And so we split

Two go south and two go north. It has been a hard winter spent with good friends and we have so enjoyed their company. Three days later we got to Penkridge as the days got cooler. Thin ice on the way reformed into a sheet while we spent time shopping at the market. “Just hope it does not get too thick again.” Don’t fancy staying on the towns ‘Visitor Moorings’ due to some night disturbance with people and their lack of respect.

So next day we all moved off heading for a weekend mooring by Shutt Hill lock. We were breaking thin ice all the way and this morning it had got broken up by a boat going past us.

That lock had just opened after 10 days of repair work.

National Association of Boat Owners (NABO)

This association is worth supporting because the committee are representing your boating interests. British Waterways have been given a privately restored canal system to look after. They should operate under the British Waterways Act passed by government in 1995. There are currently several official complaints being made by NABO concerning BW’s interpretation of the Act as contained in their ‘Terms and Conditions’.
Many aspects of these are being legally challenged and should be resolved hopefully before BW becomes a charity.

Do not worry

We have just topped up our tank with red road diesel. It has less sulphur in it so will produce less sulphuric acid than the ‘gas oil’. The engine is running OK and our diesel fire is still quite hot so enough said on that subject.
Been on the 880 bus from Wheaton Aston to Stafford and just do not know how the driver gets us safely through all the narrow country lanes. Found B & Q, Maplins, Argos and other electronic stores just south east of the town. There are loads of gismos to see and wonder what they are all for. But mostly made in China these days rather than Japan. After some ‘finger lickin good’ at KFC we walked back in town looking for mobile phone accessories.

Ice is still lingering
Back on our boat we set off to catch up with the ‘convoy’ now waiting for us just south of Brewood. Crew members from all four boats gathered again this time on board No Problem and enjoyed music, chat n booze to the end of the day. When we had recovered next day the convoy finally split in two. No Problem and Moore 2 Life made it to Moat House Bridge on the Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal. It was a cold grey day ending in dampness so we were all glad to have arrived. We ended up about 3 miles due east of the other two boats Seyella and Rock n Roll.

Which way to go?

The winter stoppages are changing due to the weather. Some are cancelled, some are added and dates altered. Need to keep informed through Waterscape on the web. Then get the maps out and sort out possible routes. We have a choice of three possible routes from Autherley Junction at the end of the Shroppie. South to Stourport, North to Great Haywood or East to Birmingham. Our long term wish is to head for Braunston and Crick to meet friends.
There are stoppages whichever way we go so it is down to where is open first. The route through Birmingham is open on 11 th. March. Tixall Lock should be open on 28 th. January which would allow us to get through Colwich Lock before it closes on the 7 th. of February. Then we have a clear run to Atherstone which opens on 28 th. of February. Should all be clear by the time we get that far. Now we can concentrate on the detail. Where to stop, walk and shop.

Life with a narrowboat, 2010

Just to let all our readers out there know that Chapter 15 is now published and can be found in www.moore2life.co.uk . Pictures will be added later, promise. See link on the side of this blog.

Moving north

The three boat convoy stopped a night at Wheaton Aston where it was joined by a fourth, No Problem. The crews were all invited by Sue n Vic to join them for a chin wag on their boat.

Next morning all crew members were up and about getting set to move on. Seyella with Geoff driving led the way. Ann let go the bow rope as he passed and we were away next followed by Rock n Roll then No Problem bringing up the rear.

Only two miles covered as we stopped at Little Onn. After lunch we all went off for a walk round the fields near Church Eaton. Next day we all set off in a different order and stopped at Gnosall for a quick trip to the shops. It was not long before we all stopped again as some wood was seen begging to be cut up and burnt.

The convoy then continued on to Norbury where Vic and Geoff cut the wood up.
It is here that the convoy will split in two. We plan to go our separate ways. But first a record has been accomplished. No less than four boats together with eight crew members on board ‘Rock n Roll’, at least one crew member from each boat writing a Blog.
The latest problem on the Shroppie is a major rock fall at the top of Tyrley locks between bridge 58 and 59. So the convoy is obliged to turn south.

