Cruising Log 2013

January 7th 2013 to July 4th 2013

Well - it only took Grand Junction Boats 7 months to complete our partial re-fit. We were not best pleased; Associated Cruisers didn't take that long to completely fit it out in the first place. Not only that but the project ran 50% over budget. That said, they have done a commendable job and we would recommend them to others on the basis of quality of workmanship - but with the proviso that a prospective client needs to nail them firmly to the wall on both price and delivery time. The boat was delivered back to Blisworth Marina on July 1st. Fortunately - the weather so far this year has been so awful that we can't say we missed much in the way of good cruising conditions.

Pictures of progress of the refit will follow.

July 8th 2013 to July 11th 2013

Off to Blisworth Tunnel Boats for new anodes as one of the front ones has dropped off. On return, spent the next three days putting everything back on board and testing all the kit to make sure that all was well. I discovered that the carpet fitter hadn't replaced the saloon table leg sockets on the floor, and there was an unmistakeable smell of gas. Grand Junction promised to send a fitter the next morning but he actually didn't turn up until late afternoon. Still, everything was put right and when the fitter had left I set off for home to collect all the stuff for the holiday trip to the IWA National Festival at Cassiobury Park in Watford.

1 hour; new anodes and fitting £345.

July 12th 2013

Arrived mid-afternoon. Took the boat across to the wharf to load up all the stuff for our holiday. The inside of the boat looks like a bomb-site; I hadn't finished hanging the curtains, hadn't put any of the crockery away - and now we were importing food, clothes and equipment for two weeks away. Madness. How much easier all this would have been if the re-fit had been finished on time. Andy arrived on NB Isis and after sorting him out, everyone except me went off to Tesco for a last-minute shop. Gary and Becky arrived with Dylan later and we had a bar-b-q on the marina side. When this was all finished we repaired to the boats for a couple of hours of putting things away and clearing up.

July 13th 2013

We topped up with water and diesel at the marina wharf and then the three boats (NBs Tambourine, Isis and Water Mist) set off shortly after 9am. A trouble-free passage through Blisworth Tunnel and down the Stoke Bruerne locks. Stopped near Grafton Regis for a salad lunch on the towpath. On arrival at Cosgrove, we found the place jam-packed with the Cosgrove Canal Festival. Luckily we managed to snap up three end-to-end moorings but they were some way out of the village. A very hot day today.

8 hours, 7 locks, 1 tunnel

98 litres of diesel, £103.00

July 14th 2013

Today, the long haul through Milton Keynes. We stopped at the sani-station at Giffords Park for water, bog empty and rubbish dump. At the end of the day, stopped near the 'Globe' pub at Linslade to which we all repaired for a first-class supper. Another very warm day today.

8 hours, 5 locks

July 15th 2013

An early start today, shortly after 7am. Yet again a cloudless morning that promised a hot day to come. We became separated from Andy on 'Isis' and he ended up some way ahead of us. We had hoped to stop in Marsworth for the night but he radioed us to say that there were no moorings left there. Keith spotted a pretty bank-side spot above lock 38 so we hauled in there for the night and spent a pleasant evening relaxing in the sunshine.

8 hours, 11 locks, 1 swing-bridge.

Pleasant moorings above lock 38 in the late evening sunshine

July 16th 2013

We left at 7am again. Stopped for water, loo and rubbish duty at Marsworth and continued on through lots of locks, eventually finding ourselves in Berkhamsted. We were lucky to get a double mooring just above lock 53 near the station, with a Waitrose adjacent to the tow-path. Did a fairly large shop there, including some stuff for Andy, and spent a pleasant evening, despite being close to the town centre.

7 hours, 15 locks

Scenes of old Berkhamsted

July 17th 2013

A slightly later start today. Another hot sunny morning. There were lots of shallow bits on the canal as BW struggled to maintain water levels. Tied up below Red Lion lock in Hemel Hempsted at around 4pm. Went to the Red Lion pub; it was a bit run down and they weren't doing food so we didn't linger. It's the last leg of the journey tomorrow and looks like an easy run so we've agreed to have a lie-in and not leave until 9am!

6 hours, 17 locks

July 18th 2013

I was a bit concerned that we might regret the late start but as it turned out I worried needlessly. We set off at 9.15am and arrived at the festival site at mid-day. BW volunteers were working the last two locks, which helped immensely. We found our mooring at N32 quite easily and tied up against the tow-path as our 'next-door neighbour' hadn't arrived. Checked in at the 'Waterspace' office and collected all our bags and chattels, passes and so on. Met up again with Andy who had arrived earlier. Took all his shopping down to his boat and and spent the rest of the afternoon on and around the mooring. On leaving, our instructions are to turn after 7.30pm on Sunday evening and leave the site at 10.20am on Monday morning. All very precise! Had supper by ourselves on board and didn't bother with the boaters' quiz, if for no other reason because the site is 20 minutes walk from our mooring!

3 hours, 8 locks

Mooring no N32 at the National Waterways Festival, Watford

July 19th to July 21st 2013

A pleasant festival in superb weather; sadly it was poorly attended by both visitors and exhibitors. It generally didn't have the sparkle we have come to associate with the 'National'. We later learned that the event lost a great deal of money - more than £40,000. None the less, a good time was had by all. Alison came to meet Andy on 'Isis'; Malcolm and Suzy from NB Lucy Charlotte came down for the day on Saturday and a surprise bonus was a meet-up with Jerry Nott and his family. The engine drive-belt had started to squeal so I replaced it on the Saturday afternoon. I think the cabin batteries are saggy; I was tempted to buy new ones at the festival but in view of the cost, decided to wait. When we get home I'll ask Steve Williams at the marina to check them over and let me know if they really need changing. Next year the festival is at Stratford-on-Avon over the weekend of July 4th to 6th. This is a bit of a pain because that is the same weekend as the amateur radio VHF National Field Day. Looks as if VHF NFD may have to get the go-by in 2014.

