New boats and places to go

Despite all the problems going on in 'canal politics' there does seem to be a popular demand for new boats on the waterways. When you look in the canal magazines there is always a new boat described with quality features. There are many more marinas being planned and built.
Being back on the Oxford canal we have seen much more activity with boaters moving up and down. Even the occasional work boat with diesel and coal for sale. On up the Claydon flight to the summit pound. Many boats on the move on a dry day after so much rain. Join the queue at the bottom lock with three in front and others arriving behind. Much talk about being on a canal and thankful that we don't need to travel on a river, because they are all in extreme flood conditions. Several boats were coming down through the locks so it was good to pass each other leaving and entering.

Finally reaching the top but finding it very shallow despite there being plenty of water. It is brown with churned up sediment and in dire need of a good dredging. 15 miles of lock free canal to Marston Doles and the Napton locks.

Slow going with the boat dragging along the bottom especially on the many bends.

We stopped for the night three miles past Fenny Compton where we found the first firm deep edge to moor up to.

Sadly the tow path is in a sorry state. Not really walk able with so much uncut vegetation. I got the shears out and cut down the tall grass and nettles to establish a clear patch where we can get on and off the boat.

The summer rushes

It is now midsummer - the longest day. Boaters, holiday hirers and owners alike, are moving their boats about on the canals. They seem to get away early and stop late. Just wish they could slow down to 'tick over' when passing moored boats. We have given up shouting "slow down please". We just thank those that that do go slowly by, respecting the canal and not making a wash.

Moving with three boats

Seems we have a reputation. Our 'Blogging' friends on the internet have been making comments about seeing 'these two boats together', Moore 2 Life and No Problem. Currently joined by Tara, the new name for Sue n Vic's first boat. Each lock takes about an hour to get them all through one at a time, helped occasionally by the crew of other boats going in the opposite direction. Despite this delay at locks we seem to make up time between them. We have used 'Alex Ratchet' when in locks near Cropredy. Alex made this prototype and gave it to Sue. Then started making several to sell. Once mentioned on Sue's blog the demand for them grew! The ratchet does make the stiff paddles easier to lift.

Wooden floors
We want a wooden floor rather than carpet. Our two animals produce a lot of loose fur and inevitably the towpath grit and dirt get in the boat so the carpet tiles have suffered. Despite a good hard brushing they still looked grubby. All the carpet tiles have gone exposing the wooden floor beneath. "That is not good enough" says Ann, "I want a 'real' floor made from oak planks". We got some at B & Q in Banbury. The store was near the canal so we were able to deliver it ourselves 'door to boat' with the help of our friend Vic. A large quantity of heavy planks to be spread around the boat preventing it from leaning over. Now it has become an obstacle course inside the boat. Spent a productive few days laying and gluing them together at the aft end of the boat. This will be 'work in progress' for a while yet.

Vegetation / financial cut back ?

We are moving north on the Oxford Canal. Sunshine and showers are encouraging the rapid growth of vegetation. Trying to moor up is difficult and can be dangerous where the firm edge cannot be seen. Trees have fallen down and some are in the canal but not blocking our path yet. This tree behind us between bridge 207 and 208 will close the navigation when it does fall. Sadly it is one of many trying to stay up with the weight of ivy crawling all over it.



There has been some attempt by BW to cut back the vegetation along the towpath. But we fear that the financial cut backs will reduce the amount of vegetation cut backs.

Two day Thames

Day one. Left Reading at 9 to go through Blakes Lock which has no lock keeper. So we let ourselves down on to the river with Jan & Roy on 'Slicer'. A lovely hot sunshine day to enjoy the wonderful Thames. Much calmer now compared to our trip down in October. Already seeing river birds like grebe and cormorants. We plan to make for Days Lock which is about half way to Oxford.
On the way to Goring at lunchtime a cruiser passed us by to get into the lock first. We both entered behind. The lock keeper was away for his lunch and the crew of the cruiser was about to have theirs! "Not in the lock" we said and proceeded to operate the lock. Thankfully Cleve Lock was not far away so we all stopped on the river bank for lunch.



Sad to see that this particular lock is now un manned and some boaters are struggling to operate the locks correctly. Then we travelled 10 more miles passing Wallingford, through Benson Lock and on to Days. It seemed ages in the afternoon sun hoping to find somewhere to stop before the lock. But we knew there was a place just after the lock. During the day we observed that 12 narrowboats and 20 cruisers were on the move.
Day two. Another hot sunny day. Didcot power station was busy creating clouds. The boat is covered in little dead white fly's. Set off at 9 again, 4 miles to the next lock seems like for ever. Once again being passed by that same cruiser wanting to get in front. As we approached one lock it looked like one boat was moored well back so we went in front. "Wot do you think I'm 'ere for, me health you know?'', said Mr. Angry. He went to open the lock as the keeper was having his lunch. Then moved in and stopped half way, so we went in on the other side one behind the other as the keeper arrived.
Later we all entered Iffley Lock and were told about the Oxford Regatta. "Wait here till the race is over then you can proceed slowly down the centre". As we went through several 'eights' were passing us on both sides and in both directions, practicing for the next race. As we passed the rowing club houses they were crossing in front.



A seemly chaotic scene on the Thames in Oxford.
Osney Lock let us in but there was no room for our friends on 'Slicer'. We left first with Mr. Angry following and he turned off on to the Oxford canal at Isis Lock. Then we slowed down to let 'Slicer' catch up. By the time we had reached the next lock it was not long before they joined us. Two more locks on the Thames was far better than going up the dead end bit of the canal. Turned off along Dukes Cut to join the canal then on passed all those 'rubbish' boats moored for about a mile or so. Eventually finding somewhere pleasant to stop for the night. During our second day on the Thames we observed that 14 narrowboats and 11 cruisers were on the move. We had been moving for over 7 hours on each of those days.

On a Mission

We arrived at Devizes Marina to find 'Moore 2 Life' out of the water, blacked and about to be re launched. Brod saw it all happen. Once on board all the boat systems were re activated so we could make a cup of tea after loading all our stuff. The boiler switched on to warm up the boat as it had just started to rain.



So back on our boat and moving east on the Kennet & Avon canal. A desire to catch up with our friends Sue n Vic on 'No Problem'. But later that evening found that the diesel fire failed to light up due to lack of fuel flow. It is fed via a long pipe from the back and a combination of being bow high when out of the water for three days and half a tank of diesel was the cause. All was well after a few days level in the water and a full tank.
A week away from Reading if we move every day. Ten to twenty lock miles a day is our intention. Travelling with another boat, 'Slicer', to Great Bedwyn. I have a strange fascination seeing the trains arriving at Great Bedwyn station. They stop here, move over to the other track and return to Reading. Used to look like green caterpillars, but now they are blue. Somehow getting off the main line to let the First Great Western express through. After three days we arrived at Hungerford to stock up. Passing this pirate ship on the way.



Some days seem harder than others. More locks per mile ? Or was it waiting for two boats at Coblers Lock ? It was empty like all the others on the way down and we had to fill them all. But here a boat was waiting to go up. We had to tell them it was their lock. They both got on the boat and drove in. A long pause waiting for another boat. Eventually they arrived and also drove in. Ann shut the gate and I opened the paddle. I said "If you open the other paddle on your side it will rise quicker". We walked away and left them to get off their boats.

