31 March 09 Cropredy to Napton Top Lock

The canal was quite busy this morning with most boats coming down the locks which gave us a good run as far as the Claydon flight, from here they were against us. We did a brief stop at Broadmoor lock to buy a new button fender for the bow as yesterday in Grant Lock  when it caught the bolts holding the running plate it got quite a pasting.  As we approached Claydon top lock we saw a boat above but one chap was sitting on the roof meditating and the other was polishing his engine, merrily moored to the first lock mooring, so there was no way they were going to come down and give us a good lock. Diana had just turned the lock when a BW boat came along heading for Cropredy, at least they had a good road as we hadn't met anyone since Cropredy Lock. We  pulled over at Fenny tunnel so I could take some photos of the winch and track where I am told they use to load bricks, there is even wire on the winch even if the wooden drum has rotted away.  Along the summit we met Ten Bob Note and said hello as we passed.

We moored at about 5 30 right opposite our home moorings as I wanted to do a bit of work on the Port side doors and also change the engine oil. Again there was a steady flow of boats coming up the flight.

Our plan now is to have a run down to Stoke Bruerne arriving Friday and hopefully getting some tuition on the new IWA web site on Saturday.

You will find our latest position here

30 March 09 Aynho to Cropredy

We left Aynho at 1030, it was a bit cooler than yesterday but dry with light winds. As we approached Banbury a couple called from the bank enquiring what the name of the boat meant, so I explained. They then asked if the spider web painted on the bow had anything to do with Cutweb to which I told them it did. They then went on to say they had applied to join and were waiting to hear back about it. I took £10 off them and wrote a membership card out there and then. We pushed on through Banbury only stopping to top up with diesel at Sovereign Narrowboats and leave him some of Kate's flyers. As we were about to leave Hardwick Lock I spotted a steam locomotive sitting stationary on the lines just by the bridge and she was making steam, I took a couple of photos hoping to get one of her steaming by as we moved up the canal, when did she decide to go by, just as I entered Bourton Lock, I scrambled up but the bushes ruined the shot, a few minutes earlier and it would have been open track. We met a few boats on this stretch so the locks were all with us and we moored for the night just below Cropredy Lock, opposite the canoe centre on the few remaining 48 hour moorings in the village.

Sunday 29 March Lower Heyford to Aynho Wharf

Last night we ate in The Bell and I was surprised what good value it turned out to be, I was expecting much higher prices. The place was heaving and there was live music in the bar. When I took Magic out last thing, again there was a good layer of ice on the roof and looking out this morning it was still frosty. As most of you will realise by now the clocks went forward last which meant that we all got a hour less in bed last night. I thought I would change over gently, say 10 minutes a day for the rest of the week and I would be there. However the Collage Cruisers moored a short way down the cut had other ideas and came chugging by at 7 30 then the dog thought that maybe we should be up, so in the end I, like most people did the whole hour in one bash.

We decided that as the weather was so nice we would have a wonder round Lower Heyford before setting off, bad move. On Sunday all the Oxfordshire Narrowboats, day boats were out and 3 of them were going the same way as us, then a couple of private boats followed them so locking became slow going, even just travelling at tickover between locks I still caught up with the last boat, and at Somerton Deep Lock somehow the last private boat had got ahead of the last day boat and they were still waiting at the lock when we got there. About half a mile above the lock we pulled over for lunch. This is not a bad mooring, piled edge, deep and a hill between the cut and the railway. We were going to stop for the rest of the day but the batteries still needed another hour of charging so we continued on to Aynho Wharf where we filled with water and moored opposite the boat yard, again the buildings are between the cut and the railway so stop most of the noise.

Once moored we did a few jobs around the boat in nice warm sunshine.

Saturday 28 March 09 Thrupp to Lower Heyford

Last night when we returned from the pub, The Boat , which is now under new management and being well supported by the local community, there was ice on the roof of the boat with a very clear star light sky and not a breath of wind.

This morning when we woke up the boat was rocking and it was blowing quite hard. We set of at 10 am. the first stop was The Rock of Gibraltar to drop of some flyers for Kate Seffin who is performing one of her one woman shows in Oxford from the 6 to the 8 April. She is also performing for us at the CIBC rally at the Blue Lias in September. We then continued on to Lower Heyford where we tied up for the night. Once moored we walked round to Oxfordshire Narrowboats with some more flyers and the adjoining cafe Kizzis's where we also had coffee and cakes. Tonight we have a table booked at The Bell and we will be taking them some flyers as well.

