30th & 31st January
A further examination of the weather forecast yesterday morning confirmed that I had a two day window to get to Rugeley and back if I wanted to do so in ice free conditions. Accordingly I was underway by nine.
Incidentally, this reminds me to say that I've changed my favourite weather site. I used to use the main Met Office one, having flirted briefly with Met Monkey (too funky for me). Recently, though, I've come to prefer Met Check; it does a daily summary, and the info for a given location is more detailed, and goes further ahead. The site loads much faster, as well.
It was a damp and breezy day, so I wrapped up well. Leaving the towpath at Tixall was simple. Having started up and put the tiller on (always a good idea before letting go), I released the bow, nipped down to the back and untied there. It was a bit of a scramble to get the piling chain out before Sanity left without me, but I got there in time, hopped onto the stern and put the tiller down.
The bow was already well out, and so she made a very satisfying turn under a fair bit of power to start heading for Great Haywood. Once off the Wide, the wind was no real problem at all, and I made good progress down Great Haywood and Colwich Locks, arriving at Rugeley by 11.15, just nice time for a cup of coffee before shopping.
That took me up to lunchtime, and having fed, I set off again to the winding hole just beyond the railway bridges. There was a bit of traffic about – I was the middle one of three in succession turning there, but it all thinned out and I got to Wolseley Bridge in solitary state.
Just the two of us were moored on the rings south of the road bridge, there being three more on the other side. Well satisfied with the day's endeavours, I had a quiet afternoon and a good night's kip.
Today I got away just before nine again, in weather much as before, though if anything the wind got gustier as the day went on. This was to have its main effect at the end of the day, but for most of the cruising was still not a problem.
Back at Great Haywood, I stopped briefly above the lock to get a paper. Single handing tends to mean that this sort of thing just takes a lot longer than it would if accompanied; I had to stop the engine, tie properly and lock the boat up just to make the five minute trip to the shop. Normally, I'd have left Sheila on board, probably with the boat on a centreline, assuming I hadn't just abandoned her working the lock and gone to get it.
Arriving at the water point, I found two boats already in possession, but only had to wait a short while before it was my turn. I used the interim to make a cup of coffee and dump the rubbish and recycling.
Reversing back off to make the turn under the junction bridge was a bit trickier than usual in the wind, but not a big deal, and I was soon back on the Wide. Here the fun began. I'd already prepared the centreline with a big piling hook strung on it, and as I came back to more or less where I had been, I hopped off the slowing boat and shoved the hook into the Armco.
A period of epic struggle then commenced ( I was going to say titanic, but there weren't any icebergs, yet). The wind was blowing straight off the towpath, and Sanity really, really wanted to go and see if there were any swans in the reeds on the other side of the Wide.
I managed to get her so that the bow was touching the bank and the stern only about six feet out from it. I tied the centreline to the piling hook, and went and deployed the bowline through its piling chain. Then I got back on the boat, walked through to the stern and motored it in.
It's in these circumstances that it's good to have confidence in your lines and the knots you've used to tie them. Once the stern was against the bank I leapt off, stern line and piling chain in hand. Having managed to get the chain secured to the Armco and the line through it, only having to stop twice to haul the stern back in, I dropped a clove hitch onto a stern dolly and heaved a sigh of relief. I wasn't finished yet, but at least the situation was now well under control.
Fenders were clipped to the gunwales, the bowline adjusted and finally the stern line hauled in again and tied properly. The main risk in all this, apart from putting your back out, obviously, is to your fingers. It's essential not to let them get into any of the loops as you tie off the ropes. Get it wrong, and you risk being left short handed.
One other boater's dodge I used is worth mentioning: when hauling in the boat, having got the line through a piling hook or ring or whatever, it's easier to hold the line in your left hand and pull up with your right on the rope where it runs from the hook or ring to the boat, as if you were pulling a bowstring. Then, as you let go, pull the rope thus gained through the ring with your left hand. Repeat apparently endlessly and you will haul the boat in to the bank more effectively than just pulling straight on the rope.
Having done all this, and tottered about tidying up inside, I went to check the email and found that, unlike last time, I was still on a slow, green connection. After lunch, I experimented moving the laptop so that the modem was in the side hatches rather than the study porthole, and got a fast, blue connection.
With T-mobile, it seems that the further west you tie on Tixall, the better the connection will be. I wasn't going to move the boat again today, but thought that I would do so tomorrow if the wind had dropped but the ice hadn't yet appeared.
When I came to do this blog post, however, at half three, the connection has speeded up with the modem in its usual place, so I'll see what it's like tomorrow before making a decision about moving .
As may be imagined, I have had a quiet time since, chatting to Elanor on the phone a couple of times (she's buying a new bathroom) and buying a couple of ebooks (pause for Sheila to have a fit – her problem is she hasn't taken the codes for checking the online bank accounts away with her, so she's only got my word for what I'm spending, hee, hee).
In fact, it's the other two books in the Maria V. Snyder "Study" series, the first of which came bundled with the Sony Reader, and they were a swingeing £5 each, so not bad, I reckon, in recompense for doing without her company for another whole week.
This post has gone on long enough. It's the last day of the month, so I'm going to have a shower – see you in Feb.
Saturday, 31 January 2009
Thursday, 29 January 2009
A burst of busyness
27th & 28th January
Coo, it's nearly the end of January already; doesn't time fly when you are enjoying yourself?
Yesterday was a lazy start after a particularly good night's sleep, so, feeling full of beans after I'd done the trek to the shop, I settled down to sort out a picture gallery on the static website, featuring the photos we'd used in the family calendar. It's a matter of creating the web pages using the iPhoto facility, then editing the result in Dreamweaver.
Doing it this lazy way does, I admit, result in much messier HTML code than if I did the whole thing from scratch, but it is so much quicker, and I find that I'm just not patient enough to do it the slow way. I used to feel guilty about being so lazy, but have given up as it's too much effort.
(Just as one of these days I'll get round to doing something about my procrastination). Ronald Reagan famously said "Sure, hard work never killed anybody, but I figure, why take the chance?"
Having up loaded the gallery, I posted to the canals list and the Braidbar Owners list to say that I had done so. I must admit, I did have in mind the idea that it would boost my hit rate just at the end of this month.
I should explain, if I haven't before, that I'm not interested in comparisons with other blogs in terms of popularity. There's a bunch of you out there who enjoy reading me, and that's fine. Other blogs appeal in other ways, so comparisons just don't mean very much – it's not as if we're being paid to do it!
For that reason, I've never been tempted to have one of these site ranking gadgets on this blog; I don't see the point, and it seems like a short route to stress if your ranking starts going down. I do though take pride in the fact that this blog attracts a steady number of hits, and that for a couple of months now there's been the possibility of getting over 100 hits in a single day. (Wow!)
Coincidentally, the total hits in a month has been edging towards 2000, and that's encouraging too. So you won't see a ranking counter in the side bar, but I have added the "Followers" gadget for those who want to keep tabs on me that way, and for completeness I've also added the RSS feeds gadget.
When Blogger first started doing the Followers thing, I had just the one (thank you, Adam) and it looked a bit silly to advertise the fact, but having ascended to the giddy heights of nine (thank you, Will), I don't feel quite so daft about it.
After lunch, I did my first bit of geocaching for quite a while. When I met Sue from No Problem I finally claimed that I had found all the local geocaches she had placed, but later that day, on the phone to Sheila, I was told that I was confusing one of Sue's, Tix All Beep Beep, with another one here, The Water Is Wide.
After slogging through the mud on the towpath yet again, and after only a brief search, I found it and was the first to record the fact in the nice new log book Sue had put there the day before.
After all this creative and physical activity, I spent the rest of the afternoon slumped in front of the DVD, watching the last of my Indiana Jones DVDs.
Today was quite windy first thing; I had thought of going down to Rugeley to shop, but decided to give it a miss for one more day. The forecast is for this level of wind for a few days, then a seamless transition to freezing weather, so if Cathy hasn't produced by tomorrow, I may have to go anyway, on the assumption that I won't be seeing Sheila back before I'm frozen in.
The day started on a high, though: according to Sitemeter, I had 114 hits yesterday, so the cunning plan had worked, and as a result, I'm over the 2000 hits for this month. Definitely a result.
I've spent the day, after doing the walk to the shop, tackling a list of minor jobs around the boat. The sink tap had worked a little loose, for example, and needed the nut underneath tightening up a shade. That's the second time I've had to do it in less than five years – you just can't get the quality build standard these days...
Similarly, the bathroom radiator needed bleeding, and my Captain's Chair from Wilson's has got a bit reluctant to tip. I fiddled around with the various fixing bolts on it, and for good measure polished the leather. It seems a little better, but I may have to consult Mr Wilson next time I see him at a show.
Finally, I sorted the plug for the cratch light, which had gone a bit intermittent.
In more sitting down mode then, I got on with another thing I've been meaning to do for a bit. The good old US of A now requires you to get clearance to enter the country by filling in an online form three days in advance. Although my sister Jane in New York is hale and hearty, it's been a source of concern that she might be taken seriously ill (she's five years older than I) and I'd not able to get over there quickly.
Some one pointed out to me the other day that you can fill in this online form without specifying a date of travel, and the clearance lasts (they said) for three years. In fact, on investigation, it's only for two years, but even so, it seemed worth doing.
A word of advice – if you Google 'US Visa' or similar, the first few entries are from websites that offer to help you do it for a fee: in one case, $50. In fact if you go to the VisitUSA site, there's link straight to the form. You need to know your address, date and country of birth and the details like serial number off your passport.
Then you fill in the same marvellous questions as on the old green form (for example: "Have you ever been or are you now involved in espionage or sabotage; or in terrorist activities?" as if you'd say "Yeah, sure, I'm here to assassinate the President"), click the submit button and the response in my case was immediate, job done for two years.
Why you'd need to pay someone any money at all, much less $50, I do not know.
I've also done a bit more of the labelling of earlier posts with the locations from which they were posted. I've now done the whole of 2008, and there's a bit of the early stuff done already, so there's only 139 more to do. As I said, it'll take a while, especially as I keep being distracted being reading what I'd written all that time ago.
I'll definitely go to Rugeley tomorrow, I think, as there's still no news from Lincoln.
Coo, it's nearly the end of January already; doesn't time fly when you are enjoying yourself?
Yesterday was a lazy start after a particularly good night's sleep, so, feeling full of beans after I'd done the trek to the shop, I settled down to sort out a picture gallery on the static website, featuring the photos we'd used in the family calendar. It's a matter of creating the web pages using the iPhoto facility, then editing the result in Dreamweaver.
Doing it this lazy way does, I admit, result in much messier HTML code than if I did the whole thing from scratch, but it is so much quicker, and I find that I'm just not patient enough to do it the slow way. I used to feel guilty about being so lazy, but have given up as it's too much effort.
(Just as one of these days I'll get round to doing something about my procrastination). Ronald Reagan famously said "Sure, hard work never killed anybody, but I figure, why take the chance?"
Having up loaded the gallery, I posted to the canals list and the Braidbar Owners list to say that I had done so. I must admit, I did have in mind the idea that it would boost my hit rate just at the end of this month.
I should explain, if I haven't before, that I'm not interested in comparisons with other blogs in terms of popularity. There's a bunch of you out there who enjoy reading me, and that's fine. Other blogs appeal in other ways, so comparisons just don't mean very much – it's not as if we're being paid to do it!
For that reason, I've never been tempted to have one of these site ranking gadgets on this blog; I don't see the point, and it seems like a short route to stress if your ranking starts going down. I do though take pride in the fact that this blog attracts a steady number of hits, and that for a couple of months now there's been the possibility of getting over 100 hits in a single day. (Wow!)
Coincidentally, the total hits in a month has been edging towards 2000, and that's encouraging too. So you won't see a ranking counter in the side bar, but I have added the "Followers" gadget for those who want to keep tabs on me that way, and for completeness I've also added the RSS feeds gadget.
When Blogger first started doing the Followers thing, I had just the one (thank you, Adam) and it looked a bit silly to advertise the fact, but having ascended to the giddy heights of nine (thank you, Will), I don't feel quite so daft about it.
After lunch, I did my first bit of geocaching for quite a while. When I met Sue from No Problem I finally claimed that I had found all the local geocaches she had placed, but later that day, on the phone to Sheila, I was told that I was confusing one of Sue's, Tix All Beep Beep, with another one here, The Water Is Wide.
After slogging through the mud on the towpath yet again, and after only a brief search, I found it and was the first to record the fact in the nice new log book Sue had put there the day before.
After all this creative and physical activity, I spent the rest of the afternoon slumped in front of the DVD, watching the last of my Indiana Jones DVDs.
Today was quite windy first thing; I had thought of going down to Rugeley to shop, but decided to give it a miss for one more day. The forecast is for this level of wind for a few days, then a seamless transition to freezing weather, so if Cathy hasn't produced by tomorrow, I may have to go anyway, on the assumption that I won't be seeing Sheila back before I'm frozen in.