Old memories reawakened

Back at our 'landlubber' bungalow not occupied by us since 2000. A gap in the tenancy allowing us to revisit and redecorate. Our agent suggested that it is easier to re let unfurnished. Packed most of our furniture in our hired White Van and took it all to the local council recycling tip.


Very busy even mid week with cars and vans driving in and out all the time. Some help offered to lift it all into the huge bins. "Household over there, wood there and metal in that one" the man told us. Some of our furniture was taken for sale while most was just 'wood'.
We have set ourselves a target to strip wall paper, clean and paint the entire bungalow in about 4 weeks. Weary after only two days having already removed more furniture outside under the carport. The shed and attic providing even more stuff for disposal. Our neighbour paid us for a settee and the side board with glazed top but a 'yard sale' notice did not attract many callers. So another trip in the van with even more stuff to clear the yard. We got the van at Winchester and are able to return it to 'Enterprise' in Southampton. Then they took us home. All we have left now is a bed, a small settee and a rocking chair! We also want to tidy up the garden if we have time.
It does seem strange living in our old home that we lived in for about two years before moving on to our boat. Our friends Terry & Myra happened to be off their boat and paid us a visit. They helped with the painting and took us to the shops where we ordered carpets and got some food. Been a bit hasty clearing out the place because we had thrown all the baking trays and a measuring jug. Next day our cupboards were restocked from Tesco.Com which delivered to our door.
After the first week we have managed to finish two rooms with work in progress in the other four. The carpet man came to see us and remarked that he thought he would never see another foam back carpet! 'Mind you most of the foam had turned to dust'. 'Feels like we have been on holiday while on the boat'. Took some time out to walk round the local woods which we discovered all those years ago.
Latest update: Only the hall to do now. Two new carpets laid and we have mowed the lawn!

Caen Hill flight

We arrived to find the bottom pound full of boats waiting to go on down to Foxhangers but they were having their lunch. The lock keeper arrived to inform us that he was lowering the water level to investigate a leak. When the other boats moved on we tied up at the visitor mooring with slack ropes. Went down at least a foot over night but it was still deep enough to be floating!

Next day started misty which cleared as the sun came up. Set off together at about 10, Ann & Vic having got the first lock ready. Paul Balmer of 'Waterway Routes' seen walking down the flight to help. Another glorious day for travelling up through this famous flight of 16 closely spaced locks. Surprising being Easter that no other boats were passed on the way up and not many people watching our progress.

It was when we were at the top that the first pair of boats were seen coming out of a lock in front. We passed and watched them struggling to get in the lock almost one behind the other! Far easier to go in as a pair together. We had taken just over two hours from bottom to top of the flight. Stopped after doing a few more locks and thanked Paul for his help. Then we all enjoyed home made vegetable soup which Ann had made earlier.

A greater threat ?

We have been protesting about the governments failure to maintain investment in our waterways. The infrastructure needs regular maintenance to keep the system open. Canals and rivers could become un navigable which would be a disgrace after all the effort made to restore navigation. The waterways provide a wonderful natural environment for relaxation and holidays.

But it seems that there is an even greater threat to the well-being of our navigations. In 'the small print' of the last budget by Mr. Brown was the confirmation that all diesel fuel be taxed at the same rate. This means that our use of 'pink diesel' with a low duty can no longer be used for boat engines. It is not so much the cost but availability which will drastically slow down boat movements. There is very little profit in keeping it at boatyards or marinas. For some unknown reason even hire boat companies will not be able to use the 'pink'. They may decide not to supply the high taxed diesel to passing boaters by just storing enough for themselves.

However the de-regulation will not come into force until 1^st. November 2008, so we will at least have this year and next to continue enjoying our life on the waterways.

Bradford on Avon

The Kennet and Avon remains a very quiet pretty canal. It is a dead end at Bath unless you choose to go down on the river and out on the Bristol channel. As we have progressed westwards the number of old wrecks, floating sheds and rows of boats taking most of the available moorings has increased since we were here in 2004. The hirers of narrowboats must be put off by this lack of space. Especially at places like Bradford on Avon which is a lovely place to explore. It reminds me of Hebden Bridge with stone buildings, the river, road, rail and canal passing through its valley. We all enjoyed sitting in a café eating, drinking and watching the world go by.

The ancient and modern

DEFRA and the EU ??

DEFRA is a government department, which my MP agrees, is incompetent. It has also been referred to as being 'unfit for purpose'. It is this department which is responsible for NOT paying our farmers their 'Single payment' from the European Union. Therefore our farmers are suffering from lack of funds. It is no wonder that foreign food is cheaper in this country. The department is also responsible for cutting back on payments to the Environment Agency and British Waterways. Which is why we are still in protest mode. I cannot understand, realising the situation is so serious, why it is that the general public are not yet aware of it. After all a considerable amount of tax payers money is involved.

Wandering up and down

Ann n Sue are enjoying their walks with the dogs, now that Sue has recovered from a virus infection. The canal between Seend and Semington offering many interesting tracks and paths. Ann has a map printed off the computer, while Sue has her magic GPS. Following the public foot paths round farm buildings can be difficult where mud and fences force detours.

We had stopped at the visitor moorings near Seend bottom lock. A boat there had been left for some time for it had a 'parking ticket' stuck to its window and it was empty. A passing boat caused a mooring pin to come loose by going too fast. This caused the boat to drift across the canal. As it was late in the evening we decided to leave it there. Next day another boat wanted to get by so they, with our help, managed to pull the abandoned boat back to its mooring.

Swing bridges and an aqueduct

Continuing to Semington we had to operate no less than 3 swing bridges within a mile of each other. Sue n Vic were in front and so they opened the first and we went on to the next. We opened that and they the next! Then we opened the next lock and both went in. Just before that lock the canal went over an aqueduct. It was back in 2004 that we both came this way when the aqueduct was being built. A road now passes under the canal.

Visitors

Chris came up on his motor bike to see his mum. Just over an hour was enough for him. Always a worry for us but it was good to see him. And he got home safe.

Next weekend our friends Mary n Ray came. They were camping at Sells Green not far away. As it was a nice day we took them through a swing bridge to the winding hole, turned and returned. Ann had made soup which we all enjoyed.

A speech by Lord Stodart

I have just received a letter from my MP regarding the reduced grant to British Waterways from Defra. He does agree that Defra is incompetent and enclosed a copy of a speech by Lord Stodart of Swindon in the House of Lords made on the 5 th. March. Here is part of that speech.

"My Lords, I thank the committee for its report and the noble Lord, Lord Radice, for the manner in which he presented it to the House. However, in spite of finding no evidence of a culture of corruption in the EU, I am afraid that the report will not dispel the deep-rooted conviction that fraud is endemic in the EU and costs about £2 billion a year."

"I remind your Lordships that in 2005 the United Kingdom made a gross annual payment to the EU of £15 billion, and a net contribution of £6.1 billion. The new seven-year financial settlement will further increase those figures; indeed if Britain's rebate is removed in 2009, our contribution will rocket to around £10 billion net per annum. That is very serious money, and our tax payers have the right to expect that it will be properly spent."