A convoy of boats

Most of the ice has gone and this week promises to be mild. All three boats that have been staying at Gailey since November last year are setting off in convoy intending to meet up with another boat on the Shropshire Union. But before the off all boats were tanked up with diesel and water and used other facilities.

By late morning the convoy left Gailey and covered 13 lock miles on their first journey together. On the way only a few icebergs were seen lurking under trees and at various bends in the canal.

All members of boat crew were cheered up by regaining their freedom to move. So much so that when arriving at the destination they all convened at a meeting on one of the boats to discuss further moves.

Back to boat

We have returned safely to our boat Moore 2 Life. We were greeted by our friends on Rock n Roll and Seyella who all stayed on board over the Christmas holiday and into the New Year. They had reported that the temperature went down to minus 20 centigrade at one time. Thankfully it is a bit milder now, the snowman has long gone but ice remains on the canal.
We had left with snow and ice all over the boat so in such conditions it is important to carry out a full ‘winterisation’. Both engine and radiator systems should have 50% antifreeze mixture. “Don’t just top up with neat antifreeze because it won’t mix.” Turn off the water tank tap, undo the connection to the pump and turn on the hot taps first. When all the hot water has gone turn on the cold taps. Switch off the pump power and reconnect the water supply. Leave all taps open so when you return all you do is turn on the tank tap and restore power to the pump. Turn the taps off when water comes through. I had also taken the precaution of covering the pump, feed and supply pipes with blanket to protect them. I am only sorry not to have mentioned all this before we all left our boats to the elements. We were so saddened to read about Dell and All on Derwent 6 who have suffered so much frost damage.
It was colder inside than out and Molly’s drinking water had frozen. Our solar panels had kept the batteries full with a gentle charging voltage so the central heating could be turned on after restoring the water supply. Once the oil fire had got going we then got a welcome cup of tea on Seyella.

While away we took the opportunity to visit the Chichester Canal. This is the tide lock.

We can only look forward

The forecasted snow and ice has returned with a vengeance so we are pleased that our friends made it here when they did. Now all we hope is that we can get home for Christmas having to rely on road and rail transport so many people on the move during uncertainty at this time. It is a white Christmas that we dream about but do not really need.
We can only make plans for next year and hope. Moving about and exploring is at the heart of it. Staying in one place for so long has proved that. We have achieved much of what we set out to do but wish that we could have gone to all those places we like in one year which is of course impossible.
So have an enjoyable holiday on or off your boats with family or friends.
Snowmen and their dogs

This is Gaylord

Moving events

For the third time we have been able to move the boat back up through the lock for services at Gayton. Both taps and the Elsan in working condition while the warmth lasts. The boat yard has been breaking the ice every day so they can move their boats about for servicing. They provided our diesel, oil and filters for a service later. We know of other boaters elsewhere coping with their lot under different circumstances. Last we heard at Braunston, the canal crossroads, is not so well served because both Elsans were blocked!
Despite eight days of positive temperatures there is still plenty of thick ice about on the canals. But Geoff on Seyella felt confident to make a run for Gailey.

It was a determined effort helped by us opening and closing 4 locks on the way. Boaters at Otherton were thankful for broken ice as now they could move to their services. The local Heron would also be pleased to be able to go fishing again!
The threat of further low temperatures, snow and ice prompted the move.

A thought: Would we all pay a bit more to avoid the cuts? A cut in services may well be harder to cope with.

Beyond the call.....

George hired a car for the weekend and drove us all to Market Drayton to visit No Problem and our friends Sue n Vic. Despite the slightly warmer temperatures it was still very slippery under foot. In the boot of the car, two large water containers which George used to transport water from tap to boat several times to fill the No Problem tank.
It was great to see Sue n Vic again after spending the summer months apart. We all enjoyed bread rolls and homemade soup while discussing future plans, listening to Georges jokes and swapping Christmas cards. Ann had baked a cake so we all had some of that as well. It was an enjoyable meeting of friends separated by many more canal miles than road miles! We came away with a homemade pot of jam. Thanks S n V, was good to see you both during this bleak mid winter. And thanks to George n Carol for driving us there.

