Patience Afloat

The Bargee's Pail

2012-01-20T15:18:00.001Z

Referred to in this month's Waterways World, The Bargee's Pail is a variant on a basic slow cooker, much like a medieval stew pot, with food suitably wrapped cooking slowly in a simmering cauldron.
It is the recipe of the Pail that is interesting.
Rose Prince's article in The Daily Telegraph describes a layer of diced swede in the base of an earthenware pot, followed by slices of pork belly, then a layer of parsnips and one of carrots. Cover the contents in water then add a rolled piece of suet pastry covering the meat and vegetables to keep the heat in. The pot goes into the bucket, covered by a lid, and the whole thing simmers over an outdoor fire.
After an hour and a half, add the potatoes, a large knob of butter, a strip of smoked bacon, garlic and thyme among the vegetables. Finish with a second layer of suet pastry. Everything should be cooked after two and a half hours.

The Bargee's Pail featured in Waterways World is much the same as the description above though it features chopped apple on the top and a bottle of tea to the side!

A response to this article refers to a "fireless cooker" which is an insulated chest containing a hot slab of metal providing enough heat to cook a meal slowly. The "Hangi" or earth oven works in the same way. My wife would set off on her annual Guide camp with a meal of barley rice cooked on our stove and placed in a haybox - an old tea chest insulated with straw - which would be cooked ready for the evening meal once the tents had been put up.
And it's this insulation which is the appealing thing for me. I don't like having the gas on for extended periods. It generates water vapour, or too much heat in the cabin in summer, or both, and is wasteful. A heavily insulated container means you can leave it on deck to literally cook in its own juice.
On the other hand, if you're out on the bank for a few hours and in a position to have an open fire, The Bargee's Pail would be a good choice. You can also cook baked potatoes in the embers or a stew in a Dutch Oven which is ideal for a long slow wood burning fire.
So for me The Bargee's Pail in an insulated container rather than over an open fire is economical, safe - and very tasty!
You might, however, prefer a small pressure cooker - 3 litres capacity, costing £20-30- which would be compact and efficient enough for a narrow boat. Add to that "80 Recipes for Your Pressure Cooker" by Richard Ehrlich. Both can be obtained from Amazon and would provide a quicker alternative to the Bargee's Pail.

Fairly Basic Onboard Food

2012-01-20T10:07:00.003Z

The previous blog addressed fundamental food stock and Really Basic onboard food. Visiting "pubs with grub" in the evening is part of our enjoyment of the trip, though after a while we start yearning for a light meal or something different. And what do you do when eating out starts draining your limited budget, or when you can't face yet another menu with steak and kidney pie and chips.
I'm excluding here anything I regard as complicated, and looking only at the simple level. I've no doubt there are some of you who would happily turn out cakes and pies and great delights while onboard. That's not our focus - though if you've got a pie to spare we'll buy it from you ....
In my case scrambled egg on toast easily fits the bill. I like to add quartered tomato and a couple of anchovies, sprinkled with freshly ground black pepper.
Preparing a meat sauce from mince, onions and tomatoes will give you a fine spaghetti bolognese. It can be made quite quickly on the boat (though it benefits from half an hour in the oven), or even easier if made before you leave, kept in the fridge and heated up on the boat to be eaten with carrots, cabbage or broccoli. Incidentally with some good vegetables and a can of tomatoes you can make a good non-meat sauce for pasta.

A full English breakfast is also quite easily made, with eggs, toast, bacon, tomatoes, black pudding, mushrooms and sausages all easily made on the hob and grill then transferred to the oven until everything is ready. I have reservations about sausages though, as they take a while to grill well and our grill is not very effective.
Similarly baked potatoes take time to cook in the oven (quicker with a metal spike through them) so gain points for ease but lose points for time and for gas use (or am I just mean?)
A stir fry using olive oil to quickly cook sliced broccoli, mushrooms, carrots and onions, with garlic and soy sauce for flavour can be eaten on its own or with boiled rice.
Pasta is good not only with a tomato sauce (you can get sauces ready made in a jar, chopped in a can or concentrated as puree in tube) but also with cream, butter, bacon, mushrooms and cheese.
Fishermen have got it made with fresh fish, poached, grilled or barbecued with lemon and herbs and wine - but make sure the fishy smell is dispersed before you go to bed …

Sliced and roasted potatoes can be done quite quickly and mixed with roasted vegetables, while any kind of barbecue is handy if your mooring permits (don't forget fuel and silver foil and recognise that the fun is in making it but it isn't fast food) while pork chops are quick and easy too.
In the end you can get most things in a jar or a tin that will last all year unopened and so will be ready for emergencies. So choose your favourite and add it to your store.
No doubt you will be able to suggest your favourites, so do add your comments. Remember that a "Fairly Basic" meal should use standard or storable ingredients, be easy and quick to make.
For more suggestions take a look at Nigel Slater's 30 minute cook book. Forget the few recipes with long lists of ingredients: the rest are all worthwhile and very practical.

Really Basic Onboard Food

2012-01-19T10:26:00.003Z

What do you eat and what do you cook when on your boat?
Of course some boats have extensive kitchens, with microwave ovens and modern gadgets. Indeed our galley includes a small work surface, fridge, hot and cold water, sink, 4 rings, grill and oven. Palatial compared to some of my camping experience!
But what we usually cook is really basic. Why?

Because we are on holiday, happy to moor by a pub where possible, and cooking is not our hobby (I'm a man with only basic cookery skills).
Because we are not often continuously on board for more than a week at a time, and rarely away from a shop.
We'd generally rather be doing other things.
We have very little storage space - a small fridge and kitchen cupboards already full of crockery.

But up the further reaches of the Ouse or its tributaries there are moorings without any facilities at all for miles, and it's worth mentioning how we cope.

Firstly we have permanent stores, food that can be left on board throughout the year and which will provide a good meal at any time.
Second we have food that we bring on board with us at the beginning of the trip and try to replenish as we go.
So here are two stock lists. These hardly need recipes attached as cooking is so quick and simple. Anything that takes a while to cook doesn't make it here!

Permanent stores:
dried milk, coffee and tea
packet soup
tinned soup
baked beans
tinned sardines
tinned tomatoes
tinned tuna
beer and wine
squash
spaghetti
cereal
marmalade
marmite
crackers
biscuits

Fresh food
bread
margarine or butter
eggs
bacon
milk (in separate 1 pint cartons to fit in the small fridge)
yoghurt
cheese
fruit

From this we can make tea and coffee throughout the day, with fruit always available.
For breakfast, cereal, coffee, toast and soft-boiled eggs.
For lunch, egg, tuna or toasted cheese sandwiches, a cup of soup.
And for an evening meal, choose from soup, scrambled eggs and bacon or poached egg with baked beans on toast, grilled sardines, pasta and tomato sauce or pasta and tuna.

For boat cooking I prefer pasta to rice or potatoes as it is easier to keep in store and quicker to cook. I prefer bacon to sausages for the same reason. If I could cook rice in ten minutes without it sticking to the pan I might be more in favour of it!
Next I'll make suggestions for a level up, but there is a firm place for Really Basic, where you know the ingredients are always on board and a meal is just minutes away.

Patience and The Motorway

2011-12-09T09:29:00.001Z

Which motorway sign has the greatest connection with our boat?

Probably not the signs for water or bridges that you might first think of.

- though these could be useful ...
What about ....

or (ouch) ...

No, the connection - admittedly obscure - is with the sign for domestic animals.

Why a cow?

In the late 1950s and early 1960s Jock Kinneir and Margaret Calvert created a wholesale redesign of road signs that heralded the development of motorways in the UK. The new system became law on January 1st 1965. More detail from The Design Museum.
The cow on the sign warning of farm animals was drawn by Margaret Calvert and was based on Patience, a cow on her relatives' Warwickshire farm.
So Patience the cow, Patience the boat.