"There appear to be no sanctions available against the Commission for neglect or mishandling of the finances, or anything else for that matter. Yet British tax payers are being fined by the Commission for Defra's mistakes and faulty administration in the single farm payment scheme. Apparently, that fine will amount to £305 million - that is £5 for every man, woman and child in this country, or £10 for every worker. They have a right to be resentful that we should be fined in this way"

"Pressure on the Commission to put its financial house in order should be maintained, so that taxpayers in this country and throughout the EU can be assured that no part of their imposts are fraudulently converted or not well managed. It may very well be the case that, as it was suggested by the noble Lord, Lord Pearson, the Commission should employ an international firm of accountants, either to examine its accounts or even to run its financial affairs."

 

Out and about in the sunshine

We have been moving slowly west and stopped near Seend. The canal is a bit exposed to the wind because there are few trees. There are some swing bridges to operate which are for farmers and walkers so it is very rural here. Walked up to Seend where the Post Office had our post. It was a lovely sunny day so we took a picnic with us. Found a spot in a field and sat on a fallen Horse Chestnut (conker) tree trunk. Studied the view across a clear valley in the sunshine. Sue was searching for a few of those 'Geo-Cache' boxes. Took a while to find one tucked out of sight in a hedge row. Wrote in its log book to register the fact that the 'Narrowboaters' had found it. A number of clues are found on the internet to give a location and a GPRS points the way to the hiding place.

Moving down the Caen Hill locks

We had gone down a few locks from Devizes the day before. After such a long time in one place it was a real treat to move again. The sunshine and warm spring like day made for an enjoyable trip. Paul came at 10 o'clock to help. Vic, Paul and Ann set up the locks in front as we progressed down the hill through 19 wide locks. No Problem and Moore 2 Life were driven together into each lock all the way down. A matter of pride to guide both into the lock together with only a few inches clearance without hitting the sides. Sue had previously made some tomato soup which we all consumed once safely moored below the flight at one thirty.

 

Save Our Waterways

At Devizes for the weekend with a gathering of boaters, fishermen, canoeists and other waterway users to protest about the swinging cuts in Government funds. DEFRA's poor management of EU subsidies has resulted in the EU imposing heavy fines. A disgraceful situation after so much effort has been made in the past to restore the waterway system by volunteers and local authorities.

No Problem and Moore 2 Life join in the protest

A gathering of supporters listen to a speech by the local MP

Many boaters gathered to blockade the canal.  8 boats across the canal at Devizes.  We all made a noise at 12 o’clock

 

Life in a marina

Richard is doing a marvellous job for us. The Dinette is coming together as planned. The quality of workmanship cannot be faulted. I have done my bit by applying the varnish. Although we have been in for two weeks so far we knew that Richard could not spend every day on our project alone.

While living on board in the marina we had an alternative source of power. Normally we rely on the engine for electricity and hot water, but here we have a land line. That is mains electric. The power point has a meter which enabled me to keep a record of power used. So far it works out at about 2 KWh a day. We were able to use the washing machine several times and heat the water using our immersion heater. Diesel is still being burnt to keep our fire going for space heating.

A new dinette

We have moved into the marina to have a dinette built. Spent many hours thinking about the design and making drawings. The design had to consider how to make the dinette with table be converted to a double bed and incorporate a book case! It had to be able to store many items out of sight.

My first job was to remove the existing table and bench seat that I built two years ago. It's conversion to a bed was never very successful. Hopefully the new design will be easier. But there is nothing quite like seeing the reality as the building progressed.

Changes are being made and our normal routine has been disrupted. We miss our friends who are almost out of reach on the other side of the canal. They have started to operate a ferry service as and when required. We also miss the freedom of just walking along the towpath and watching the wild birds eating from our feeders hung on the hedge row. On the plus side we do have access to mains electricity so do not have to run the engine. Our boat is surrounded by other boats so the view from the windows is just another boat!

Sue is sorry

Sue has asked me to say that her computer has been sent away for repair.  She is therefore unable to do any blogs or respond to comments until further notice.

A closed canal

The Kennet & Avon is still closed near Reading and will be 'until further notice'. Several boaters have been considering having their boats craned out and transported to another canal. We moved down to Devizes through slushy ice and a snow storm to collect a Tesco order and get water. There on the wharf was a boat on a lorry and the crane just leaving. "Heading for the midlands" they said. The closure caused by a broken weir on private land. Could have happened at any time so we are thankful it occurred after we had got off the Thames which has been 'in flood' ever since.

Family visit

Chris, Tracy and the boys, Josh & Ben arrived for a week end stay. We moved the boat back over to the marina to pick them up in the dark! Once back at our mooring there was just time for a meal before we bathed the boys and put them to bed. Next day we all travelled down to Devizes and back. No room to park for a look round so returned. But it is always better to move the boat while they are aboard. Spent the afternoon watching a DVD about 'Cars'. Then after a meal we returned them to their car.

The Winter Months

Not really much to report. It is the Winter months. We are not moving about exploring or discovering. Just keeping going, ticking over, on the Kennet and Avon canal near Devizes. Been expecting it, ICE on the cut after several days of frost in the morning. The surface all flat and hard. The sun is out so it won't last long. Got more diesel at 60 pence a litre and a gas bottle for £20 before the ice arrived. We are moored on the opposite bank and just have to back up about 100 yards to the pump and water supply.

Thankfully they had enough for us to fill our tank. Seems that most of their 'pink' diesel is being used to heat their office and workshops. When the government get round to changing the law we won't be allowed to use it on our boat. We keep asking what their plans are but until the authorities get in touch they have none. Did notice two second hand pumps behind the fence though.

Busy reading Wogan's 'Mustn't Grumble'. Worth a read if you want to know his truth about 'Eurovision Songs', 'Children In Need' and other things he is involved in. A good laugh in places. Some of those 'Janet & John' stories are printed within. Helping our friends re fitting the new No Problem. A lot of creative thought going in to the design and layout. Have been writing about my working life and technology experiences. Watch that space on the web site. Have you read Chapter 11 - 'East Anglia' ?

Are we friendly to the environment ?

NO is the short answer. What IS 'being friendly'? Don't answer that.

The world of nature will look after itself, so look out human beings. (GAIA theory, James Lovelock). Nature changes and adapts oh so slowly we may not notice in a lifetime. But then you may realise that it has changed if you look further back. We do not get snow at Christmas now. The Thames never freezes over and the ice caps ARE melting.

Burning wood is friendly. Coal or oil is not. This is because coal and oil took millions of years to produce. During that time it was absorbing CO2 while storing the suns energy. We have been releasing that CO2 and using the energy over a relatively short period of time.

I understand that our 'pink' diesel is one of the dirtiest fuels. It may be cheap but it is very UN friendly. Perhaps the addition of duty and tax will be a 'blessing in disguise' for the environment. We must be encouraged, not just by cost, but by availability as well, to use friendly fuel. 'Low Sulphur' and 'Bio' comes to mind. I do hope that the boat yards, private suppliers and British Waterways will be helped to make the friendly fuels available to us boaters. There has to be a profit in it.

On a separate tack I find it appalling that pumpout cards are not available from the Kennet and Avon Canal Trust because there is no profit in it. The cards are used to activate the pumpout machines. Thankfully we do not have a 'black tank' to empty. We have cassettes which we can empty for free.