Friday 27 March Thrupp to Oxford back to Thrupp

We left the 48 hour visitor moorings at 10 am and headed off towards Oxford in cool sunshine. When we arrived at the lift bridge at Wolvercote there was a chap standing in the middle of the bridge with a stop/go board indicating that we should stop. The fact he was standing on the bridge indicated that we couldn't pass. The reason for this holdup is that they are demolishing the A34 viaduct and building a new one, this one is only about 45 years old but is past its sell by date. The ongoing operation was to lift off the road span over the canal, to do this they had cut it into 6 strips and had an 11 axle crane to lift it off one section at a time and they were about to lift the first section. After 10 minuets of inactivity the man showed us the green side of his board, left the bridge and opened it for us. We then passed under the viaduct and had to wait another 10 minuets while they raised a temporary hydraulic flat bed bridge that they are using to get the plant across, earlier this monster crane had crossed it. The bridge is rated at 100 tones. At Wolvercote lock BW had a flat and a tug full of rubbish they had collected including lots of bicycles, they were accompanied by several BW chaps and a group of volunteers with litter picking equipment. They told me that if I had been a little bit later I could well have been on the TV as they were waiting for a TV crew to come and do an interview. I assume this is the new BW we love volunteers face to the public.

We continued on to Isis Lock, dropped through onto the Thames to turn round and then locked back up onto the Oxford Canal and retraced our steps back to Thrupp. When we arrived at the viaduct the chap that operated the hydraulic bridge came down the towing path to speak to us. He said there would be a delay of about half an hour as they were about to lift the FIRST section off. They had been at it all morning and hadn't made a lift yet and they had hoped to have all 6 off by now. We tied up and waited, there was burning going on and the a large Jack hammer on wheels breaking bit off from the adjoining sections. eventually the big crane took the strain, lifted the now free section a few inches, slewed round and lowered it on the ground. The bridge driver got the OK and lifted the bridge for us and then got the OK for us to proceed. I checked on the BW web site Waterscape and the only work mentioned on the Oxford was work on the moorings at Jericho. From here we had an uneventful trip back to Thrupp visitor mooring apart from meeting lots of people we knew so stopped for several chats on route. We moored up at about 6 pm and ate onboard.

 

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

Thursday 26 March 09 Aynho to Thrupp

We have had a slight change of plan that has required us to put our visit to the K&A off until the summer, as we now need to be home early April, so this meant we could have a lie in this morning and not move off until 10 30 as there is no need to be on the Thames first thing tomorrow. We had a very good meal at The Great Western Arms last night, its a bit more expensive than most pubs but not as much as some restaurants and also as a plus they sell Hook Norton beer. Just after we set off the weather had a lot of problems making up its mind what it was going to do, we started in sun with quite a bit of wind and then very fine drizzle coming very fast and at one point some heavy rain. Our first bit of excitement was as we approached lift bridge No. 193. BW have put new mooring bollards on the towing path side to work this bridge, I was just admiring them and thinking what a waste of time for a bridge that is always open, when it started to shut and then open again. This bridge is one of the few on the Oxford that is normally left shut, today it was for some reason open, but only balanced open, not fixed and the wind was threatening to close it as we approached. I stopped with the bows just in the cheeks of the bridge and Diana was able to get off on the off side and go and sit on the bridge beam to ensure it didn't close as we passed through. The next point of interest was about half a mile north of Heyford Common Lock. Here the canal bank has been breached on the off side and the canal is happily flowing into a brook. I rang BW and got transferred to Milton Keynes, told them the problem only to be informed that they where aware of it. If they know why don't they do something like drop a couple of dozen sand bags to stem the flow and stop it getting worse. Just beyond Lower Heyford lift bridge one of the gardens on the off side has a wonderful show of daffodils in their garden. We continued on towards Thrupp and got waved down by a boat coming towards us, it turned out to be a couple that we had been on holiday in France with. We arrived at Thrupp at about 5 pm. Most of what are normally visitor moorings with rings are marked as "private" but there were three 48 hour moorings free near the pub, so we bashed a couple of stakes in and tied up for the night.

Wed 25 March Fenny Compton to Aynho

We set off in good time today, just before 9 am. The weather was mixed, a bit of sun, a bit of snow, a bit of wind a bit of rain and a few calm moments, the only thing missing was thunder and lightning, but that was made up for but the jet fighters thundering over at low level. As we approached the Claydon flight two large Golden Retrievers bounded up to Diana, luckily Simon was not far behind. For some reason BW have changed the moorings above Cropredy to 24 hr moorings, that is I would suggest a complete waste of time, most people arrive at a mooring late in the afternoon and leave normally at a reasonable time in the morning regardless how long they stay for. This means that on a 24 hr mooring realistically you are only able to moor overnight, 48 hrs would have been a much better option. We gave a wave to Matilda Rose as we passed them below Cropredy on the 14 day morning, well to Graham who stuck his head right out of one of their opening portholes. Sovereign in Banbury opens at 2pm we arrived at about 5 minutes too so had to wait for them to open, the owner actually turned up at about quarter past, we took on 80 lt's of diesel, they don't take credit cards or give Green Shield stamps but they do give FREE bantam eggs, so we took 6. We continued on and at Nell Bridge where someone has put in some very nice off side moorings all with water and electricity. There was very little flow on the Cherwell as we crossed into Aynho Lock, but the woodwork protecting the weir is getting in very bad condition and soon some of the timbers will escape if BW don't do something, maybe it would have been better if they had invested in 10 X 6" nails than the big notice that tells you the air draft at Nell bridge because even if you know the height of your boat the notice doesn't tell you if its the centre of the arch or at handrail and I think once I have dropped the lock I can tell if I can get through or not. We have moored for the night opposite Aynho Wharf and plan to eat in the Great Western Hotel.

