the boat and another issue has been raised with our provider as when you pick up the phone the internet cuts out.
Gardens! Gardens!!
Tilly has ventured outside a few times, but isn’t that impressed. If we hold her cat flap open she’ll go through it, but she hasn’t as yet mastered coming back in. I think we will still be custodians of the door in the house as well as on the boat. I think once we let her out the front of the house she will be more enthusiastic as she’s already spied all the trees in the park.
Eggs delivered with the milk once a week
Friday morning we were up early to receive a Sainsburys delivery before it was even light. Then Mick got a train down to Goole to visit Oleanna taking his tool kit on a bike.
Neighbour from last week gone
He gave Oleanna fresh oil and a new oil filter. Then he attached a couple of Temperature Sensors. One was attached to the batteries and the other end to the Victron system monitor. The other one was attached to the engine. This means we can monitor the temperatures remotely, either at the tiller or from further afield.
When Oleanna was built the control panel was housed behind a lockable panel which we requested. Because of this we ended up with a standard panel which doesn’t show the engine temperature, this is located just inside the hatch. Due to Tilly not being allowed up on deck whilst we cruise this means the back doors are always closed when we are on the move, so it’s not so easy to check the engine temperature. Mick can access the system monitor from his phone and see what the temperature is now.
Over the last three weeks Mick has been keeping an eye on the system monitor. He can remotely connect power from the hook up, but so far our solar panels have been looking after the batteries on their own. The new temperature sensor will enable Mick to see when the temperature of the batteries drops to 5C or less. Lithium batteries don’t like to be charged when the temperature is below 0C. So remotely he will be able to stop the solar from charging them. This morning their temperature was 7C. The big spike yesterday on the chart was when Mick ran the engine.
All fine until next time
All the doors were opened up to refresh the air inside the cabin and all was well onboard. Before we can return for a night I’ll need to sort the curtains for our bedroom. I may just take a pattern from them, give the old ones a wash and rehang them for the time being. But the curtains in the rest of the boat want new lining (thanks to Tilly!) and I’m aiming to make new curtains for the house, so it looks like I need to work out how much lining I’ll need and put a big order in.
The Cinder Track
Last Sunday the weather was fine so we decided to head to the North Bay to say hello to Freddie. Our route took us through Sainsbury’s car park and then along the cinder track, which used to be the railway line to Whitby. We then headed down towards Peasholm Park walking through Manor Road Cemetery, first bumping into an old friend Jim and then Jaye and Duncan.
The Cemetery is very atmospheric with little gardens, there is a memorial to civilians who died in the bombardment of Scarborough in December 1914. Every twist and turn brings more stories. Without really noticing it you leave the cemetery and enter Peasholm Park with it’s beck, Japanese Gardens and then boating Lake with pagoda looking down from above. Built in the 1910’s the park became the focus for fetes, galas etc and in 1927 the model Naval Warfare was introduced which you can still see today, although I’ve heard it I’ve never seen it.
We crossed the roundabout and walked down to what used to be called The Corner.
The North Bay watched over by the Castle
Here the footpath is nice and wide, despite being popular there is plenty of space. We walked round to say hello to Freddie, one of my favourite sculptures. This giant chap sits on a bench, in his coat smoking. The Ray Lonsdale sculpture depicts Freddie Gilroy one of the first soldiers to relieve the Bergen-Belson concentration camp at the end of WW2.
We followed Marine Drive round the headland, watching the waves. The seagulls waiting for unsuspecting visitors to drop their guard and loose their chips! A walk round the harbour would have been lovely, but it was far too busy so we side stepped away from the crowds onto Burr Bank, walking into town through the Old Town, waving to Alan and Heather as we passed their garden.
Tut tut
Hopefully this Sunday the sun will be out again, although I’m not sure we’ll venture far as one of my knees is seriously complaining about steps, climbing ladders and kneeling on the floor. Two days off decorating should help, I may even pick up my knitting needles again, something I’ve not had the inkling to do since early lockdown.
Views of the harbour
o locks, o miles, 2 trains, 9 litres oil, 2 sensors, 1 gravel barge, 1 parcel of yarn, 1 present for Tilly, 1 sill nearly mended, 1 spindle glued, 7 windows undercoated, 1 boiler, 1 chimney swept, 1 chimney climber, 1 MBE Congratulations Sarah! 1 brick laid, 1 patch of plaster required, 4 hidden knives found, 1 boater longing to walk the towpath with her cat, 1 bag of frozen peas.