Closures before and after the storm

We seem to be OK on the Kennet & Avon canal for the moment but it is closed near Reading. Kate Bush owns property near the canal and in fact the river Kennet goes across her land. The river drops over a weir there which collapsed in December. It will apparently cost £100,000 to repair. British Waterways have not been maintaining the weir because it is on private land. Its collapse caused a rush of water which sank a boat and now a section of canal is empty!

There has been so much rain that the Thames is in flood and that very windy day has blown down a lot of trees. Many have blocked the canals all over the country. BW has advised all boaters to check with them before setting off on a trip! They will have a lot of work to do to clear the trees and continue the planned winter maintenance as well.

Meanwhile we keep busy working on No Problem.

Diesel taxation

Apparently commercial hire boats will still be able to use the 'lo tax' pink diesel. But non commercial boaters will be obliged to use the 'hi tax' diesel. We will not be able to fill up at commercial boat yards unless they install 'lo' and 'hi' tax diesel. We will have to find private marinas which soon will be forced to convert their supply to 'hi' tax diesel.

The EU law specifies a minimum rate of duty but our government chooses to add more than the minimum which is why the fuel in this country is more expensive. If the government applies the minimum duty to diesel for non commercial boaters then this will encourage it's use. It will also limit the possible purchase for boats of the 'hi tax' fuel at road side pumps.

A green boat

We use far less power than a normal household. Our engine and batteries provide just enough power to run a small washing machine. Maximum electrical power required only to get the water up to 40 degrees after filling with hot water. Each day the engine is run mainly to charge up the batteries for between 1 and 2 hours. During the day our solar panels keep the fridge, and occasional use of the computer running. When purchasing new electrical equipment we have to consider its power requirement. Our TV is only 40 watts, the digital tuner only 15 watts and the computer is 100 watts. And of course they are not left on stand by. We manage with an efficient 8 watt light because it is only 6 feet away. White LED lighting is an interesting development which promises even better efficiency. There are many boats with solar panels and wind turbines generating 'free' power which does not pump the dreaded CO2 into the atmosphere.

I do wish more can be done to encourage us all to consider the amount of power our equipment uses. There is a label on the back which gives the power rating either in watts or amps. Why do we have to search for this information? It should be on the front. How 'green' is your TV ? When power costs money and its generation damages the environment I wonder why we use so much.

Staying on the waters

Not had much time or inclination to write. Moving the boat provided the motive in the past. For the next few months we will be staying on the Kennet & Avon near Devizes. Not far from family or friends if they wish to visit. Should be easier to arrange as we are not a moving target for a while.

Our time will be spent helping our friends fit out their new boat 'NO PROBLEM'. See Sue's blog to keep up with that activity. To avoid confusion the original boat of that name is now 'WASNP' !

New year reVolution

A change in emphasis? Less about waterways more about our way of life, family and friends. We feel that we have 'done' the inland waterways. It has been a wonderful voyage of discovery over the last 6 years living on the boat exploring the 2000 miles or so of the navigations. Our web site will remain as a record of our adventures. With an album of pictures of all the waterways we have explored. The book may well end at Chapter 11 (2006). For it has covered our adventure of discovery which is why I wrote it. Somebody might be persuaded to publish it?

At this point in time we cannot see us going back to 'dry land'. We both still enjoy life on the waterways. The freedom, lifestyle, peace, countryside, wild life and exploration which is only possible while on the boat. Having been back to see family and friends we know that the boat and the waterways are our home. Despite the apparent loneliness we have got to know so many people on the waterways.

Christmas and birthday were celebrated, last year now, with family and friends old and new. There is a promise of fresh opportunity for my brother is returning to his home country. Lovely to see him, his new place and exploring our old haunts together. We will try to stay close to the south coast so that family and friends can enjoy short trips to visit us.

At 65 I need time to explore in other directions. Like reading that 'Wogan' book Sue gave me, watching DVD's, maybe write about my working life, listen to music as always, keep the blog going, learn more tricks with those web pages…………..Should also get out for a walk with Ann & Molly.

Trees are falling down

We have seen many fallen trees along this canal. Most are small ones which have fallen into the canal reducing the width a bit. Can get by those with care. "Don't want to scratch the paint".

Now that all the leaves have been blown off them it can be seen that many trees are still green with ivy! All the branches are so thickly covered that they bend with the weight. If only someone could stop the ivy growing up the trees.

The tree pictured here near Pewsey has totally blocked the muddy tow path. Luckily it did not come down across the canal!

Muddy tow path at Pewsey

The state of the tow path by the official Visitor Moorings is wet soft and muddy. Some boats with winter mooring permits have moved their boats nearer the wharf where the path is in a much better condition. So unoccupied boats have a better path than those that are. This means that there is more foot traffic at the wet end. At least the mud will put off unwanted guests!

Life on the canal

We have spent the last week near Devizes and occasionally travel to Honey St. or Pewsey. It was on one of those trips that we followed an old 'cruiser'. The night before had been noisy with the owner running his engine most of the evening. British Waterways like us to switch off engines at 8. The boat kept a reasonable distance ahead till reaching All Cannings bridge where he stopped. We passed on by and continued through the next bridge. Looking back we saw that the boat was following us. Then we realised why. We were approaching a swing bridge where we have to stop to open it. When we did, the boater just accelerated and pushed on through without looking at us or thanking us. By the time we had shut the bridge the cruiser was well ahead of us. Two miles on there is another swing bridge and we wondered if he would open it for us. As it happened another narrow boat in front had opened the bridge and he did the same to them!

As we travel about we have noticed an abundance of old boats being used as 'accommodation' on this canal. I have referred to them as floating sheds in the past and this winter they are covered in plastic sheeting. So far it has been very mild, but later on they may be quite cold under their sheeting.

It is so depressing we are thinking about leaving this otherwise lovely canal. But we cannot do that yet because of the winter stoppages where B W are replacing lock gates. It has also been so wet that one large tree and many small ones have fallen across the towpath. Thankfully the navigation has not as yet been blocked by them! We have just filled our tank with diesel at 60p / litre. As yet our local diesel supplier has not been told of any change in procedure regarding the pink stuf.

Diesel IS going up in price

The European Union, which includes the United Kingdom, has insisted that the full fuel tax be applied to all diesel. Up to the end of this year 'private recreational boaters' were able to use 'pink' diesel with no tax applied. It would seem that the EU do not care much for our marine industry. The tax is expected to treble the price from about 60p to £1.80 a litre. Unfortunately the suppliers on the 'cut' will not be able to get discounted prices like road side suppliers can. Some boaters will be filling containers at the road side and transporting it to their boats. This could prove to be a potential environmental hazard.

Diesel heating

We have stopped at Devizes Marina to have a new boiler fitted. The initial examination of our system revealed that our 'Bubble' diesel fire, with 'back boiler', is not capable of heating the radiators and domestic hot water. The little central heating pump is noisy and if it fails we would not be able to have the fire on! The radiators are not very warm at the best of times. Our fire is however adequate for 'space' heating. The solution is to have a boiler fitted in the engine bay, disconnect the 'back boiler' and remove the noisy pump. The new boiler will heat the radiators and hot water. It is also automatic in that it has thermostatic control.