The day started on a high, though: according to Sitemeter, I had 114 hits yesterday, so the cunning plan had worked, and as a result, I'm over the 2000 hits for this month. Definitely a result.
I've spent the day, after doing the walk to the shop, tackling a list of minor jobs around the boat. The sink tap had worked a little loose, for example, and needed the nut underneath tightening up a shade. That's the second time I've had to do it in less than five years – you just can't get the quality build standard these days...
Similarly, the bathroom radiator needed bleeding, and my Captain's Chair from Wilson's has got a bit reluctant to tip. I fiddled around with the various fixing bolts on it, and for good measure polished the leather. It seems a little better, but I may have to consult Mr Wilson next time I see him at a show.
Finally, I sorted the plug for the cratch light, which had gone a bit intermittent.
In more sitting down mode then, I got on with another thing I've been meaning to do for a bit. The good old US of A now requires you to get clearance to enter the country by filling in an online form three days in advance. Although my sister Jane in New York is hale and hearty, it's been a source of concern that she might be taken seriously ill (she's five years older than I) and I'd not able to get over there quickly.
Some one pointed out to me the other day that you can fill in this online form without specifying a date of travel, and the clearance lasts (they said) for three years. In fact, on investigation, it's only for two years, but even so, it seemed worth doing.
A word of advice – if you Google 'US Visa' or similar, the first few entries are from websites that offer to help you do it for a fee: in one case, $50. In fact if you go to the VisitUSA site, there's link straight to the form. You need to know your address, date and country of birth and the details like serial number off your passport.
Then you fill in the same marvellous questions as on the old green form (for example: "Have you ever been or are you now involved in espionage or sabotage; or in terrorist activities?" as if you'd say "Yeah, sure, I'm here to assassinate the President"), click the submit button and the response in my case was immediate, job done for two years.
Why you'd need to pay someone any money at all, much less $50, I do not know.
I've also done a bit more of the labelling of earlier posts with the locations from which they were posted. I've now done the whole of 2008, and there's a bit of the early stuff done already, so there's only 139 more to do. As I said, it'll take a while, especially as I keep being distracted being reading what I'd written all that time ago.
I'll definitely go to Rugeley tomorrow, I think, as there's still no news from Lincoln.
Labels:
Tixall Wide
Tuesday, 27 January 2009
Getting stuff sorted
26th & 27th January
Yawn... sorry? oh yeah, the blog, right!
It's being a lazy day today, apart from some walking to try and keep the old exercise levels up. Now, where were we...
That's right, the gas supply. It ran out whilst I was cooking dinner just after posting the last blog. One of those situations where I was very glad that we'd had the manual change over switch fitted, as the dinner was in the oven, but it was just a case of popping outside and turning the lever round to have gas again.
Next day (i.e. yesterday) I made a lazy start, as I wanted to get my prescription filled at the chemist, and they don't open until nine. They then obliged very efficiently, and by half nine I was in a position to start a brief bit of boating.
I ambled Sanity up to the water point, started a wash load running, started the tank filling, and then spent a bit of time lugging rubbish and recycling to the bins. Once the tank was full, I went and negotiated for a gas cylinder (on special offer at £20) and some solid fuel. They sold me half a dozen bags of Newflame (new one on me) for £10 each, which at least made for a nice round number on the bottom line.
I then backed off the water point and came back to Tixall Wide, where of course I'm moored with the boat the other way round to last time. This has had the pleasing result that I'm now getting a fast internet connection. It's good to have something to be pleased about; it balances the information from the guy who arrived at the water point just as I was going, who pointed out that my Newflame came from the coal merchant just down the cut in Colwich, where he's asking £8.50 for the same bag.
I spent a bit of time after coffee sorting stuff out, both on the roof tarping over my new coal stock, and inside catching up with emails and the like on the fast connection. After lunch, I rang BW again. Regular readers will recall that we were curious, not to say concerned, to find out why they hadn't taken our licence fee at the beginning of January as they said they would.
Jean in Customer Services had promised to ring me back a second time, and had indeed tried to do so last Tuesday when I was busy moving the boat. When I spoke to her this time, she was able to reassure me that all was well; our direct debit had just missed the December run, but would be in the January one, so the money would leave my account on the first of February.
Now why couldn't she just have said that in a voicemail message, and spared me a week of waiting for a phone call, checking the bank account from time to time and just generally being hassled? Never mind, at least it's sorted, probably.
I took a walk in the late afternoon, and then had a quiet evening and a good night's sleep; up until five this morning that is, when I woke feeling so cold I got out of bed and put a sweater on over my pyjamas. When I came to again at half seven and started running the heating, making tea and so forth, I found that the Wide had actually frozen over, so I was entitled to feel a bit chilly. It wasn't forecast, but I wasn't planning to go anywhere anyway.
With a decent internet connection, my motivation to move the boat is pretty low. The food stocks will gradually run down, because there isn't a supermarket within reach, so I'm limited to what I can get in the village shops, but I'm sure that I'll manage.
Out of curiosity, I measured the round trip from here to the nearer shop today: just over two miles, so perfectly doable, but it's an encouragement not to forget stuff.
This afternoon, I went for a further walk, to Milford, walking along the canal, past Tixall Lock and over the Sow aqueduct, then further along the towpath to the underpass under the railway.
I then walked down through the village; the First Mates Guide says there's a paper shop, but I didn't see one, though there's a range of other shops including an outdoor kit supplier and a chippy.
I came back along the road that leads back to Tixall village, and so back to the boat. Just below Tixall Lock, I saw No Problem heading towards me, with Sue and friend walking the dogs on the towpath. After another quick natter, they went on their way, and I got back to the boat for a cup of tea.
That trip was 3.63 miles according to the Garmin, so a total of over five and a half miles for the day, and I'm entitled to be a bit weary.
It's just a case of waiting for news from Lincoln, now. If the sprog doesn't turn up by the weekend, I may have to think what to do about supplies, but that bridge will keep until I come to it.
Yawn... sorry? oh yeah, the blog, right!
It's being a lazy day today, apart from some walking to try and keep the old exercise levels up. Now, where were we...
That's right, the gas supply. It ran out whilst I was cooking dinner just after posting the last blog. One of those situations where I was very glad that we'd had the manual change over switch fitted, as the dinner was in the oven, but it was just a case of popping outside and turning the lever round to have gas again.
Next day (i.e. yesterday) I made a lazy start, as I wanted to get my prescription filled at the chemist, and they don't open until nine. They then obliged very efficiently, and by half nine I was in a position to start a brief bit of boating.
I ambled Sanity up to the water point, started a wash load running, started the tank filling, and then spent a bit of time lugging rubbish and recycling to the bins. Once the tank was full, I went and negotiated for a gas cylinder (on special offer at £20) and some solid fuel. They sold me half a dozen bags of Newflame (new one on me) for £10 each, which at least made for a nice round number on the bottom line.
I then backed off the water point and came back to Tixall Wide, where of course I'm moored with the boat the other way round to last time. This has had the pleasing result that I'm now getting a fast internet connection. It's good to have something to be pleased about; it balances the information from the guy who arrived at the water point just as I was going, who pointed out that my Newflame came from the coal merchant just down the cut in Colwich, where he's asking £8.50 for the same bag.
I spent a bit of time after coffee sorting stuff out, both on the roof tarping over my new coal stock, and inside catching up with emails and the like on the fast connection. After lunch, I rang BW again. Regular readers will recall that we were curious, not to say concerned, to find out why they hadn't taken our licence fee at the beginning of January as they said they would.
Jean in Customer Services had promised to ring me back a second time, and had indeed tried to do so last Tuesday when I was busy moving the boat. When I spoke to her this time, she was able to reassure me that all was well; our direct debit had just missed the December run, but would be in the January one, so the money would leave my account on the first of February.
Now why couldn't she just have said that in a voicemail message, and spared me a week of waiting for a phone call, checking the bank account from time to time and just generally being hassled? Never mind, at least it's sorted, probably.
I took a walk in the late afternoon, and then had a quiet evening and a good night's sleep; up until five this morning that is, when I woke feeling so cold I got out of bed and put a sweater on over my pyjamas. When I came to again at half seven and started running the heating, making tea and so forth, I found that the Wide had actually frozen over, so I was entitled to feel a bit chilly. It wasn't forecast, but I wasn't planning to go anywhere anyway.
With a decent internet connection, my motivation to move the boat is pretty low. The food stocks will gradually run down, because there isn't a supermarket within reach, so I'm limited to what I can get in the village shops, but I'm sure that I'll manage.
Out of curiosity, I measured the round trip from here to the nearer shop today: just over two miles, so perfectly doable, but it's an encouragement not to forget stuff.
This afternoon, I went for a further walk, to Milford, walking along the canal, past Tixall Lock and over the Sow aqueduct, then further along the towpath to the underpass under the railway.
I then walked down through the village; the First Mates Guide says there's a paper shop, but I didn't see one, though there's a range of other shops including an outdoor kit supplier and a chippy.
I came back along the road that leads back to Tixall village, and so back to the boat. Just below Tixall Lock, I saw No Problem heading towards me, with Sue and friend walking the dogs on the towpath. After another quick natter, they went on their way, and I got back to the boat for a cup of tea.
That trip was 3.63 miles according to the Garmin, so a total of over five and a half miles for the day, and I'm entitled to be a bit weary.
It's just a case of waiting for news from Lincoln, now. If the sprog doesn't turn up by the weekend, I may have to think what to do about supplies, but that bridge will keep until I come to it.
Labels:
Tixall Wide
Sunday, 25 January 2009
A weekend at Great Haywood
24th & 25th January
It was a slow start yesterday, after a bit of a restless, cold sort of night. It was seriously frosty when I finally poked my head out, and rolling the cratch cover became quite painful; you can't wear gloves to do it properly, and by the end my finger tips were complaining in no uncertain terms.
(We always roll the cratch cover, both sides, when boating. It just makes life so much easier getting on and off, and saves worrying about tearing it on tree branches and the like.)
Eventually I set off, and it wasn't long before I was arriving at the junction at Great Haywood. There had been no ice at all on the Wide, but there was a smidgen on the canal itself, but not enough to make any difference to the boating.
I'd intended to tie through Bridge 74, opposite the Farm Shop car park, but as I turned and lined up on the bridge 'ole, I could see two boats already tied there. There would probably have been room for Sanity as well, but rather shoe horned on, and there didn't seem much point.
The only thing was, I was now opposite the water point. Looking back, I could see plenty of room on the moorings between the junction and the bridge, so reversed Sanity all the way back there, I'm pleased to say without too much hassle.
Having settled on a mooring, I nipped to the shop at the lower end of the village, then after coffee set to and cleaned out the well deck. I needed to refill the coal box, so it seemed a good time to do this bit of housework. That's put my last two bags of coal in the box; I just hope I'll be able to get some more at Anglo Welsh tomorrow.
Elanor rolled up at lunchtime, and afterwards we took a walk in cold, clear conditions. A bit of cosy reading followed, after which she treated me to a meal in the Clifford Arms. This is the second time I've eaten there -– it's a pleasant, not too expensive pub, with a good choice of ales, and a varied menu. Portion sizes are generous, in fact in the case of the chicken goujon starter, ridiculously so.
We duly staggered out after a good meal and found our way back to the boat. There was more chat in the saloon before toddling off to bed. Today, Elanor had to be up in good time, as she had a riding lesson at eleven, so by nine I was on my own again.
A little walk to the shop got the Sunday paper, and I've had a quiet time of it since, watching another Indiana Jones DVD, reading the paper and generally loafing. Oh, and I've caught up with some email backlog, which is always good.
Just as I was getting ready to write this post, there was a knocking on the roof. On investigation, this proved to be Sue from No Problem, calling by for a natter whilst walking the dogs. We had a good chat before she went off with them again. It's always good to meet up with fellow bloggers.
Plan for the night is eat, read, sleep, then move onto the water point in the morning, and as I say, hopefully get some coal. The gas supply is a bit low as well, I reckon; on lighting a ring, there's a faint whiff of gas, which always seems to indicate that the cylinder is nearly exhausted. This would be handy, in fact, as Anglo Welsh are doing a special offer on propane at the moment.
Once that's done, I'll probably go back to Tixall for a couple of nights before ambling off towards Penkridge again. It's at that stage where it's not possible to make firm plans. If Cathy produces on time (she's due on Tuesday) then Sheila will probably rejoin me next Saturday, but of course, if not, not, and babes famously come when they are ready, not before.
It was a slow start yesterday, after a bit of a restless, cold sort of night. It was seriously frosty when I finally poked my head out, and rolling the cratch cover became quite painful; you can't wear gloves to do it properly, and by the end my finger tips were complaining in no uncertain terms.
(We always roll the cratch cover, both sides, when boating. It just makes life so much easier getting on and off, and saves worrying about tearing it on tree branches and the like.)
Eventually I set off, and it wasn't long before I was arriving at the junction at Great Haywood. There had been no ice at all on the Wide, but there was a smidgen on the canal itself, but not enough to make any difference to the boating.
