Thursday, 8 September 2011
Wednesday, 14 April 2010
Slacking!
Wow, almost a year since I posted an update.... "slacking" is an understatement.
Fear not though, girlonthewater is still girl on the water, albeit slightly less so these days.
After a year and a half mooring in Sheffield basin / Tinsley marina, I decided that the Sheffield and South Yorkshire navigation is perhaps not for me in the long term. It's certainly different, but so is artichoke - and I don't really care for that more than once in a blue moon either!
The Sheffield and South Yorkshire navigation certainly has character, if abandoned shopping trolleys, carling cans and crisp packets are your idea of picturesque scenery. I'm glad that I came to Sheffield, but itchy feet have got the better of me, and Muddy Waters is now off on adventures in search of pastures new (or perhaps old, time will tell!).
The waterways up here have opened my eyes to how the canals were used by industry in days gone by. An old abandoned steelworks on the river near Rotherham became a favourite unofficial mooring for a short while, ideal for scenic lunchtime stop-offs before facing the wrath of Rotherham itself. In 1.5 years, I have also seen the other side of the waterways up here - locks excluded from the public with prison style fencing, presumably to keep the local dirt-biking towpath youth (of which I encountered several) from vandalising the locks; teenagers with nothing better to do on a Saturday afternoon than throw stones from bridges at passing narrowboats; youngsters whose weekday evenings include untying boats in the name of "fun". Perhaps I'm being overly negative, looking back fondly at the pretty narrow canals of the Midlands, but I think it's time to give them another try. It's not that I dislike the waterways up here, but I think I've had my fill of them for now at least.
To end on a more positive note, we've spent the last few very enjoyable weekends on the boat making our way back to the Trent and plan to explore a lot of unknown territory by narrowboat this summer. The boy and I are still very happily together, and adventure awaits.
More soon!
Fear not though, girlonthewater is still girl on the water, albeit slightly less so these days.
After a year and a half mooring in Sheffield basin / Tinsley marina, I decided that the Sheffield and South Yorkshire navigation is perhaps not for me in the long term. It's certainly different, but so is artichoke - and I don't really care for that more than once in a blue moon either!
The Sheffield and South Yorkshire navigation certainly has character, if abandoned shopping trolleys, carling cans and crisp packets are your idea of picturesque scenery. I'm glad that I came to Sheffield, but itchy feet have got the better of me, and Muddy Waters is now off on adventures in search of pastures new (or perhaps old, time will tell!).
The waterways up here have opened my eyes to how the canals were used by industry in days gone by. An old abandoned steelworks on the river near Rotherham became a favourite unofficial mooring for a short while, ideal for scenic lunchtime stop-offs before facing the wrath of Rotherham itself. In 1.5 years, I have also seen the other side of the waterways up here - locks excluded from the public with prison style fencing, presumably to keep the local dirt-biking towpath youth (of which I encountered several) from vandalising the locks; teenagers with nothing better to do on a Saturday afternoon than throw stones from bridges at passing narrowboats; youngsters whose weekday evenings include untying boats in the name of "fun". Perhaps I'm being overly negative, looking back fondly at the pretty narrow canals of the Midlands, but I think it's time to give them another try. It's not that I dislike the waterways up here, but I think I've had my fill of them for now at least.
To end on a more positive note, we've spent the last few very enjoyable weekends on the boat making our way back to the Trent and plan to explore a lot of unknown territory by narrowboat this summer. The boy and I are still very happily together, and adventure awaits.
More soon!
Wednesday, 6 May 2009
Pram hoods?
OK, random post for all the boaters out there...
Since moving oop North, I have made an observation. There are LOADS more narrowboats up here with pram hoods (y'know, the ugly canvas things that conventiently cover the stern + steerer when it rains) than there are in the midlands.
Now, I realise that pram hoods have their obvious benefits in the great old British weather, but is there a reason that they are so much more common up here? It feels like I am almost the only one without one! Is it that they don't fit under the bridges on the pretty Midlands narrow canals or something? I can't imagine that it's SO much more grim up North....
Answers on a postcard!
Since moving oop North, I have made an observation. There are LOADS more narrowboats up here with pram hoods (y'know, the ugly canvas things that conventiently cover the stern + steerer when it rains) than there are in the midlands.
Now, I realise that pram hoods have their obvious benefits in the great old British weather, but is there a reason that they are so much more common up here? It feels like I am almost the only one without one! Is it that they don't fit under the bridges on the pretty Midlands narrow canals or something? I can't imagine that it's SO much more grim up North....
Answers on a postcard!
Boaty - quick update
Sooooo, general consensus is that my engine is dead. Very dead. Likely busted piston rings / piston rings need regrinding / stuff that needs the attention of someone way more mechanically minded than I.
As my engine (Isuzu 3kc1) was last built in 1991, part prices are getting unreasonable, and it's on the small side for my boat anyway, I have decided to bite the bullet and plump for a brand new, modern engine (and the associated credit card debt in the short term).
New engine is a Betamarine 38hp, with upgraded panel which will alert me when stuff (i.e. temperatures) goes wrong, before it blows up (hopefully).