Diesel fires on boats suffer from one major problem which is a short chimney. No amount of adjustment will improve the way it burns diesel. If the chimney does not draw enough air through the fuel burns yellow and at worst is smoky. If we fitted a taller chimney we would be able to get under the bridges!

Maintaining Navigation

With a reduced income perhaps British Waterways should consider where our money is spent. More on maintenance and safety, less on expansion. It's PRIME 'directive' is to keep the Navigation open.

* A smart public house by a derelict canal will not be profitable.

* Adding extra length to a canal is pointless if boats cannot get there. It seems silly to make the Caldon Canal longer with that low tunnel which stops many boats getting through. With the SSSI demanding limited access to the Montgomery Canal why make that longer?

* It would be great to get the Wilts & Berks Canal and the Cotswold Canal restored and open but not if the existing canals go in decline.

The canal system really needs continuous maintenance to keep the 200 year old system open. Dredging, tree trimming and cutting back vegetation will all help keep the Navigation open. Regular replacement of lock gates is also essential. Keeping lock keepers and length men to look after the system will help prevent future major disasters.

As seen on TV. Ann putting up a poster at Pewsey Wharf.

Boaters protest day

We have joined a gathering of boaters Pewsey Wharf on the Kennet and Avon Canal.

'GOVERNMENT CUTS MEAN CANAL CUTS',

'WATERWAYS ARE FOR ALL - WALKING, FISHING, BOATING',

'SUPPORT OUR WATERWAY ENVIRONMENT',

Boaters are united in their cause despite the rain. We have been protesting against the swinging cuts in grant by the government which threatens the very existence of all our restored waterways.

Keeping going

There are a number of lock gates being replaced east of Crofton. A lock near Newbury, now closed till the 3^rd. December, prevents us going back there for diesel. We have got on over the summit and down the west side heading for Honey Street where we can fill up with diesel again. The next will be at Devizes 14 miles and no locks away. Meanwhile we have had another Tesco delivery so are well stocked up for our winter cruising. Always plenty of water taps where we can fill the tank. We have travelled mainly during the dry mornings and have found many of the Visitor Moorings along the way are partly occupied with boats as 'winter moorings' so space for us is limited there. However it is possible to stop almost any where on the way but the tow paths are getting quite muddy with all the damp weather.

Bruce tunnel. 

Just done another update on our website.  More pictures on the K n A canal, east side, have a look.

Our Web Site

www.moore2life.co.uk

Geo Cache ?

Would you believe it? Boxes of 'items' are hidden all over the countryside in the UK and in other countries. They are located by knowing the map grid reference number or GPS number. Having a GPS locator is almost essential but some clues are provided to find the hidden box. You have to log on to the internet to get the information. Go to www.geocaching.com and register as a user. Ann and Sue are registered as 'the narrow boaters'. When you find a box it will contain a log book into which you log the fact that you have found it. There are different size boxes. Some are just big enough for the log book and others are big enough to contain 'swops'. Usually small plastic toys and trinkets which you san exchange for something you have. If you are lucky the box will contain a 'Travel Bug' or 'Geo coin'. These items have a mission attached and if you take one you are obliged to follow its instructions. Some of these that we have found have come over from America and Iceland! Once you have registered your visit and done a swop you must hide the box exactly where you find it. Then log in to the web site to register your find.

Family at Kintbury

All facilities here for us boaters and a car park for visitors. Chris and the boys arrived after a calm short journey. The first thing Josh said to me was "I love you grand dad". Then he woke up Ben telling him "We have arrived". Our grandchildren were so good they were offered some sweets! Once on the boat we got the kettle on and made a refreshing drink for them all. Ann had made some vegetable soup which went down well. It was fine and sunny so we then all took a walk round the village. Past the church where Jane Austen had known the Reverend Thomas Fowle and his family. Then on by the allotments where the villagers were busy tending their crops. Telling our grand children about the carrot tops and other good food grown here. Back at the boat we set about moving up a few spaces as some boats had moved away. Just a short trip for the boys which then enabled the satellite dish to get a signal through a gap in the trees. So the TV kept them quiet for a while. Then the toys came out and we did puzzles and drew some pictures while Ann made some supper.

A reply from my MP

I had written to him about the cut in grant to BW from the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). BW are considering reducing the amount of maintenance and their workforce due to this loss of revenue. We are very concerned because BW are even considering closing some canals. So here follows some of the content of the letter:-

I fully understand the concerns about this situation and, as a result of receiving previous similar letters to your own, I wrote to the relevant Minister at DEFRA, Barry Gardiner MP, and will ensure that his response is sent to you as soon as it has been received.

Also, the following are questions and answers between MP's in parliament for 6^th November:-

The Parliamentary Under - Secretary of State for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs is Mr Ben Bradshaw MP

Mr. Ben Bradshaw: ……Public funding for Britain's inland waterways has increased substantially since Labour came to power.

Michael Fabricant: ……How can he reconcile that with cutting 180 staff from British Waterways?

Mr. Ben Bradshaw: ……the Department is having to make difficult and painful decisions,…..

Mr. Bob Laxton:- Will my Hon. Friend assure me that any future savings in grant aid to BW next year will not use as a base line the 15% budget reduction undertaken halfway through this financial year?

Mr. Ben Bradshaw: All decisions about next year will be made in due course.

Mr. Peter Ainsworth: …..Will the Minister explain why BW's budget was cut this year?

Mr. Ben Bradshaw: ……for a number of reasons,….

Mr. Peter Ainsworth: …..It is the reasons that I am after, because it is bad enough that cuts of £200 million are being made, but it is even worse that Ministers do not seem to know why……

Mr. Ben Bradshaw: ……About £10 million of the money……preventing outbreaks of avian flu,…..The rest is needed for other reasons that have already been made plain in numerous answers to questions from Hon. Members.

The truth and nothing but the truth is what we expect from our MP's who are there to represent us.

Another Website Update

For those boaters intent on going to the I W A gathering next year at  St. Ives on the River Great Ouse.  I now have several pages of pictures showing you the way.  Down on to the Nene at Northampton and on to Peterborough.  Then on the Middle Level through March.  Finally onto the tidal Great Ouse to Denver and all the way to Bedford.

Go to www.moore2life.co.uk , click on Rivers, and select Nene, Middle Level then Great Ouse.

Locked in a lock

' A pair of continuous cruisers were stopped by BW in a lock '.

After a few days we moved on up and into Hamstead Lock. Then realised that the gates were padlocked shut so we could not leave. That was at midday so we waited for a BW man to let us out. It was locked to prevent boats going down to the next lock which is now closed for repair. There are several boats still down there between the locks unable or not wanting to move up. Meanwhile Ann made some soup for us all.

Kennet & Avon Canal

Have been moving early most days to get past Benham lock before it closes for repair. Passed by Reading Marine still busy with their old hire boats and after a few stops we got to Newbury. Got another gas bottle and filled up with diesel and water there. The chandlery is now full of boaters goodies and it was difficult not to spend some money there! This is the last 'staging post' this side of the summit and the tunnel. The next one is 27 miles and about 20 locks away. About 5 moving days but we are now desperate for a rest! If we are lucky a diesel / coal supply boat will come by.