Things to do and plans to make

Gailey Lock
There is just a promise that by the weekend it may get warmer if the wind changes. We have decided to do some washing and dry the clothes by the fire. “Anybody short of water can lick it off our windows!” By the end of the day it was all dry. Perhaps later we can back up that lock again for water and diesel. Done the Christmas cards and posted some when Ann and Carol took the bus to Stafford. More to go next time we get out.

Meanwhile the canal remains frozen and the British Waterways men doing this dredging told us there is no chance of moving any time soon. So we stay put and make other plans to go home. The marina we were going is frozen with 4 inches of ice. A taxi can take us to Stafford for the train while George and Carol kindly look after the boat.

Ice paveing


An ice block

Staying put

Just like most of us boaters on the frozen canals the boat is not moving. We did walk down past a few locks and found British Waterways operatives working hard dredging the canal. Somehow they had managed to break up the ice around their boats using the grab bucket. We just had to complement them both on their efforts.

A small stream was still clear of ice and flowing into the canal where it eventually froze. Also where the water is flowing past Gailey lock there is a large stretch of clear water almost getting past our boats.

The cold weather has not stopped us getting out and we walked up the A5 Watling Street to the roundabout where we found ‘Dobbies’. It is one of those Garden Centres with much more. It is a virtual Santa’s Grotto for adults at this time of year. Everything is there to satisfy those of us who want a material Christmas rather than a spiritual one. We have been keeping in touch with our friends not just by reading their blogs but also writing emails an making phone calls.

Carol, George, Ann and I plus two dogs called Molly all walked up the A5 to catch a bus to Penkridge. The market was open but several stalls were missing. Not surprising due to the conditions being sunny but icy under foot. Stafford Gramar School music department were there playing Christmas Carols.

We had arranged to meet Geoff and Margaret on Seyella and they provided homemade soup, mince pies and warming drinks. It was a wonderful gathering of friends during this cold winter. We then elected to walk the 3 miles back to Gailey because we realised we had just missed the bus. It took about an hour boat to boat. Thankfully it was not snowing or too windy. Most of the canal was frozen but with a few clear ponds where all the ducks have gathered.

Next day Tesco managed to find us bringing our orders. The driver and helper were travelling together in the bad conditions as support for each other. Then we packed it all away. Meanwhile George had opened the lock gates and flushed out the slab of ice. It had warmed up during the day so the canal was clear behind us. Both Rock n Roll and Moore 2 Life backed up one by one to get diesel and water. One tap had frozen due to its lack of insulation. Thankfully there is another available for use. We left it dripping slowly so it would not freeze.

Back down at our mooring, just below the lock, the ice reformed as the temperature dropped again. “More porridge for breakfast please.” It cooks well on top of the stove while we get up. Batteries are not so efficient when cold so are not giving up as much energy as normal. We find it best to charge them up twice a day while it remains cold.

Geoff turned up as arranged, George n Carol came and we all had a drink and a natter on M2L in the morning. Then George got the Barbe out. The snow under it quickly melted! When Geoff returned we were soon round on R n R for a lovely meal.

Welcome company

Rock n Roll has stopped by. We exchanged stories of our travels since we saw them last. The ice has arrived and we not to go any further. Just up and down the lock to fill up with diesel. Gailey Marine let us have it at the zero rate as we were ‘residential’ and not planning to move for a while. Otherwise it would have been at their ‘commercial’ rate with the added duty.

It got misty in the evening then in the morning we woke to see a thin layer of snow and the canal water had turned to slush. Water passing through the lock is keeping the thick ice away from our mooring. The sun cheers us up while the sky is clear and does its best to melt the ice while staying low in the sky.

Bird feeders are hung on the hedge so several birdies are getting their breakfast.

Despite the threatening conditions we do seem to be able to make the best of it while living on our boat. Keeping in touch with other boaters by phone, email and blogging helps to pass the time and enables us to keep track of each other.