Where were we
2019 On the Kennet and Avon Canal, All Cannings to Woolhall Bridge. LINK
2018 On the South Oxford Canal, Aristotle Bridge to Isis Lock. LINK
2017 On the Trent and Mersey, Taft Bridge to Lower Burston Bridge. LINK
2016 On the Leeds Liverpool, Bingley Five Rise to Holden Swing Bridge. LINK
Cuppas in bed with the Saturday newspaper were disturbed at just gone 9 as the first shots could be heard ringing out from Park Lodge on the other side of the Aire and Calder Navigation. Here people can have a go at clay pigeon shooting whilst others can enjoy a massage in the spa, I really hope the treatment rooms are sound proof! Or maybe everyone is given ear defenders on arrival.
Go away! I’m busy!!
Before breakfast we moved the boat. 180 degrees to face the other direction. This needed to happen before we let Tilly out for the day, a full 9 hours worth of shore leave.
They had swung the outside round, so it was on the other side. No delay for disembarking, I’d already sussed this and headed straight into the friendly cover to find some friends.
Much better than a Wetherspoons
Mick delved deep into the freezer and found the last of the sausages we’d bought in Oxford back in November, time they were eaten. So he cooked us a few bits and pieces to accompany them. It all went down well and no lunch would be needed today.
Gone
Time to clean out the window frames on the starboard side. These are a little bit more troublesome to get to with the bed, sofa and dinette in the way. But I persevered. I think this is the first time the sliding window above the sink has had a good clean out. With the amount of compost I found in it I could have re-potted the Christmas tree!
Tilly was very bemused when I took the bathroom porthole out. She is used to pleading through this window, one paw forlornly round the side of the glass and her teary eye just visible through the gap to any passing gongoozler at locks. But here the opening was accessible. She considered an entrance but decided to carry on being busy on the towpath instead.
My little thug
Mick did a couple of loads of washing and hung them out on the whirligig. As I finished the last window it started to rain. I managed to clean the cratch windows before it came down with any force whilst Mick scrambled to bring the washing in, still damp. This then got hung under the pram cover where it couldn’t get any wetter.
Rain
For the last couple of days Mick has spent several hours on the phone to Virgin to cancel our internet contract with them. At first the options sent him round and round in circles and then cut off, but yesterday he’d managed to get into the queue several times before getting very bored waiting for someone to answer.
At last today he got through to a human being and managed to cancel the contract with immediate effect, this was a surprise as it normally takes a month to do such things. But sure enough within five minutes of hanging up our internet stopped working. Brilliant no overlap of contracts.
Black skies, just after the rainbow had vanished
On Friday Mick had checked the sim card worked so today it should just be a case of popping it in and off we’d go. Well it worked intermittently, but then so did our phones. Was this a problem with EE just as we swapped over? We’d been warned that for the first 24 hours the service may drop in and out, but then it should be fine. This is what we are hoping is the case. Time will tell.
Time to use some of the ginger! I’d hunted round on the internet for a recipe to incorporate some with a roast chicken. For this I had to zuzz up some cloves and fennel seeds, then make a paste with loads of garlic, some spices, a big chunk of ginger, then add soya sauce and sugar. Pour this over the chicken and then cook it covered for 3/4 of the roasting time then uncovered to crisp up the skin. The aroma was good as it cooked and the end result was very tasty.
Ginger and garlic chicken with roast carrots, new potatoes, beetroot and green beans
The rain seemed to have brought out a mass of midges, several hundred had found their way indoors. Mick ran around with the hand held hoover trying to suck them up. Then I swatted as many as I could before the lights went out. There’s nothing worse than the sound of a tineey tiny blood sucking insect wizzing around the room, sounding like it’s right by your ear getting it’s fangs out to have a good drink!
Pushing off around 10:30 we had some miles to cover by boat and foot to arrived in time for my appointment at EE in Goole.
Big Skies
The waterways around here do very big skies. This does however mean little shelter from the wind, we wore our waterproof coats to cheat the wind.
At Great Heck service yard we were surprised at the number of fridges and freezers piled up on the side. None of them really looked like they had been pulled out from the depths of the canal as they were still all very white, little if any signs of silty water. Just where have they all come from? Plenty of work boats were in too, several looking like they were having services.