I'd intended to tie through Bridge 74, opposite the Farm Shop car park, but as I turned and lined up on the bridge 'ole, I could see two boats already tied there. There would probably have been room for Sanity as well, but rather shoe horned on, and there didn't seem much point.
The only thing was, I was now opposite the water point. Looking back, I could see plenty of room on the moorings between the junction and the bridge, so reversed Sanity all the way back there, I'm pleased to say without too much hassle.
Having settled on a mooring, I nipped to the shop at the lower end of the village, then after coffee set to and cleaned out the well deck. I needed to refill the coal box, so it seemed a good time to do this bit of housework. That's put my last two bags of coal in the box; I just hope I'll be able to get some more at Anglo Welsh tomorrow.
Elanor rolled up at lunchtime, and afterwards we took a walk in cold, clear conditions. A bit of cosy reading followed, after which she treated me to a meal in the Clifford Arms. This is the second time I've eaten there -– it's a pleasant, not too expensive pub, with a good choice of ales, and a varied menu. Portion sizes are generous, in fact in the case of the chicken goujon starter, ridiculously so.
We duly staggered out after a good meal and found our way back to the boat. There was more chat in the saloon before toddling off to bed. Today, Elanor had to be up in good time, as she had a riding lesson at eleven, so by nine I was on my own again.
A little walk to the shop got the Sunday paper, and I've had a quiet time of it since, watching another Indiana Jones DVD, reading the paper and generally loafing. Oh, and I've caught up with some email backlog, which is always good.
Just as I was getting ready to write this post, there was a knocking on the roof. On investigation, this proved to be Sue from No Problem, calling by for a natter whilst walking the dogs. We had a good chat before she went off with them again. It's always good to meet up with fellow bloggers.
Plan for the night is eat, read, sleep, then move onto the water point in the morning, and as I say, hopefully get some coal. The gas supply is a bit low as well, I reckon; on lighting a ring, there's a faint whiff of gas, which always seems to indicate that the cylinder is nearly exhausted. This would be handy, in fact, as Anglo Welsh are doing a special offer on propane at the moment.
Once that's done, I'll probably go back to Tixall for a couple of nights before ambling off towards Penkridge again. It's at that stage where it's not possible to make firm plans. If Cathy produces on time (she's due on Tuesday) then Sheila will probably rejoin me next Saturday, but of course, if not, not, and babes famously come when they are ready, not before.
Labels:
Great Haywood
Friday, 23 January 2009
Loafing at Tixall Wide
22nd & 23rd January
It's been a couple of quiet days here on Tixall Wide, at least as far as activity is concerned, though the weather has been pretty stormy, as forecast.
Yesterday, after a lazy start, I walked into Great Haywood to shop for a paper and bits and pieces. Waterways World was out, so I bought a copy of that, too. Back at the boat, the obvious thing to do was make a cup of coffee and start reading. I'm pleased to see that Richard Fairhurst chose to publish our letter describing our diesel split calculating spreadsheet; it'll be interesting to see if it results in any more traffic to the website.
After lunch I took advantage of a lull in the weather to cut up some of the bits of driftwood that have been cluttering the roof. There's still a couple of larger pieces to take care of, but all the rest is now tidily either stacked by the stove or in the bread tray on the roof.
Pleasantly tired, I spent the rest of the afternoon watching the first three episodes of Neverwhere, the Neil Gaiman seriously weird fantasy about an alternative London, on DVD. Had a bit of a chat with Elanor on the phone, ate dinner, read paper, went to bed.
Today I'd planned to move Sanity to Great Haywood to be handier for Elanor when she comes to visit tomorrow, but the weather was still pretty windy, whereas the forecast for tomorrow is much better, so the boat move was postponed until then.
It's made for a very quiet day, feeling a bit flat really, which is always the risk of not doing a lot when on your own. No matter, it's a gala day in one sense: two years ago I tentatively posted my first blog, so today is the blog's birthday.
Hurrah!
OK, things we're pleased we got right:
In general, our choice of layout works well for us, but in this as in almost everything else above, it's a matter of choice and compromise, and what suits us would not necessarily be OK for others.
I can't think of any other specifics to mention just now: things like using a Mac are not specific to living aboard; oh – not having a TV. We've not missed it, but did add a DVD player after a while. Until then we watched DVDs on the laptop, but that's restrictive when one wants to watch and the other prefers to do some web browsing or whatever.
Right, that's definitely the lot for just now. Next time I'll see if I can answer Adam's other questions, if I don't feel so downright lazy/dozy as at present!
It's been a couple of quiet days here on Tixall Wide, at least as far as activity is concerned, though the weather has been pretty stormy, as forecast.
Yesterday, after a lazy start, I walked into Great Haywood to shop for a paper and bits and pieces. Waterways World was out, so I bought a copy of that, too. Back at the boat, the obvious thing to do was make a cup of coffee and start reading. I'm pleased to see that Richard Fairhurst chose to publish our letter describing our diesel split calculating spreadsheet; it'll be interesting to see if it results in any more traffic to the website.
After lunch I took advantage of a lull in the weather to cut up some of the bits of driftwood that have been cluttering the roof. There's still a couple of larger pieces to take care of, but all the rest is now tidily either stacked by the stove or in the bread tray on the roof.
Pleasantly tired, I spent the rest of the afternoon watching the first three episodes of Neverwhere, the Neil Gaiman seriously weird fantasy about an alternative London, on DVD. Had a bit of a chat with Elanor on the phone, ate dinner, read paper, went to bed.
Today I'd planned to move Sanity to Great Haywood to be handier for Elanor when she comes to visit tomorrow, but the weather was still pretty windy, whereas the forecast for tomorrow is much better, so the boat move was postponed until then.
It's made for a very quiet day, feeling a bit flat really, which is always the risk of not doing a lot when on your own. No matter, it's a gala day in one sense: two years ago I tentatively posted my first blog, so today is the blog's birthday.
Hurrah!
OK, things we're pleased we got right:
- Choosing the right boat builder and agreeing to a Tim Tyler hull. When building from new, it's really important, and quite difficult, to get the right builder. It has to be one that you can get on with, and whose basic style and approach matches yours. Visiting and reading a lot was the key for us.
- Getting the right mix of solid fuel stove, gas cooker and diesel heater, so that there's always a choice for heating the boat and cooking.
- Getting a decent fridge freezer: I know I said we'd review which one if starting again now, but having some decent freeze down capacity, so as to be able to take advantage of good butchers when we pass by, makes so much difference to my cooking.
- Similarly, having a decent sized galley: Sanity's is about a third longer than usual, so as to have a good length of work surface available, plus lots of cupboards underneath.
- The study bedroom has been brilliant. Having a dedicated desk area makes this job and all the others connected with communicating with the outside world so much easier.
- The cross bathroom is excellent: more floor space using less cabin length, and a really big shower cubicle. It wouldn't work so well if we had more than two of us on board most of the time, but of course, we normally only have visitors for a few days at a time. In the same room, we've never regretted putting in a pump out, and I feel vindicated every time I see someone struggling along the towpath with two cassettes balanced on a trolley.
- Installing a wood floor: at the time they were not as common as they are now, but they are just so much easier to clean than any of the carpet solutions we've experienced on other boats.
- Putting the washing machine in the engine room, giving a longer engine room, so easier access in and out of the back hatches, and more cupboard space in the galley.
In general, our choice of layout works well for us, but in this as in almost everything else above, it's a matter of choice and compromise, and what suits us would not necessarily be OK for others.
I can't think of any other specifics to mention just now: things like using a Mac are not specific to living aboard; oh – not having a TV. We've not missed it, but did add a DVD player after a while. Until then we watched DVDs on the laptop, but that's restrictive when one wants to watch and the other prefers to do some web browsing or whatever.
Right, that's definitely the lot for just now. Next time I'll see if I can answer Adam's other questions, if I don't feel so downright lazy/dozy as at present!
Labels:
Tixall Wide
Wednesday, 21 January 2009
Single handing in frosty conditions
20th & 21st January
The night before last was distinctly colder than previous ones, a sign of the short cold snap in prospect. It was downright chilly in the bedroom first thing, so I gave the Eberspacher a longer run than usual, then got up and had a shower.
Feeling more warmed up, I popped into the village after breakfast, then came back to the boat, started up and worked up Penkridge Lock to the water point. Having watered, started the washing machine and winded in the winding hole just beyond, I dropped back down the lock. No one had come past whilst I was doing this, so it was especially gratifying to have Jacana turn up below just as I was finishing, so that I didn't have to worry about closing the bottom gates.
I'd decided to go a bit further down towards Longford Lock before mooring again, but had a bit of bother getting right into the side. I had to back up a bit and in the end settled for being a touch out from the towpath. All this because I didn't want the same folks to get the benefit of the late afternoon engine run, but then in fact decided to try and do without it.
The batteries have been on a good voltage first thing in the morning recently, so I thought I'd see if it was an effect of the reduced demand of only having one on board.
I spent a bit of time sorting the labelling on the blog posts after lunch; about a year ago, I took to using the location as the label, as folks will know, but that means there's a great chunk of them from the first year unlabelled. I've done a few, but it's going to take a while, it not being the most thrilling way if passing my time, and of course it's only really practicable when on a fast connection, or else I spend most of the time waiting for pages to load.
When I'd done as much as I could bear, I went back into the village, taking a load of secondhand books with me for the local hospice shop, and paying a visit to the butchers. His meat looks OK, but I've not had a chance to cook any of it yet.
In addition, I had one of those irritating exchanges with him, as I thought he'd not given me the right change. I should probably have pushed it harder, but he seemed quite sure, and it was only when I got back to the boat and worked it out again I realised I was definitely short.
Last night was colder again, enough to spoil my sleep, lacking my full sized hot water bottle as I am at the moment. That's partners for you; when they are around, they keep you awake snoring, but then when they're not, you freeze in bed.
It's a metttyfor or sumpin, boss.
Checking the batteries this morning showed that I should have run the engine again, as the voltage was well down. It being very cold, I still ran the Eberspacher, but turned the fridge freezer off whilst I did so, to avoid two big drains on the bank at once.
It was really frosty outside, with just a smidgen of ice drifting by on the cut, but a lot on the roof of the boat. I think that there had been a light rain shower last thing, which had then frozen. Certainly the pavements were quite treacherous as I walked into the village, and the roof looked downright dodgy.
This makes for problems single handing, of course, as walking on an icy roof at a quiet lock on your own is not a good idea. On the other hand, the forecast for tomorrow (ie Thursday) and the rest of the week is really nasty, with lots of wind, another no-no for single handers.
I set off gingerly, and boated down to Longford Lock. At least that meant I was out of the shade of the houses opposite, so that the sun had a chance to melt the frost. I filled the lock, and boated into it, taking a centre line ashore with me when I got there. After emptying the lock, I used the line to pull Sanity out, rather than climbing down the ladder onto the roof of the boat.
The whole thing just needed a lot of care; the locksides were greasy with frost, and there were plenty of opportunities for prat falls. I decided that as the top gate wasn't leaking, I would use the single handers' privilege and not close the bottom gates. No sooner had I decided this, than a boat appeared coming up the cut.
I boated past him, shouting cheerfully "Left it open for you!"
By lunchtime I was back at Radford Bank, having negotiated Park Gate, Shutt Hill and Deptmore Locks without too much grief. I crossed with another boat at Deptmore, which was nice, it being a very deep lock, so good to have a bit of help with it.
Lunch over, I set off again in deteriorating conditions. Up until now the weather had been very good, apart from the frost problem, but now it clouded over and a bit of wind got up. At least the locksides were now dry, so Tixall presented no trouble. As I came out, some people looking round the cottage offered to close up for me, which was kind of them and a big help.
Mooring on the Wide proved a bit tricky, as the wind was now strong enough to affect the boat, and was blowing off the towpath. I though I was going to end up doing one of those comic running from bow to stern and back trying to get them to stay against the bank long enough to tie, but some judicious use of the lines eventually allowed me to get it sorted.
(If necessary, I would have used a piling hook on the centreline to hold the boat about where I wanted it.)
I've had a quiet afternoon since, watching Dr Jones on DVD and showering. I seem to have taken up my usual 800 words and then some with cruising stuff, so what we did right with Sanity will have to wait – I'm going nowhere for at least two days, so Friday's post can be filled with that stuff.
The night before last was distinctly colder than previous ones, a sign of the short cold snap in prospect. It was downright chilly in the bedroom first thing, so I gave the Eberspacher a longer run than usual, then got up and had a shower.
Feeling more warmed up, I popped into the village after breakfast, then came back to the boat, started up and worked up Penkridge Lock to the water point. Having watered, started the washing machine and winded in the winding hole just beyond, I dropped back down the lock. No one had come past whilst I was doing this, so it was especially gratifying to have Jacana turn up below just as I was finishing, so that I didn't have to worry about closing the bottom gates.
I'd decided to go a bit further down towards Longford Lock before mooring again, but had a bit of bother getting right into the side. I had to back up a bit and in the end settled for being a touch out from the towpath. All this because I didn't want the same folks to get the benefit of the late afternoon engine run, but then in fact decided to try and do without it.