Cooking for Christmas

Ann has made a rich fruit cake baked in a square tin. Got the marzipan and icing to do. Homemade puddings are the other tradition in the family circle although not many get to stir the ingredients and make a wish these days. Made enough for three bowels wrapped up with grease proof paper and cloth and steamed overnight on the stove. The pudding is consumed at Christmas having been steamed, decorated with holly and burnt with hot flaming brandy. Brandy butter was the preferred topping.

For various reasons we find ourselves a long way from the family at a time when we feel we should be much closer. Meanwhile we will decorate the boat and enjoy meeting other boaters on our travels. It is getting colder in the evenings and there is a threat of icy conditions coming early this winter. We have stocked up while at Penkridge and moved on a bit to be near a diesel supply. Now is the time for porridge in the mornings and stew in the evening. Stew is slowly cooking on the stove.

The chimney

Geoff on Seyella had found some useful advice on the net suggesting that a tall chimney would help our diesel fire draw better. The recommended length of flue should be 10 feet from the flame which would mean 4 feet above the roof! We only have about 1 foot 6 inches so we can get under bridges. Many years ago I had made our chimney out of rolled up ‘liners’ with Vic’s help. The great advantage was a double skin to keep the gasses warm. That worked a treat most of the time. The ‘down draft preventer’ as supplied with the boat was simply not enough and was not much good in strong winds.

Our chimney fitting is only 3 ½ inches diameter so readymade chimneys were hard to find. When at Crick we had asked to have one made but the maker was reluctant to help because it was an oil fire. Midland Chandlers had a 28 inch chimney but although the inner liner measured 3 ½ inches it would not fit. So I have got a 28 inch liner which drops over the existing chimney. For use when we stop of course. Will let you know if it is better after a windy day!

A need to move on

If we stay in one place too long we get itchy feet. We have done what we needed to do here and if we stay much longer the roots will grow. We have about a month to go somewhere and back before leaving at Christmas.

Kingfisher at Great Haywood

It was one of those magic moments, a chance meeting of boaters at the watering hole. We had just backed up to the facility when Derwent 6 arrived. We both filled our tanks and gathered round cups of tea at the bow of M 2 L. Then the owners of Sanity Again stopped to say hello. So there we were Chas, Ann, Del, Al, Bruce and Sheila all in one place a moment before moving off in different directions.

We turned across the bow of Derwent 6 to get under the junction bridge and there was Geoff with his bag of shopping and Meg about to walk back to their mooring at Tixall.

Balloon at Tixall

We stopped there as the best of the day had passed and we were eating lunch at 2 pm! We got away next day and did 12 lock miles to arrive at Park Gate for the weekend. It was a bit misty as we left but calm dry and warm during the trip.

Boat at Tixall Lock

Hanging around

The red diesel fuel we are obliged to use in our boat tanks is usually ‘gas oil’ with a red dye so we can pay less duty than that for road use. New EU regulations will require a change to ‘road diesel’ with the red dye. Road diesel has less sulphur in it and it also has some ‘bio’ content. Many boaters are concerned about the effects on their engines. Ours is a Beta 38 and this is what Beta told me:-

As far as the engine is concerned, they have been developed for ultra low sulphur fuels, so that they comply with the stringent emission controls, both in Europe and America. The bio content has also been taken into account, as all the emission restrictions have been mapped out for the future in a timetable based on the fuel specification. So the engine is fully capable of running with this fuel.

The storage could be a problem as the bio content can lead to higher bacterial growth, and higher water absorption. I have been talking to a filter manufacturer who has developed a large capacity high water absorption filter system, and should have details shortly. I don't think that it is all doom and gloom, as the lower sulphur content reduces the need to use low quality non detergent oils we recommend now.

High quality oils that contain detergent tend to wash down the bores, thus picking up the fuel residue that builds up the sulphur content in the oil, this can produce a weak sulphuric acid that attacks the bearings.

Don't forget that the fuel change is being done to lower harmful emissions. Kindest Regards, John Lusty, After sales, Beta

So it would seem we should consider changing the type of lubricating oil we use in our engines.