Muddy Waters is currently in the boat yard at Thorne, in the process of having a new skin tank fitted to accomodate said new engine. More power needs more cooling, which requires an additional skin tank. They are also going to clean all my engine bay up and give it a lick of primer. I am then going to paint it, to preserve the steel down there for years to come.
Now that I have dealt with the fact that I have to shell out for a new engine, I am actually quite excited about the whole affair. Since the repaint, my engine bay really has let the side down in terms of presentability - the rest of the boat looks pretty decent; the engine bay certainly doesn't.
I plan to go up to Thorne at the weekend and take some photos of the work in progress. Can't wait for the work to be completed and the new engine installed now though. 2 weeks' cruising in North Yorkshire this summer certainly has it's appeal, and a brand new engine with a 3 year warranty will be reassuring to say the least. It's hard to believe that it has now been 6 months since I had a working engine...says a lot for my friend who very generously gave me a tow, and for my new mooring with mains electric :)
My old engine is destined for a lifeboat restoration project, by a man who knows far more than I about all things mechanical. Assuming that he will let me, I hope to keep tracks of it in it's new life.
I know I've been slack lately, but will post more soon....promise.
B
xxx
As my engine (Isuzu 3kc1) was last built in 1991, part prices are getting unreasonable, and it's on the small side for my boat anyway, I have decided to bite the bullet and plump for a brand new, modern engine (and the associated credit card debt in the short term).
New engine is a Betamarine 38hp, with upgraded panel which will alert me when stuff (i.e. temperatures) goes wrong, before it blows up (hopefully).
Muddy Waters is currently in the boat yard at Thorne, in the process of having a new skin tank fitted to accomodate said new engine. More power needs more cooling, which requires an additional skin tank. They are also going to clean all my engine bay up and give it a lick of primer. I am then going to paint it, to preserve the steel down there for years to come.
Now that I have dealt with the fact that I have to shell out for a new engine, I am actually quite excited about the whole affair. Since the repaint, my engine bay really has let the side down in terms of presentability - the rest of the boat looks pretty decent; the engine bay certainly doesn't.
I plan to go up to Thorne at the weekend and take some photos of the work in progress. Can't wait for the work to be completed and the new engine installed now though. 2 weeks' cruising in North Yorkshire this summer certainly has it's appeal, and a brand new engine with a 3 year warranty will be reassuring to say the least. It's hard to believe that it has now been 6 months since I had a working engine...says a lot for my friend who very generously gave me a tow, and for my new mooring with mains electric :)
My old engine is destined for a lifeboat restoration project, by a man who knows far more than I about all things mechanical. Assuming that he will let me, I hope to keep tracks of it in it's new life.
I know I've been slack lately, but will post more soon....promise.
B
xxx
Monday, 27 April 2009
Kilimanjaro / Tanzania
Friends of mine run a safari company in Tanzania, specialising in Kilimanjaro and Meru Treks, including Kilimanjaro by all routes: Marangu, Machame, Lemosho, Rongai, Shira, Umbwe.
Climb Kilimanjaro
Climb Kilimanjaro
Thursday, 9 April 2009
Life, the universe and stuff
First off, apologies for not posting in ages. Again. Since moving to Sheffield, I seem to have less time free to update my blog...
I have now moved my boat out of Victoria Quays aka Sheffield Basin - a shame, but a blessing at the same time. The moorings in the basin are great, but unfortunately the evenings becoming lighter seem to encourage the local mischief, and the few weeks before I left saw an increase in car crime, boats being untied, possessions thrown in the water etc. The local constabulary reassured us that PCSOs were patrolling the area, but I no longer felt safe there so it was time to leave.
My new mooring has security gates, and a friendly feel about it. It's a tram-ride away from the city centre, but the other boaters seem a nice bunch and the boat club there serves good beer! Always a plus ;) The local ducks have taken to laying eggs in my neighbour's plant pots too...I like free food....
Boaty herself is still unwell, engine is officially declared dead with unknown compression problems. Parts for the existing pre-1991 engine are scarce, and having them shipped over from Isuzu in Japan isn't cheap, so I have decided to cut my losses and ordered a brand new Betamarine 38hp engine, due to be fitted in May. This will give me more power for the rivers etc, and comes with a reassuring warranty which should provide at least a few years of hassle-free cruising.
The new job and boyfriend are all going very well, and aside from the engine issues I am very happy. If all goes to plan, we will be exploring the North-Yorkshire canals by boat this summer.
Fingers crossed,
B
x
I have now moved my boat out of Victoria Quays aka Sheffield Basin - a shame, but a blessing at the same time. The moorings in the basin are great, but unfortunately the evenings becoming lighter seem to encourage the local mischief, and the few weeks before I left saw an increase in car crime, boats being untied, possessions thrown in the water etc. The local constabulary reassured us that PCSOs were patrolling the area, but I no longer felt safe there so it was time to leave.
My new mooring has security gates, and a friendly feel about it. It's a tram-ride away from the city centre, but the other boaters seem a nice bunch and the boat club there serves good beer! Always a plus ;) The local ducks have taken to laying eggs in my neighbour's plant pots too...I like free food....