Patience describes the state of endurance under difficult circumstances and is one of the seven heavenly virtues. Given that Patience the boat has endured grounding, near collision, and being clogged by weed, all at a maximum speed of 4 mph, the name would appear appropriate.

Other famous Patiences include:
the solitary card game, an uninhabited island off Rhode Island, a comic opera by Gilbert and Sullivan, a 14th century poem, a gulf off eastern Russia and a moderately common forename.

"Patience is a virtue, possess it if you can; seldom found in women - and never in a man."

Winterising 2 - changing the antifreeze

2011-12-05T17:21:00.013Z

As it must be at least three years since the engine antifreeze was changed, we decided to replace it. Antifreeze not only protects the engine against freezing, but is important in preventing internal corrosion. It is degradation of the corrosion inhibitor that limits its useful life and it is usually recommended that it is replaced every couple of years.

There are various types and colours of antifreeze. The original antifreeze in the cooling system was green - probably 'HOAT' (hybrid organic acid technology) in an ethylene glycol base. We have replaced it with Unipart 'Cool Blue' 2 year antifreeze, which is stated as being suitable for all types of diesel and petrol engines. This is a traditional ethylene glycol based mix.
One of the problems with a swim-tank-cooled marine engine is the large volume of coolant in the system compared to a vehicle engine. The volume of the swim tank in Patience was calculated at about 25 litres, which together with the engine block and connecting hoses would account for an estimated total coolant volume of between 30 and 35 litres. We therefore bought 15 litres of antifreeze to give a 43 to 50% mix. The recommended mix is 50% to cover the very lowest expected UK temperatures.

If you use a hydrometer for measuring the concentration, don't forget that the specific gravity of the mix depends on its temperature as well as its concentration. A 50/50 mix at 70 deg C has a similar specific gravity to a 30/70 mix at 20 deg C. Therefore, according to the hydrometer, the mix will seem to be weaker if measured at engine running temperature compared to the same mixture measured when cold.

Another problem is draining the system, as the bottom of the swim tank is right at the bottom of the engine compartment, so draining it into a bucket just doesn't work! We decided to drain it into the engine compartment bilges and then use the bilge pump to pump it into empty containers for safe disposal. This works up to a point, but it is difficult for the bilge pump to extract the last couple of centimetres, which had to be sponged out into a bucket!

We extracted a total of 30 litres of coolant, which, allowing for some coolant left behind at the bottom of the swim tank and engine block, confirmed our original estimate of 30 to 35 litres in total.

Having drained the system and replaced a couple of the flexible hoses that looked slightly worn, we put the 15 litres of new antifreeze into the system and topped it up with water. Running the engine for a few minutes made sure that the water and antifreeze were well mixed and that any air pockets had been eliminated. A final topping up with water was then carried out.
On the way home we disposed of the old coolant mix at the local recycling centre. Job done!

PS Based on our experience above, do this before it gets so cold that you're the one who needs anti-freeze! Make sure you have enough containers for the old liquid; they should be used only for anti-freeze so label them boldly! Finally, don't forget to wear disposable gloves, as antifreeze is toxic, and dispose of the old mixture responsibly - don't just tip it into the river!

Winterising

2011-11-03T11:12:00.001Z

As our third winter with Patience floats into view we've made sure she is prepared for the cold. Out with the water in the tank (revealing a few rust spots we'll be best touching up before the spring), out with the waste tank (pumped out at Ely) and in with the roof gear such as the poles.

Ironically two days after our winterising there was the sunniest and warmest day for a long time, so instead of taking her out I set to with the sander and paint brush and smartened up the area around the top of the starboard side and the roof rail. With harsh sunlight it was difficult to tell how it looked but I'm hoping it's an improvement.
In addition to the rust spots in the tank the sides will need smartening up. The fridge is a bit erratic when lighting and John has ordered a replacement water pump, then I think we can really batten down the hatches for a few months.
You might read the Engineer's Report from last year for a summary of what John has done to keep the engine up to scratch for its winter hibernation.
Patience has acquired a new neighbour in the form of a self-built cruiser, Queen Bea. She does rather loom over Patience but we think in a fight Patience's metal might just win out over Bea's laminated wood. Anyway, it won't come to that if we check the moorings frequently.
Next year we'll consider moving further afield though for how long we need yet to decide. We've thought of exploring the Middle Level or The Nene now that we've seen what the Ouse and its tributaries have to offer but we've become quite accustomed to The Lazy Otter.

Retreat from Reach and The Winning of Wicken

2011-10-02T11:50:00.001+01:00

An early start was prompted partly by the addition of crew and partly by the belief that if we left early there would be less chance of meeting another boat coming towards us down the lode.

Leaving Reach on the Lode

It was a serene journey. Knowing that Patience had made it down with only a bit of reed interference I left John at the helm and stood in the bow with my camera. Peaceful and with surprisingly good views over surrounding fields (the lode being rather higher than the fields around) I was stunned to see a bird heading at speed straight for me, down the channel created by the high reeds on either side. Only at the last moment did it veer away revealing a rusty orange breast - a kingfisher. I have seen these often along local rivers but always as a flash of electric blue from the banks ahead of the boat, never heading towards me.

Lodes Way bridge reflected in Reach Lode

The Lodes Way bridge over Reach Lode is a new creation: certainly not on our maps though linking two existing tracks, we found out later that it was erected earlier in the month (September 2011). It forms part of the National Cycle Network route 11 joining Bottisham, Anglesey Abbey, Reach and Wicken. A beautifully constructed and substantial bridge for a humble lode such as this.
And so to the Upware stretch where we now turned sharp right under the steeply arched bridge leading to Wicken Fen and its National Trust centre.

Bridge at Upware crossing the entrance to Wicken Lode.

Wicken Lode is also narrow and bends rather more than the relatively straight Burwell and Reach lodes. It is, however, shorter and provides a useful mooring only a few minutes walk from the Wicken Fen National Trust Visitors' Centre (cafe, shop and information, loos, bike hire, walks, bird hides etc).

Mooring at end of Wicken Lode

Along the way you might also see the undomesticated Konik ponies, part of a grazing project to create new habitats for a diverse range of wildlife.

Konik ponies by Wicken lode

The visitors' centre revealed to us the details of the new bridge (see above) and ticked us off for thinking that the Lodes were created by the Romans, as we had thought. It is now believed that they were designed for water management, avoiding the flooding of local grazing land and they were probably built by the monasteries at Ely and Ramsey. Later they came to used for trade (clunch, reeds for thatch etc) and now of course for leisure.
Finally back to Upware, through the lock, grabbed a fortunate mooring at Five Miles - a pub which is very popular in summer despite being Five Miles From Anywhere and having interior decor like a 1970's discoteque. Nevertheless there are moorings, spacious grounds and a choice of beers. And the baguettes were good value too.
And so back up river, the stretch from Upware to Pope's corner being wide and attractive in good weather. Today was accepted as a record breaking day for weather, the hottest October day in the UK ever (29.9 degrees). It was good to be out on the river.

Reaching Reach

2011-10-02T11:05:00.001+01:00

And so it was that, on the day in late September that recorded Cambridge as the hottest place in the UK, Duncan set out alone in a desperate attempt to reach Reach.
As described in the previous blog entry, Reach is a pleasant little village which is rather in the back of beyond - hence its charm. Reaching it from the Cam is an experience, past the Five Miles with its constant stream of cruisers, (so no moorings for me), through the Upware lock and its warning lights ("You haf only fifteen minutes zen ve shall close ze lock gates!") and into a long string of quiet straight moorings ... It was there I paused to have my egg sandwich and my lukewarm can of beer (the fridge having broken down).