The batteries have been on a good voltage first thing in the morning recently, so I thought I'd see if it was an effect of the reduced demand of only having one on board.
I spent a bit of time sorting the labelling on the blog posts after lunch; about a year ago, I took to using the location as the label, as folks will know, but that means there's a great chunk of them from the first year unlabelled. I've done a few, but it's going to take a while, it not being the most thrilling way if passing my time, and of course it's only really practicable when on a fast connection, or else I spend most of the time waiting for pages to load.
When I'd done as much as I could bear, I went back into the village, taking a load of secondhand books with me for the local hospice shop, and paying a visit to the butchers. His meat looks OK, but I've not had a chance to cook any of it yet.
In addition, I had one of those irritating exchanges with him, as I thought he'd not given me the right change. I should probably have pushed it harder, but he seemed quite sure, and it was only when I got back to the boat and worked it out again I realised I was definitely short.
Last night was colder again, enough to spoil my sleep, lacking my full sized hot water bottle as I am at the moment. That's partners for you; when they are around, they keep you awake snoring, but then when they're not, you freeze in bed.
It's a metttyfor or sumpin, boss.
Checking the batteries this morning showed that I should have run the engine again, as the voltage was well down. It being very cold, I still ran the Eberspacher, but turned the fridge freezer off whilst I did so, to avoid two big drains on the bank at once.
It was really frosty outside, with just a smidgen of ice drifting by on the cut, but a lot on the roof of the boat. I think that there had been a light rain shower last thing, which had then frozen. Certainly the pavements were quite treacherous as I walked into the village, and the roof looked downright dodgy.
This makes for problems single handing, of course, as walking on an icy roof at a quiet lock on your own is not a good idea. On the other hand, the forecast for tomorrow (ie Thursday) and the rest of the week is really nasty, with lots of wind, another no-no for single handers.
I set off gingerly, and boated down to Longford Lock. At least that meant I was out of the shade of the houses opposite, so that the sun had a chance to melt the frost. I filled the lock, and boated into it, taking a centre line ashore with me when I got there. After emptying the lock, I used the line to pull Sanity out, rather than climbing down the ladder onto the roof of the boat.
The whole thing just needed a lot of care; the locksides were greasy with frost, and there were plenty of opportunities for prat falls. I decided that as the top gate wasn't leaking, I would use the single handers' privilege and not close the bottom gates. No sooner had I decided this, than a boat appeared coming up the cut.
I boated past him, shouting cheerfully "Left it open for you!"
By lunchtime I was back at Radford Bank, having negotiated Park Gate, Shutt Hill and Deptmore Locks without too much grief. I crossed with another boat at Deptmore, which was nice, it being a very deep lock, so good to have a bit of help with it.
Lunch over, I set off again in deteriorating conditions. Up until now the weather had been very good, apart from the frost problem, but now it clouded over and a bit of wind got up. At least the locksides were now dry, so Tixall presented no trouble. As I came out, some people looking round the cottage offered to close up for me, which was kind of them and a big help.
Mooring on the Wide proved a bit tricky, as the wind was now strong enough to affect the boat, and was blowing off the towpath. I though I was going to end up doing one of those comic running from bow to stern and back trying to get them to stay against the bank long enough to tie, but some judicious use of the lines eventually allowed me to get it sorted.
(If necessary, I would have used a piling hook on the centreline to hold the boat about where I wanted it.)
I've had a quiet afternoon since, watching Dr Jones on DVD and showering. I seem to have taken up my usual 800 words and then some with cruising stuff, so what we did right with Sanity will have to wait – I'm going nowhere for at least two days, so Friday's post can be filled with that stuff.
Labels:
Penkridge,
Tixall Wide
Monday, 19 January 2009
A trip to Brum, and what we'd do differently
18th & 19th January
Not a lot to say this time, so I'll try and list the things we'd do differently if we were building Sanity now, at the end of this.
Yesterday, after the usual restless night for the first night alone, I had a relaxed start on a wet and windy morning. I ambled down to the village to buy a paper, then fitted the new fender before lunch.
It went on reasonably smoothly with only a little bit of GCSE swearing (not even A-level standard). Main problem was getting the old one off, trying to undo rusted and bent shackles whilst hanging over the end of the bow.
I managed to do it all without dropping anything in the cut, so I'm reasonable pleased with myself. A quiet afternoon followed, reading, a walk to get some exercise, then watching a DVD.
After a good night's sleep last night, I made an expedition into Birmingham today. It's half an hour on the train from Penkridge, the service running every hour each way, and only £6.60 for the cheap day return (or whatever they call it this week).
I had a good mooch round, mainly the shopping malls and Marks and Sparks, and did a mix of useful (i.e. M&S) shopping and indulgent stuff (mainly all four Indiana Jones DVDs). Well, I think I'm entitled to some blokeish stuff whilst Sheila is away.
I travelled out on the 10.16, and after the wild luxury of a Burger King lunch, managed to catch the 12.36 back, so I was back in the boat in time for another lazy afternoon.
Now, what would we do differently? This list is a mix of stuff we could have done differently straight away, and how we'd take advantage of advances in the technology in the last five years.
First of all, it's worth stressing that there are no major things we moan and weep about, "Oh if only we hadn't done it that way" type stuff, assuming that we kept inside the 60 foot length. At the time, we were sure that was the length we wanted, and anyway, it was all we could afford. Now, we might think hard about going to full length, and just manage without the Leeds and Liverpool. If we did, we'd have had a dinette as well as the study bedroom, but would not have gone for a trad engine and boatman's cabin. Nothing wrong with those, just not our thing.
Right, starting from the bow:
I think that's the lot, but I've almost certainly forgotten something without Sheila here to remind me. I'm sure she will either comment on this post, or else email me directly and I'll bring it up next time. I'll also try to answer Adam's other points about the history of us getting into this whole lifestyle in the first place.
That's all for now, folks.
Not a lot to say this time, so I'll try and list the things we'd do differently if we were building Sanity now, at the end of this.
Yesterday, after the usual restless night for the first night alone, I had a relaxed start on a wet and windy morning. I ambled down to the village to buy a paper, then fitted the new fender before lunch.
It went on reasonably smoothly with only a little bit of GCSE swearing (not even A-level standard). Main problem was getting the old one off, trying to undo rusted and bent shackles whilst hanging over the end of the bow.
I managed to do it all without dropping anything in the cut, so I'm reasonable pleased with myself. A quiet afternoon followed, reading, a walk to get some exercise, then watching a DVD.
After a good night's sleep last night, I made an expedition into Birmingham today. It's half an hour on the train from Penkridge, the service running every hour each way, and only £6.60 for the cheap day return (or whatever they call it this week).
I had a good mooch round, mainly the shopping malls and Marks and Sparks, and did a mix of useful (i.e. M&S) shopping and indulgent stuff (mainly all four Indiana Jones DVDs). Well, I think I'm entitled to some blokeish stuff whilst Sheila is away.
I travelled out on the 10.16, and after the wild luxury of a Burger King lunch, managed to catch the 12.36 back, so I was back in the boat in time for another lazy afternoon.
Now, what would we do differently? This list is a mix of stuff we could have done differently straight away, and how we'd take advantage of advances in the technology in the last five years.
First of all, it's worth stressing that there are no major things we moan and weep about, "Oh if only we hadn't done it that way" type stuff, assuming that we kept inside the 60 foot length. At the time, we were sure that was the length we wanted, and anyway, it was all we could afford. Now, we might think hard about going to full length, and just manage without the Leeds and Liverpool. If we did, we'd have had a dinette as well as the study bedroom, but would not have gone for a trad engine and boatman's cabin. Nothing wrong with those, just not our thing.
Right, starting from the bow:
- Fitted a manual changeover valve in the gas locker
- Insisted on having the filler for the water tank put through the gunwale, not in the centre of the well deck (cleaner)
- Fitted LED clusters on the cabin sides, not the cabin lights on brackets that have been the poorest performing units of all the lighting.
- Fitted a more efficient fridge freezer, to reduce the amount of time we have to run the engine. I haven't researched this recently, but I think you can now get far more efficient units; we'd still have the freezer, though.
- Installed a better gas hob than the Stoves Vanette. I suspect three burners would be enough, but you can get some much classier looking beasts now than the ex-caravan thing we've got.
- Put the extract fan in the galley overhead ventilator, rather than the study bedroom and made it separately switchable from the lighting.
- Speaking of which, as recorded here earlier, I've split the switching for the galley lighting, so that I have a lot more choice about how many lights I have on.
- The new style macerator toilets have proper push button controls rather than the air button that's given us grief over the years, so that's something that would happen automatically. I'm not convinced that LeeSan are the best deal around on these, but we've learnt over the years to manage it so that it gives us less problem.
- Ask for a diaphragm pump on the shower rather than the Water Puppy that we've got. It is noisy, and has an impeller that has to be changed every few years.
- The main, main thing: we would not fit a TravelPower on the engine. It's only needed for the washing machine, has cost a packet to overhaul in the last couple of years, and there's a much better solution now possible.
- This is to fit a bigger inverter, and to install a cold fill only washing machine that can run a cold wash programme. You actually plumb both hot and cold into the machine, bringing them together through a thermostatic valve (like you can fit on your central heating rads). Fill with the valve set to 40 or 60 C or whatever, and run the machine on cold wash. When it starts to rinse, turn the valve down to 10 or so, so that it only draws cold water.
- Finally, we'd not fit an Eberspacher, but a Webasto, which just has a better reliability record, and are more forgiving if you do get start up failures.
I think that's the lot, but I've almost certainly forgotten something without Sheila here to remind me. I'm sure she will either comment on this post, or else email me directly and I'll bring it up next time. I'll also try to answer Adam's other points about the history of us getting into this whole lifestyle in the first place.
That's all for now, folks.
Labels:
Penkridge
Saturday, 17 January 2009
Settled at Penkridge for the weekend
16th & 17th January
We made a prompt start yesterday, and in just under two hours boating were in Penkridge. We crossed with just the one boat, Epinone, at Shutt Hill Lock.
After a trip to the very useful shops here, we had lunch, and then I worked on the fender whilst Sheila did some proof reading. I made a break in this merry session by calling BW's Customer Services desk to ask why I hadn't had a reply to my email of Thursday 8 January. (They claim to respond to all emails within five working days.)
The woman I spoke to was very pleasant, but couldn't offer any explanation for the non-response. The situation I was enquiring about is quite silly. During last year, we changed our bank accounts, and the new bank transferred all the direct debits as usual, including the one for BW to collect our licence fee.
The new licence disks arrived in good time before Christmas, but they've not taken the cash from my account. Naturally, I don't want to risk losing my prompt payment discount, so I'd emailed to ask what was going on. Since the BW IT system was out of action when I spoke to them, the woman undertook to call me back, which indeed she did today.
Admittedly, she'd lost track of what the problem was, so we didn't get much further forward, but she's promised to call back again during the week.
We shall see...watch this space.
Meantime, I finished the fender yesterday, so that can be fitted when I've a moment and some decent weather: it's blowing up for the forecast storm at the moment, so no chance of it until tomorrow at the earliest.
Today we made a leisurely start – Graeme wasn't due to collect Sheila until lunchtime, so we were able to potter about, Sheila finishing her packing and things, me going out to buy a paper and then reading it. Graeme turned up in good time, and they went off after lunch. I've had a fairly lazy afternoon, playing with stuff on the laptop and reading.
I've had an interesting exchange with Adam on his Debdale log about the idea of following up boat reviews after a year or so to see how things work out, especially where the boat has unusual features. This led him to challenge me to say what we'd do differently on Sanity, and to give more background to our early days on the boat, before I started this blog.
It'll certainly give me something to write about whilst Sheila's away, and keep me occupied now that the fender is finished. In the meantime, for those interested in Sanity's build and pictures thereof, there's always the static website, of course.
We made a prompt start yesterday, and in just under two hours boating were in Penkridge. We crossed with just the one boat, Epinone, at Shutt Hill Lock.
After a trip to the very useful shops here, we had lunch, and then I worked on the fender whilst Sheila did some proof reading. I made a break in this merry session by calling BW's Customer Services desk to ask why I hadn't had a reply to my email of Thursday 8 January. (They claim to respond to all emails within five working days.)
The woman I spoke to was very pleasant, but couldn't offer any explanation for the non-response. The situation I was enquiring about is quite silly. During last year, we changed our bank accounts, and the new bank transferred all the direct debits as usual, including the one for BW to collect our licence fee.
The new licence disks arrived in good time before Christmas, but they've not taken the cash from my account. Naturally, I don't want to risk losing my prompt payment discount, so I'd emailed to ask what was going on. Since the BW IT system was out of action when I spoke to them, the woman undertook to call me back, which indeed she did today.
Admittedly, she'd lost track of what the problem was, so we didn't get much further forward, but she's promised to call back again during the week.
We shall see...watch this space.
Meantime, I finished the fender yesterday, so that can be fitted when I've a moment and some decent weather: it's blowing up for the forecast storm at the moment, so no chance of it until tomorrow at the earliest.