9 hours charge. Drive belt replaced.

July 22nd 2013

Last evening we winded the good ship just above Iron Bridge lock and returned to our mooring. Today we left at 10am; slightly earlier than instructed by the harbourmaster. A steady run to Winkwell Dock where we took on diesel and Keith arranged a pump-out. On the far side of Winkwell swing bridge we found a couple of vacant 24-hour visitor moorings so pulled in for the evening. Keith and I repaired to the nearby 'Three Horseshoes' for a couple of pints before dinner. A grand day and the weather is still perfect!

                        Moorings by Winckwell Swing Bridge                                                                    The Management                                                       Winckwell Swing Bridge closing after a boat passage

Views of the 'Three Horseshoes' pub and restaurant at Winckwell

8 hours (this is a guess, I didn't actually log the time), 17 locks, diesel £75.01.

July 23rd 2013

A straightforward trip from Winckwell , stopping briefly for a toilet-empty and visit to the supermarket. At Dudswell locks we tied up and set up a towpath bar-b-q. Unfortunately the pound was a bit leaky and both boats ended up on the mud as the water level fell. We watched with some amusement as a group of boaters shifted all their belongings from one boat to another using an enormous wheelbarrow!

8 hours, 12 locks

July 24th 2013

Up the Dudswell locks and onto the Tring Summit this morning. Keith and Carole stopped at Bulbourne as they wanted to explore the Wendover Arm before setting off for home. They helped us down the Marsworth flight, we said our 'goodbyes' and they walked back to their boat. We continued on, stopping at the Globe pub at Linslade (in almost the same place as on the outward journey) and staying there for the night.

A lovely dawn on the Grand Union canal

8 hours (guesstimate), 9 locks

July 25th 2013

Left the Globe quite late and cruised the lock-free pound through Milton Keynes. Stopped at Giffords Park for water and loo empty. Stopped behind NB Isis at the Black Horse pub at Stantonbury early in the afternoon. Spent the rest of the day with Andy and Ali, including supper in the evening. The weather continues warm and dry.

4 hours

July 26th and 27th 2013

Left the Black Horse quite early this morning and cruised on towards Stoke Bruerne. A strange experience at one of the locks - a lady crew-member on the boat we were sharing the locks with decided to find an alternative route to the next lock round the lanes rather than by the tow-path and promptly vanished! After a lot of panicking and fruitless phone calls she re-appeared at Stoke Bruerne wharf, having got completely lost! We phoned back to her husband and daughter, who had stayed behind to see if she would return, to tell them she was alive and well and she walked back down the towpath to meet them.

We pulled in to the 48-hour moorings below lock 15 and decided to stay a while. We visited the pubs and the museum, and explored the village. We hadn't been there very long when we suffered the first (and only) rain-shower of the holiday, which rolled up out of no-where, soaked everything and everyone and travelled on.

4 hours, 6 locks

July 28th 2013

A gentle start to the day; we left Stoke Bruerne late morning, up the lst lock and through the tunnel. The tunnel is better in this direction as you've got the wooden rubbing strake on the wall to bump into if anyone pushes you over. Reached Blisworth early in the afternoon and set about clearing up and loading up and finally set off for home after a super holiday trip.

2 hours, 1 lock, 1 tunnel.

August 6th to August 11th 2013

To Blisworth for a 'boaty chores' session.  Meg came down from work on the 9th. Cathy, Andrew and children plus Gary, Becky and dog came down as well and we all went round Blisworth Canal festival. Finally left for home early on Sunday evening. A good time had by all!

50 kgs coal £25.50

September 21st 2013

To Blisworth for an 'end-of-season' cruise. Hauled out of the marina at around 11am and gently meandered towards Weedon. Met Gail from NB Safina in the undergrowth looking for geocaches near Bugbrooke. No boats moored at the Wharf Inn at Bugbrooke so we tied up for a lunchtime pint. It was very quiet and peaceful there, plus we liked the look of the menu in the pub so decided to stay put and went in for dinner in the evening. The meal was first-class and we fell into bed very sleepy and very full!

2 hours

September 22nd 2013

A slow start this morning. Stomped off to Weedon and turned opposite the wharf cottage. Stopped again at Bugbrooke for a beer and lunch on board, then gently trickled back to Blisworth, arriving at 5.30pm. A restful weekend.

3 hours

October 17th and 18th 2013

Winterised the boat this weekend. Drained the water, re-filled and the dehumidifiers, topped up the engine cooling header tank with antifreeze and numerous other small jobs. Arranged for Mick Barrett to keep an eye on things for us over the winter months.

Barrett Boat Services £125

November 22/23/24th 2013

Weekend at the marina for the boaters quiz. We formed a team with Malcolm and Suzy (NB Lucy Charlotte) and Keith and Carole (NB Water Mist). Came a creditable 2nd in the quiz. Meals on various boats over the weekend - very convivial. Left for home after Sunday lunch at the Walnut Tree with Keith and Carole.

December 22nd 2013

A quick visit; topped up the dehumidifiers, gathered up all the re-chargeable bits and pieces to take home for a thorough charge-up. Set up a time-clock to run the battery charger between 9am and 3pm and left a note for Mick to remind him not to start the engine without disconnecting the charger first, or the charger would be damaged. Bilges are dry and no evidence of ingress of water anywhere. Arrived at 10.45, left at 12.15. A huge downpour of rain on arrival but it quickly cleared away to leave blue skies.

C&RT canal licence for 2014 £740