Boaty herself is still unwell, engine is officially declared dead with unknown compression problems. Parts for the existing pre-1991 engine are scarce, and having them shipped over from Isuzu in Japan isn't cheap, so I have decided to cut my losses and ordered a brand new Betamarine 38hp engine, due to be fitted in May. This will give me more power for the rivers etc, and comes with a reassuring warranty which should provide at least a few years of hassle-free cruising.
The new job and boyfriend are all going very well, and aside from the engine issues I am very happy. If all goes to plan, we will be exploring the North-Yorkshire canals by boat this summer.
Fingers crossed,
B
x
Tuesday, 3 February 2009
A string of bad luck
My life for the last few days (weeks, now?) seems to have been a string of bad luck, punctuated by more bad luck as soon as I thought things couldn't get much worse.
The drama with my boat engine is still ongoing - my brother has had the head on the engine reconditioned, replaced the head gasket, given it a full service (oil, filters, the works) but it STILL won't start. I haven't given up just yet, but the bill is getting ridiculous now. Still got a few ideas to try, but it's really frustrating now. I have been offered a tow to my new mooring by a couple of local friendly boaters, but that's little consolation at the moment.
One of the joins in a freshwater pipe on the boat burst in the cold too, but The Boy once again came to my rescue and fixed that one.
As if all the boat-related drama wasn't enough to contend with, the alternator on my car died on Friday resulting in all my electrics dying and a breakdown on the M62. Of course, this happened at the worst possible moment - in the middle of a hail storm, at the peak of the M62 whilst it was blowing a gale. The result? Standing behind the safety barrier for an hour, shivering uncontrollably and soaked to the skin waiting for Green Flag recovery whilst they played "Rescue Me" as their hold music down the phone at me on constant repeat. Argh! Full credit to the traffic safety officers (aka rent-a-cops) though - they turned up and let me sit in their car to get warm for a bit until they had to go to an emergency. They left me waiting in the storm for the recovery folks, but gave me space blankets to keep warm at least.
Add to that lot stress with buses to/from work being cancelled as a result of the snow this week, and you have one unhappy girl-not-on-the-water-right-now!
I keep saying it, but things really can only get better now. If bad luck comes in threes, I must have had at least 2 sets by now.
The drama with my boat engine is still ongoing - my brother has had the head on the engine reconditioned, replaced the head gasket, given it a full service (oil, filters, the works) but it STILL won't start. I haven't given up just yet, but the bill is getting ridiculous now. Still got a few ideas to try, but it's really frustrating now. I have been offered a tow to my new mooring by a couple of local friendly boaters, but that's little consolation at the moment.
One of the joins in a freshwater pipe on the boat burst in the cold too, but The Boy once again came to my rescue and fixed that one.
As if all the boat-related drama wasn't enough to contend with, the alternator on my car died on Friday resulting in all my electrics dying and a breakdown on the M62. Of course, this happened at the worst possible moment - in the middle of a hail storm, at the peak of the M62 whilst it was blowing a gale. The result? Standing behind the safety barrier for an hour, shivering uncontrollably and soaked to the skin waiting for Green Flag recovery whilst they played "Rescue Me" as their hold music down the phone at me on constant repeat. Argh! Full credit to the traffic safety officers (aka rent-a-cops) though - they turned up and let me sit in their car to get warm for a bit until they had to go to an emergency. They left me waiting in the storm for the recovery folks, but gave me space blankets to keep warm at least.
Add to that lot stress with buses to/from work being cancelled as a result of the snow this week, and you have one unhappy girl-not-on-the-water-right-now!
I keep saying it, but things really can only get better now. If bad luck comes in threes, I must have had at least 2 sets by now.
Monday, 12 January 2009
Friday, 9 January 2009
Still alive
Hello all!
Just wanted you all to know that Girl On The Water is still alive, and still thinking of more ideas for new posts than she has had the time to write of late.
Still in Sheffield, life on the whole is going well, but The Boy and Boat Dramas are taking control at the moment.
I WILL still complete the story about the great move North soon, as time permits, but right now my efforts are concentrated around broken head gaskets, water pipes, and growing vegetables (!).
Anywho, I'm still alive, and will post more soon - promise!
Big love (and don't remove me from your RSS feed just yet),
B
x
Just wanted you all to know that Girl On The Water is still alive, and still thinking of more ideas for new posts than she has had the time to write of late.
Still in Sheffield, life on the whole is going well, but The Boy and Boat Dramas are taking control at the moment.
I WILL still complete the story about the great move North soon, as time permits, but right now my efforts are concentrated around broken head gaskets, water pipes, and growing vegetables (!).
Anywho, I'm still alive, and will post more soon - promise!
Big love (and don't remove me from your RSS feed just yet),
B
x
Wednesday, 15 October 2008
Belated update - Friday 10 October - Going Tidal!
The Friday morning of the journey began with a little drama. I sprung out of bed early, all set to get up to Cromwell for 8am in order to make the tide up to Keadby. I had booked in with the lock keepers, but knew that I needed to set off before daylight in order to make it.
I made a coffee, checked the map, then went outside to start the engine. I turned the key as normal, but instead of hearing the engine sputtering into life, there was just a little "click". Maybe I had forgotten to warm the diesel coils. I tried again. Still nothing. Argh!