The K n A was one of those 'remainder' canals so British Waterways were only required to maintain the navigation. Back in 1997 the National Lottery fund handed over 25 million pounds to lift the status to a 'cruising' canal. A lot has been achieved but mainly at the western end. Many old lock gates at the eastern end were not replaced with that money. Now at last we see that several have now been replaced. Just in time before they collapse! Benham lock is about to have the gates replaced, now thankfully behind us.

Website Update

Go on have a look. 'Rivers' now include Nene and updated Thames. 'Boat Systems' Electric's updated. Some other subjects added. Been spending some time sorting and adding those pictures which is why I have not done a blog lately! So click now! www.moore2life.co.uk

We have got on to the Kennet & Avon canal for the winter months.

DEFRA cuts GRANT

This is a copy of an email from GOBA.

I am sure you will have read in the press or are otherwise aware that the Government Department DEFRA is cutting grant-in-aid (money!) to both the Environment Agency and British Waterways. The reason behind this chaotic decision is the complete mess made of the single farm payment scheme (The new CAP regime to cut down on over production of food). While the rest of Europe used a payment of acreages based on local or OS maps, DEFRA with Mrs Beckett at the helm decided to remove the width of hedges and conducted vastly expensive surveys over the whole of England resulting in huge delays to the payment and a consequent fine from the EU for failing to meet the deadline. Scotland which has its own ministry paid on time and avoided a fine. Mrs Becket then of course departed with a ‘promotion’ leaving DEFRA to pass the buck on to organisations such as EA and BW who rely heavily on grant-in-aid and with subsequent major cuts to their income.

I have written to my MP but am still waiting for a response !

Abingdon Weir

We are safe at Abingdon but need to be off the Thames before the end of the month because the locks close for maintenance in November.

Some locks further down had the red boards up which means the navigation is closed ! A day later the levels had gone down but the flow over Abingdon weir was still considerable.

It is very noisy here and you can see the power of the water as it rushes through.

Oxford Canal & River Thames

The final 7 miles or so of the Oxford is interesting, following the contours but still with a lock every few miles going down to Oxford. Some of the bridges are quite small so we removed the chimney to avoid bending it! Passed through Thrupp with mile upon mile of private and long term moorings. First being exclusive and well kept boats then becoming much less so with many showing old licenses or none at all.

The river Cherwell is not far away and can flood at any time after rain. At Kirtlington the canal is in a deep tree lined cutting while approaching Kidlington it actually joins the river. We were thankful that it had become calm after seeing it in flood back at Cropredy and for a short mile we enjoyed following its almost hair pin bends past open hilly countryside. Eventually stopped at Kidlington for a rest.

It had rained heavily all night before we set off before breakfast heading for Abingdon. A mile or so to Dukes Cut where we turned off to on to the Thames. The waters surface seemed to be rippling with energy as we crossed over to the landing for Kings Lock. The keeper appeared eventually and after letting a narrowboat up it was our turn. I don’t remember seeing the yellow 'strong stream' advice boards here but they were at Godstow.

Between these two locks the river gently swings left and right through its flood plain. Once past Godstow the river heads for Oxford and becomes very restricted. Seemed calm enough under that low Osney Bridge but then a very strong flow at the weir just before the lock pulled at our boats. It turned into a serious situation and we were all shaken up by the experience. It seems that the entire river Thames is going over this narrow weir. It was the lock keepers lunch time so we had to wait for him to arrive at 2 o'clock. Giving us time to calm down before getting safely in to the lock. Once past this narrow section restricted by Oxford itself the river opened up and became calm again. Three more locks and eight miles and we arrived at Abingdon. The river here drops over a very wide weir and as we passed down the lock on to the river it became very choppy. The lock keeper advised us to moor on the town side by the park.

Cropredy to Aynho and beyond

We set off on Sunday and discovered that Bob n Jane on Hobo was below the next lock so we stopped for a chat. Apparently Ivor Batchelor has moved out of Braunston. He with his Motor, Butty and wife Mell have been supplying coal and diesel for many years. Braunston will not be the same and we have missed him already.

Not far to Banbury where we caught up with Sue n Vic at the Tesco mooring. The land owned by BW has become overgrown with nettles and brambles. Got my shears out and chopped away a clearing to get the pins in and discovered an old car battery hidden in the undergrowth! Next day moved on through town past several boats, Toolies and the swing bridge. A boat was coming up the lock so we both stopped for water and watched most of the boats in Banbury pass through. When we had done the business and the girls returned from the shops we moved on down to Morrison's.

Must get on to Aynho today in order to keep up with our schedule. So we press on finding Paul and Christine waiting to help us all through several locks. It was a fine day and we actually passed Aynho wharf, waving to Ian, and stopped at the swing bridge. Ian had helped make our first boat. Set off, almost first thing to continue down the Oxford Canal for a four hour trip to Kirtlington. Getting quite tired now and wishing we could stay a while.

What a difference

Those new batteries are working well for us. A day of rain meant that we did not move and while the TV was on all afternoon, the voltage stayed high. This seems to prove that our old batteries had lost their capacity because their voltage went low. It is always best to replace all old batteries in a 'bank' because one old battery, if faulty, could act as a load to the others. Like leaving a light on all the time. The good batteries will be feeding the bad one and will loose their charge. Generally when the batteries become persistently thirsty they need replacing. As the batteries slowly get old the effect is not noticed. You just find that they need charging for longer and more often using valuable diesel.

What a record for us

Thirty four lock miles in one day! After a very wet and stormy day at Napton we set off early, just after breakfast, intent on going as far as we could. Thankfully the sun came out so we made good progress. All the way up the flight of 9 locks in less than two miles. We lost count of the number of boats coming down. Often four of them queueing at each lock. This amount of traffic meant that we had plenty of help going up. Surprised to find plenty of water at the summit which is ten miles long to the next lock going down at Claydon. The entire length needs dredging because it is slow going and the water is just brown with silt. "Some fish were jumping out to see where they were". Stopped at Fenny Compton Marina to visit the chandlery before continuing down the eight locks to Cropredy.

More Bloger meetings

While at Braunston we met Les on his boat Valerie. Been reading each others Blogs for a while now so it was good to see him at last. It is just a bit unnerving when someone you have not met yet calls out your name. So it was all aboard No Problem for an evening of chat, booze and nibbles.

Headline news

British Waterways are short of cash so have made 180 staff redundant. All because DEFRA was fined by the E. U. for mismanagement of funds. We understand that some canals may close if they are not properly maintained. Already the Caen hill flight on the Kennet & Avon is closed for 5 weeks because a gate got damaged by a boat. Thankfully BW are having a new gate made. It is now down to the boaters to respect and care for the canal system or we will loose our freedom.

Bumping through the tunnel

We set off from Norton Junction after getting a delivery from good old Tesco. The very friendly driver stopped right outside the boat. Sue n Vic set off first, in a hurry to get through that Braunston tunnel. As we approached the junction another boat joined the 'convoy' in front of us going quite slowly. So by the time we reached the tunnel No Problem was well into the darkness. We backed off from the 'slow coach' to give a reasonable gap. In the tunnel it is difficult to see where the boat is in front so Ann went up front as look out. Passed the first of three boats on a strait bit of tunnel. Then found our boat on the wrong side at a bend. The bright tunnel light on the next boat was blinding as it approached in the darkness. The boat was almost stopped and was drifting off the edge as we glanced off each others bow. Once outside and waiting at the locks Sue told us that they had hit the same boat.

