Frozen In

Sunday 27th December 2009

Left Teesside under snow at around 9.30am. The traffic was much busier than we had anticipated. We guessed this was as a result of travellers returning home on mass after Christmas visiting friends and family.

We arrived at the marina around 12 noon and were surprised to see that our neighbouring boat, ‘Bovett’s Harvest Too’, was occupied. Before Christmas the owners had mentioned they would not be at the boat over Christmas as they were visiting their son and his family in York. However, it soon became apparent that the boat had actually been sold just before Christmas, and the new owner had arrived to take it to her new mooring at Tewksbury.

This was the new owner’s first boat and although she had received a quick walk-around by the previous owners it was very much a new experience as her previous knowledge was only from time spent aboard hire boats, that are in many ways quite simplistic, and not half as complicated as a purpose built bespoke boat. I assisted in filling the gaps in her knowledge where possible. Her itinerary to get the boat to the Tewksbury mooring would be quite challenging as she would need to make good progress to beat the planned start of stoppages on the Staffs and Worcester. Her first unscheduled delay was that she would not be able to leave the Marina until the temperatures rise as we were all frozen in! Her plan was therefore to return tomorrow in the hope of some warmer weather conditions.

Elaine and I also intended to ‘go out’ but instead opted to buy the Sunday papers and chillax for the rest of the day on the boat.

The weather forecast confirmed that it would only get colder towards the end of the week – not the prediction our new neighbour was hoping for.


Monday 28th December 2009

I ventured out early, from the warmth of the boat, onto the jetty to get a feel for how cold it really was. I can confirm it was BL***Y COLD. In the search for a photograph for next years Christmas card I had a walk around the marina in freezing fog to take a few shots. Although we don’t have images of a snow covered boat the photos hopefully look cold and wintry enough! The white frost on the ropes and fairleads, against a backdrop of a frozen marina was proof-positive of subzero temperatures.

Frosty Pole, Plank and Boat Hook!

The frosty bow - very cold ropes!

White hoar-frost built up around the fairleads.

After breakfast Elaine and I then walked over to the Marina Office and asked Mike (the marina manager) if there was an opportunity for us to move berth to the neighbouring berth that would soon be vacated. This mooring has the advantage of being the other side of the jetty, on the side of the prevailing wind. Although there are no other advantages over the position we already occupy, it is hoped this will make mooring a little easier in strong winds. Mike confirmed he was happy for us to move across after ‘Bovett’s Harvest Too’ had vacated.

As it now looked unlikely we would get an opportunity to ‘go out’ we opted to head back home at around 3.30pm, arriving back home to the same snow covered ground.

We will need to return to the marina soon to move berth.

A Crisp Weekend Cruise

Friday 11th December 2009.
We arrived at the boat well after dark in temperatures hovering just above zero. It took about 90minutes to get the boat up to normal cosy winter temperature employing the services of both the central heating and the solid fuel stove. I guess a steel boat gets cold it takes a little longer to warm up than a house made of bricks and mortar – however the boat floats an lot better than the house ever would.

Saturday 12th December 2009.
It was our intention this weekend (as a minimum) to at least turn the boat on its moorings in order to re-orientate ourselves with the marina. The boat was opposite way round from our normal orientation (a necessity brought on by strong winds last time we moored up) and Elaine & I were struggling to come to terms with this 180 degree disorientation (particularly after a bottle of wine).
However, it was a lovely crisp winter morning with clear blue skies and no wind; an opportunity to go for a short cruise that we couldn’t miss.
I wasn’t sure what winter hours would be worked by the marina staff so before we departed I thought it prudent to get a new bag of smokeless coal from the shop as I had just emptied the last bag into the coal scuttle. Pulling out of the marina at about 11.00am we travelled down to Wolseley Bridge for lunch; (The Wolseley Arms looked busy so had lunch on the boat). Then we cruised a little further toward Rugeley before winding above Bridge 68 and mooring just before the ‘Boaters Christian Fellowship’ near Bridge 69. An excellent rural mooring that we had not stopped at since October when we joined narrowboat ‘Tramper’. Elaine prepared a wonderful meal while I…………..er……..…read the paper; (A very important task)!
Across the canal a family recently bought a field and have been busily spending weekends creating a smallholding, rearing alpacas, pigs, chickens, etc. The young lad from the family crossed the bridge and walked along the towpath past the boats shouting “eggs for sale” swinging a basket. We couldn’t resist giving him some business (despite the fact we had just bought eggs that morning from the farm shop) and bought a dozen eggs from the young man. He acknowledged they had only owned the land since June or July and he said the worst thing about the winter was travelling down to the smallholding in a morning to unfreeze the livestock feeders. The eggs were only small but that didn’t spoil the transaction – we vowed we would ‘taste-test’ them in the morning.