 

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

Tues 24 March Napton to Fenny, S. Oxford

By the time we had loaded the boat on the top lock, lock moorings it was quarter to three. We were about to set off when a boat came up the locks, as we were on the lock mooring we helped them through. Just as we were about to reverse back to the Engine Arm to wind a second boat came up the locks, this was most handy as when they filled the lock the water draw helped us turn in the mouth of the arm. We made our way to Marston Doles bottom lock and after the boat ahead left turned the lock and invited the boat behind us to go through as they were travelling together. Once they had gone we made our way through. I tied Harnser with the centre line to the mooring post below the top lock and went up to help Diana, when I came down Harnser was floating backwards down the pound and I was just able to jump onto her bows. I had tied her with the centre line using a lightermans hitch, but of course the pull was almost vertical on a very wobbly bollard. As we entered the lock the crew from another boat on out moorings appeared, with them they had their sons dog, just as we were leaving the lock Magic decided it was time to say hello, as he is now completely deaf I had to get off to fetch him, luckily Harnser's bum was still in the lock so I just left her in reverse while I fetched him, by the time I had him back onboard we were over half way back into the lock. We pushed on towards the radio mast at Wormleighton, from here to Wormleighton bends the smell was something else, it smelt like they had been spraying raw sewage on the fields. Just south of the bends  between bridges 131 and 132 was a BW work boat and I was very sorry to see that they have removed the wooden footbridge that use to span the canal here. It was the only one of that deign that I have come across but being wood I suppose its days were always numbered. We pulled into the moorings just south of The Wharf, Fenny Compton just after 6 pm, it wasn't until Diana went ashore with the bow rope that we realised we were bow to bow with Derwent6, the last time we met was in Debdale Marina when we were waiting to go in for our paint job. As we passed the water point I noticed that the last boater had left his keys in the water tap, so I took them into the pub in case he comes back looking for them, He was on a smallish tug heading south so we may pass him still moored up in the morning if we get away early enough.

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

Napton to Bristol and Back Monday 23 March 2009

Tomorrow we will be setting off south down the South Oxford Canal until we reach Oxford and the Thames, here we will turn left down the River Thames until we reach Reading.  Here we will leave the Thames and turn right into The Kennet and Avon Canal. We will follow the Kennet and Avon Canal until we reach Bristol. Once there we will turn round and do it all in the opposite direction. This is of course assuming that BW have the pumps running  on the K&A so there is sufficient water to float on and that the sunken boat presently blocking the navigation at Burghfield Island has been removed.

The weather forecast  for the first week of our journey is not as good as we would have wished for, but providing we don't get so much rain it puts the rivers in flood it wont be a problem.

I will be updating this blog every evening providing the 3 signal is of a good enough standard. If you do see us please wave and shout.

Tuesday 3 March 09 Willoughby to Napton

Yesterday evening we had rain which destroyed my 3 Internet signal as well as making the towing path messy for taking the dog out, however this morning was quite bright and we set off about half nine. We saw quite a few boats about including Lazy Days moored at Braunston. At Braunston Turn we turned right towards Napton Junction, there were far fewer boats moored along here than normal we see. Between bridge 103 and 102 BW are piling the towing  path bank which will increase the summer moorings in the area dramatically as well as improve the foot path, south of this they have carried out spot repairs to the path with a light grey material that looks almost like gone off cement crushed up. At Wigrams Turn/Napton Junction we carried on straight ahead and moored for the night quite early outside the Bridge Inn, Napton a little after mid day. I then rang the Taxi firm and asked if they could pick us up at about 2 pm to take us to Debdale Wharf so we could retrieve the car, this went without a hitch and tonight we will eat in the Bridge Inn, leaving the car in their carpark. In the morning Diana will drive to our moorings and walk down the flight to meet me while I take Harnser on alone.