Upware moorings from Wicken bridge looking back towards Upware Lock

After a while improving the gangplank in readiness, by adding non-slip strips and drilling holes to anchor the landward side using tent pegs, I set off down the straight lode to Reach village. Mostly straight, very narrow at times, Reach Lode is not a place you'd want to meet someone coming the other way. I imagine you'd both have to creep into the rushes, probably switch off engines and slowly inch past each other, grim faced. Having done a recce (see previous blog) I knew at least there was somewhere to moor up, though a sluggishness in the engine power and a rise in temperature suggested I had weed wrapped around my prop. A narrow stream between the reeds is not a great place to switch off and delve into the weed hatch, especially if (and there was) another narrow boat is not far behind you. Reversing in these circumstances is, as they say, not an option ....

View up Reach Lode from Reach moorings

Anyway, got there eventually, a cruiser already in the GOBA mooring but he helped take a line as I sidled up the river into a place I'd planned for myself. So many reeds and bushes it was hard to nudge in, but thanks to this chap on land I got it secure, with the stern in the only clear space.

View from and of Reach moorings.

Then up comes narrow boat two, experienced crew but they just couldn't find a spot without reeds and bushes so it was my turn to haul them in.
Memo to Parish Council / GOBA / Environment Agency - PLEASE cut the vegetation! It's potentially a great mooring, let down by the fact you can't get into most of it unaided or without a gangplank!

Reach Lode beyond head of navigation. Bankside vegetation makes mooring almost impossible.

Spent the evening in The Dyke's End - an excellent and friendly pub with good food on a varied menu - without the air of a gastro-pub. I think it would be on my Top Ten Pub list, and only four minutes from the moorings! Why don't they make more of these moorings? That evening there were four boats, 7 people, all of whom ate and drank at The Dyke's End. That's £200 in one night thanks to the moorings. Spare a few quid to cut down the vegetation and you could double that from boaters!
Next - Return From Reach

Reach

2011-09-26T08:46:00.001+01:00

Reach Lode is one of three navigable lodes (the others being Wicken and Burwell) accessed via Upware lock on the river Cam.
Reach lies at the point where Devil's Dyke, a massive earthwork constructed between 370 and 670 AD meets the head of Reach Lode. Before 1200 AD the end of the Dyke was demolished to create what is known as Fair Green where an annual fair was held.
Reach Lode was probably constructed by the Romans and in medieval times it was used to transport clunch (a chalky building material) to Cambridge and Ely.
Reach was a busy port from the 14th to the 18th centuries but trade declined in the 19th century and the last recorded cargo of clinch was carried in the 1930s.
Accessing the Lode by car, drive to the north end of the village through Fair Green and bear left and immediately right around a dangerous corner to The Hythe. Continue to the end of The Hythe and park near (but not obstructing) the Anglian Water works. Continue on foot for a hundred yards to the moorings.

Reach moorings from The Hythe

Reach moorings from the direction of Upware

Beyond the moorings, which are just out of sight in the distance on the right

A forbidding sign warns you to "make prior arrangement" for mooring from the Parish Council. We did and were immediately granted permission, but it is an unusual and rather off-putting demand!

Beware!

Canal Restoration

2011-09-21T09:14:00.000+01:00

Waterways World Annual 2011 is a great reference book and one of the sections deals, at great length, (12 full pages) with restoration campaigns and projects. Now, there's a big difference between a campaign (We want this done!) and a project (We have arranged this funding and that permission on this timescale) but I was thrilled to see how much had been done and how much was hoped for in our Great Ouse region.
The Lodes at Wicken, Reach and Burwell are already navigable, but the Lodes at Swaffham Bulbeck (3.5 miles), Cottenham (2 miles), Bottisham (2.5 miles) and Soham (4.5 miles) have been identified as practical projects for restoration. Indeed parts of Soham and Bottisham are already navigable by small craft.
GOBA have also promoted the extension of the Little Ouse beyond Brandon, current head of navigation, to Thetford - a further 10.5 miles, though this would mean a further four locks.

Burwell Lode - the cockup bridge

Most exciting of all, I think, is something I hadn't heard of and am only just beginning to grasp: The Fenland Waterways Link. This could become the biggest waterways enhancement in Europe and open up 150 miles of waterway. It would connect Lincoln, Peterborough and Ely with Boston, Spalding and Ramsey to create a circular waterway. Black Sluice and South Forty Foot Drain have already been reopened and apparently it needs a new lock and road crossing for the A151 to link the rivers Glen and Welland.
An interactive map and a detailed leaflet about the Fenland Waterways Link are available.
Finally we must not forget the proposed Bedford to Milton Keynes Canal. This scheme will build the first new canal in over a century and provide a navigable route between the River Ouse in Bedford and the Grand Union Canal in Milton Keynes. It would also mean I could get down to see my daughters in London by boat in 9 days (60 hours) instead of 15 days (103 hours) ! Thank you Canal Planner for working this out!

Choosing Your Boat

2011-09-20T08:49:00.003+01:00

As this blog was started as a way of recording our trials and tribulations in buying, maintaining and using Patience I thought it about time to celebrate our choice and think about the alternatives.
It's now coming up to two years ago that I stood on the banks of the Old West river with my daughter Sarah, who asked how much a narrow boat cost and started us off on this boating adventure.
Back then we knew nothing of the pros and cons of different narrow boats and even now we have little experience of other types. But using a bit of common sense - and a thorough survey - we bought only the second boat we looked at.
So why is Patience the best boat for us?

Exterior
Look at her from the outside and what can you tell? She has a cruiser stern (more room outside, though a trad stern might offer more protection in poor weather as the navigator can partly retire into the cabin). Note also that the chimney is towards the bow. A trad stern boat with a captain's cabin would have the chimney to the rear, while ours has a wood burning stove that heats the forward saloon rather than the rear cabin (though there's a radiator for the aft area too)..
Superficially the condition of paint work tells you something about the condition of the superstructure. But in fact most narrow boats are made of steel plate (plating specs are in millimetres eg 10-8-5 being the thickness for hull, sides and roof respectively) and it would take substantial rust to affect its sea worthiness. Rotten wood outside or in (eg benches, or gas boxes) would suggest poor maintenance and might be expensive to replace but could be done by a competent DIY-er with time to spare. Old boats with wooden superstructure in poor condition are to be avoided.
Size
Patience is 45 feet long and 7 feet wide - the longest boat that can use all standard sized locks across the country. She sleeps four in some comfort. Longer boats would have more space for sleeping and living, including single beds with doors off a gangway for privacy, while Patience is open with just the possibility of a dividing curtain to conceal the two bedroom areas from each other if required. The longer boats have manoeuvering problems in tight spaces and are restricted to which locks and turning areas they can use. And longer boats usually cost more to moor up.
Seating and Sleeping
Patience has a forward saloon, with bench seats and lockers beneath, side to side, that convert to beds and house a table too. See a previous post if you're interested. The rear area has two bench seats facing fore and aft with room for a table between - the so-called Pullman arrangement. This converts to a double bed fore and aft leaving a narrow corridor - forward to the loo and aft to the wardrobes and storage spaces, including the electrical panel.

Galley
The galley is in the centre adjoining the bathroom / loo and shower. We have seen small baths in the larger boats, and longer boats sometimes have bathrooms that use the full width of the boat. However, closing the doors for more space inside means no-one can pass along the length of the boat. The galley has a sink with hot water heated by the engine, cold from the water tank in the bow and potable from a rather basic jerrycan below. Cooking and the fridge are both powered by gas so don't drain the batteries (there are two 13 Kg propane cylinders in the stern) and the cooker is a 4 hob plus oven and (rather feeble) grill.
Bathroom
The shower is a bit cramped but we don't use it much as we aren't often on the boat for long continuous trips. The loo is a hand pumped version that drains into a holding tank to be pumped out only occasionally (we always use pub facilities when we are customers). The alternative, cassettes, have to be cleaned out more often and are I believe more expensive.