We paired off to go down the wide locks and as we went down each of the 6 locks had 2 boats coming up. John had walked up to help. With all the help on a sunny Saturday it was not long before we were in Braunston.

New batteries for M 2 L

As I said our batteries were showing signs of stress, often 'low', getting thirsty and needing more charge time. Technically the specific gravity readings showed that some cells were less charged than others. My grateful thanks to Vic and John for lifting those heavy weights while I carefully did the connections.

Only problem is that they are 1/4 inch higher and the cover needs a spacer !

Three boats to Whilton

Moore 2 Life, No Problem and Balmaha all progressed northwards along the lock free Grand Union to Whilton. Stopping on the way at Bugbrooke for a rest and to collect post. Surprisingly mild for October making for an enjoyable trip. Bit of a culture shock being back on the narrow canals with its bridge holes to aim for. Sue in front warned me, by 'walkie talkie' that a boat was approaching the blind bridge so we waited for it. As it passed we moved on through only to find yet another boat following close behind the first. Some sharp bends proved difficult to get round, must go slower, specially past rows and rows of those moored boats. There is a definite lack of variety in wild bird life but we did see one Mandarin duck today.

Back to the Grand Union

Got to Northampton OK and did some shopping. Then it was onwards and upwards on the Northampton Arm with its 17 locks. Just like at Foxton, this flight of narrow locks also links two wide navigation systems. The first obstacle was an abandoned boat moored on the lock landing. Being unable to secure by the lock our boat decided to swing round in the wind nearly hitting another abandoned boat on the other side! One boat at a time now so once No Problem had gone through it was our turn. Into the open lock, shut the gates behind and up we go. The top gates won't fully open because a car wheel with tyre had got in the way! A large digger is busy pulling out a lot of rubbish. The largest item so far removed was a lorry axel complete with both wheels. The next lock was opened by a crew busy dredging out dirty black mud. Having got through the lock we waited for a boat load of the black dirty mud to come by. Another digger further up was busy filling a boat with black mud and more of 'the unwanted'. The lower mile or so of this canal has not been dredged for many years, but at least they are trying to clean it up now.

We soon caught up with No Problem because they had picked up a huge carpet which jammed round the prop. 'Welcome to the ars* end of this canal. If only we could turn back now'. Much of the lower half of the canal was shallow and narrowed by reed growth. Been on the move for almost 8 hours today and done 20 locks so we rested at the top.

The Fen Tigers

Perhaps it is only when you have left a place that you realise how special it was. The Fenlands is an area of lowlands with a town called March at its centre. It is vast, from the shores of the Wash roughly between Kings Lynn, Peterborough and Cambridge. 80 miles by 40 miles known generally as the washlands of East Anglia. The two main rivers Nene and Great Ouse either side take the water out to sea. Between the two is the 'Middle Levels'. Manmade drainage systems have dried out the majority of the wetlands which are about 2 meters below sea level. Just like in Holland, a Dutch man helped to design and create the weirs, dams, drains and sluces. The resulting land is rich and fertile.

Before it was drained it consisted of peat bog and marshes with a number of islands of dry land. One of these is Eel Island or Ely with its wonderful Cathedral. The local inhabitants lived lonely natural lives and were known as Fen Tigers because they defended their way of life ferociously. They ate birds, eels and fish and kept warm and dry by burning dried peat. Cromwell was a Fen Tiger and when King Charles I wanted to drain the Fens, Cromwell had his head off!

But the Romans came and the Danes came to invade our land and made us what we are today, Anglo Saxons. Now in modern times it is the Polish who have invaded here. But they come to work for us. Growing vegetables a plenty on the rich fertile land.

A bad day

Some one said to me "a bad day on your boat is better than a good day in the office! Our bad day started the day before when the batteries went 'low'. Most of them were very thirsty. 'Don’t work too well with pure acid in the cells'. As they are the original batteries they must be at least 3 years old and just like 'No Problem' are due for retirement. Should get a new set before the winter. A bad internet connection left me hanging in the bank. Some good news from Phill at Wharfhouse Narrowboats in Braunston. Batteries cost £50 and as one purchased earlier had failed prematurely it's a case of buy 4 and get one free ?

When the girls returned from the shops in Thrapston we set off. A bridge just before Islip Lock proved to be lower than the 2.4 m clearance due to the water being higher. It took our Sat dish off the roof and it dangled on its cable. Only an inch but that angle iron just bent it as I was in 'full astern'.

It was at least a dry mild day as we travelled with 'No Problem'. Through 6 locks to Rushden & Diamond moorings where 'Balmaha's, Mo and Vanessa greeted us. After a cup of tea the lads sorted out the dish so we could watch the news.

Middle Level

Now on the Middle Level in a 'shallow ditch' The surrounding landscape well below the high tide. As we progressed the 'link' became deeper but there are some very low bridges. So low that Ann had to keep an eye on the chimney, removing it when required. Then it rained all the way to March. Sue & Vic went on ahead. "See you in March" they said. 'That's odd. It's September now!'.

The Middle Level Link is a mixture of original river and man made channels so while in the river bit we were able to get a move on the next day in a sunny day. The Commissioners don't charge for the use of the link but a contribution to both lock keepers is appreciated.

Back on the Nene

We rushed through Peterborough on the very wide deep river Nene heading for Ferry Meadows. A Saturday and 'public' were out and about. As we approached Orton Lock I saw a boat and several fishermen on the lock landing which should be kept clear. 'No Problem' was waiting in the lock. A lot of water was rushing over the weir pushing Moore 2 Life sideways as I slowed on the approach. Missed that boat as the fishermen frantically pulled in their lines. 5 locks and several bends in the river later and we arrived at Elton. There waiting for us and helping with the mooring operations was Mo and Vanessa from 'Balmaha'. We all sat outside enjoying a late afternoon in September while consuming tea n cake kindly provided by Mo n Vanessa. Then Mark and Lorain arrived to join in the 'Blog Circle'.

Waiting for the tide at Denver

We were up early and waiting for the high tide at 9 o'clock. Three boats to go through. The guillotine went up and the first boat went in and up on the tide and was away. One boat on the tide coming towards us went into the open lock. The water rushed out as the boat came down to our level.

 Now it was our turn, in with 'No Problem'. I elected to go first as it was only one boat at a time in to Salters Lode Lock. A sharp bend round to the left across the tide stream, starting to go sideways as the tide was already going out. Banged the bow against the concrete side of the entrance channel. "Nearly right" said the watching lock keeper, "more wellie next time". There is only an hour of useful high water as the sand bank is now higher than the Middle Level waters.

Into the lock and down into the muddy waters to wait for 'No Problem' to do the same. The lock is only able to take one maximum length 63ft boat as it is not now possible to open both gates to pass through on the tide. An average of 9 boats can pass through on each daily tide.

Getting away

Firstly we rang Josh to wish him a happy 4^th. Birthday.

Filled up with diesel and we were off with 'No Problem' following through Ely for the last time looking back at the magnificent cathedral. 15 miles of just wide deep river to Denver, getting more remote as we progressed. Not many trees now, the railway on one side and road on the other. It was a warm sunny day with not a cloud in the sky but a southerly wind made a choppy river.