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

2 March 09 Hawkesbury to Willoughby

We woke this morning to find the vegetation on the towing path white and stiff, checking the outside thermometer showed that the temperature dropped to -2 at ground level last night. The weather forecast said today would be warm and dry, the sun was already out and things looked good. Diana waved goodbye to our friends on Minnehaha (they start earlier than us) and we in tern set off at 9.30 am. As we left Hawkesbury Junction lock we met Roy on n.b. Gerald waiting to enter the lock,  we had spent a week with him last summer doing a BCNS cruise. Our first stop after Hawkesbury Junction to take on water and who should pull onto the waterpoint at the same time, n.b. Gypsy Rover so at long last we got to speak to Dot and Derek. After taking water the next boat to appeared round the bend was Fringilla with Joan and John onboard accompanied for a few days by their granddaughter. Just after this I spotted a Buzzard over the old power station site at Hawkesbury so that is probably what Dot and Derek saw, we also saw a Green Woodpecker on the towing path a bit later on. we continued towards Rugby and met a green narrow boat with no name, as we passed we almost both said" I think I have been reading your blog" it was Pickles No 2 (I think). After that, little activity until Newbold Tunnel where a quarter of the coloured lamps are out in the tunnel. I don't know who paid for them to be installed but like lots of things on the waterways, the capital is there put put them in but no one thinks about maintaining them. Once through the tunnel we passed Ten Bob Note and exchanged waves. Just before Hillmorton Diana told me she had spoken to Les off "Fenchurch" a Norton Canes boat that has recently be featured in one of the canal magazines. We just started up the Hillmorton locks and a boat turned up at the top waiting to come down, they kindly told Diana that she could go to the next lock and they would let me out and close the paddles. BW have made a very good job of the landing stage below the middle lock on the off side, much safer to use. As we were about to leave the top lock another boat appeared so we were able to leave the top gate open for them. We carried on towards Braunston finally stopping for the night a Willoughby at 5 pm.

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

1 March 09 Atherstone to Hawkesbury

We had a very late start today not getting away until 11 o'clock. The weather was grand and there were moor boats about today than we had seen all week. We carried on in the sunshine to Springwood Haven Marina where we spotted Ann walking her dogs so we pulled over for a chat, it turned out they were about to leave for Coventry and would be mooring at Hawkesbury for the night so we agreed to join them. As we made out way through Nuneaton we noticed that Hazel and Peter were home so we stopped at their jetty for a short chat, in the mean time Bill and Ann went by and we caught up with them just after they had moored on the edge of Hawkesbury by the weir. We pulled in behind them at about 4 pm and went onboard there boat for a glass of wine and a chat.

 

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

28 Feb 09 Fazeley to Atherstone

As I walked the dog this morning there was a boat at the BW offices taking water and I heard them say they were off to Coventry so A gave them a half hour lead before we set off. When we arrived at the bottom of the Tamworth flight I didn't expect a queue but the boat that had left before us was still waiting to get into the locks. It was about here that my cold took a turn for the worst with the shivers and feeling very cold. Once clear of the locks I took a couple of pills and Diana took over driving. As we approached the Atherstone flight we decided to stop for lunch, we normally eat on the move but that is never easy in a flight of locks and to be honest I quite fancied sitting down for a bit. We had been there about 10 minuets when a blue narrow boat with Waterscape painted on the side came by and went straight up the locks which were all in their favour and meant we had to tern every lock. 2 locks up we met a couple walking and as she was wearing a RN body warmer I asked where the boat was, the moor at Barry Hawkins yard half way up the flight, After helping Diana with the gates they asked if I had a spare windlass and set the next 4 locks for us. At the top of the flight the coal boat Gosty  was trying to wind, the only way he can get round is to run his nose into the footbridge leading to the water point, pull his stern into the corner by the top of the lock and then pull his bows round past the water point, as he was by himself we gave him a hand pulling the stern back. We carried on for about a mile past Atherstone and moored for the night at about 4 30 and very shortly after that I took my self off to bed.

 

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

Friday 27 Feb 09 Alrewas to Fazeley Junction

Last night we were moored on the new Alrewas 48 hour moorings. Its easy to see why the local population have been complaining about moored boats in this heavy residential area. When we arrived there were two boats already moored just through the first bridge and we tagged on the end of them, the one closest to us had his engine running, it was still running when we went to the pub at 7.30. When we came back from the pub at gone 9 he had switched his engine off, but by now the hospitality boat moored by the bridge had his built in generator running, you could hear both of these from Post Office Road, if the residents get this every evening its not surprising they get jarred off with us boaters. We ate at the Crown in Post Office Road, being the last Thursday of the month they were having a Folk evening in the restaurant. At about 8 two musicians arrived, laid down their instruments, got a drink and ordered their food, about a quarter of an hour later another two arrived and did the same thing and then just after half eight two moor arrived and repeated the procedure. By 9 pm there were 6 musicians all sitting eating their dinner, not even onto the sweet and no music. By this time we had eaten, drunk enough so decided we would call it a night and head back to the boat.