Windows
Height and width are standard rectangles rather than port holes. Brass framed port holes look dinky but they need polishing and most people agree they let in less light. All our windows open on a bottom hinge can be removed from their frame for cleaning or in hot weather.
Roof
We have no roof lights ("Houdini hatch" or "pigeon box") which would let in more light and let out summer heat but could leak if not well maintained. Our roof is slightly curved (so the rain pours off) and covered in a non-slip paint (useful to walk on, especially in locks - gloss may look better but performs poorly) with only air vent "mushrooms" for ventilation. It's painted in a light cream, so reflects heat in summer. We also have a rail along each topside - more convenient I think than a ledge as we can tie centre ropes to it, hold on to it an it doesn't collect water or leaves.
Gunwales
The gunwales, those narrow ledges along the sides, have to be non-slip; traditionally sand is applied while the paint is still wet, then brushed off later. You can also buy paint with small rubber granules embedded to provide surface grip.
Engine
I'll leave John to write an entry on the engine - whether it's powerful enough (I think it is, though we've had occasions in weed, wind and current which could have used more power), economical enough (we believe it does 8 mpg) and whether the engine cooling system is effective enough (probably not) - and electrics (strip lights versus halogen and LED, mains power versus batteries, 12 volt appliances versus inverters). Modern boats with a "hospital silencer" are quieter than ours.
The Answer
But the answer to my original question must be that Patience is ideal for 2-4 people not living aboard nor using it for lengthy cruising. For more extensive use we might have chosen something longer and with more storage. As it is, it's an ideal size, with all the mod cons you need for a shortish trip without anything superfluous. And as it is 16-17 years old the price wasn't huge compared to a new one.
Good old Patience!

Brandon - At Last!

2011-09-18T22:35:00.001+01:00

Behind us a restful and silent night at the GOBA moorings on the Little Ouse and now we continue up the river towards Brandon. Somehow it felt longer than it should have, though we were at the lock by 10am and ready to go.

Brandon Lock Facing East

The lock turned out to be only just long enough for the 45 foot Patience and we were shuffling to and fro to avoid hitting the gates. Then on exiting we hit a wide patch of duck weed that cut our power, just as we needed to make a sharp right turn and avoid the reeds. Meanwhile the wind was pushing us into the reeds and the overhanging branch of a tree was dead ahead.

Weed collectors moored at Brandon Bridge

Magnificent pole work from the bow got us through and within a few minutes we were under the bridge and at the charming EA mooring at Brandon, which marks the end of navigation.

For road users Brandon itself is a bottleneck on the way to Thetford, but this once noble town has plenty of fine 19th century houses though it is now especially popular with eastern Europeans attracted by the agricultural work and cheap house prices (bungalows for less than £100k).
For boaters the river is attractive and winding, with pubs (very cheap beer!) and restaurants, food shops and takeaways for all tastes, supermarkets and a good DIY shop. See also this link to a previous post on Brandon.
But the attractions of Brandon on a sunny Saturday afternoon could not hold us and we headed back to the mooring for a 180 degree turn (keep the bow tight to the mooring and turn slowly round) back under the bridge, past Jean Paul's restaurant (phone 01842 813137) and again through the weed and the lock. This time the bow was pointing directly at the vee gates so it felt even shorter. We had about 18 inches to spare but we knew we could fit in.

The way home was familiar this time and the only aim was The Ship for 5 pm or so, to meet up with our wives for an evening meal.
Along the way we looked more closely at the unexpected floating dry dock of Little Ouse Moorings.

a floating dry dock

Mooring in these parts is £18 per foot per annum - not expensive. And before we knew it we were at The Ship. Good EA moorings, more than acceptable food, served with a smile. A good way to end our trip up and down the Little Ouse.

The Little Ouse

2011-09-18T18:40:00.003+01:00

On our way up The Ouse heading for Brandon we broke our journey at Littleport. The stretch from Ely north is dull even on a fine day - a broad straight functional motorway for boats. So arrival at Littleport with good moorings on both sides of the river and a pub (The Swan, previously The Black Horse) by the water's edge.
The Swan is a renovated pub, a far cry from the scruffy old Black Horse and worth a visit. A restaurant and bar in tasteful modern hues it's a comfortable place to break the trip up river. Supplies can be had in the town centre 15 minutes away and a railway station (Cambridge to Kings Lynn) is to the north of the town.

The Swan, Littleport

Then on to Brandon Creek which is basically The Ship, a popular pub right on the corner of the Little Ouse and The Great Ouse. Arriving after 5 hours of boating (including our break at The Swan) just as they closed for the afternoon we had to decide whether to plough on up the Little Ouse or stay here for the night. Noting that if we'd set off from The Otter a bit earlier we could have enjoyed a drink here before closing time we opted to head on up the river.
The Little Ouse is not particularly little really - 13.7 miles long, which is quite a few hours boating when you've been underway for 5 hours already. Nevertheless we left The Ship at 3.30pm and gawped at the many boats moored up the first part of the river. As they thinned out to a sprinkling of private moorings, increasingly isolated houses and curious shacks we were being drawn deeper into countryside that changes from fenland to breckland. The river in fact marks the border between Norfolk and Suffolk and east of a sluice and cut-off channel the landscape becomes visibly different.

Decoy Farm - should be Decay Farm ....

Nevertheless it's a long way upriver and we cut our journey short at the GOBA mooring (pretty much the only usable mooring we saw the whole way, so thank you GOBA!) still 5 miles short of Brandon lock. Our only neighbours a motley herd of cattle, not a sign of any habitation we drank beer and dined heartily on soup followed by scrambled eggs and bacon.

We aimed to get to Brandon promptly next morning.

Hospital boat on the Ouse

2011-08-17T22:28:00.000+01:00

Strolling around the Godmanchester backwater today I saw a substantial boat heading my way, featuring a St John's Ambulance badge.

I know there are emergency retrieval boats, the AA of the water world, but I'd never seen an ambulance boat. I wondered, are there boating paramedics too?
Of course a moment's searching threw up this link to Ladybird used to give trips to disabled children and the terminally ill. It turns out that Fox boats at March, Cambridgeshire, built Ladybird, its third boat for St John's. There's more about that here. And the passengers were having a good time on a substantial, light and quiet vessel, ten feet wide I believe.
Good for St Johns!

Sail has finally given way to power

2011-08-13T15:15:00.009+01:00

With other projects taking his time, including of course narrowboating, John has decided to sell his much loved but, in recent years, rather under-used Mirror sailing dinghy. It was bought 15 years ago, but in the last year or two had spent most of its time in the garage rather than on the water. It was advertised on the excellent web site http://www.apolloduck.com/ which specialises in sales of boats of all types. After putting a free advert up on Friday afternoon, he had 5 enquiries and had sold it within 24 hours! This has released more space in the garage - we now just need to sell the two very comfortable reclining swivel chairs with matching footstools and we might even get a car in there one day! Any takers?

Trolling Banned!

2011-07-30T16:38:00.001+01:00

Oh no, just when I had planned a bit of weekend trolling!