Today we made a leisurely start – Graeme wasn't due to collect Sheila until lunchtime, so we were able to potter about, Sheila finishing her packing and things, me going out to buy a paper and then reading it. Graeme turned up in good time, and they went off after lunch. I've had a fairly lazy afternoon, playing with stuff on the laptop and reading.
I've had an interesting exchange with Adam on his Debdale log about the idea of following up boat reviews after a year or so to see how things work out, especially where the boat has unusual features. This led him to challenge me to say what we'd do differently on Sanity, and to give more background to our early days on the boat, before I started this blog.
It'll certainly give me something to write about whilst Sheila's away, and keep me occupied now that the fender is finished. In the meantime, for those interested in Sanity's build and pictures thereof, there's always the static website, of course.
Labels:
Penkridge
Thursday, 15 January 2009
A day at Great Haywood, and a day on the move
14th & 15th January
As forecast, it was cold again the night before last, so our decision to get to Great Haywood early was validated. The cut was lightly frozen over next to the boat in the morning, and when we took a walk to Tixall Wide later in the day, we were able to see that it had been much thicker there.
Leaving Sheila on anchor watch with the engine running, I made a quick trip to the shops, buying a nice but rather small and pricey loaf from the Farm shop and a newspaper in the village.
When I got back, Sheila was proofreading once more, though the weak internet connection gave her some grief in the course of the day, with pages loading only with difficulty. I got on with the fender, doing the other half of the tricky bit through the crotch of the thing. I'm beginning to be quite hopeful about the final result; I've just got the ends of the arms to do, so hopefully it should be finished by the end of the weekend.
The weather stayed cool and misty all day, so that we began to wonder if the further thaw was going to happen, but during the evening it did indeed begin to warm up, and by this morning the ice was all gone. The weather pattern at the moment offers a choice of boating challenges: either it's cold enough to freeze the cut, or it's warm, wet and ... windy.
This was the forecast for this morning, with gusts up to 30 mph. As we planned to water, then back off the water point, go through the junction and reverse onto Anglo Welsh's service wharf, this was a bit alarming. In the event, things were nothing like as problematic as I'd feared, which just shows the importance of avoiding premature pontine progressions (don't cross your bridges until you come to them).
It was Sheila's turn to steer, but by chance she has steered the last twice we've stopped at Anglo Welsh, so out of regard for my amour propre, she said I could do it this time.
"Otherwise, dear," she said sweetly, "they'll think you can't steer the boat."
She duly took Sanity up to the water point, and I left her watering and running another washload whilst I nipped into the village for a more plebeian but substantial loaf, a litre of milk and a paper. When I got back, things were still chugging along, so I went into the yard to check where I should aim for when coming in for services.
To my relief (I'm not proud, and anyway, I know I can steer the boat) I was told that they could do the pump out and diesel if we just pulled back a bit on the water point so that the hoses would reach from the service wharf across the towpath to us. Apparently, BW only lets them do this in the winter, as in the summer "there would be too many walkers and cyclists going by".
This is classic BW inconsistency, of course, as there are many places where boats are serviced across the towpath all year round in exactly this way, the Trading Post at Higher Poynton being the example we know best, and if anything a busier towpath than that at Great Haywood.
No matter, the important thing was that we got it done. It is, as I've said before, a very friendly yard, and strongly recommended. Just to prove my ability, I did the reverse off the bank and turn into the junction for Sheila, which went faultlessly, there being no one around to see it.
We boated on through Tixall Lock, crossing with a struggling AW boat heading back to base, They'd cilled the stern at Deptmore, and the rudder was now bent over at an angle, giving them some serious grief steering. Round the outskirts of Stafford we plodded. Radnor Bank is the closest approach, with a bridge with a nasty arch on the offside, well scarred from contact with cabin roofs.
To avoid future incidents, BW have just fixed one of the ugliest bits of channel narrowing I've seen for a long time. It's a galvanised steel and timber baulk construction, suspended by galvanised chains from the abutments and the underside of the arch. It makes the channel a bare seven foot wide, if that. Despite lining up as carefully as she could, Sheila managed to hit both this thing and the towpath edge at the same time.
By twelve we were approaching Stafford Boat Club. I made mugs of soup to keep us going, which we'd drunk by the time we worked up Deptmore Lock. We've tied at the top for the night, in steadily increasing wind, and will go on to Penkridge in the morning.
As forecast, it was cold again the night before last, so our decision to get to Great Haywood early was validated. The cut was lightly frozen over next to the boat in the morning, and when we took a walk to Tixall Wide later in the day, we were able to see that it had been much thicker there.
Leaving Sheila on anchor watch with the engine running, I made a quick trip to the shops, buying a nice but rather small and pricey loaf from the Farm shop and a newspaper in the village.
When I got back, Sheila was proofreading once more, though the weak internet connection gave her some grief in the course of the day, with pages loading only with difficulty. I got on with the fender, doing the other half of the tricky bit through the crotch of the thing. I'm beginning to be quite hopeful about the final result; I've just got the ends of the arms to do, so hopefully it should be finished by the end of the weekend.
The weather stayed cool and misty all day, so that we began to wonder if the further thaw was going to happen, but during the evening it did indeed begin to warm up, and by this morning the ice was all gone. The weather pattern at the moment offers a choice of boating challenges: either it's cold enough to freeze the cut, or it's warm, wet and ... windy.
This was the forecast for this morning, with gusts up to 30 mph. As we planned to water, then back off the water point, go through the junction and reverse onto Anglo Welsh's service wharf, this was a bit alarming. In the event, things were nothing like as problematic as I'd feared, which just shows the importance of avoiding premature pontine progressions (don't cross your bridges until you come to them).
It was Sheila's turn to steer, but by chance she has steered the last twice we've stopped at Anglo Welsh, so out of regard for my amour propre, she said I could do it this time.
"Otherwise, dear," she said sweetly, "they'll think you can't steer the boat."
She duly took Sanity up to the water point, and I left her watering and running another washload whilst I nipped into the village for a more plebeian but substantial loaf, a litre of milk and a paper. When I got back, things were still chugging along, so I went into the yard to check where I should aim for when coming in for services.
To my relief (I'm not proud, and anyway, I know I can steer the boat) I was told that they could do the pump out and diesel if we just pulled back a bit on the water point so that the hoses would reach from the service wharf across the towpath to us. Apparently, BW only lets them do this in the winter, as in the summer "there would be too many walkers and cyclists going by".
This is classic BW inconsistency, of course, as there are many places where boats are serviced across the towpath all year round in exactly this way, the Trading Post at Higher Poynton being the example we know best, and if anything a busier towpath than that at Great Haywood.
No matter, the important thing was that we got it done. It is, as I've said before, a very friendly yard, and strongly recommended. Just to prove my ability, I did the reverse off the bank and turn into the junction for Sheila, which went faultlessly, there being no one around to see it.
We boated on through Tixall Lock, crossing with a struggling AW boat heading back to base, They'd cilled the stern at Deptmore, and the rudder was now bent over at an angle, giving them some serious grief steering. Round the outskirts of Stafford we plodded. Radnor Bank is the closest approach, with a bridge with a nasty arch on the offside, well scarred from contact with cabin roofs.
To avoid future incidents, BW have just fixed one of the ugliest bits of channel narrowing I've seen for a long time. It's a galvanised steel and timber baulk construction, suspended by galvanised chains from the abutments and the underside of the arch. It makes the channel a bare seven foot wide, if that. Despite lining up as carefully as she could, Sheila managed to hit both this thing and the towpath edge at the same time.
By twelve we were approaching Stafford Boat Club. I made mugs of soup to keep us going, which we'd drunk by the time we worked up Deptmore Lock. We've tied at the top for the night, in steadily increasing wind, and will go on to Penkridge in the morning.
Labels:
Deptmore,
Great Haywood
Tuesday, 13 January 2009
Away towards Stourport
12th & 13th January
The night before last was wet and windy (I guess if I was around forty years younger, I'd say "well wild" but that thought never crossed my mind), and we woke early, Sheila having announced the night before that she wanted to make an early start. The thought that the weather was due to improve as the morning went on led to a change of plan, and we hung about on the mooring until nine, when I started the engine.
At 9.30 we pushed across to the water point; the engine having run for a bit and got warmed up, we were able to run a washload whilst waiting for the slow Fradley tap to fill the tank.
By ten we were all set, and headed off up the flight. Jacqui off Timewarp had come past walking the dog whilst we were watering, and had told us that all the locks were with us, and this did indeed prove to be the case. I don't think anyone had used them for a couple of days, and they'd all drained down. The result was an easy run to Kings Bromley, where we moored a bit beyond the entrance to the marina as usual.
The weather was still quite gusty, but much, much milder. We had a quiet afternoon and evening. The new fender is progressing; it's the first time I've attempted a vee shape, and working in the crux of the vee is quite challenging. As usual, I'm not entirely satisfied with how it's turning out, but no doubt subsequent attempts will improve.
It was very pleasant to feel that we were on our way again on a decently long trip, and to be moored in a really rural spot. The only disturbances to our dozing over books (or Readers, really) in the evening were bird related. They must have seriously deaf pigeons around KB, because the local gas powered birdscarers are the loudest we've ever heard.
More tranquilly*, we heard a female tawny owl giving of her best woo-hoo as we were nearly ready for our pit: marvellous.
Today we managed the prompt start, having decided to come all the way through to Great Haywood in one day, rather than splitting the journey at Wolseley as usual. There is a risk of frost overnight, just for tonight, and we want to be sure of getting at least as far as Acton Trussell by Friday night, so that Graeme can collect Sheila on Saturday.
It was mostly a very fine day's boating, still mild; after a bit the sun broke through, and it was downright glorious. We got to Rugeley before eleven, and found very few boats there. In fact, on arrival, there was only the pair of short Peggy O'Neill boats on the moorings, shopping like ourselves. Another one or two came through and stopped briefly, but you can tell that the only boats on the move at the moment are regular continuous cruisers, all of whom regard Rugeley as a day time stop only.
By the time we'd shopped and put stuff away, it was gone half eleven, so we decided to hang about and eat an early lunch before finishing the day's boating. Another two hours got us to Great Haywood. There are a few more boats about here, but once more there was no problem finding a mooring.
(Actually, No Problem's at Willington at the moment, but you know what I mean).
We've had another quiet afternoon of it, and will probably stop here tomorrow, before watering, and getting a pump out and diesel from Anglo Welsh on Thursday.
*I'm not sure about this construction, but I am sure that "tranquillier" is a comparative too far.
The night before last was wet and windy (I guess if I was around forty years younger, I'd say "well wild" but that thought never crossed my mind), and we woke early, Sheila having announced the night before that she wanted to make an early start. The thought that the weather was due to improve as the morning went on led to a change of plan, and we hung about on the mooring until nine, when I started the engine.
At 9.30 we pushed across to the water point; the engine having run for a bit and got warmed up, we were able to run a washload whilst waiting for the slow Fradley tap to fill the tank.
By ten we were all set, and headed off up the flight. Jacqui off Timewarp had come past walking the dog whilst we were watering, and had told us that all the locks were with us, and this did indeed prove to be the case. I don't think anyone had used them for a couple of days, and they'd all drained down. The result was an easy run to Kings Bromley, where we moored a bit beyond the entrance to the marina as usual.
The weather was still quite gusty, but much, much milder. We had a quiet afternoon and evening. The new fender is progressing; it's the first time I've attempted a vee shape, and working in the crux of the vee is quite challenging. As usual, I'm not entirely satisfied with how it's turning out, but no doubt subsequent attempts will improve.
It was very pleasant to feel that we were on our way again on a decently long trip, and to be moored in a really rural spot. The only disturbances to our dozing over books (or Readers, really) in the evening were bird related. They must have seriously deaf pigeons around KB, because the local gas powered birdscarers are the loudest we've ever heard.
More tranquilly*, we heard a female tawny owl giving of her best woo-hoo as we were nearly ready for our pit: marvellous.
Today we managed the prompt start, having decided to come all the way through to Great Haywood in one day, rather than splitting the journey at Wolseley as usual. There is a risk of frost overnight, just for tonight, and we want to be sure of getting at least as far as Acton Trussell by Friday night, so that Graeme can collect Sheila on Saturday.
It was mostly a very fine day's boating, still mild; after a bit the sun broke through, and it was downright glorious. We got to Rugeley before eleven, and found very few boats there. In fact, on arrival, there was only the pair of short Peggy O'Neill boats on the moorings, shopping like ourselves. Another one or two came through and stopped briefly, but you can tell that the only boats on the move at the moment are regular continuous cruisers, all of whom regard Rugeley as a day time stop only.
By the time we'd shopped and put stuff away, it was gone half eleven, so we decided to hang about and eat an early lunch before finishing the day's boating. Another two hours got us to Great Haywood. There are a few more boats about here, but once more there was no problem finding a mooring.
(Actually, No Problem's at Willington at the moment, but you know what I mean).
We've had another quiet afternoon of it, and will probably stop here tomorrow, before watering, and getting a pump out and diesel from Anglo Welsh on Thursday.