This morning Diana went to post some letters and I walked the dog back towards the lock clearing up quite a lot of dog muck on the way, as I approached the lock there were two boats that had just come up the lock both single handing and assisting each other through the locks. I returned to the boat as did Diana and we went for a stroll around the village. The Church Yard was quite interesting will old grave stones erected all along the boundary and the thickest bed of Snowdrops we had ever seen. We then returned to Harnser and set off, as we approached Bagnell Lock the second of the single hander's was just departing. One of them would arrive at the lock and lock the second boat through, he in turn moored at the hop of the lock and worked the other through, they would both carry on to the next lock and repeat the performance, luckily they both stopped at the water point at BW Fradley so we were able to pass them. At Fradley Junction we turned left onto the Coventry Canal. BW have changed the moorings at Huddlesford Junction to short term so most of the boats that we have seen moored there every time we have passed have now moved on. The new rail bridge at the junction now supports two ID numbers, one BW and one Network Rail so that should cause confusion when someone rings the BW emergency number and uses the wrong one. We had planned to moor at the bottom of Atherstone but time was getting away so we decided to pull in opposite the BW office at Fazeley for the night a little before  4 pm.

 

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

Thursday 26 Feb 09 Branston to Alrewas

We set off this morning at twenty to ten, one boat had gone by earlier but we found to our surprise the next lock empty. We made a brief stop at the cafe where the boaters rubbish bins are now located before continuing to Barton Turns. We pulled over to take water on the lock moorings when a young lady from BW walked down and said there was a problem with the lock and there would be a short delay, we continued to fill the water tank and then Diana walked up to find the stop planks in. At 11 am a BW chap walked down to tell us they were waiting for a crane to arrive so they could lift and reseat the lock gate as it had come out of the cup. The crane should be here by 1 pm and we should be on our way by 4 pm all being well. 1 o'clock came as did a bunch of BW operatives, but no crane, 2 o'clock and still no crane but lots of telephone calls, 15 minutes later and the crane lorry arrived, by 3 o'clock the gate was out, the steel toe fitted back into the bottom of the gate, new rubber seals fitted to both sides of the gate and the gate was back in the lock swinging freely in the cup at the bottom and in the band at the top. The stop planks lifted and the lock cycled a couple of times to prove all was well. If the crane had arrived on time we would have been on our way by two. One boat waiting above came down and by 3.30 we had gone up and were leaving the lock. We pushed on up to Alrewas where we moored for the night at about quarter to five.

 

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

Wednesday 25 Feb 09 Ragley to Branston

Ragley Boat Stop must have the best pub moorings I have ever used, there is even electricity hookup if you want it, good mooring rings, deep water and a hard straight edge, even lighting. Well done to them, I hope lots of boaters use it. The food was fine as was the beer and you can even get a FREE bottle of wine if you download and print out the voucher from their web site http://www.king-henrys-taverns.co.uk/specials/printme.html I can personally recommend their Lamb Chops. The only down side it the railway that runs along side the towing path, this is a freight line and they run well into the night.

We didn't get away this morning until twenty to twelve this morning in bright sunshine. There were a lot more boats about in this area than we have been seeing previously. At Stenson Lock there is now a tea room and we also saw the entrance to Mercia Marina as we passed by, you can't see the marina as its the other side of the road with a long access channel and a bridge. We also saw the part demolished bridge where the trailer load of muck fell in the cut. What's left of the bridge looks sound but I guess it will involve a long stoppage to rebuild it.  All the long term BW moorers have been moved from Willington, I suppose this is to enable the dredging to take place through this stretch, I don't know where they have moved to as we didn't see any temporary long term mooring notices. We were only held up for a few minuets for the dredging as he had just finished filling a mud hopper as we arrived so only needed to move it out of the way before we could pass,  I caught up with a loaded hopped and tug just as he reached the unloading point at bridge 25 where I passed him but had to wait for the second one who was about to swap a full hopper for an empty one, He spotted me waiting, shouted to the digger driver and then waved me through. In the same section contractors were also cutting the towing path hedges. As the afternoon wore on the weather got more overcast and the wind freshened with a corresponding drop in temperature, as we passed Branston Water Park visitor moorings we saw one spot and decided to pull in for the night at quarter past four.

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

Tues 24 Feb 09 Zouch to Ragley Boat Stop.