I quickly remembered at this point that my battery voltages had been lower than normal when I checked the multimeter on Thursday, but I had put this down to the fact that I accidentally left my inverter on for most of the day. I checked the battery voltage once more - 10 volts. That's why she wouldn't start. Fortunately, I carry a charged, spare battery for my headlight (long story) and with a set of jump leads and a little effort managed to get back up and running - phew. Sadly, this drama had taken around an hour, it was now daylight, and I had missed my slot for getting to Keadby in time for the tide. A quick phone call to the lock keeper later, my plan was changed to cruising just Cromwell-Torksey on the Friday, then Torksey-Keadby on the Saturday morning, leaving at first light. I quickly calculated that, assuming no further drama, I could still complete my journey in time so wasn't too annoyed.
The tidal river was pretty uneventful really. The sheer size of the river was awesome and took some getting used to, and I enjoyed cruising my boat on the moving water, trying to steer a perfect line down the channel to go as fast as possible, and keeping away from the mud flats and gravel banks so that I didn't get grounded. Steering the boat into the entrance of Torksey lock was interesting, as I was moving quite quickly, and the entrance is tiny in comparison to the river. Still, with a little caution and a lot of full-power from my engine I made it in safely. This is something which I quickly picked up on the moving water - there are times when you have to use a lot of power to make the boat go where you need it to. My little engine could only just make progress against the current, so it was important to get things right first time!
On arrival in Torksey, I checked the battery voltages once more. They hadn't charged. I tried to restart the engine, and couldn't. My knowledge of boat electrics is somewhat limited, but I had a look around in the engine bay to see if there was anything obvious broken. There wasn't. I started then engine with the jump leads once more, and confirmed that the voltages weren't changing. The batteries definitely weren't charging. The alternator and battery management system all appeared to be connected OK - the connecting wires were still there and in one piece. I realised that I could probably restart the engine using the jump leads again to continue my journey, but really didn't want to do this because if the engine had stopped for any reason (e.g. weed round the propeller) I might not have been able to restart it. On moving water, that would not be much fun. I wasn't ready to use my shiny new anchor! Also, I needed to know what the problem was, and so eventually called Oliver from Thorne Boat Services out.
Oliver arrived in just over an hour, and quickly spotted that my alternator only had one connecting wire where it should have had 2. The other wire had disconnected itself, presumably from all the engine vibration from the past few days' cruising. He reconnected it, and my batteries began charging back up. Perfect!
The lock keeper had told me that I needed to leave Torksey at first light in the morning in order to get into Keadby lock before 11:30 - otherwise the water would be too low and I wouldn't be able to get into the lock for all the silt, and would be stuck outside until 3pm. In view of this, I got an early night. All the fresh air is rather tiring.
I made a coffee, checked the map, then went outside to start the engine. I turned the key as normal, but instead of hearing the engine sputtering into life, there was just a little "click". Maybe I had forgotten to warm the diesel coils. I tried again. Still nothing. Argh!
I quickly remembered at this point that my battery voltages had been lower than normal when I checked the multimeter on Thursday, but I had put this down to the fact that I accidentally left my inverter on for most of the day. I checked the battery voltage once more - 10 volts. That's why she wouldn't start. Fortunately, I carry a charged, spare battery for my headlight (long story) and with a set of jump leads and a little effort managed to get back up and running - phew. Sadly, this drama had taken around an hour, it was now daylight, and I had missed my slot for getting to Keadby in time for the tide. A quick phone call to the lock keeper later, my plan was changed to cruising just Cromwell-Torksey on the Friday, then Torksey-Keadby on the Saturday morning, leaving at first light. I quickly calculated that, assuming no further drama, I could still complete my journey in time so wasn't too annoyed.
The tidal river was pretty uneventful really. The sheer size of the river was awesome and took some getting used to, and I enjoyed cruising my boat on the moving water, trying to steer a perfect line down the channel to go as fast as possible, and keeping away from the mud flats and gravel banks so that I didn't get grounded. Steering the boat into the entrance of Torksey lock was interesting, as I was moving quite quickly, and the entrance is tiny in comparison to the river. Still, with a little caution and a lot of full-power from my engine I made it in safely. This is something which I quickly picked up on the moving water - there are times when you have to use a lot of power to make the boat go where you need it to. My little engine could only just make progress against the current, so it was important to get things right first time!
On arrival in Torksey, I checked the battery voltages once more. They hadn't charged. I tried to restart the engine, and couldn't. My knowledge of boat electrics is somewhat limited, but I had a look around in the engine bay to see if there was anything obvious broken. There wasn't. I started then engine with the jump leads once more, and confirmed that the voltages weren't changing. The batteries definitely weren't charging. The alternator and battery management system all appeared to be connected OK - the connecting wires were still there and in one piece. I realised that I could probably restart the engine using the jump leads again to continue my journey, but really didn't want to do this because if the engine had stopped for any reason (e.g. weed round the propeller) I might not have been able to restart it. On moving water, that would not be much fun. I wasn't ready to use my shiny new anchor! Also, I needed to know what the problem was, and so eventually called Oliver from Thorne Boat Services out.
Oliver arrived in just over an hour, and quickly spotted that my alternator only had one connecting wire where it should have had 2. The other wire had disconnected itself, presumably from all the engine vibration from the past few days' cruising. He reconnected it, and my batteries began charging back up. Perfect!