Noticed this on the way up The Great Ouse north of Ely. I didn't feel guilty - but then I didn't quite know what I would have been guilty of! Should I support a campaign to BRING BACK TROLLING? Am I relieved that EBSSC have protected me from Trolls? Are Trolls endangered by my cruising up and down river? I just didn't know what to think. Until I got home and Googled it. Maybe you know already ... but for those of us to whom trolling is a novelty here's the answer from wikipedia.
And if you think the answer is a let-down - just Google it again, to find the alternative meanings. Oh ... really?! Definitely should be banned .....
And if you've time on your hands try guessing what EBSSC is. If you think it's a secondary school in Santa Cruz you've been cheating by Googling - and you're wrong anyway!

Solved the Mapping Problem

2011-07-28T14:36:00.005+01:00

Following on from my previous blog I'm now thrilled to say that I've solved the problem! For the benefit of those who care, here's what I did.
I checked I had Google Earth installed.
Then I downloaded the excellent UK Canal Routes map from coobeastie.co.uk
I chose the downloaded kmz file to open in Google Earth.
Knowing I wanted mainly railway lines and stations I selected More > Transportation > Rail in the Layers panel and unticked mostly everything else.

River Ouse and Railway Bridge at Ely

Finally in the Places panel I ticked My Places > Temporary Places > UK_Canals_Route_only and ticked absolutely everything within that. If you're only interested in a small number of canals you need only tick those you need. Screenshot below with Ely station highlighted for clarity.

So here's my next (or the one after that...) project - noting railway lines near to canals so I can moor up, catch a train and come back later - or friends and family can catch up with me while I'm away.
Next, to find friendly folks who will accept me mooring for a short while and where I won't block anyone else - a bigger problem altogether!

Best Canal Map in the UK?

2011-07-27T22:18:00.000+01:00

We use the Norie and Wilson Guide when underway (The River Great Ouse and Tributaries by Andrew Hunter Blair) and find it perfect for our needs, full of detail. But looking further afield and using up to date technology Google Maps and Google Earth are fantastic information sources.
I've just come across a site called UKWRS here which shows all UK canals laid on Google Maps. I know Canal Planner does this but there it's static, while the UKWRS is more interactive.

Now I'm confused over the relationship between Google Maps and Google Earth. The reason? I'm trying to find a way of overlaying the canals and the railway stations on a single map so I can identify places where I can moor up for a few weeks, walk or bike to a railway station and make my way home for a break before returning to continue where Patience left off.
Anyone know a way? It must surely have been done. To have marinas featured too for safe short term moorings would help ....

Porlock Weir

2011-07-22T23:28:00.000+01:00

July saw us away from our usual Ouse rivers and down in Somerset in Minehead near the Porlock Weir. Porlock Weir has been a small port for hundreds of years populated mainly by fishermen and their families.

The harbour at Porlock has some fine and recently restored dock gates and a sluice tunnel to keep the harbour free of stones and to stop inrush of heavy seas during storms and high tides.

Here you see the gates open at low tide ...

... and here a closer view from the side. Pulleys linked by wires to electric winches on the harbour wall pull the gates closed as required. No hand winding of lock gates here .....

Hilgay on The Wissey

2011-07-07T17:59:00.000+01:00

I drove down from Stoke Ferry, where I'd been told there were no moorings until Hilgay. It was rumoured that there was a single landowner who held the land between Hilgay and Stoke Ferry and would not permit moorings.

So Hilgay came as a pleasant surprise, with a flurry of boats, a lengthy GOBA mooring and some additional green stretches alongside a recreation ground for general visitors. Shops and a garage too.
The GOBA mooring is just yards from the Rose and Crown which boasts food every night except Mondays. From here it's a little over 2 hours by narrow boat to Stoke Ferry and half an hour to the Great Ouse and thence Denver.
George Manby lived most of his life in Hilgay, famed for his invention of a rocket to send a line to ships in distress. His memorial is in the churchyard.

Stoke Ferry on the Wissey

2011-07-06T09:52:00.004+01:00

As part of my recce by car before going up by boat I drove from Brandon (see previous post) to Stoke Ferry on the River Wissey. There I found not quite what I was expecting.
Reaching a roundabout joining the A134 and the B1112 here I followed signs to Stoke Ferry village (perfectly pleasant, a pub or two and a shop or three) but had to go round to come across the river and moorings, a bit of a walk from the village.
Aerial views show lines of narrow boats along the banks leading up to Stoke Ferry, which is encouraging, but this turned out to be very pleasant but private moorings. No room for visitors.

Walking on through this private area I felt a bit of a trespasser even though I was entirely harmless. Then I came to some more warning signs and decided to turn back. On the other side of the roundabout opposite Whittington Garage (shop included) I found the Grange Farm Touring Park - an unlikely site for mooring, I thought, bristling with caravans in orderly rows, very neat and well scrubbed. Dogs only on leads. No children.

Look carefully and you will see a long list of "don'ts" or at least things you have to pay for. But as it's a GOBA mooring surely that's fine? Turns out GOBA rent the mooring from the caravan site owners - and look where they've put it -

right next to the road bridge, and an overflow outlet.
Prettier from this view ...

... but less than perfect.
So, worth thinking about before you take the 2 hour trip from Hilgay, further down river. On the plus side you could use this mooring and with a bike easily get to Oxburgh Hall just 4 miles away. There are pubs and shops in the village and a shop at the garage opposite the caravan site and ample winding space (it can take 60 foot) a little further up river before the limit of navigation.
On the other hand you are a second class citizen at the camp, (you have to report to reception showing proof of GOBA membership, adults only, barbecues only by agreement, mooring fees of £2 for one hour for non GOBA members, not allowed to use their facilities, pushed away in a corner ...) and there seem to be no alternative moorings anywhere near. EA where are you?
Interesting factoid: it's the Wissey, a tributary of The Great Ouse, that gives its name to the town of Wisbech (Wissey + Bech meaning "shore")
You takes your choice .... I'd say - stay at Hilgay down river and use Stoke Ferry as a brief launch pad for Oxburgh Hall, which is a fabulous National Trust moated building, before going back to Hilgay the same day.
And Hilgay? That's my next blog entry.

Brandon on the Little Ouse

2011-07-04T22:55:00.001+01:00

Doing a recce of local rivers by car in advance of a future boating visit I visited Brandon, at the end of navigation of the Little Ouse.
I've driven through Brandon many a time on the way to the north Norfolk coast but this was the first time down by the river.
The river is reached along the High Street on the Swaffham Road. Cross the bridge and immediately after it on the left are Jean Paul's restaurant and The Ram, a traditional pub. Park in the layby outside the pub.

Jean Paul's Restaurant garden downstream from the bridge

The bridge from downstream, on the riverside walk - restaurant on the left

The Ram has a beer garden and a track signposted Riverside Walks. Brandon House opposite is a more upmarket hotel/restaurant.
Opposite the Ram is Riverside Way. Pass the retirement home and follow a bridleway sign down a narrow track to the river and the Environment Agency moorings, sturdy and some 20 metres long.

EA 48 hour moorings

A small stream with a bridge adds a little turning space to the river, ample for a 50 footer I would think.
After this the EA's signs warn of low water levels and inadvisable navigation.
Brandon town provides food and supplies, take-aways, restaurants and shops.

The bridge from upstream, opposite the EA moorings

All in all a good place for an overnight stop and an attractive trip up the Little Ouse.
PS Link to a later post about Brandon.

Narrowboating and Bellringing

2011-06-11T13:36:00.008+01:00

One of John's other hobbies is bellringing. He hadn't remotely considered the possibility of linking narrowboating with bellringing until he happened to notice in 'The Ringing World' for June 10th a record of a quarter peal rung on handbells on nb Copperkins, at Milford on the Staffs and Worcs Canal. The quarter peal, rung on 14th May, was 1283 changes of St Clements Bob Minor, rung on 6 handbells by 3 ringers to celebrate a forthcoming wedding. Food for thought - perhaps something can be organised on Patience one of these days!