Sunday 13th December 2009
A slow start on another fantastic clear sunny day (although it was very cold). Elaine prepared scrambled egg and bacon. The eggs were delicious. We travelled up through Colwich Lock (finding it difficult to spot any improvements after the recent stoppage – in fact the gate paddle ratchet was jammed open and the bottom gate wouldn’t stay shut). Then we slowly dawdled along the canal past Shugborough Hall exchanging the usual greetings with moored boaters, and up through Haywood Lock.
Just before arriving back at the marina, we approached a line of maybe eight fishermen, so after passing an oncoming boat, I opted to take the middle line between moored boats and the towpath. At tick-over, this would hopefully create least disturbance between the fishing areas they had chosen to fish (i.e. both against the towpath side and against the moored boats on the opposite bank). To no avail – although some fishermen exchanged pleasant greetings one guy who shouldn’t go fishing if he can’t cope with the cold and was clearly too annoyed at his own poor performance shouted, from behind a massive brolly. Suggesting we drive down the middle – a position I was already in (if only he used his eyes). It is therefore now quite clear to me that you can never keep all fishermen happy. It is therefore now no longer my intention to try! If it wasn’t for the canal boat they wouldn’t have a canal to fish in. Why do fishermen feel canal boaters should exercise such caution and observe such etiquette when passing them? When in fact the majority of fishermen fish on white bollards, fish opposite moored boats, fish near locks and bridges and their licence is chicken feed compared to the charges we pay in order to maintain the canal.
Overall a great weekend.

Robert & Suzanne visit the boat.

Monday 23rd November 2009.
We booked a days holiday from work to travel down to Great Haywood with Robert (Elaine’s son) and his fiancée, Suzanne. This was the first opportunity they had had to see the boat. The weather was dreadful! Lashing down with rain from the minute we passed Leeds on the A1 and strong winds only worsened the experience as we got closer to Great Haywood. Never the less they seemed impressed with the boat and its facilities.
Robert already had first hand experience of the local canals around Great Haywood as he had spent many a holiday with us on Anglo Welsh boats in the past; (before it became un-cool for teenagers to go on holiday with their parents)! So, instead of going on a ‘cruise’ we went for a ‘booze’ (well something like that) to one of our favourite local pubs: The Holly Bush at Salt. (Great meals and an excellent atmosphere). We then called at Trentham and visited the garden centre and retail outlets on our way back home.

A Windy Weekend!

Sunday 15th November 2009

Although it had been our intention to spend a long weekend on the boat the met office weather warnings of flooding and high winds in the Midlands had put us off travelling down until Sunday morning.

A clear journey down; left home at 9.30am and by 1.30pm we had eaten on the boat and were pulling out of the marina. The storm force winds that had apparently caused chaos the day before had dropped and the sky was pure blue. We enjoyed a lovely quiet trip up through Hoo Mill Lock and winded just through Ingestre Bridge (No78) and later moored just south of the bridge. We had only passed one boat - I guess most people had written off the weekend and gone home.

Locking up through Hoo Mill Lock

Immediately after winding, and as the canal was quiet, I thought I would practice some reversing as 'Escapology' has got to be the most uncontrollable boat to reverse in history not responding to any of the 'text book' techniques the magazines and manuals promote! Although the exercise was completely inconclusive and seemingly pointless to any 'gongoozler', I managed to reverse all the way to Brinepit Bridge (No79), and it was great fun. The 'galley girl' however was most uncomfortable with this pointless display and did what she normally does in this situation - vanished from the rear deck to sit out of sight in the saloon to avoid embarrassment until forward gear was selected and normal service resumed.

Mooring just south of Ingestre Bridge (No78)

We had both booked Monday off work because firstly we both dislike Mondays and secondly we were under the impression that the weather was always good on a Monday! A theory born from repeatedly witnessing great conditions on the day you go back to work after a wet weekend on the canal. After dark I checked the weather forecast on my hand-held gadget; to my disappointment the met office were predicting heavy rain and strong winds for Monday. Great.

The weather forecast we didn't want for Monday!

Monday 16th November 2009


Woke at 6.30am to a howling gale and heavy rain. Although the weather had deteriorated we waited for a dry spell, around 11.15am, to push on back to the marina. By the time we arrived the wind had returned and the rain was falling. The only option for birthing was to pull in front first at a reasonable lick and only apply the break once we were well into the mooring. That we did quite successfully. Although we dislike mooring this way around as everything seems back-to-front and with added complications as we are further from the power socket, any attempt to reverse into the mooring would, I am sure, have been futile in these conditions.


Despite the desperate weather it had been a good day; for a Monday!

A Wet Weekend!

Friday 23rd October 2009
Arrived at the marina at 7.30pm after a reasonable drive in what was reported to be the busiest day on the roads this year.

Saturday 24th October 2009
Heavy rain and strong winds dissuaded us from venturing out in the boat. Instead we had a ride in the car over the M6 to Wolverhampton to pick up a rechargeable lantern from Go Outdoors that will make a suitable lamp for the rear deck when arriving in the dark. We paid a visit to the marina office on the way out to pay for the next 12 months moorings – not a cheap weekend; although we have benefited from the lower rate of VAT.
The intention to have an evening walk down to Great Haywood Junction was thwarted again by the weather so instead we opted to have a steak on the boat and watch a DVD in front of the stove.