We slipped up with the timing slightly this morning and about quarter to 10 a wide beam BW dredger came by and sailed straight into the first lock which was set ready for them, so when we left at 10 and arrived at the lock 5 minuets later we had to turn it before we could continue on our way. It was quite a dank day  and again next to no traffic about on the waterway. We caught up with the dredger as he was waiting to enter Kegworth Deep Lock. This lock still has a filed in disused lock beside it. Coming upstream this lock requires great care because if you place the bow against the wall of the cill and ride up the wall with the water you come up under the wooden cill protection beam. I think at one time this woodwork carried on down to the bottom of the lock but has not been repaired in many years. The gars was quite wet around the lock with puddles indicating that it had been raining quite heavily this morning, 2 miles upstream we hadn't had a drop. We carried on expecting to catch up with BW again at Kegworth Shallow Lock, but this is a flood lock and the gates were open at each end so they had sailed straight through, but they were waiting at Ratcliffe Lock and again we helped them on their way before turning the lock again. Just below the lock we met another narrow boat coming upstream, this was to be the only other boat we would see on the move all day. When we arrived a Redhill lock the dredger was moored up and a chap in a BW van was waiting to take the crew off. There is quite a bit of plant at Redhill and BW plan to close the navigation here next week. I asked the BW chaps if they knew where the IWA National was being held next year and the best answer they could offer was Redhill, they had no better information as to its exact location other than that. Redhill lock is also a flood lock and this was also wide open giving us an open path to the River Trent. At the junction we turned left up the Trent to Sawley Locks. These are mechanised locks but the instructions are quite small and a bit smudged, luckily the lock keeper was on hand to offer advice. The run up the Trent had been quite chilly but once off the river things warmed up a bit. We pushed on beyond  Derwent Mouth. We stopped for egg sandwiches before entering Derwent Mouth Lock, we felt it would be very unlikely that we would be in anybodies way. We were now off the rivers and back on the canal, the Trent and Mersey to be precise, we carried on along the canal for a couple of hours before moor at 5 pm at Ragley Boat Stop for the night, we intend to eat here tonight and then meet up with Brian and Susan for a couple of drinks.

 

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

Mon 23 Feb Birstall to Zouch

We didn't set off until 10-30 as we walked into Birstall and did a bit of shopping first in very pleasant sun shine but a chilly wind. We travelled alone all day and only met two boat all day, both at Pilling's Lock, a Canal Time boat was about to leave as we arrived and as we left nb. Crystal Ball arrived. Pilling's Marina is advertising mooring vacancies. The flow on the river was again very slow which made travelling very easy. We stopped to fill with water at Barrow and after setting off I was caught out by the cross flow below the lock.  At Loughborough we turned left down the town arm, it's much better than last time we visited but still not that inviting. Before winding and leaving I had a quick trip down the weed hatch and I must say the water was a lot warmer than on the river yesterday. We carried on down stream to moor opposite The Rose and Crow at Zouch a few minuets to five where I had to "touch up" (don't ask) the rear left hand cants and gunwale.

 

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

Sunday 22 Feb 09 Kilby Bridge to Birstall

The trains were OK last night but the geese made sure we didn't oversleep this morning. We set off at 8 am with a bit of sun and some very black clouds, however it kept dry all day for us. We had just moved off when I saw movement on the boat at the far end of the moorings so we had company for the day. It was nb. Pegasus and the chap on her had just bought her to live on from Ashby and was moving her home to Thurmaston Marina to become a liveaboard. Since he had owned the boat he has been longer stuck in the ice than cruising with three days at Trinity and another week at Norton Junction. As yesterday the locks were very mixed with some for us and some against with gates open, shut or somewhere in between. We only met 2 boats all day, a small cruiser below Leicester and a narrow boat waiting to enter Birstall Lock. We moored for the night just below Birstall Lock and went for a look around Birstall. It's quite a well equipped place with Fish & Chip shop, Chinese take a way, Indian restaurant and Take a way, DIY store,Discount Store, Bookies,nice looking butchers and health food store, taxi and a Somerfields , in addition to at least 3 pubs and 3 hairdressers.

Sat 21 Feb 2009 Foxton to Kilby Bridge

Last night we at at The Locks, Foxton. They are now offering fixed price meals which we thought offered good value. £9-95 for 2 courses or £12-29 for 3 courses. We were full up after the main course so only had the 2 starting with Mussels in a thick white sauce and sheep's cheese baked in filo pastry, we followed this wit Liver and Bacon with mash and poached smoked Haddock on mash with fresh vegetables.

This morning we set off in the sunshine at 10 am heading back past Debdale as we have decided to go home via Leicester. We have only seen 2 boats on the move all day and we met them between Debdale and Foxton. The locks have been quite mixed, some against us, some for us, some with gates open and even one with the top gates open and the paddles up. We moored for the night at Kilby Bridge just before 4 o'clock having passed and waved to Balmaha at the other end of the mooring. Its been sunny all day, quite cool this morning but very pleasant this afternoon, we are just across from the railway line so I hope its not to noisy overnight.

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

Friday 20 February 2009

We arrived at Debdale around 2 o'clock and after transferring all the stuff from the car to the boat I refilled the water system and then moved the boat round to the service bay to take on diesel and fill with water tank. We took on 170 lt at 56p + the extra tax for propulsion. Settled our account for the temporary mooring and paid to leave the car there for a further week. We then headed back onto the cut and just went as far as Foxton where we have moored for the night at 4pm.