Have You Read Waterways World?

2011-06-10T09:11:00.002+01:00

This is an unashamed plug for that excellent monthly magazine, Waterways World (July edition in every good stationers now!).
Why this sudden piece of advertising? Because there is an excellent three-page spread about Patience and her notable journey along The Backs. Regular readers may have seen a taste of this in our blogs about Patience Up The Backs. Well now this beautiful full colour spread is available in print with more info and bigger pics by Patience's string of fine photographers.
So, go out and buy the July edition now - an excellent publication with a most discriminating editor!

... and if you just want to stand in WH Smith and read it, go straight to page 70!
Postscript: We had a surge of over 1000 hits on our site as a result of the Waterways World article, which is very satisfying for us and testimony to the interest of WW subscribers. Thanks!

(PS Robert Laws describes his journeys here)

Three Hazards 3. Collision

2011-06-09T08:53:00.002+01:00

Of course it's always the other guy's fault (or the tree's or that stationary lamp post that came up and hit you ...). But this is my third (and final) hazard experienced in a single trip down the Ouse.
We were a short way north of St Neots in a fairly narrow stretch of river with reeds at the edges when some distance ahead of us appeared a cruiser, bobbing a bit, as they do, like corks, as it came round a bend. I edged a little nearer the reeds but there was enough space to our left for him to pass and we each maintained our course.
Then, suddenly, for no apparent reason, just yards ahead of us, he swung violently in front of us, his midships straight in front of my bow. I went into full speed reverse and stopped while he continued to turn anti-clockwise. I was stationary as his turn took him round 180 degrees so he was facing the opposite direction, parallel with me, his stern starboard bumper nudging my stern port side.
I was too shocked to say anything, though I distantly heard his wife saying that they couldn't find reverse gear! I set off again, leaving him wallowing - the nearest I've ever been to a serious collision.
My wife, who had seen it all from the bow, came back to share a word or two and she confirmed that he must be an incompetent idiot. Neither of us had the presence of mind to catch either the name or number of the boat. Both of us, however, can confirm the sequence of events.
What do we make of it? He had to have been on the look out or he wouldn't have made it round the bend. Even if his throttle had been stuck full on, he could have made it past us - it was narrow but there was room for two. If his throttle had been stuck he wouldn't have ended up alongside us - he'd have been past us or right in the bank. And why swerve so violently in front of us? I have never seen a GRP cruiser hit full on by a narrow boat bow but I was only a foot away from finding out what happens.
I suppose he panicked (but why?) and he could very easily have dropped himself, wife and two children into the river - and sunk the boat.
What Learning Points can I draw from this? Only that you should allow room for all vessels and be prepared for the unexpected. I did the only thing possible - full reverse and steer straight. But I wish I'd clocked his number. I imagine a 1 ton GRP cruiser is more likely to suffer than a 12 ton steel narrow boat, but I have no wish to test this again - as I know surprising things can happen ....

Three Hazards 2. Weed

2011-06-08T10:00:00.001+01:00

Getting tangled with a submerged supermarket trolley will probably damage your propeller. Less obviously, however, anything wrapped around the propeller or the prop shaft will interfere with the effective power of your engine by changing its flow.
It's wise to check your prop at the end of each day's boating; more frequently if there are visible signs of floating weed or debris, or a feeling that you're not going as fast as you might expect. That's what the weed hatch is for. It avoids you having to dive over the side every evening ....

You MUST switch off the engine - and we always take out the key as a double precaution. Unscrewing the top handle releases the metal cross bar so you can delve in the water below. With luck the light will be right and you can see your propeller and shaft gleaming clearly. More usually it will be your fingers feeling around in the cold and murky depths. Take off any weed, stalks or any foreign matter; rarely, a knife might be needed.

Here Alan is cutting away some fishing line while Patience is in dry dock.

So, why weed? Well, our recent trip down the Ouse was mostly clear of surface weed on the way out, but several days of hot sun had caused the blanket weed (spirogyra adnate) to spread and at one point a combination of a mass of weed entangled on the prop shaft and a strong wind blowing across a narrow stretch of river both pushed us towards the bank and seriously reduced our power.

The result was we had insufficient power to prevent us drifting to the bank - where more weed lay in wait for us.

So we stopped the engine, cleared the prop and restarted - but the weed simply re-tangled itself. This time we cleared the prop but poled away from both bank and weed before re-starting the engine. This is not a situation that a single-handed boater would enjoy and once more emphasises the importance of long and strong poles and hooks!

On the bright side, swans and ducks seem to enjoy it....

Three Hazards 1. Grounding

2011-06-07T09:03:00.003+01:00

My first holiday in a narrow boat, from Foxton Locks, was trouble-free. The weather was fine, the canals spacious, the locks easy enough; I found boating was essentially a simple life. Our experiences with Patience have been mostly problem free too - but the recent trip along the Ouse to Barford showed us how concentration, preparation and planning are important.

Brampton Mill

The first hazard was not far from home, just beyond Twenty Pence Marina. With fairly low water levels in this very dry summer we should have been more alert to the dangers of grounding, but we thought we knew our own patch and Patience doesn't have much draught. Unfortunately, on a bend, though the bow cleared the corner, I must have turned the stern in too quickly, and quietly but suddenly we were aground. What was confusing was that the bow was free (there'd been no shuddering or sudden impact) and the propeller appeared to be clear too, kicking up a bit of thin mud but not obviously stuck.
We tried reverse without success, tried poling too, only to realise that it was amidships that we were grounded and pushing a pole from one end simply swivelled us without freeing us. A kind cruiser did his best to haul us off but he was too light to have any effect. Just when we thought we would have to wait for another narrow boat - or to somehow winch ourselves off via a bankside tree - we gave a final simultaneous heave with the boat hook from the stern and the pole from the bow and we eased ourselves off sideways.
Thank heavens for both a pole and a hook. Thank heavens also that there were two of us.
Learning points:

A narrow boat needs both a pole and a hook.
Keep an eye open for low water levels.
Steer into the middle channel, avoiding corners where shoaling is most likely to occur.
Note how a long boat swings round a bend and observe the middle and the stern as well as the bow.
Stop immediately then try reversing.
Draining the water tanks might raise you enough to slide off
Be prepared!

Stretham to Great Barford

2011-06-06T18:50:00.002+01:00

We spent five glorious days afloat in weather that was as sunny and as warm as any we have had this year. Starting on Wednesday from Stretham to moor at Hemingford, on Thursday to Godmanchester, and on to Great Barford in the evening, we debated going on to Bedford but left that for another day.
Complicated personal arrangements meant that folks were getting on and off Patience at various points, but Duncan saw it through - 84 miles, 24 locks and five days.

The Old West River

We had three problems, which will be described in more detail in a later post, but this was a great trip exploring the further western regions of the Ouse. The water level was generally low but the water clear and sparkling, with trees dipping into the edges, abundant wildlife (heron, kingfisher, and swans, geese and ducks all with young chicks) and a classic view of a basking seal at Earith.

Cygnets on The Ouse

We noted that the moorings at Hemingford appear to be very grand but are in fact hard concrete and so high that there is an ever present risk of either scraping poor Patience's sides or even getting her gunwhales trapped under the ledge with water rising. On the other hand the rough moorings a hundred yards further up are fine and a visit to the excellent Cock for a good pint and a splendid meal compensate for any inconvenience.