The lock keeper had told me that I needed to leave Torksey at first light in the morning in order to get into Keadby lock before 11:30 - otherwise the water would be too low and I wouldn't be able to get into the lock for all the silt, and would be stuck outside until 3pm. In view of this, I got an early night. All the fresh air is rather tiring.
Saturday, 11 October 2008
Belated update - Thursday 9 October
We were finally allowed out of Redhill lock and onto the Trent at 9:30am on Thursday morning - somewhat frustrating, having jumped out of bed at 6:30, but still far preferable to wasting yet another day sitting around staring at water level indicators.
The first thing that struck me about the Trent was the sheer size of it - from the onset, it was far far wider than any waterway that I had cruised on before and the moored boats were far bigger than any that I had passed until now. From here on in, the water just got wider, the boats and locks got bigger, and the current got faster.
Despite being allowed onto the river, Thursday got off to a slow start. We made very good time down to Beeston lock, due to the amount of water on the river. By this point, I had begun to learn to keep the boat sitting on the channel (fastest/deepest part of the river) to get an extra couple of mph for free. This is quite fun, until you get it a bit wrong on the corners and the sweeping current causes the boat to list like crazy. OK, it's fun then too......but I don't really want to sink Muddy Waters! Sadly, we got stuck for 1.5 hours at Beeston lock, waiting for the BW men to clear loads of debris from the lock that had been washed down by the floods of the last few days. Still, the time wasn't wasted - we went into the chandlery there and kitted ourselves out with lifejackets. On the canal lifejackets feel like overkill, but on moving water they are definitely a good idea, as those currents are strong, and I can see really easily how difficult it could be to get back to the boat (or out of the water at all in most places) if you were to fall in.
We finally got through the lock at Beeston with another narrowboat on it's way to Lincoln, and then followed the canal through the centre of Nottingham. On arrival at one of the locks (castle lock?) , I was slightly intimidated to see a big crowd watching us work through the lock. It turned out that their office fire alarm was going off, and the bit of car park by the towpath was their assembly point. They took photos of us, so we took a couple back of them and then turned our attention to working the lock nicely.
After the Nottingham canal, we rejoined the Trent and followed the navigation all the way to Newark, tying up in the dark on the BW moorings near Newark town lock. These moorings were rather odd as they were up against the pavement which reminded me of a harbour wall - the roof of my boat was on a level with the towpath. It turned out that the bar we spotted next to these moorings was a Pizza Express. We were both too tired to venture further, and so ended up eating there before returning to the boat and passing out at about 9pm!
The first thing that struck me about the Trent was the sheer size of it - from the onset, it was far far wider than any waterway that I had cruised on before and the moored boats were far bigger than any that I had passed until now. From here on in, the water just got wider, the boats and locks got bigger, and the current got faster.
Despite being allowed onto the river, Thursday got off to a slow start. We made very good time down to Beeston lock, due to the amount of water on the river. By this point, I had begun to learn to keep the boat sitting on the channel (fastest/deepest part of the river) to get an extra couple of mph for free. This is quite fun, until you get it a bit wrong on the corners and the sweeping current causes the boat to list like crazy. OK, it's fun then too......but I don't really want to sink Muddy Waters! Sadly, we got stuck for 1.5 hours at Beeston lock, waiting for the BW men to clear loads of debris from the lock that had been washed down by the floods of the last few days. Still, the time wasn't wasted - we went into the chandlery there and kitted ourselves out with lifejackets. On the canal lifejackets feel like overkill, but on moving water they are definitely a good idea, as those currents are strong, and I can see really easily how difficult it could be to get back to the boat (or out of the water at all in most places) if you were to fall in.
We finally got through the lock at Beeston with another narrowboat on it's way to Lincoln, and then followed the canal through the centre of Nottingham. On arrival at one of the locks (castle lock?) , I was slightly intimidated to see a big crowd watching us work through the lock. It turned out that their office fire alarm was going off, and the bit of car park by the towpath was their assembly point. They took photos of us, so we took a couple back of them and then turned our attention to working the lock nicely.
After the Nottingham canal, we rejoined the Trent and followed the navigation all the way to Newark, tying up in the dark on the BW moorings near Newark town lock. These moorings were rather odd as they were up against the pavement which reminded me of a harbour wall - the roof of my boat was on a level with the towpath. It turned out that the bar we spotted next to these moorings was a Pizza Express. We were both too tired to venture further, and so ended up eating there before returning to the boat and passing out at about 9pm!
Friday, 10 October 2008
A little drama, but I'm still alive!
The last couple of days have been eventful! A couple of moorings with no mobile signal and then an electrical fiasco today which resulted in an engineer callout to sort a problem with my alternator meant that I was cut off from the world for a couple of days. OK, slight exaggeration, I have been using my mobile in places but couldn't get on the internet until now.
I just posted a quick update that I wrote yesterday morning, and will add the photos etc as soon as I can-probably tomorrow night.
I have made it onto the tidal part of the Trent, and am currently sat on the safe haven of floating pontoons at Torksey lock, waiting for daylight in the morning to catch the tide up to Keadby. Just praying the electrical drama is now over so that I can start my engine!