We managed to back up to the water point the next day. Got more diesel and moved out to Tixel wide for a while. It is getting cooler now so we have the fire on longer. Our tank will soon need topping up every 2 weeks. One very windy night the fire went out and issued forth its smelly fumes. We woke up and turned off the supply. Several attempts to relight it next morning failed due to the windy conditions. Put the radiators on to get warm. Smoky oil is not at all pleasant and at least set off the smoke alarm. We wonder if oil fires are worth the hassle because they also produce a lot of flaky carbon deposits that need scraping out. If the truth were known a much taller chimney is required. But then we would not get under those bridges! We moved into Great Haywood after breakfast to get some shelter from the trees. The wind reduced a bit and we were able to light the fire again.

We have been on several bus trips into Stafford to do some ‘Christmas’ shopping. Street decorations are now appearing to brighten the place up. Our friends Geof and Mags offered to look after Molly while we were away.

Move away for a while

With limited time on the moorings and the prospect of local fireworks at Shugborough Hall we moved away. Molly does get so upset with the bangs and whizzes that we have administered some calming herbal remedy which seems to work for her. We got all the way to Acton Trussel, turned and found a mooring before Deptmore Lock.

The lock keepers house now belongs to the farmer and is being renovated to be lived in again. British Waterways have been selling off some of their property and their attempt to make money by running public houses near canals has in fact made a substantial loss.

We are in open countryside for the weekend where we put out the bird feeders but only a few birds found it. Despite the remoteness we did hear and see some fireworks in the distance. We celebrate the fact that an attempt to blow up the houses of parliament was prevented. It was quite cold n damp that weekend so we had the fire going most of the time.

On Sunday we once again enjoyed our roast lunch with minted lamb and watched the racing on TV.

Monday was awful with wind and rain but we had to get back to Great Haywood for dental appointments, tesco orders and post due on Tuesday. A few hours driving the boat dressed up in waterproofs proved to be purgatory by the time we arrived. Thank goodness for the mooring space found near the lock. Due to several low bridges we are not able to put up our biminy which would have protected us from the weather.

Whether the weather be fine

Or whether the weather be not

Whether the weather be cold

Or whether the weather be hot

We’ll weather the weather

Whatever the weather

Whether we like it or not

It was a bit windy when we needed to move backwards to the water point where we pick up our tesco order. We did not get all the way there. Luckily another space was available and a kind boater moved his boat forward to let us in. It then took two journeys to get all the bags over the junction bridge and on to the boat. Then it rained. We have had so much rain lately that the river Trent is well up and flowing fast here.

Been away on another planet

Taxi’s, trains, cars and busses got us off the boat and away down south. We packed some bags and took the dog. Have we got all we need? Can we carry it all? We had moved to Great Haywood Marina and filled the diesel tank. The fridge had to be emptied, turned off and defrosted before we left.

There were several good reasons for going. Ann had a hospital appointment, more house clearing and sitting in for our grand children. Their parents could then get a night out with friends. We also paid visits to friends and family, walked in the forest and saw ‘Despicable Me’ in 3D. Many items from the home were distributed among the family. That is a very hard thing to do with so much to consider.

While we were away our cooker was sold. Amazingly we had met the buyer when at Dudley. We returned the hire car having done over 300 miles on a full tank of petrol. ‘Enterprise’ took us to the station and on the way we saw that several cruise liners had arrived in port. The train was packed with many people standing in the isles with all their luggage. Made me wonder why the luggage could not be put into a dedicated coach like they would have done many years ago. We were lucky to find our reserved seats were still available for our journey, but even we had our bags on our laps!

Once back at Stafford we got a taxi to take us back to Great Haywood Marina with a bit more luggage than we had left with! Just could not face moving the boat out so we paid for another night. Even then it took several days to get back into our boating routine.

Great Haywood is a wonderful little village where we have now booked appointments at the medical centre and the dentist. Restocked the fridge and enjoyed a few quiet meals together. It is late autumn of course so we enjoyed a walk along the river with the sun shining through the golden leaves.