A local big boat
We’re in the land of big boats now. Like a gold fish grows to fit the size of its bowl, boats grow in size to meet the size of the waterway. Lets face it there’s plenty of room round here, if you want to wind you don’t have to travel miles to do so, unless you’re a big boat that is!
Coming in towards Pollington Lock we could see someone had beaten us to the lock, a Dutch Barge. Would there be space for us too? We picked up speed to catch them up, plenty of room as we came in alongside them. There was chance for chat to the fella in the wheelhouse before the gates opened, we led the way below as they were stopping for water.
Overtaking
Today we were to see the most boats moving since possibly Skipton. One narrowboat came out ahead of us from the moorings below the lock, their speed a touch slower than ours, so Mick sped up a touch to overtake.
Up by the New Junction Canal Junction there was another slowish boat, he pulled over to let us pass which we managed before a cruiser came towards us and well before the junction. Straight on to Goole!
Northern Power
Drax was now in our sights working away burning biomass, wood pellets much like cat litter. Then we turned back towards the east only one slight bend between us and Goole Docks now.
Plenty of room round here
We passed the chap who’d wanted to go to York but had problems with his recently installed bowthruster and then at Rawcliffe WB Yorkshire Pud was tied up, whom we’d moored alongside at Goole Boathouse last year.
Then with a zoom on the camera I could spy the big blue stern of Exol Pride moored up. She was pointing in the direction of Hull so we most probably won’t have to worry about her for a few days.
Big ships now
Under the railway bridge we had a choice of where to moor. On our left where we spent a week early last year, popular with dog walkers who arrive in their cars. Lots of room in front of the closed Goole Waterways Museum now all their boats have moved off for sale. Down at the Visitor Moorings there only looked to be one boat. We chose the first option, better for Tilly once we’d returned from town.
1km of Albert Street
Over a kilometer to walk to the main road and then nearly another to reach town we left plenty of time for the walk.
First port of call, Argos. Mask donned, reference number read out, I had a phone again.
Always worth a visit
Second port of call, Boyes. I wanted a couple of new paint brushes and Boyes do a range that are pretty good quality at a reasonable price. I also got some wet dry sandpaper for between coats of paint. Mick had come out without his mask, so a box of emergency masks was added to my shopping.
Very helpful staff
We were about three quarters of an hour early for my appointment, but as one of the assistants was busy writing a card for a family member, they weren’t rushed off their feet. For the first time ever on walking into a mobile phone shop we were seen straight away and were their only customers. With two assistants we had one each.
I got sorted with a replacement Sim and my plan was reduced by £2 a month, admittedly my data was reduced too, but I never use it all anyway. Mick enquired about a new Sim for Oleanna’s router. We currently have a plan that started off being £20 for 100GB which has since morphed into unlimited for another £7, we never used the 100GB so would rather not be spending the extra money. EE could do us 100GB for £20 and because it could be tagged onto Mick’s account we got another 10% off so saving £9 a month. It was a deal. So to celebrate we headed to Tesco and bought ourselves an Indian for this evening, spending this months saving straight away.
All ready to get going
Back at the far side of the docks, we’d been joined by another narrowboat with a big German Shepherd. Mick chatted with the owners before we let Tilly out for a couple of hours. They thought they’d seen Tilly come home, so let their dog run free. Tilly had been home for her ‘Thank you for coming home’ Dreamies, but then gone straight back out again. For the remainder of the afternoon we had a very nosy dog peering into Oleanna, making me jump on one occasion.
Google backup is a wonderful thing and my new phone was very soon resembling my old one. But a few things had changed or not been remembered. Tilly has been my wallpaper for quite some time, now she was super sized and scans across the different pages as you swipe sideways, her big yellow eyes now following my every move. A few aps were missing and a few passwords had gone awol. Just a shame the phone numbers that went missing a couple of handsets ago are still missing! Oh well, sorry if your name begins with N!
So I’m back up and running. My new phone will not be going on a towel or in a pocket again, after all girls pockets are much too small for modern mobiles, unlike boys pockets!
1 lock shared, 11.72 miles, 1 straight on, 2 very long mooring ropes, 2 springs added incase of big boats, 1 VHF at the ready to listen, 2 spaces to choose from, 2 paint brushes, 25 masks, 20 sheets wet and dry, 1 phone, 2 sim cards, £108 saving, 1 annoying woofer, 1 giant Tilly, 2 currys, 4 onion bhajis, 1 jar mango chutney, 1 bag poppadoms, I wonder how you make poppadoms from scratch?