*I'm not sure about this construction, but I am sure that "tranquillier" is a comparative too far.
Labels:
Great Haywood,
King's Bromley
Sunday, 11 January 2009
Lurking at Fradley
10th & 11th January
The weather forecast finally came true yesterday morning; the cut was frozen quite hard when we eventually staggered out of our pits. I walked into Alrewas again, this time taking the Garmin with me. I wanted to use it to decide whether the route across the playing fields from Bagnall Lock was, as it appeared to be, quicker than going on down the canal and crossing by Gallows Bridge.
It was a pleasant walk in cold but not frosty weather. Using the Garmin not only indicated that the playing field route was (just) shorter, but also that I was walking around four and a half miles in total for the pleasure of having a copy of the Independent on Saturday.
Back at the boat, I made a start on the next fender, the vee shaped one for the bow. When I've done and fitted this, Sanity will be exclusively equipped with fenders I've made. They are not, I believe, as neat or smart as the professional ones obtainable from Tradline, but it's still quite a buzz.
Elanor showed up for lunch, complete with freshly cut and dyed hair. She's reverted to her copper colour for this month, which is very striking. As planned she took us to the Lichfield Morrison's to stock up.
After she'd gone we had a quiet time. I pressed on with my half hitching, whilst Sheila took it very easy: her back had decided to give her a bit of trouble. It's been a while since she had an episode of what used to be a regular problem for her, but a dose of anti-inflammatory meant she was feeling much better by bedtime.
This morning we woke to much less sign of ice. There was still a layer under the melt water, and the wind was scheduled to get up in the course of the day, so we decided to stay put for the moment. We're on a 48 hour mooring here, and this is the first time this winter that we've overstayed, but we should be away tomorrow.
The downside of the morning was that the Eberspacher failed to start again first thing. Investigating after breakfast showed that the fuse holder was once more dropping voltage. I've fixed it again for now, but that fuse holder has to go. Hopefully, whilst Sheila is off the boat next week, I'll be able to call at Midland Chandlers as I head for Penkridge. I've already got a 25 amp mini circuit breaker I can substitute for the in-line fuse holder, but I need some hefty spade terminal sockets to fit on the ends of the line.
The ice has continued to melt during the day, and now is largely gone, with just a few bits and bobs floating about. After lunch we took a little ramble up the flight, stopping to chat with Tony and Jacquie off Timewarp at the top. There's not much more ice up there, so we're pretty hopeful about escaping in the morning
The weather forecast finally came true yesterday morning; the cut was frozen quite hard when we eventually staggered out of our pits. I walked into Alrewas again, this time taking the Garmin with me. I wanted to use it to decide whether the route across the playing fields from Bagnall Lock was, as it appeared to be, quicker than going on down the canal and crossing by Gallows Bridge.
It was a pleasant walk in cold but not frosty weather. Using the Garmin not only indicated that the playing field route was (just) shorter, but also that I was walking around four and a half miles in total for the pleasure of having a copy of the Independent on Saturday.
Back at the boat, I made a start on the next fender, the vee shaped one for the bow. When I've done and fitted this, Sanity will be exclusively equipped with fenders I've made. They are not, I believe, as neat or smart as the professional ones obtainable from Tradline, but it's still quite a buzz.
Elanor showed up for lunch, complete with freshly cut and dyed hair. She's reverted to her copper colour for this month, which is very striking. As planned she took us to the Lichfield Morrison's to stock up.
After she'd gone we had a quiet time. I pressed on with my half hitching, whilst Sheila took it very easy: her back had decided to give her a bit of trouble. It's been a while since she had an episode of what used to be a regular problem for her, but a dose of anti-inflammatory meant she was feeling much better by bedtime.
This morning we woke to much less sign of ice. There was still a layer under the melt water, and the wind was scheduled to get up in the course of the day, so we decided to stay put for the moment. We're on a 48 hour mooring here, and this is the first time this winter that we've overstayed, but we should be away tomorrow.
The downside of the morning was that the Eberspacher failed to start again first thing. Investigating after breakfast showed that the fuse holder was once more dropping voltage. I've fixed it again for now, but that fuse holder has to go. Hopefully, whilst Sheila is off the boat next week, I'll be able to call at Midland Chandlers as I head for Penkridge. I've already got a 25 amp mini circuit breaker I can substitute for the in-line fuse holder, but I need some hefty spade terminal sockets to fit on the ends of the line.
The ice has continued to melt during the day, and now is largely gone, with just a few bits and bobs floating about. After lunch we took a little ramble up the flight, stopping to chat with Tony and Jacquie off Timewarp at the top. There's not much more ice up there, so we're pretty hopeful about escaping in the morning
Labels:
Fradley
Friday, 9 January 2009
Ice Breaker Sanity
8th & 9th January
The night before last was milder, but still quite cold. In the morning, we saw that the ice cover on the canal had not thawed off as much as we'd hoped. After a lazy start, we had to face a dilemma – to go or not to go? The forecast indicated that last night would be colder again, and tonight (Friday) back to seriously sub-zero temperatures.
This implied that staying where we were would mean no move until Sunday at the earliest, when it is scheduled to be much milder, but windier. By then, the water tank would be well down, and we could face the same boating conditions but now with added wind.
With the decisiveness for which we are noted, we resolved to wait until after coffee. I poddled off to the village to get supplies, noting as I did so that the towpath was still quite treacherous. On my return, we wandered up above Bagnall Lock, where we could see that there was water on top of the ice, suggesting that it was softening (to save Sheila adding a comment, I'll supply it for her here: "Not to me it didn't").
We had an early lunch, and decided to go. The towpath was much better, and the thought of running out of water was dominant. It transpired that the ice was much thicker than it appeared, even where it was water covered (Sheila: "Told you so").
In fact, I can't recall when I last boated in such tough conditions, ice-wise. Leaving Bagnall Lock, where ice had washed and blown down the long pound from Common and then piled up, Sanity's bow was actually rising onto the ice before crashing down through it. It's not good for the blacking, but at least the Tim Tyler Josher style bow does a great job of cutting through the ice.
On arrival at Fradley, we found that a bit of blacking had been removed, especially from the rubbing strakes on the swell of the bow, where Sanity had been shouldering the ice aside.
We watered, ran a wash load and pushed across to the visitor moorings (another interesting exercise when pushing ice across with you). Settling down for the afternoon, we were disappointed to find that the internet connection was stubbornly GPRS rather than 3G, but apart from that there was the relief of being securely within reach of a water supply again.
For some reason the local ducks proceeded to quack on and off all night, (they can't be getting amorous already, can they?) but apart from that we were able to get a decent night's sleep.
Taking our time to get up this morning, we found that Sod had struck again. Having gone through all the hassle of moving yesterday, it had, contrary to forecast, continued to thaw overnight. We could have come up today with very little trouble indeed.
The result was a fair bit of boat movement during the day, such that we are actually on our own on these normally busy moorings tonight. It does look as if it's going to freeze again, so we will have an excuse to stay put tomorrow. Elanor is coming over to give us a lift to the supermarket, so we can stock up before setting off for some proper boating again.
The other example of Sod's Law this afternoon came when I got all organised to replace the accumulator in the water system. Just before taking the old one off, I checked its pressure to make sure that there was at least some, so that it would be empty of water. It hadn't lost any pressure since I changed the pump last week.
Following Napier's First Law of Maintenance (Not broke = Don't fix), I've left it in place. At least we now have a spare for when age finally gets to the existing fitting.
Sheila's taken advantage of the dry weather to sort out all the wood on the roof, so we are now set up for a while with fuel, and we are both possessed of a sense of achievement.
The night before last was milder, but still quite cold. In the morning, we saw that the ice cover on the canal had not thawed off as much as we'd hoped. After a lazy start, we had to face a dilemma – to go or not to go? The forecast indicated that last night would be colder again, and tonight (Friday) back to seriously sub-zero temperatures.
This implied that staying where we were would mean no move until Sunday at the earliest, when it is scheduled to be much milder, but windier. By then, the water tank would be well down, and we could face the same boating conditions but now with added wind.
With the decisiveness for which we are noted, we resolved to wait until after coffee. I poddled off to the village to get supplies, noting as I did so that the towpath was still quite treacherous. On my return, we wandered up above Bagnall Lock, where we could see that there was water on top of the ice, suggesting that it was softening (to save Sheila adding a comment, I'll supply it for her here: "Not to me it didn't").
We had an early lunch, and decided to go. The towpath was much better, and the thought of running out of water was dominant. It transpired that the ice was much thicker than it appeared, even where it was water covered (Sheila: "Told you so").
In fact, I can't recall when I last boated in such tough conditions, ice-wise. Leaving Bagnall Lock, where ice had washed and blown down the long pound from Common and then piled up, Sanity's bow was actually rising onto the ice before crashing down through it. It's not good for the blacking, but at least the Tim Tyler Josher style bow does a great job of cutting through the ice.
On arrival at Fradley, we found that a bit of blacking had been removed, especially from the rubbing strakes on the swell of the bow, where Sanity had been shouldering the ice aside.
We watered, ran a wash load and pushed across to the visitor moorings (another interesting exercise when pushing ice across with you). Settling down for the afternoon, we were disappointed to find that the internet connection was stubbornly GPRS rather than 3G, but apart from that there was the relief of being securely within reach of a water supply again.
For some reason the local ducks proceeded to quack on and off all night, (they can't be getting amorous already, can they?) but apart from that we were able to get a decent night's sleep.
Taking our time to get up this morning, we found that Sod had struck again. Having gone through all the hassle of moving yesterday, it had, contrary to forecast, continued to thaw overnight. We could have come up today with very little trouble indeed.
The result was a fair bit of boat movement during the day, such that we are actually on our own on these normally busy moorings tonight. It does look as if it's going to freeze again, so we will have an excuse to stay put tomorrow. Elanor is coming over to give us a lift to the supermarket, so we can stock up before setting off for some proper boating again.
The other example of Sod's Law this afternoon came when I got all organised to replace the accumulator in the water system. Just before taking the old one off, I checked its pressure to make sure that there was at least some, so that it would be empty of water. It hadn't lost any pressure since I changed the pump last week.
Following Napier's First Law of Maintenance (Not broke = Don't fix), I've left it in place. At least we now have a spare for when age finally gets to the existing fitting.
Sheila's taken advantage of the dry weather to sort out all the wood on the roof, so we are now set up for a while with fuel, and we are both possessed of a sense of achievement.
Labels:
Fradley
Wednesday, 7 January 2009
Frosty days
6th & 7th January
It was a very very cold night, Monday/Tuesday, enough to disturb sleep somewhat. We had heavy frost on the inside of the Houdini, and the galley clock, which is a bit sensitive to the cold, was seriously confused. I'm waiting for the promised thaw before taking it apart to reset the hands to their right relationship.
It was a struggle to warm the boat first thing, and running the engine in gear made very little difference to the ice clinging to the side of the boat.
In these circumstances, walking around the boat causes weird grinding noises – the boat rocks, and the ice edge rubs up and down the side of the hull.
All this had an upside, of course; the Tuesday morning walk was a fabulous experience in clear frosty conditions. By the time we set off, there were a couple of brave boats on the move, though they can't have been doing their blacking any good.
We had a really good meal in the George and Dragon, too. With less pressure on the staff, and by admitting my problem to Ruth the landlady, we were able to get an order in in good time, and were eating within 15 minutes of getting sat down.
We had a quiet afternoon after all the excitement of the past couple of days. Elanor brought back our washloads, so we are now in a position to hang on here into the weekend if necessary. The forecast is for a thaw during the weekend, though the price we shall pay is rain and wind.
Last night started cold, but warmed up as it went on. This morning we had another run in with the Eberspacher, curses, curses. It started up just fine, but I flushed the loo as it got going, and the combination of the macerator, the water pump and the Eberspacher must have knocked the voltage down to below what was acceptable to the picky thing, and it cut out.
This meant me throwing my clothes on, moving the bike out onto the stern and lifting the board over the battery bank to remove and replace the fuse, thus resetting the heater. As well as swearing never to fit an Eberspacher again (Webastos just don't seem to be so picky), it has also caused us to review whether the bike is really earning its keep.
It's very handy on lock flights, no doubt of that, but do we do enough such flights to justify the hassle it causes accessing the engine bay? It's a hard one – Sheila gets more use out of the bike than I do, and I'm the one who has most cause to curse it, as this morning. We've each been trying to give way to the other, Sheila saying we should sell it, and me going no, you find it useful.
I think we're moving towards letting it go, so Sanity may well have a notice BIKE FOR SALE, £50, once we've had a chance to clean it up.
Later in the morning, I trolled round to Will's, collected the new accumulator and used Jane's PC to authorise my Sony Reader. All went well, until I got back to the boat and realised my boat keys were no longer in my pocket.
There followed an episode of that peculiar panic that strikes when you lose your keys: much hunting every where, call Will so he could do the same, but no keys.
I set off to walk back along my route, and had got as far as enquiring in the Co-op if I'd dropped them there when buying the loaf of bread, when I had another vision, this time of me using my keys first thing to unlock the padlock on the slide to be able to lift the bike out.