Connection time is limited to my laptop battery life right now, and my connection is painfully slow.
Proper update coming ASAP.
I just posted a quick update that I wrote yesterday morning, and will add the photos etc as soon as I can-probably tomorrow night.
I have made it onto the tidal part of the Trent, and am currently sat on the safe haven of floating pontoons at Torksey lock, waiting for daylight in the morning to catch the tide up to Keadby. Just praying the electrical drama is now over so that I can start my engine!
Connection time is limited to my laptop battery life right now, and my connection is painfully slow.
Proper update coming ASAP.
Thursday, 9 October 2008
Finally back on the move
Yesterday, I sprung out of bed at about 6am to make some coffee and check on the water indicator marker before sunrise. By this point I was fed up of waiting and praying to the weather gods, so fortunately the water was right on the line between red and amber. With no wind, I decided to go for it.
I set the lock ready, so that as soon as it was light enough (about 7am) we could set off. The journey from Cossington to Sileby was beautiful, but uneventful. The morning mist on the water reminded me of quiet mornings walking from boat to car in Rugby last winter. Though flowing, the river looked impressively still. It is hard to believe that this was the same river that we had been waiting 2 days for.
On arrival in the lock at Sileby, the water indicator was again on the amber/red border line, however this time there was a rather serious looking weir off to one side, creating some turbulence and white water in what was to be our path just the other side of a lock. I don't think I would want to moor at the top of that! Not ideal territory for a narrowboat, really. An estuary tug went down, and was absolutely fine. Watching someone else go first allowed me to see where the current took the boat, and I then followed. The ease at which we travelled down that stretch was an anticlimax really, after the build-up and excitement. Whilst deciding whether or not to go, I took some interesting photos of the white water.
The rest of the day was given over to cruising through Loughborough, Zouch, Kegworth, and down the remainder of the River Soar to Redhill Lock, the last lock before the Trent. En route we managed to get filled with diesel (just to be sure on the river), fill the water and empty the loos. Having come through the last couple of flood warning lights (on green) it was rather a disappointment to be met by the red light of doom at the last hurdle before the Trent! Still, at least we got a decent day's cruising in at last.
Mum and I moored for the day at around 4/5pm, taking one of the last spaces available in the shadow of Radcliffe power station. We wandered over to the marina opposite and bought a rather hefty anchor together with the necessary chain, rope and connectors in preparation for the Trent. Unfortunately, the marina is a 5 minute walk away over 3 bridges, and anchors and chains are rather heavy. Still, the exercise did me good.
Last night I swapped crew - my little brother arrived, and mum left in his car. We're all set for another full day on the water today - the weather is looking good, so fingers crossed for the water now too.
I set the lock ready, so that as soon as it was light enough (about 7am) we could set off. The journey from Cossington to Sileby was beautiful, but uneventful. The morning mist on the water reminded me of quiet mornings walking from boat to car in Rugby last winter. Though flowing, the river looked impressively still. It is hard to believe that this was the same river that we had been waiting 2 days for.
On arrival in the lock at Sileby, the water indicator was again on the amber/red border line, however this time there was a rather serious looking weir off to one side, creating some turbulence and white water in what was to be our path just the other side of a lock. I don't think I would want to moor at the top of that! Not ideal territory for a narrowboat, really. An estuary tug went down, and was absolutely fine. Watching someone else go first allowed me to see where the current took the boat, and I then followed. The ease at which we travelled down that stretch was an anticlimax really, after the build-up and excitement. Whilst deciding whether or not to go, I took some interesting photos of the white water.
The rest of the day was given over to cruising through Loughborough, Zouch, Kegworth, and down the remainder of the River Soar to Redhill Lock, the last lock before the Trent. En route we managed to get filled with diesel (just to be sure on the river), fill the water and empty the loos. Having come through the last couple of flood warning lights (on green) it was rather a disappointment to be met by the red light of doom at the last hurdle before the Trent! Still, at least we got a decent day's cruising in at last.
Mum and I moored for the day at around 4/5pm, taking one of the last spaces available in the shadow of Radcliffe power station. We wandered over to the marina opposite and bought a rather hefty anchor together with the necessary chain, rope and connectors in preparation for the Trent. Unfortunately, the marina is a 5 minute walk away over 3 bridges, and anchors and chains are rather heavy. Still, the exercise did me good.
Last night I swapped crew - my little brother arrived, and mum left in his car. We're all set for another full day on the water today - the weather is looking good, so fingers crossed for the water now too.
Tuesday, 7 October 2008
The water's dropped 3 inches, but it's windy now
Frustration! Water level was 8 inches when we arrived, and is now 5 - fingers crossed it will drop enough this afternoon. The wind, however, has picked up and is rocking the boat enough that I wouldn't want to move on a canal, never mind moving water.
Apparently BW told the people on one of the boats stuck here that they guess the level should drop enough by about 3pm, but I guess that depends on whether is rains more or not.
On the positive side, I am getting loads of time to play with my camera and read books, so perhaps when we do get moving again my photography will improve a bit. Time will tell!
Apparently BW told the people on one of the boats stuck here that they guess the level should drop enough by about 3pm, but I guess that depends on whether is rains more or not.