100 yards in 2 days

Dave rang us to tell us that Harnser would be finished on Monday Feb 9th. There was only a couple of problems, one of our cars was in the garage being repaired and the other decided to come up with a suspension alarm and the Citroen garage couldn't look at it until Tuesday, but by then the other car should be back. so we would be a day late, no problem. Then due to the bad weather they were unable to get the spare parts for no 1 car and no 2 would take more than a day. To cut a long frustrating story short we finally got no 1 car back at 5 pm on Wednesday 11th. and set off straight to Market Harborough to spend the night in the Premier inn. Thursday morning at 9 am saw us outside Dave's paint shop with the wonderful news that there was little chance getting out today with the ice. The day was not wasted and I started refitting all the fitting I had remover. By 3 pm Dave confirmed there was no chance of moving and we booked another night in the Premier inn.

Friday morning back to the marina, things had improved a bit but there was still a couple of inches of ice but at least you could poke a hole in it with a pole so things were looking up.  Around lunch time the boat that went for a pump out and broke the ice when we wanted to come in decided he required diesel, so we all helped him out and he made a grand job of breaking the ice in the main body of the marina. This allowed us to get out at last and "borrow" the mooring of the next boat in the paint shop. Hence our 100 yards in two days. I then went to the marina office and arranged a temporary mooring for the following week as the canal was still solid with ice and the boat was going nowhere. We however were off to see my grandchildren over in Gloucestershire. 

A short visit to Debdale

Not a trip by boat but we visited Debdale today to see how David and Russell are getting on with Harnser. We left Suffolk in bright,warm sunshine after last nights mist are gone, but half way along the A14 the mist returned and the temperature dropped to below 3 deg.C and when we arrived at Debdale the marina was covered in a thin sheet of ice.

Inside the nice warm paint dock we found David and his son putting the first gloss coat on the roof, the main panels on the side are finished as are the handrails. Both look very smart but I do wonder how I will get on with a shiny boat. After talking to Dave it was off to Gumley for dinner at the Bell. Last time we visited for lunch there were only 4 of us eating, today it was packed and people were waiting for tables.

The Final Chapter

We looked out on Thursday morning and there was water on top of the ice but the ice appeared to be just as thick and consequently there was no sign of Dave. As the day progressed the ice continued to thaw and mid afternoon, as we were very low on water I decided to do a bit of gentle ice breaking, moving quite slowly out into the centre of the marina basin and then towards the far end cutting a couple of channels through the ice. Derwent6 took a photo of us as we approached them which you can see on their Blog here.  Some of the moorers on that side of the basin started to get agitated that I may damage their boats so I moored up again and went round to explained that I was going slowly and not pushing ice across against their boat, but before I could say anything the chap moored on the end of the row came home from work, started his engine and said "Well I'm just off for a pump out" with that he selected reverse and powered out backwards through the ice. Not a word was said and a couple of people there left the scene. He found it quite easy getting through to where I had cut the channel but after that he was going forward and then coming back and ramming it as hard as he could. I walked round to the service dock to see if we could have a pump out as well and as the answer was yes we cast off again and turned in the now broken ice to head towards the service dock, meeting the other boat on the way. Before we had completed our pump out it was getting quite dark and I had removed all the external lights ready for our repaint, so once I had paid the bill, only a tenner we slid back to our mooring under the cover of darkness. As we had also taken on water we were both able to have a show before heading to the pub at Gumley for a very good meal. On the way I phoned Dave and told him the condition of the ice and arranged to see him the next morning.

Friday morning and the boat was a bit smelly, I put it down to the smoke from the chimneys of the other boats in the marina but it turned out to be our stove so I shut it down and set to giving it a clean out. About 10 AM Dave and Russell brought the boat they had been working on out of the paint dock and returned it to its moorings and then walked over to see us about 11 AM just after I came  out of the shower having "done" the stove. We slipped the moorings and headed into the paint dock which was well packed with the ice we pushed ahead of us.

Once in the dock we unloaded the boat and then went through the details of what we wanted in the way of colours and sign writing before heading off to the freezing fog on the A14.

We are now boatless until around Valentines Day.

Life in a marina 7 Jan

We have been stuck here in Debdale Marina since Sunday afternoon when we broke ice from Black Horse Bridge on the Market Harborough Arm all the way back through the marina. One boat followed us in later in the afternoon down the channel we had made and moored down the finger moorings opposite us.