I called Sheila, who was still on the boat, and she couldn't find them in the engine room, but then neither could she find the padlock either...
Yup, in my haste to deal with the Eberspacher, I'd left both keys and padlock out on the roof next to the slide. For several hours.
It's going to be a few weeks before I can complain about Sheila's habit of leaving her keys lying around in odd places on the boat: at least she doesn't normally leave them outside.
We've had a quiet afternoon again: a brief walk just to get out and about, and watching the '71 Morecambe and Wise. That's one of their best, with Shirley Bassey in Eric's boots and the Andre Previn sketch: "I'm playing all the right notes, just not necessarily in the right order."
We've seen no traffic past at all, which is a shame. The ice is now quite soft, and if it had been broken up a bit more, we'd have a decent chance of getting up to Fradley tomorrow. As it is, we'll have to see. Wherever we are tomorrow night we're liable to be frozen in again until Sunday, probably, when it's due to be wet and windy.
Watch this blog for further bulletins.
It was a very very cold night, Monday/Tuesday, enough to disturb sleep somewhat. We had heavy frost on the inside of the Houdini, and the galley clock, which is a bit sensitive to the cold, was seriously confused. I'm waiting for the promised thaw before taking it apart to reset the hands to their right relationship.
It was a struggle to warm the boat first thing, and running the engine in gear made very little difference to the ice clinging to the side of the boat.
In these circumstances, walking around the boat causes weird grinding noises – the boat rocks, and the ice edge rubs up and down the side of the hull.
All this had an upside, of course; the Tuesday morning walk was a fabulous experience in clear frosty conditions. By the time we set off, there were a couple of brave boats on the move, though they can't have been doing their blacking any good.
We had a really good meal in the George and Dragon, too. With less pressure on the staff, and by admitting my problem to Ruth the landlady, we were able to get an order in in good time, and were eating within 15 minutes of getting sat down.
We had a quiet afternoon after all the excitement of the past couple of days. Elanor brought back our washloads, so we are now in a position to hang on here into the weekend if necessary. The forecast is for a thaw during the weekend, though the price we shall pay is rain and wind.
Last night started cold, but warmed up as it went on. This morning we had another run in with the Eberspacher, curses, curses. It started up just fine, but I flushed the loo as it got going, and the combination of the macerator, the water pump and the Eberspacher must have knocked the voltage down to below what was acceptable to the picky thing, and it cut out.
This meant me throwing my clothes on, moving the bike out onto the stern and lifting the board over the battery bank to remove and replace the fuse, thus resetting the heater. As well as swearing never to fit an Eberspacher again (Webastos just don't seem to be so picky), it has also caused us to review whether the bike is really earning its keep.
It's very handy on lock flights, no doubt of that, but do we do enough such flights to justify the hassle it causes accessing the engine bay? It's a hard one – Sheila gets more use out of the bike than I do, and I'm the one who has most cause to curse it, as this morning. We've each been trying to give way to the other, Sheila saying we should sell it, and me going no, you find it useful.
I think we're moving towards letting it go, so Sanity may well have a notice BIKE FOR SALE, £50, once we've had a chance to clean it up.
Later in the morning, I trolled round to Will's, collected the new accumulator and used Jane's PC to authorise my Sony Reader. All went well, until I got back to the boat and realised my boat keys were no longer in my pocket.
There followed an episode of that peculiar panic that strikes when you lose your keys: much hunting every where, call Will so he could do the same, but no keys.
I set off to walk back along my route, and had got as far as enquiring in the Co-op if I'd dropped them there when buying the loaf of bread, when I had another vision, this time of me using my keys first thing to unlock the padlock on the slide to be able to lift the bike out.
I called Sheila, who was still on the boat, and she couldn't find them in the engine room, but then neither could she find the padlock either...
Yup, in my haste to deal with the Eberspacher, I'd left both keys and padlock out on the roof next to the slide. For several hours.
It's going to be a few weeks before I can complain about Sheila's habit of leaving her keys lying around in odd places on the boat: at least she doesn't normally leave them outside.
We've had a quiet afternoon again: a brief walk just to get out and about, and watching the '71 Morecambe and Wise. That's one of their best, with Shirley Bassey in Eric's boots and the Andre Previn sketch: "I'm playing all the right notes, just not necessarily in the right order."
We've seen no traffic past at all, which is a shame. The ice is now quite soft, and if it had been broken up a bit more, we'd have a decent chance of getting up to Fradley tomorrow. As it is, we'll have to see. Wherever we are tomorrow night we're liable to be frozen in again until Sunday, probably, when it's due to be wet and windy.
Watch this blog for further bulletins.
Labels:
Alrewas
Monday, 5 January 2009
Carousing in Alrewas
4th & 5th January
Oh dear, and I was going to be so well behaved this year – no more excess drinking, no more late nights carousing with disreputable friends, so how come I heard the church clock strike three as I put the light out last night?
For the answer, read on...
We woke yesterday morning to see some ice floating by on the cut, but nothing too dramatic. We made a lazy start appropriate to a Sunday morning, but after I'd wandered into the village to get a paper and had a cup of coffee, I was seized by a spirit of industry and did the engine oil and filter change.
The gear box seems to have stopped leaking, and everything looked much as normal, though there was a bit more water in the stern bilge than I expected – I may need to tighten up the stern gland again. It's a tricky one; if it's overtightened, the excess heat will wear away the prop shaft, which is made of comparatively soft stainless steel, and would be an expensive repair to replace.
As I was finishing up, some boats started passing by, further breaking up the ice.
We went for a walk after lunch, as far as Common Lock, where we found Fly Agaric waiting below the lock, and another boat just reversing back down it. Seemingly, they'd been taking it in turns to break the ice, but the lead boat, having got into the lock, had found her prop absolutely solid with a coal bag and some other stuff.
They'd had a go at clearing it, but the water being very cold, and as they didn't have a pair of long rubber gloves, this quickly became a test of pain endurance which had defeated them.
Hence the decision to come back out of the lock and for both boats to spend the night on the lock landing, in the hope of warmer conditions in the morning as predicted by the forecast. In any event, the ice above the lock looked pretty solid.
As we were helping them sort this out, another boat, Arkeroo, came up behind, tried unsuccessfully to wind below the lock, and also decided to spend the night there.
Having done all we could to help, we wandered back to the boat. In the course of the day, we'd had an exchange of emails with Jane Howarth, inviting us to dinner last night, and agreeing to make her washing machine available to us. With the cut likely to be pretty impassable for a few days yet, we're trying to avoid using too much water.
In addition to taking a washload to Jane and Will's, we'd prevailed upon Elanor to call in on her way back from a marathon Ceroc dance session to pick up a couple more loads to run in her machine. What would we do without that girl, I don't know. Actually I do, we'd have to exploit our friends even more than we do already.
We filled in the time between tea and going out by finishing off the Canal Boat quiz, which we will now email to the editor in satisfaction of my promise to Martin Ludgate that I'd put in an entry this year.
I have, of course, no interest in the prize (a bottle of Famous Grouse whisky), I'm only doing it for the sport of the thing.
Just after seven on a crisp cold night we set off for Will and Jane's. This turned out to be a stonking evening of good food, helping them eat up various bits and pieces left over from Christmas, drinking a variety of liquors (ditto) and exchanging banter, serious thoughts and arguments for a long time. (At one point, I swear Jane was arguing in favour of the Hindu caste system, but that seems so unlikely, I must have dreamt it.)
When we finally tore ourselves away, it was two in the morning, and snowing. We slipped and slithered our way back to the boat, made a cup of tea, got into bed, drank the tea, put the lights out, and guess what, the church clock struck three.
As may be imagined, it was a very lazy start this morning, and we've had a quiet time of it, pottering about, reading and going for another walk just after lunch. Our friends of yesterday have gone from below Common Lock (I'd put a pair of long rubber gloves in my pocket just in case they hadn't) and we saw a couple of boats on the move.
Back in Sanity, we watched an interesting DVD Will had lent us, made as part of the Alrewas Arts Festival last year, about the canal through here. It was very well done for such a production, and told us a few things we hadn't known about this bit of canal.
It'll be an early night tonight, I guess, and the Village Walk tomorrow. With a bit of luck, the ice will have relented by Thursday, at least enough for us to get up to Fradley, and there's supposed to be a serious change in the weather by the weekend.
Oh dear, and I was going to be so well behaved this year – no more excess drinking, no more late nights carousing with disreputable friends, so how come I heard the church clock strike three as I put the light out last night?
For the answer, read on...
We woke yesterday morning to see some ice floating by on the cut, but nothing too dramatic. We made a lazy start appropriate to a Sunday morning, but after I'd wandered into the village to get a paper and had a cup of coffee, I was seized by a spirit of industry and did the engine oil and filter change.
The gear box seems to have stopped leaking, and everything looked much as normal, though there was a bit more water in the stern bilge than I expected – I may need to tighten up the stern gland again. It's a tricky one; if it's overtightened, the excess heat will wear away the prop shaft, which is made of comparatively soft stainless steel, and would be an expensive repair to replace.
As I was finishing up, some boats started passing by, further breaking up the ice.
We went for a walk after lunch, as far as Common Lock, where we found Fly Agaric waiting below the lock, and another boat just reversing back down it. Seemingly, they'd been taking it in turns to break the ice, but the lead boat, having got into the lock, had found her prop absolutely solid with a coal bag and some other stuff.
They'd had a go at clearing it, but the water being very cold, and as they didn't have a pair of long rubber gloves, this quickly became a test of pain endurance which had defeated them.
Hence the decision to come back out of the lock and for both boats to spend the night on the lock landing, in the hope of warmer conditions in the morning as predicted by the forecast. In any event, the ice above the lock looked pretty solid.
As we were helping them sort this out, another boat, Arkeroo, came up behind, tried unsuccessfully to wind below the lock, and also decided to spend the night there.
Having done all we could to help, we wandered back to the boat. In the course of the day, we'd had an exchange of emails with Jane Howarth, inviting us to dinner last night, and agreeing to make her washing machine available to us. With the cut likely to be pretty impassable for a few days yet, we're trying to avoid using too much water.
In addition to taking a washload to Jane and Will's, we'd prevailed upon Elanor to call in on her way back from a marathon Ceroc dance session to pick up a couple more loads to run in her machine. What would we do without that girl, I don't know. Actually I do, we'd have to exploit our friends even more than we do already.
We filled in the time between tea and going out by finishing off the Canal Boat quiz, which we will now email to the editor in satisfaction of my promise to Martin Ludgate that I'd put in an entry this year.
I have, of course, no interest in the prize (a bottle of Famous Grouse whisky), I'm only doing it for the sport of the thing.
Just after seven on a crisp cold night we set off for Will and Jane's. This turned out to be a stonking evening of good food, helping them eat up various bits and pieces left over from Christmas, drinking a variety of liquors (ditto) and exchanging banter, serious thoughts and arguments for a long time. (At one point, I swear Jane was arguing in favour of the Hindu caste system, but that seems so unlikely, I must have dreamt it.)
When we finally tore ourselves away, it was two in the morning, and snowing. We slipped and slithered our way back to the boat, made a cup of tea, got into bed, drank the tea, put the lights out, and guess what, the church clock struck three.
As may be imagined, it was a very lazy start this morning, and we've had a quiet time of it, pottering about, reading and going for another walk just after lunch. Our friends of yesterday have gone from below Common Lock (I'd put a pair of long rubber gloves in my pocket just in case they hadn't) and we saw a couple of boats on the move.
Back in Sanity, we watched an interesting DVD Will had lent us, made as part of the Alrewas Arts Festival last year, about the canal through here. It was very well done for such a production, and told us a few things we hadn't known about this bit of canal.
It'll be an early night tonight, I guess, and the Village Walk tomorrow. With a bit of luck, the ice will have relented by Thursday, at least enough for us to get up to Fradley, and there's supposed to be a serious change in the weather by the weekend.
Labels:
Alrewas
Saturday, 3 January 2009
A new water pump and lots of other stuff
2nd & 3rd January
After a remarkably good night's sleep, we had a relaxed start yesterday before Elanor and I went off to the Council tip at Shobnall to dispose of a quantity of stuff we'd taken out of her house the day before. A call at Morrison's on the way back meant I could replenish stocks depleted by the festivities. Elanor then went about her affairs whilst we boated down to Shobnall for pump out, diesel and to buy a new water pump.
They really are very pleasant and helpful at Shobnall: one of the nicer places to go for routine stuff, and their chandlery is well stocked for a small one. Not Midland Chandlers by any means, but a good range, and they will always order something for you if they haven't got it.
Back to the Morrison's mooring we went, just in time for lunch, after which I changed the pump. This proved to be one of the simplest jobs I've ever undertaken on the boat, which is reassuring. The Jabsco uses "snap in swivel ports" which sound alarming, but actually look more like the HozeLock connectors on your garden hose than anything.