On the positive side, I am getting loads of time to play with my camera and read books, so perhaps when we do get moving again my photography will improve a bit. Time will tell!
A little progress, and then stuck again
It's getting frustrating now! Last night, the water began to drop and so mum and I made about an hour's progress down to the Hope and Anchor pub near Syston. The pub was less than exciting, and so we just had one drink before heading back to the boat to get an early night, in the hope that we might be able to make decent progress with an early start in the morning.
This morning, the water level had dropped at least a few inches, so we moved fairly quickly down to the next lock as soon as it was light enough. We made it on down as far as Cossington lock, but the water indicator here is again far too high to proceed, so we are tied up right next to a rather impressive-looking weir playing the waiting game once more.
Another boat here has been waiting 2 days for the water to drop. Apparently it was 11 inches into the red this morning, and now it is only 8, so I haven't given up hope of moving further today just yet.
All this waiting around is somewhat frustrating - I'm going to really need the weather, tides and lady luck on my side now to have any chance of making it to Sheffield! In fact, I know for a fact that I can't actually get right into Sheffield yet anyway, as the final lock flight of my journey (Tinsley) is still closed due to a broken pump.
It feels good to have moved a little bit this morning, but is very annoying having to sit around when I want to be out cruising
Once again, I have been playing with my camera to pass the time.
This morning, the water level had dropped at least a few inches, so we moved fairly quickly down to the next lock as soon as it was light enough. We made it on down as far as Cossington lock, but the water indicator here is again far too high to proceed, so we are tied up right next to a rather impressive-looking weir playing the waiting game once more.
Another boat here has been waiting 2 days for the water to drop. Apparently it was 11 inches into the red this morning, and now it is only 8, so I haven't given up hope of moving further today just yet.
All this waiting around is somewhat frustrating - I'm going to really need the weather, tides and lady luck on my side now to have any chance of making it to Sheffield! In fact, I know for a fact that I can't actually get right into Sheffield yet anyway, as the final lock flight of my journey (Tinsley) is still closed due to a broken pump.
It feels good to have moved a little bit this morning, but is very annoying having to sit around when I want to be out cruising
Once again, I have been playing with my camera to pass the time.
Monday, 6 October 2008
Photos of Leicester, the Weir, and Birstall
1:15pm and we're still stuck in Birstall, Leicester waiting for the water level to drop on the river. The morning wasn't a complete write-off as we cooked a tasty stew for lunch and walked down to the marina at Thurmaston lock to buy a bilge pump with built in float switch which I have now fitted.
It turns out that the lock we were hunting for in the dark last night was just on the other side of a bridge that we had walked right past - oops. These things are easier to spot when it's light. It wouldn't have made a difference anyway as the water there is still 6 inches above where it needs to be.
It turns out that the lock we were hunting for in the dark last night was just on the other side of a bridge that we had walked right past - oops. These things are easier to spot when it's light. It wouldn't have made a difference anyway as the water there is still 6 inches above where it needs to be.
Urban sprawl and flooded rivers
Sunday got off to a bit of a slow start, mainly because the weatherman was right and it poured with rain. Nathan and I tucked into a hearty English breakfast in bed, before wrapping up in our waterproofs and braving the elements of urban Leicester.
Cruising towards the city, the waterway began to widen. The locks got stiffer and heavier, and the more built-up surroundings made an interesting change from the rural canals of the previous few days. It is a shame, but the waterways of Leicester really do feel to be somewhat neglected, navigations that time forgot. We encountered more broken lock paddles on the route through the city than I have seen in my entire boating career to date!
Suddenly, we rounded a corner and it felt like we were on the sea. This was certainly the most open water that Muddy Waters has seen since I owned her, and it felt fantastic. Words cannot express how beautifully she swam through the deep water, gliding along at a decent pace, breaking through the water so smoothly and silently. Nathan popped indoors for a while to check on the food / fire, but I called him back pretty quickly. Just outside Leicester City football club, approaching Freemans Meadow lock, I saw the most exciting (if somewhat frightening) sight that I have ever seen from my boat. We were cruising along the top of a HUGE weir! The Nicholson guide says "The canal and River Soar meet just above Freeman's Meadow lock, where there is an enormous unprotected weir. Care is needed, especially in times of flood. KEEP WELL OVER TO THE TOWPATH SIDE." It certainly isn't wrong. The photos aren't great, mainly because I was concentrating on keeping my boat well away from the edge!
Heading North out of the city around lunch time, the high water warning markers which had indicated "Green, safe to proceed" along the journey so far suddenly showed Red, and we had to wait in a lock for an hour or so for the river level to drop. The boat that we eventually went down the lock with had been there since 9am and the crew were somewhat frustrated about being held up. We took the opportunity to devour the roast lamb which Nathan had been preparing as we cruised and change our clothes as we were soaked from a morning out in the rain.
Eventually the water level dropped until the amber marker was just showing, and so we set off somewhat cautiously down the river. I didn't enjoy this section of the jouney, as the current was still rather strong and steering the boat became a little too challenging for comfort under one particular bridge. No harm was done, fortunately. We arrived at Birstall lock to discover that the high water marker was most definitely in the red area still, and so tied up to wait for the level to drop once more.
