At last a blog?
Well finally got a blog established and this first entry is a bit wordy just to bring you up to date. In future it should be more pithy (thats pithy!) and amusing.
Set off on 1st July with Alison, Berny and Lisa and had a good crack with them en route to Ely where I dropped them off after a beer. Then on to Littleport for a a quick beer and on to The Ship. Weather was really hot 30C plus and was knackered when I got to the Ship. Ran in to Rosie John at the pub and had a quick chat. He is selling his boat now as at 74 has decided he is too old to do it – so I better get the miles in while I still can!
Next day I woke up covered in bites and with a really bad allergic reaction on my arm right next to the already painful tennis elbow. Started off at 7.00 to get to Denver Sluice for the 9.00am slot and shared the lock with some really useless Fox narrowboaters the driver who later turned out to be a long distance airline pilot! Then pressed on to March, again very hot but had no problems mooring at the Ship at 4.00pm after 10 hours on the go!
Next day again hot and did loads of shopping and laundry so actually not the rest day I had planned. Had beers in the Hippodrome, Rose and Crown, then back to the Ship. Paul at the Ship is a great landlord and gave me a 4 pint take away when I left even though I had only bought around 4 – great pub!
Next day was a nightmare getting to Peterborough. Left at 7.30 for my 2.30 slot at Stanground Lock (Shuts at 3 on a Sunday). Had overheating due to weed, electrical problems and then got stuck in a crosswind on the home stretch outside Whittlesey. This is a very narrow stretch with loads of heavy weed either side so the crosswind had me stuck diagonally and when I put on full revs to try and turn the prop got jammed with weed and thhe engine overheated with black smoke pouring out and the alarm going continuously. After at least 20 attempts (including engine at 1500 revs in forward gear and me on the front with a long boathook) and having neen blown back several hundred yards, I finally got it round!! Got to Stanground Lock with 5 minutes to spare after 7 hours without a break! Met Ru and Lydia in the Charters and had a few beers and a Chimmichanga’s then an early night.
In the morning Ru and I set of and stopped for a quick one at Thorp Park (very dirty) before pressing on to Wansford and a few beers at the Paper Mill. Did some night fishing but though loads of fish moving just had one eel.
Ru suffered really bad with food poisoning (from Texan Paella at Chmiiichangas?) and yesterday was worse when we travelled down to Fotheringhay via a few pints at the Queens Head where Ru spotted “a huge black fin” on the scary trip up the cut. He had also spotted a barbel earlier so we know the fish are here but so far can't catch the, though to be fair not done much fishing!
19th July 2015
Ru was really bad at Fotheringhay so stayed over at Fotheringhay another night. Next day set off for Oundle and I tried switching charging circuit to the second bank of batteries and the alternator blew! Asked some EA workers about garages in Oundle and moored walking distance from one and got one delivered in two hours for £65!! Spent the next night at Ashford Locks and caught a chub of about pound and a half from the weir. Next night spent in the marina and got laundry and stuff done – also fished on th river in the parks and got a chub of around 3lb on luncheon meet.
From Oundle went to Thrapston and had Sunday lunch at the Bridge and then a pub tour with Ru whonn was much better and had a good crack with the locals. From here we pressed on to Wellingborough and the next day Lydia came to get a much improved Ru.
On Wednesday I had a good tidy and did Tescos and Thursday set off for Billing Aquadrome with some trepidation at first single handed Neen locks (first lock came back to find a wren trapped on the boat but managed to get it out OK). Soon got into the locks and got to Billing after 7 hours and 7 locks, shattered. Billing has all the facilities but is a bit of a Butlins! Next day cracked on to Northampton which is about the same distance. Northampton is not as bad as I thought and I found two good pubs the Wig and Pen and the Malt Shovels on the second day which is just the other side of Morrisons where I had moored!
Nest day pressed on to Gayton Marina up the 17 locks and various misadventures. In one lock I went back to cvlose the lock gates leaving the boat just secured by the rear rope. When I got back the boat was sailing off leaving the boat behind (the large loop had slipped off the cleat. It waas about 6 foot out from the bank and drifting away so with lightening reactions I thre the rope at the cleat and at the second attempt got the rope round - unfortunatel;y I also let go of both ends of the rop so now boat and rope were continuing on their merry way!
Lost the boat on one but managed to get it back – Leon the helper was in a bad mood and refused to help but a very nice gut Mark helped me through and refused any money. Really is a lot easier with two as no real moorings which makes getting on and off tricky. Set off at 6am but still took 7 hours – on my own could probably stick another 2 on that! Last night walked to the Greyhound which is just a Chef and Brewer but then found a great little boozer in the village (Milton Malsor) which was real old school (the Compass) and got a lift back with Geoff who runs security at the marina!