Sunday 25th October 2009
Up early (assisted by the clocks going back) and after breakfast we took a drive up to Aston Marina (just south of Stone) and unsurprisingly the marina is still far from finished (although 50% of it is in water) – despite the press notifications that is was ready to receive boats. The marina, when finished, looks to have a lot of potential with a creative design and good facilities. I also observed the new opportunity for travelling boats to wind below Aston Lock, by using one of the new marina entrances. This should prove to be an excellent facility for boats not wanting to go right into Stone before turning. En-route home we chose to travel up the M6 and call in at Middlewich as there was to be a boat rally on 23rd-25th October. We parked up in Middlewich and walked the canal from the junction down to “The Big Lock” and it was clear the poor weather on the Friday and Saturday had taken its toll on boat numbers. Apart from the Fudge Boat and Ivan with his working pair there were few notable moorers. We then continued home.

A Short Weekend

Friday 9th October

Arrived at the marina late as a result of a late finish from work.
Despite it being cold and drizzly, and travelling down from the North East in busy traffic conditions. it was, as usual, a trip that is easy to enjoy as it always results in a rewarding outcome. (The journey back on a Sunday evening is a completely different feeling however!).

Saturday 10th October

A lovely day, sunny and mild for this time of year. After a lazy start, followed by bacon sandwiches, we moved the boat across the marina to the diesel filler and topped up the tank (160ltrs). Made the usual ‘finger-in-the air’ guess at what percentage of the fuel was to be liable to tax – settling on 50-50 – a more than generous offering to Gordon. After parting with some hard earned we couldn't resist burning off some of the ‘tax-liable stuff’ by cruising down to Tixall. We winded at the wide and travelled back to the marina.
The crew of Kaspra our neighbouring boat, a boat with whom we share a 15ft gap on the jetty, had arrived for the weekend and were about to depart. We commented on how better co-ordinated our respective arrival and departure could have been, (as it is obviously so much easier to get in and out of the berth when the neighbouring boat is absent), and vowed to co-ordinate better in the future.
We then set about the intended improvement for this weekend and applied a coat of yacht varnish to the ten internal porthole reveals. During last winter, when temperatures outside were drastically different from inside we noticed a misting of condensation could form on the oak lining around in the porthole reveal; presumably as a result of the reduced insulation at this point. In this situation we thought it would be prudent to improve the protection to the oak. Despite the job being fiddly it only took a couple of hours. We also took the opportunity to varnish the oak lining on the underside of the rear hatch as the original spray applied varnish doesn’t hold up as well as brush applied in vulnerable areas.
Just before dark, Brian and Bridgett, the crew of out other neighbouring boat (nb. Bovett’s Harvest Too), arrived back into the marina. They had been missing from the Marina since May and confirmed they had enjoyed a great trip around the network and really didn’t want to return home.

Sunday 11th October

The weather was drizzly first thing; and as we both had work to do before Monday we left the marina at around 11.00am in order to give us adequate time at home on the desktop PCs - very sad but we have to pay the bills somehow! Hope to be back soon without the same distractions.

Weekend at Weston

Friday 25th September
Arrived at the Marina fairly late after travelling in the usual Friday night traffic. John and John at Great Haywood Marine Services had not let us down - they had finished the blacking and returned the boat to the water and moored her back in our berth (even the electric was plugged in!) - Great job.

Saturday 26th September
Although we were up early; by the time we had eaten breakfast and fiddled about with our ropes and removed offending spiders from the fenders; it was after 10.00am before we were pulling out of the Marina heading North on the Trent and Mersey towards Weston. The weather was very good; buying the hood was still proving successful in warning off the rain clouds! A very enjoyable cruise up through Hoo Mill Lock and Weston Lock despite short queues at each, presumably as a result of the Shroppie closure. Moored at Weston in time to take a short walk round the village, visit the post office and return to the boat in time for the Grand Prix Qualifiers (Singapore). It is clear from this brief walk that 'the chaps' live in Weston; judging by the type and average size of house in the village. A very tidy and classy spot. We were joined at the mooring by nb. Silver Croner that had been moored in our marina for the last 4 weeks while they were breaking the journey back to Nantwich (their permanent base). At 4.00pm we decided to push on a bit further and winded above Sandon Lock before returning to Weston (North of the road bridge) just before sunset.

Sunday 27th September
After breakfast Elaine washed the starboard side of the boat while I polished the brasswork and chatted to a fisherman that had been fishing just off the bow of the boat since 6.00am. I think he had had more successful fishing trips; as a deep draughted coal boat, quickly followed by two fast hire boats disturbed his 'bated area' irreparably. This was only made worse by our soapy water! I thought it best to leave before he invested any more time attracting fish to his line just to be inevitably ruined again by our churning of the canal on our departure. We left on speaking terms - quite a result with a fisherman! Only a light breeze at the marina flattered my maneuvering backwards into our mooring! After lunch watching the Grand Prix we departed for home.