Replacement crew (my Mum!) arrived on Sunday evening, along with a rather tasty seafood risotto which Dad had invented for us (recipe to follow), and Nathan and I took her to the Mulberry Tree bar which we discovered located conveniently close to where we had tied up. All that I can say is that I hope that we do better boating than we do in pub quizzes!
After a brief return to the boat to eat the remainder of the chocolate fudge cake which Nathan had brought down as a birthday surprise for me, Mum went to bed. Nathan and I weren't ready to sleep, so instead ventured off into Watermead country park, in search of the next lock to check the water indicator there.
Lesson 1: Venturing into unknown country parks in the dark with a torch whose battery doesn't last very long maybe isn't the best idea in the world.
Lesson 2: Such country parks tend to be rather muddy after heavy rainfall.
Lesson 3: Ballet pumps aren't the best footwear for these kinds of adventures
Lesson 4: Maps and compasses can be quite handy sometimes
We got a little lost, but made it back to the boat safely after just over an hour. We didn't manage to find the next lock or check the water level, but looking at the map this morning I suspect that we walked pretty much past it and didn't notice!
Mum and I are now sitting on the boat by the lock, still waiting for the water level to drop. Somewhat frustrating, as the sun is shining, there's a little bit of mist lingering over the water, and it's exactly the kind of morning that I would love to spend out cruising.
We've already had 4 cups of tea, a boiled egg with soldiers and a homemade scone each already (it's only 9:30am) and are both hoping that the water drops soon as the sunshine and blue sky are taunting us stuck here. Fingers crossed...
Just off to the shop, will upload photos later.
Cruising towards the city, the waterway began to widen. The locks got stiffer and heavier, and the more built-up surroundings made an interesting change from the rural canals of the previous few days. It is a shame, but the waterways of Leicester really do feel to be somewhat neglected, navigations that time forgot. We encountered more broken lock paddles on the route through the city than I have seen in my entire boating career to date!
Suddenly, we rounded a corner and it felt like we were on the sea. This was certainly the most open water that Muddy Waters has seen since I owned her, and it felt fantastic. Words cannot express how beautifully she swam through the deep water, gliding along at a decent pace, breaking through the water so smoothly and silently. Nathan popped indoors for a while to check on the food / fire, but I called him back pretty quickly. Just outside Leicester City football club, approaching Freemans Meadow lock, I saw the most exciting (if somewhat frightening) sight that I have ever seen from my boat. We were cruising along the top of a HUGE weir! The Nicholson guide says "The canal and River Soar meet just above Freeman's Meadow lock, where there is an enormous unprotected weir. Care is needed, especially in times of flood. KEEP WELL OVER TO THE TOWPATH SIDE." It certainly isn't wrong. The photos aren't great, mainly because I was concentrating on keeping my boat well away from the edge!
Heading North out of the city around lunch time, the high water warning markers which had indicated "Green, safe to proceed" along the journey so far suddenly showed Red, and we had to wait in a lock for an hour or so for the river level to drop. The boat that we eventually went down the lock with had been there since 9am and the crew were somewhat frustrated about being held up. We took the opportunity to devour the roast lamb which Nathan had been preparing as we cruised and change our clothes as we were soaked from a morning out in the rain.
Eventually the water level dropped until the amber marker was just showing, and so we set off somewhat cautiously down the river. I didn't enjoy this section of the jouney, as the current was still rather strong and steering the boat became a little too challenging for comfort under one particular bridge. No harm was done, fortunately. We arrived at Birstall lock to discover that the high water marker was most definitely in the red area still, and so tied up to wait for the level to drop once more.
Replacement crew (my Mum!) arrived on Sunday evening, along with a rather tasty seafood risotto which Dad had invented for us (recipe to follow), and Nathan and I took her to the Mulberry Tree bar which we discovered located conveniently close to where we had tied up. All that I can say is that I hope that we do better boating than we do in pub quizzes!
After a brief return to the boat to eat the remainder of the chocolate fudge cake which Nathan had brought down as a birthday surprise for me, Mum went to bed. Nathan and I weren't ready to sleep, so instead ventured off into Watermead country park, in search of the next lock to check the water indicator there.
Lesson 1: Venturing into unknown country parks in the dark with a torch whose battery doesn't last very long maybe isn't the best idea in the world.
Lesson 2: Such country parks tend to be rather muddy after heavy rainfall.
Lesson 3: Ballet pumps aren't the best footwear for these kinds of adventures
Lesson 4: Maps and compasses can be quite handy sometimes
We got a little lost, but made it back to the boat safely after just over an hour. We didn't manage to find the next lock or check the water level, but looking at the map this morning I suspect that we walked pretty much past it and didn't notice!
Mum and I are now sitting on the boat by the lock, still waiting for the water level to drop. Somewhat frustrating, as the sun is shining, there's a little bit of mist lingering over the water, and it's exactly the kind of morning that I would love to spend out cruising.
We've already had 4 cups of tea, a boiled egg with soldiers and a homemade scone each already (it's only 9:30am) and are both hoping that the water drops soon as the sunshine and blue sky are taunting us stuck here. Fingers crossed...
Just off to the shop, will upload photos later.
Photos - Fri/Sat
Belated photos from the weekend - I finally found a spot with decent mobile internet coverage.
Enjoy!
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