It meant that, doing a like for like swap, I didn't have to disturb any of the pipe work connections – I just unplugged the connectors from the old pump and snapped them into the new one. There was a very helpful explanatory leaflet in the box, what's more. If doing this job, don't forget to a) switch off the power supply to the pump, b) close the supply cock from the water tank, and c) open a tap, allow the pressure to run off and then close the tap again.
Doing this meant that only a little water trickled out when I disconnected the old pump, most of it from within the pump itself. Initially I tightened up the fixing screws which hold the pump onto its mounting board a little enthusiastically, which made the pump a bit noisy, as I'd over-compressed the rubber mounts that are designed to reduce noise transmission; I sorted that today, and the pump now runs much, much quieter than the old one did.
Being a curious type (ho, ho, yes, I know), I then followed the instructions on the pack leaflet to dismantle the old one. There did not appear to be much wrong with the diaphragm and pistons that I could see, but there clearly must have been some wear as the pump body had been leaking. The motor, on the other hand, felt rough when I turned it, and the commutator was scored and manky looking, which probably explains the way the pump was struggling to make the cut off pressure, and was drawing a bit more than the 5 amps it's rated for.
Later in the afternoon, Elanor came back and took us to the Barton Turns butcher, so that I could restock the freezer with their nice meat.
After all that we had a quiet evening: curiously, having turned the boat around, the quality of the internet connection had deteriorated, so we moved the laptop into the saloon, so as to put the modem in a porthole facing the right way.
Today we had another relaxed start, strolling over to Morrison's again, then boating off on a remarkably ice free canal, considering how cold it had been overnight. After three hours we were back on the Alrewas water point, where there was much more evidence of the canal having frozen, though by half twelve (as it was then) it was well broken up.
The taps on the water point, however, were still frozen solid. It took a good bit of attention from my cook's blowtorch and a kettle of hot water before one of them unfroze, after which we had no bother topping up the water tank.
Whilst doing all this, another boat came up the lock and snaffled the mooring space we had our eye on, so we've come back to our old favourite next to the iron gate onto the road.
After another peaceful afternoon, Elanor popped in just as I was thinking of doing this blog; I can't complain, as she'd brought a load of firewood for us, two rubber mats to form the core of my next fender, and some ham stock cubes from Sainsbury's, Morrison's not having had them in stock, as it were.
She's bought herself a Sony Reader, being very impressed with ours, so we had a merry time shifting stuff off my laptop onto hers using a WiFi connection, and generally playing around with the kit. She's another Machead, so she will now have to find a mate with a PC to authorise her Reader if she wants to buy books online.
I'd been going to do a beef curry with some of the left over beef from New Year, but by the time Elanor had gone, and as I still had this blog to do, it's going to be spag bol from the freezer, and the curry will wait for another day.
We'll be here in Alrewas for at least a few days more, until the replacement accumulator arrives, and possibly longer if this cold snap continues and keeps us frozen in. Not to worry – we've got full water and diesel tanks and an empty toilet tank, so it'll be a while before we're in trouble (on that score at least).
After a remarkably good night's sleep, we had a relaxed start yesterday before Elanor and I went off to the Council tip at Shobnall to dispose of a quantity of stuff we'd taken out of her house the day before. A call at Morrison's on the way back meant I could replenish stocks depleted by the festivities. Elanor then went about her affairs whilst we boated down to Shobnall for pump out, diesel and to buy a new water pump.
They really are very pleasant and helpful at Shobnall: one of the nicer places to go for routine stuff, and their chandlery is well stocked for a small one. Not Midland Chandlers by any means, but a good range, and they will always order something for you if they haven't got it.
Back to the Morrison's mooring we went, just in time for lunch, after which I changed the pump. This proved to be one of the simplest jobs I've ever undertaken on the boat, which is reassuring. The Jabsco uses "snap in swivel ports" which sound alarming, but actually look more like the HozeLock connectors on your garden hose than anything.
It meant that, doing a like for like swap, I didn't have to disturb any of the pipe work connections – I just unplugged the connectors from the old pump and snapped them into the new one. There was a very helpful explanatory leaflet in the box, what's more. If doing this job, don't forget to a) switch off the power supply to the pump, b) close the supply cock from the water tank, and c) open a tap, allow the pressure to run off and then close the tap again.
Doing this meant that only a little water trickled out when I disconnected the old pump, most of it from within the pump itself. Initially I tightened up the fixing screws which hold the pump onto its mounting board a little enthusiastically, which made the pump a bit noisy, as I'd over-compressed the rubber mounts that are designed to reduce noise transmission; I sorted that today, and the pump now runs much, much quieter than the old one did.
Being a curious type (ho, ho, yes, I know), I then followed the instructions on the pack leaflet to dismantle the old one. There did not appear to be much wrong with the diaphragm and pistons that I could see, but there clearly must have been some wear as the pump body had been leaking. The motor, on the other hand, felt rough when I turned it, and the commutator was scored and manky looking, which probably explains the way the pump was struggling to make the cut off pressure, and was drawing a bit more than the 5 amps it's rated for.
Later in the afternoon, Elanor came back and took us to the Barton Turns butcher, so that I could restock the freezer with their nice meat.
After all that we had a quiet evening: curiously, having turned the boat around, the quality of the internet connection had deteriorated, so we moved the laptop into the saloon, so as to put the modem in a porthole facing the right way.
Today we had another relaxed start, strolling over to Morrison's again, then boating off on a remarkably ice free canal, considering how cold it had been overnight. After three hours we were back on the Alrewas water point, where there was much more evidence of the canal having frozen, though by half twelve (as it was then) it was well broken up.
The taps on the water point, however, were still frozen solid. It took a good bit of attention from my cook's blowtorch and a kettle of hot water before one of them unfroze, after which we had no bother topping up the water tank.
Whilst doing all this, another boat came up the lock and snaffled the mooring space we had our eye on, so we've come back to our old favourite next to the iron gate onto the road.
After another peaceful afternoon, Elanor popped in just as I was thinking of doing this blog; I can't complain, as she'd brought a load of firewood for us, two rubber mats to form the core of my next fender, and some ham stock cubes from Sainsbury's, Morrison's not having had them in stock, as it were.
She's bought herself a Sony Reader, being very impressed with ours, so we had a merry time shifting stuff off my laptop onto hers using a WiFi connection, and generally playing around with the kit. She's another Machead, so she will now have to find a mate with a PC to authorise her Reader if she wants to buy books online.
I'd been going to do a beef curry with some of the left over beef from New Year, but by the time Elanor had gone, and as I still had this blog to do, it's going to be spag bol from the freezer, and the curry will wait for another day.
We'll be here in Alrewas for at least a few days more, until the replacement accumulator arrives, and possibly longer if this cold snap continues and keeps us frozen in. Not to worry – we've got full water and diesel tanks and an empty toilet tank, so it'll be a while before we're in trouble (on that score at least).
Labels:
Alrewas,
Morrison's
Thursday, 1 January 2009
Seeing the New Year in
31st December 2008 & 1st January 2009
We woke yesterday morning to find that, as we'd feared, the cut had frozen quite hard overnight. It was around one eighth of an inch thick near the boat, but rather thicker and harder in the centre of the channel. I took care to start the engine first thing, and to use it to clear the ice away from the immediate vicinity of the hull by running in gear, first ahead for a couple of minutes, so that the prop was free of ice, then astern for a while longer, blowing the broken ice away from the side.
I don't normally approve of running in gear – the wash is not good for the side of the canal - but I make an exception when iced in, as it greatly reduces the grinding of ice against the boat when another passes. It is important, firstly to take care when running astern – if anything or anyone were to fall in immediately behind the boat, it or they would be swiftly drawn into the prop with catastrophic consequences – and not to go on longer than absolutely necessary to achieve the effect.
There was in fact a fair bit of traffic to and fro during the morning, and by lunchtime the ice was well broken. We'd made a trip into the village to buy meat from the butchers, mince and a fore rib of beef for today, and to get top up supplies from the Co-op.
A check on the Met Office site showed that if anything, the weather was due to get colder over the New Year period. With the toilet tank approaching full, and the boatyards not open until Friday, what to do was the question. We pondered this over lunch, and in the end decided to boat down into Burton, stopping at the Morrison's mooring overnight. We figured that a mooring further into the centre of town might well be quite noisy on New Year's Eve. In addition, there's not much casual parking at Shobnall, and Elanor was due to join us for the night.
With a sense of relief at having a plan to follow, we set off, first leaving a voice mail message for Elanor to keep her up to date. In the event, it all worked out very well. We passed a couple of boats coming the other way, who reassured us that the cut was presently ice free all the way in, and three hours later found a space at the Morrison's mooring without difficulty.
Elanor duly turned up at five, and we had a merry night of it, scoffing home made lasagne and consuming various beverages. It was two o'clock by the time we were in bed, which is really seriously late for us these days.
As may be imagined, we had a quiet start today, but there were no reports of after effects of the night's carousing. We've got quite a good internet connection here at the moment, so I started cleaning up the way some of my earlier posts are labelled. When I first began, I used to label posts rather haphazardly, but these days I use the labels to indicate our location at the end of each day. I've set the layout to show these labels at the end of every post, and I'm gradually going back to the early ones to bring them into line.
By mid morning we'd all had breakfast, and agreed to go over to Elanor's place to do some reorganising of her furniture, and to see if a gas fire in her lounge was in functioning condition.
This programme was achieved successfully; the gas fire, which had been screened by some other stuff until now, on being cleaned and examined looked absolutely fine, and when lit burnt well with no sign of problems either with its air supply or its flue. Because her current double glazing was fitted after the house was built, and the gas fire is original, I've advised Elanor to keep one of the windows on its ventilation setting when using the fire, and to get and fit a carbon monoxide alarm in the lounge just to be on the safe side. You can't be too careful when living alone.
Mid afternoon we all came back to the boat to run the engine and so on. We'll have the rib of beef tonight, and a rather earlier bed time, I expect. Tomorrow, we'll make a trip to Morrison's, then take Sanity down to Shobnall for pump out, diesel and to buy a replacement water pump.
We woke yesterday morning to find that, as we'd feared, the cut had frozen quite hard overnight. It was around one eighth of an inch thick near the boat, but rather thicker and harder in the centre of the channel. I took care to start the engine first thing, and to use it to clear the ice away from the immediate vicinity of the hull by running in gear, first ahead for a couple of minutes, so that the prop was free of ice, then astern for a while longer, blowing the broken ice away from the side.
I don't normally approve of running in gear – the wash is not good for the side of the canal - but I make an exception when iced in, as it greatly reduces the grinding of ice against the boat when another passes. It is important, firstly to take care when running astern – if anything or anyone were to fall in immediately behind the boat, it or they would be swiftly drawn into the prop with catastrophic consequences – and not to go on longer than absolutely necessary to achieve the effect.
There was in fact a fair bit of traffic to and fro during the morning, and by lunchtime the ice was well broken. We'd made a trip into the village to buy meat from the butchers, mince and a fore rib of beef for today, and to get top up supplies from the Co-op.
A check on the Met Office site showed that if anything, the weather was due to get colder over the New Year period. With the toilet tank approaching full, and the boatyards not open until Friday, what to do was the question. We pondered this over lunch, and in the end decided to boat down into Burton, stopping at the Morrison's mooring overnight. We figured that a mooring further into the centre of town might well be quite noisy on New Year's Eve. In addition, there's not much casual parking at Shobnall, and Elanor was due to join us for the night.
With a sense of relief at having a plan to follow, we set off, first leaving a voice mail message for Elanor to keep her up to date. In the event, it all worked out very well. We passed a couple of boats coming the other way, who reassured us that the cut was presently ice free all the way in, and three hours later found a space at the Morrison's mooring without difficulty.
Elanor duly turned up at five, and we had a merry night of it, scoffing home made lasagne and consuming various beverages. It was two o'clock by the time we were in bed, which is really seriously late for us these days.
As may be imagined, we had a quiet start today, but there were no reports of after effects of the night's carousing. We've got quite a good internet connection here at the moment, so I started cleaning up the way some of my earlier posts are labelled. When I first began, I used to label posts rather haphazardly, but these days I use the labels to indicate our location at the end of each day. I've set the layout to show these labels at the end of every post, and I'm gradually going back to the early ones to bring them into line.
By mid morning we'd all had breakfast, and agreed to go over to Elanor's place to do some reorganising of her furniture, and to see if a gas fire in her lounge was in functioning condition.
This programme was achieved successfully; the gas fire, which had been screened by some other stuff until now, on being cleaned and examined looked absolutely fine, and when lit burnt well with no sign of problems either with its air supply or its flue. Because her current double glazing was fitted after the house was built, and the gas fire is original, I've advised Elanor to keep one of the windows on its ventilation setting when using the fire, and to get and fit a carbon monoxide alarm in the lounge just to be on the safe side. You can't be too careful when living alone.
Mid afternoon we all came back to the boat to run the engine and so on. We'll have the rib of beef tonight, and a rather earlier bed time, I expect. Tomorrow, we'll make a trip to Morrison's, then take Sanity down to Shobnall for pump out, diesel and to buy a replacement water pump.
Labels:
Morrison's
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