Don't miss the lovely garden in Lucy Boston's house which you can see by peeking over the wall by the moorings.
On Thursday to Godmanchester where we can borrow a private mooring and we filled up with water and newspapers. On to St Neots whose Paper Mill lock is long and deep and can be disconcertingly vigorous with surges of water. Passing the delights of St Neots and the golf course of Wyboston and on through Roxton Lock we smiled smugly at the poor motorists above us in queues on the A1 and the A14. Moored up at Great Barford bridge and ate at the busy and friendly Anchor right next to the bridge. It has been said that a long narrow boat might find it awkward manoeuvring through some of the arches as the river bends immediately south of the bridge but we think you should easily make it so long as you bear left directly after passing through the arch.
The return journey varied with the available crew. We spent longer at St Neots this time and moored for the night at The Offords where the GOBA mooring (a bit cramped though perfectly adequate with a gangplank), opposite the chic popularity of the Buckden Marina with its pool and gym - and whose well constructed moorings are charged at £5 per night (and which were mainly empty...).

The Old Bridge at St Ives

The final night we moored at St Ives, close by the Norris Museum of local history. It seems to be a honey pot for young people on a Saturday night out. The Golden Lion, where we ate at 8pm, was taken over by young ravers at 8.30 so we made our excuses and left. We counted 12 take-away shops, four pubs with live music and - too late - two small friendly restaurants close to the old bridge.
There was a lot more weed in the river than there had been a few days before - but The Tale of Three Problems must wait, tantalisingly, till my next blog post ....

Painting

2011-05-22T17:57:00.000+01:00

After scraping and sanding comes painting. Yesterday John scraped the gunwhales and rubbing strakes to reveal paint that was flaking off but very little rust, to our relief. I undercoated the lockers and the foredeck.
Today I aimed to paint a top coat on the foredeck and lockers, but the wind was so fierce and the air so full of willow seed that I abandoned any idea of top coat and concentrated on the port gunwhale and strakes which I could reach from the jetty. Having daubed these with anti-rust yesterday I added a coat of primer today, crawling on all fours and dabbing the brush at likely spots.
The flurries of willow seed ...

... (picture from Wild About Britain) were beginning to subside, caught in spiders' webs and in nooks and crannies of the hull, but sudden winds brought out more flurries so any wet painted surface would have become a furry coat in minutes.
A chap along the way says we should just leave it and rub it off when the paint has dried. He says you can do this with flies caught in wet paint too - leave them to die then break their legs off. Sounds rather unkind - but what else can you do? Answer: leave further painting till another day....

Applying the Primer

2011-05-14T21:12:00.002+01:00

Spurred on by the knowledge that we have now had 3,000 hits on our Blog (well it sounds a lot but I guess Google gets that many per second *) and that the hard work of First Scraping was over I maintained my enthusiasm by applying the first coat of primer.
It took nearly 15 minutes of constantly stirring the tin with a specially imported stick to get the lumpy stuff mixed with the wet stuff (how long had it been standing like that? Think geological time, as the sands sink slowly to the sea taking the bones of dead creatures while the waters float effortlessly above) but then I was at it with the brush, spreading primer over the areas I'd anti-rusted yesterday, concentrating on the areas without paint, leaving the good painted areas for a full coat of undercoat later. My thinking is that if I can build up with primer the areas that have rusted and flaked away, one day all the surface will be glassy smooth....
So here's the result of stage III -

Thrilled and astonished? Well OK, I don't blame you. Yes it does look like a map of the world before the continents split up. Or the Swedish archipelago. And it is quite like a piebald pony skin. And I did have to dance around the wet bits while I painted so I didn't tread on them ... but actually this is what it was supposed to look like. The rusty bits were exposed, the edges feathered, anti-rust applied and now primer added.
Next, a bit more sanding to smooth it down, another coat of primer, then the undercoat followed by the top coat, both applied with a roller for that smoooooth finish. And of course that's just the foredeck. Lots more to be done .... don't mention The Forth Bridge.

* Postscript - I just read that Google gets 34,000 hits per second and a billion per day, though as Google won't tell, and as another source suggests it's 2 billion per day, I reckon they're all just guessing. Anyway, I'm pleased we got 3,000 ! Thank you!

Scraping and Sanding

2011-05-13T21:01:00.000+01:00

I've put it off for long enough. I know Patience needs a re-paint - but she's just so loooong!
I believe preparation is the key to a good diy job but it's also a good excuse for putting off doing the real hard work. I actually try to justify procrastination!
I'd got everything in place - sandpaper, wet and dry paper, newspaper, battery operated sander, wire brushes, wire brush attachment, safety goggles, dust mask, knee pads, anti rust paint, primer, top coat, masking tape, pint of bitter ... it was just the time and the oomph I didn't have. But now I've started, so I must finish.
Today with all the kit in place I scoured the fore deck with the drill and wire brush attachment (safety goggles on, I looked like Biggles). Then after 30 minutes, just getting into it, it just stopped. Turns out my drill drains quickly under continuous use and 30 minutes is all it can cope with. Recharging from the inverter on board took 2 hours - a convenient break for a sandwich, pint of Adnams, a chapter of my latest must-read book (The Information by James Gleick, since you ask) and I nearly managed another half hour until I had to resort to real sandpaper and a hand held wire brush.
Now I have dust in my nails, a faint buzzing sensation in my hands and the knowledge that if I were a burglar they'd never trace me by my finger prints. I also know there's a layer of black anti-rust on the scraped surface of the foredeck and that when I next get a chance I'll be able to prime it then roll on the Donegal Green.
And that will be that! Only two sides and gunwales comprising 45 foot of green, some 45 feet of black down to the waterline, a cream roof 35 feet long, an aft deck, the lockers and hatch at the front.... And somehow to delicately paint the name, number and surrounding border on each side. Before the summer's over.

Easter up the Great Ouse

2011-05-02T11:19:00.002+01:00

As we grow familiar with Patience and with the ways of the rivers it's easy to forget that some folks have never even been on a narrow boat (or barge or even "longboat" as so many people call it). So in a spirit of broadening the experiences of my family and friends I took Patience up the Old West to Pope's Corner with my parents - who in all their 80 plus years had never been on a narrow boat. They expressed themselves "excited".

Then on the day of the Royal Wedding I tried to avoid the sentimental outpourings by taking a trip to Ely with a friend, leaving our respective wives to gawp at the ceremonials. Tony cycled up from Cambridge, we had lunch at the Cutter at Ely (where we learned in 70 seconds of BBC News what our wives had been drip-fed all morning). Then we toured the cathedral, which had been open all day for a service to celebrate the marriage, paused by a brass band also celebrating the day, through the happy masses in the Cathedral Green and past a few moored up cruisers strung with bunting to the Lazy Otter with Tony's bike on board.
A good day out with a conspicuous failure to avoid The Wedding .... Nevertheless I wish the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (so they're now local?) every happiness.
I noted, incidentally, how much newspaper space was taken up admiring Pippa Middleton's bottom. So a good day was had by non-royalists too!

More Boat Poles and Hooks

2011-04-15T22:05:00.004+01:00

I wrote once before about poles and hooks and how important they can be.
Now I come across a most curious pole on a boat near our mooring.
What do you make of a pole with a solid cone at the end?
Decorative?
More surface area for purchase in muddy rivers?
Dual use as megaphone?
And how might one create such a pole end?
Any thoughts?

One strange coincidence occurred to me. It so happens that this pole has a strong similarity to the ancient trumpet of Tutankhamun. Ridiculous? Just look at this pic and read the associated BBC article.

But no, I didn't try to blow up the pole. Now that would be silly ....

An Incredible Journey

2011-04-01T02:26:00.002+01:00

Two weeks ago we journeyed the full 16 miles from the Lazy Otter to the Mill Pond in Cambridge where Patience passed in stately progress past Kings College Chapel.
Now in early April we ventured a little further afield and sailed past the noble Statue of Liberty. We were lucky that the trip across was quite calm though I confess to a bit of nervousness myself!