We have met several people here in the marina who all seem very friendly and lots of other dogs. It is now Wednesday afternoon and there has been very little thaw since we crept back on Sunday. Late Tuesday afternoon the marina moved one of their boats from opposite us to the workshop, it was slow going with the boat reversing out from the finger pontoon and two men breaking ice over the stern with poles. Once they were able to turn things got a lot easier for them but from starting the operation to getting into the workshop must have take over an hour in total and it was dark before they had finished. Some of the pieces of ice that slid on top of the other ice must be at least 25 mm thick so its any ones guess how thick the ice is between us and the paint dock, nothing has been that way since Saturday so it is very debatable if they will be able to get the boat out of the paint dock today. While we have been here the night time temperatures have been as low as -8 c, last night when we went to bed it was -6 c but this climbed overnight and was only -0.3 at 7 AM this morning. Just after lunch Dave knocked on the boat and said there is no chance of getting in today as the ice in front of the paint dock is to thick, however since then we have had a steady but slow thaw, the ice is all very wet and if its not to cold tonight we may make it tomorrow.

Black Horse bridge -Debdale Wharf

Last night we ate at The Black Horse, it was OK but I wouldn't go down the arm especially to eat there. As we walked back to the boat there was still no ice on the cut. How things changed overnight. We had a very late start following a walk round the village of Foxton. As we returned to the boat the Canal Time moored behind us was about to set off so I let him go ahead to do the ice breaking, I found him against the bank just round the next bend so we were now out in front. The ice wasn't too bad down the Market Harborough Arm but was quite a bit thicker on the main Leicester Line. It was quite strange as we would come to places where it was a good 15 mm thick and then clear water, I kept to the off side where the trees had stopped the ice getting as thick, but a lot of the way it was open bank and the ice uniform across the cut. A family of swans were pleased to see us as it meant they had a channel to swim down. We turned back into Debdale Marina where the ice was completely unbroken and as we had to pass a couple of GRP boats moored in the narrow section I broke the ice ahead using the long shaft not wanting to risk sending an ice flow into their hulls. We are now safely moored in the marina for the nigh with a few snow flurries. While we have been away NB Alice Mary with Stowmarket Navigation painted on her side has come into the marina, The Stowmarket Navigation is one of our local waterways in Suffolk presently under restoration.

Market Harborough to take on water

About half ten this morning I walked round to the Marina office and introduced myself, its the first time the office has been open since we arrived. Just as I was walking back to the boat NB Balmaha turned into the marina, they had cut a fine channel all the way from Black Horse Bridge at Foxton right into Debdale Marina. On the strength of this we decided to go cruising and reversed through the ice and out of the marina. We stopped at Foxton and again tried to fill with water but none of the taps were operational still, even the one in the entrance to the basin at the bottom of the incline plane was dry. We decided that we would take a run down to Market Harborough and fill there. On the way we spotted another BW waste of money, a sign saying the speed limit is 6.43 KPH.  We pulled in against the services block in the basin only to find our hose pipe was frozen solid, we always drain it after use but a few dregs must have formed an ice plug, so it was into the oven with it to thaw while we dumped the rubbish etc. We were considering doing a pump out but the power lamp  on the panel was out and the office is only open now and again so we may try again Monday. We took on enough water for the weekend as I didn't want to hang about to long and get caught returning in the dark. On the way back we saw saw NB Caxton's Kingfisher sitting on a branch, I have never seen such a tame one before, it made no attempt to move as we slid past.  We were planning to head back to the marina for the night as we don't want to get caught in the ice at this stage of our plans, however as we continued on along the arm towards Foxton there was a good covering of cloud so it shouldn't be any colder tonight than it was last night so we stopped at Black Horse Bridge  just after 4 PM with a view to  eating at the Black Horse Pub or The Shoulder of Mutton that has its own Chinese restaurant.

A short 2009 sortie

The plan was to stay here in Debdale Marina until 2 January when we would move to the paint dock. David the painter came to see us this morning to tell us that the boat in the dock at the moment wont be leaving until Wednesday, so we will be kicking our heels for a few more days before going home. On the strength of this information we decided to leave the marina and go to "The Locks" at Foxton for lunch and fill up with water. We managed to moor against the frontage of The locks pub and went in for a meal. Not much sign of a recession there, the place was heaving, and as one table emptied it was quickly turned and reoccupied. By about 1-30 they were informing people that there was a bit of a delay on the food because they were so busy. After eating and drinking we walked across to the shop at "Bridge 61" and bought a few items. It was then time to fill with water, but the taps were all dry, they were working yesterday because we saw Matilda Rose and Caxton filling up. A Canal Time boat was filling his tank from the tap on the wall of the lock cottage but the flow was so slow it took him for ever, and we found that we would need to be right in the mouth of the lock for our hose to reach so we gave it a miss, We will nip down to Market Harborough Saturday if we are not iced in and do it then. At this point we decided to chug back to the marina for the night and are now tucked up where we were last night waiting to see if it freezes again.