Disposal / Recycling ?

Disposal of the 'unwanted' to proper recycling sites should be free to the disposer. In many cases it is not. A responsible disposer will transport the 'unwanted' to a recycling point. The main reason for not doing so is personal cost. It seems stupid for a local council to charge the disposer. Then end up clearing the countryside at considerable cost. It is extremely hazardous to the environment to dump unwanted cars, batteries, oil, electrical goods etc. There must be a lot of irresponsible people about because we do see so much unwanted in the countryside.

Staying in Ely

Our plan was to stay a weekend but now that has been extended to a full week. Sue n Vic have been nursing their engine and finally discovered that it needs a major repair. Unfortunately the head gasket has failed after only two years of the reconditioned engine's life. So without power we are providing support and keeping various batteries charged up. It also seems that some of their domestic boat batteries have failed. Luckily a local boat yard are able to do the work, all be it between looking after the 'Bridge Boatyard' hire fleet. The shops of Ely have been handy for getting in some Christmas presents for grand children and the local Tesco is providing us with food.

Bloggers meet again

While at St. Ives Mo & Vanessa on NB 'Balmaha' arrived then Sue n Vic on NB 'No Problem'. It always amazes me how friendly we all are with the common interest in boating and inland waterways. Several other boaters, already here, were so helpful catching our ropes and helping to moor up. It is here at St. Ives that the IWA boat gathering will come next year. Plans are being made to improve the moorings on the field opposite. September is always more settled with less rain than August and we were able to enjoy another BBQ and eat outside. Then we were invited on board 'Balmaha'.

The next day we all headed for Ely. 'Balmaha' got there first while 'Moore 2 Life' and 'No Problem' stopped a night at Aldreth on the Old West River. Between Brownhill and Hermitage Locks the river is slightly tidal being fed from the New Bedford River which comes directly from Denver and the sea at Kings Lyn. As we go down, leaving the Bedford Ouse behind, the short stretch between the locks is very exposed on this windy day. There is a water point between the locks and while waiting for a boat to clear, we got spun round by the wind!

Hermitage Lock has a keeper who opened the lock as we approached. We went in and exchanged greetings as he took our name and number. "Thanks very much" says I, "No problem" says he, "That’s the boat before me" says I. A road actually goes over the lock and the keeper has to cross it to open the other end. Now we go down on to the Old West River. In Roman times this river was a meandering stream. Now it continues to the Ely Ouse at Pope's Corner where the River Cam joins, once more becoming a wide river. It was not long then before we got to Ely which is full of boats! Just past the first road bridge we squeezed in beside 'No Problem' as a fisherman left the bank.

Then a Blog reader came to say hello with a bag of 'Sugar Iced pastries'. Thanks Steve from us all. Then Mo &Vanessa found us!

Going down river

Sue n Vic went back to St. Neots so Lucy could have another operation, while we met our Grand children and parents at the campsite by Brampton Mill. They stayed for the weekend and enjoyed a trip up and down the river Great Ouse during a lovely sunny day. Sue suggested that we could meet again down river at St. Ives. This would give Lucy some quiet time to recover. Both Lucy and Molly get so excited when they meet. So for the first time we travelled on our own down river. Only one lock to be done on our own for we were joined by other boats at the next two.

Took two days to get to St. Ives having stopped the night by Houghton Mill at the quiet EA Island mooring.

Support from Government

Once again it seems that government investment in our valuable rivers and canals is about to be reduced. Those of us who use the 'navigation' will be expected to pay even more. The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) have apparently mismanaged our hard earned taxes which will cause a severe loss of subsidy to the Environment Agency and British Waterways.

Please do write to your MP to complain after you have confirmed this situation yourself.

BW and EA will be suffering yet more redundancies so be sympathetic to their workers as it was not their fault.

Two Items

Internet

We are keeping in touch through the internet with friends and family. Many other boaters use it to write 'Blogs'. A way of writing a diary for anybody to read. A hi tec 'tow path telegraph'. It is also a source of information, education and entertainment. The navigation authorities have their web sites which tell us about current problems and we can quickly report back any problems we encounter. There are 'News' pages which we often read about boating issues. Our boat was recently featured in a picture taken by Sue as we encountered a low bridge in Bedford. The owners of the narrowboat 'Ramys Home' write a 'Blog' and we have met them at St. Noets.

Environment ?

Have just found out that most of the 'plastic' cruisers on the river have 'sea toilets' ! That means it cannot be safe to swim in the river anywhere near them ! This is why there are so few facilities to dispose our 'Elsan' cassette contents ! We have only coped so far by carefully planning our trips between the facilities. Water is thankfully readily available. It is a quite 'medieval' attitude on the Environment Agency's part to even allow it to happen. After all, towns and cities have to make sure that only pure water is returned to the rivers. Next year the Inland Waterway Association are organising a large boat gathering at St. Ives next year and those boaters will be needing proper facilities. And we wonder how they will all get there knowing that access and facilities are very limited between Peterborough and Denver.

CD Recording

While at St. Noets I have created a CD with 22 tracks copied from my collection. I used Microsoft Media Player to create a 'Play List'. Then used a 'Screen Snatcher' to print the label for the CD. At first the CD would only play in the computer. The CD player rejected CD RW disk that I had used. Then I 'burnt' (recorded) a Write Once Read Many (WORM) CD which did play in the CD player.

Technical: The Audio files on a CD cannot be copied directly. WMP copies the data to a file on the computer then converts them back to record your selected tracks on the CD.

Wind in the Willows

After that event we went back to Bedford marina to tidy up, use the facilities and stock up at Tesco.

The summer has gone for a while. Our trip back to Great Barford was accompanied by strong winds and cloud. Many of the willows were bending over, reducing height, and some had fallen in the river. We made our way round them carefully as they had reduced the navigation to half its normal width. Easy going down that deep lock at Castle Mill then through another past 'R Island' and arrived to find several cruisers on the GOBA mooring. We took on water by the Anchor Inn and moved up to settle down in the shelter of the trees at the EA moorings. Wont be lighting up the Barby to night!

Return to explore

Having attempted to get to the end of navigation at Bedford on the river Ouse we turned round and stayed in the marina. We have enjoyed 'discovering' the rivers of East Anglia including the Nene. Now we return to 'explore'.

'R' Island

We had discovered this mooring on the way up river just south of Great Barford. We stopped again and set up camp with Sue & Vic's family. We got both boats in past the weed into a secluded spot surrounded by trees. Set up the tents and lit the B B Q just before it rained! So we packed up the tables and chairs and ate inside. It seems such a shame that the school holidays missed most of the hot weather last month.

The weed cutting machines have been busy between Bedford and Great Barford and the operators kindly agreed to clear the weed from our mooring spot provided by the Environment Agency.

Tent city

The mid summer family gathering assembled at Great Barford. We arrived a day early as the weed cutters were clearing the weed down stream. Filled up with water and got a delivery from Tesco on board. Then moved over and set up camp. Over the weekend we had 3 tents set up and 17 people including 6 children and one great grand mother arrived. Plenty of activities for the children were supervised by adults and organised by the eldest child. The whole event was enjoyed in warm sunshine with B B Q's each day.