And in case you're wondering why there's no-one at the tiller, I'm bound to point out that you can't steer and take a photograph like this at the same time! So of course we used our sea anchor, more usually used in the rivers of East Anglia, while we rowed a short distance away on a small dinghy.
And of course you will ask - how did we get dear Patience over there? So here's a pic of the Global Bayonne Terminal in New Jersey, where handling a 45 footer like Patience is child's play! See the space to the right of the Winnibego - loads of room!

Patience along The Backs 2

2011-03-24T09:26:00.001Z

Still flushed with excitement from our expedition up the Cambridge Backs, photographs come flooding in! We had sixteen people involved and about half of these had cameras, some stationed at key bridges, some on board, several actually running between bridges to catch us at more than one point.
We cannot neglect their efforts - so here are some more shots, thanks to Sylvia and to John S.
Starting with the classic shot (of Clare College) in front of Kings (College Chapel) ...

and Colin in front of Kings College Chapel

Approaching the Mathematical Bridge

our camerawoman, Sarah, above with crew and passengers below

... and everywhere, bridges.

Patience along The Backs

2011-03-21T16:55:00.003Z

The Rivers Ouse and Cam are Patience's home territory and we love the riverside moorings, winding currents and wildlife. But there is one part of the Cam where narrow boats rarely go. This is called "The Middle River" or more commonly The Backs, because it passes by the backs of the university college. And it is a fact not commonly known that powered boats can, with the permission of the Cam Conservators, navigate this short but world famous stretch of river between 1st November and 31st March.

And so it was, that with a suitably enthusiastic load of passengers and large numbers of awe-struck onlookers, Patience set off on her magnificent and stately journey past the dreaming spires of Cambridge.

The Conservators having given their permission and contact details, so they can warn us of water surges and warn the punt companies of our presence, and also having given us the number of the combination lock (and waived their statutory right to charge us one shilling and sixpence for the privilege) we passed through Jesus Lock and into a different world.

Here punts reign supreme and Patience slipped slowly on, huge in proportion, confident yet wary in movement.

Once a rash punter sped across our bows but generally Patience, like a swan amongst ducklings, lived up to her name and glided gently along, past beautiful stone colleges, manicured Fellows' lawns, bright daffodils and the soaring heights of Kings College Chapel.

The bridges were a major attraction. Looking at them from the bank it seemed impossible for Patience to pass through. St John's Kitchen bridge is in fact the lowest, at 2.08 metres (6ft 9ins) at normal river levels, so we had cleared all debris from the roof, including aerials and chimney. In fact we passed through the central arches with maybe 18inches clearance - though you do have to duck as the stonework comes towards you rather alarmingly.

For the record, there are 9 bridges, in order:
Magdalene St Bridge
St John’s 19th century Bridge of Sighs

St John's Kitchen Bridge (designed by Wren, built 1712)
Trinity
Garret Hostel
Clare College 1640

Kings College
Mathematical (1902 copy of the original of 1749)

Silver Street
So, bridges above, punts all around (some rocking alarmingly and veering off unpredictably) while below were the uncertain depths of a river where historically horses walked a causeway in the centre of the river rather than a bank side tow path - so the middle line was not necessarily the deepest.
The final challenge was the weir by Silver Street bridge and The Anchor. Here our earlier recce indicated there was ample room to turn and go back under Silver Street Bridge - but since then the number of stationary punts had increased and were in danger of clogging our passage back. For a moment we were trapped between the weir, a flotilla of punts and unable to see through the bridge arch. Fortunately our sentries on the bridge parapet acted as traffic signals and prevented a collision. We were through, and barring one confrontation with an overhanging willow (which we preferred to ramming a nearby punt), we made it back to Jesus Lock without incident.

It was a great trip, celebrated with a meal at The Fort, followed by champagne and a specially decorated Patience cake onboard.

Would we recommend it? Once, yes, though not often! It is an enshrined right that powered vessels including narrow boats can navigate the Middle River and it would be a shame to lose that. But the Conservators have wisely placed a time restriction on powered boats because power and punt together create a tricky mix. We were careful; nearly all the punters were careful too, but we saw enough rocking punts and wayward poles to realise that it wouldn't take much to cause an incident. So we're happy for the punters to reclaim their territory for the summer.
Thanks to all who came with us, either on board or dashing tirelessly ahead to take the photographs.
We finally moored up for the night at The Bridge at Waterbeach, having taken some passengers to Baits Bite whence they cycled home, and others to Waterbeach to catch the train.
Thanks particularly to Mark and Sarah for their photographs (and whose copyright they are) and to John for his seamanship.

... and a quick link to Lucky Duck, another Cambridge narrow boat who did this same journey last autumn!

Note: More pictures in the next posting - "Patience Along The Backs 2".

Boaters and Sheds - but not boatsheds ....

2011-02-25T08:51:00.000Z

I don't liveaboard but I'm pretty sure that if I did I'd find storage space a problem. However much I used all available space and however well I avoided the deadly grasp of consumerism I'd find myself pushed into a corner or tangled in stuff I accumulated but couldn't bear to throw away.
The solution for many seems to be a shed. A very practical answer in my view, as I count myself something of a shedder.
So here are the first entries in my Boaters' Sheds Exhibition. The rules say there must be part of a boat in the picture as well as the shed. I have my eyes on others I've passed too. Want to join me? Start collecting now ….

Lee and Stort at Hertford and Ware

2011-02-24T16:27:00.003Z

It being the sunniest day for ages I took time out to explore the Lee and Stort Navigation at Ware - or is it Hertford? I think they're joined like Newcastle-Gateshead, for convenience, though maybe at arms length.
I chose Ware because of the huge disparity in distance between Ware and my home near Cambridge on the one hand by road, on the other by boat. I reckoned it was 24 miles or a little over half an hour via the A10 - and 240 miles or 16 full days boating! So I won't be popping down to Hertford on Patience in the immediate future.
On the other hand it's a pleasant spot, with quite a few boats of different kinds moored up around Hartford lock and a few more at Ware lock.

The lock keeper's cottage at Hertford is being done up at the moment too and should look good when complete. There's historical detail about it here.

Also of interest is the New Gauge House building which marks the start of The New River. Neither new nor a river, this is the start of an aqueduct taking fresh water from the Lee to London. Opened in 1613 it winds its way to the centre of London and there is now a 27 mile walk that follows its path. Having seen the other end in an unexpectedly picturesque park in Stoke Newington I was pleased to see its source. More about The New River here.

Also worth noting that the Lee Valley is to become the white water venue for the Olympic Games. Fortunately no white water visible here in Hertford ....

The Considerate Boater

2011-02-08T13:45:00.001Z

Others being considerate to us is what, I feel sure, we all appreciate.
It's been said that most advice from world religions come down to one thing - do as you would wish to be done to. So I thought I'd share some good news. I've just found a lovely site called The Considerate Boater which doesn't preach or instruct but guides the reader pleasantly, wisely and helpfully through good behaviour on our waterways. And I've added it to my list of boating links.

It's a beautifully simple site, graphically clean and textually plain, with simple advice modestly expressed.
I guess the vandals and the loud, the litterers and the aggressive won't want to read it, but the rest of us can't fail to pick up some tips here. If the meek shall inherit the earth, perhaps considerate boaters will find their place on the waterways.
Remember - canals are the quickest way to slow down ....

London Canal Museum

2011-02-06T12:18:00.003Z

On Saturday, to the London Canal Museum as a delayed birthday treat from middle daughter. Note that you can claim 50% off if you travel by train (though I think you have to apply beforehand).
In the scheme of things everyone will have their favourite waterways museum, or even favour pumping museums such as the ones below.
What's your favourite?
The National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port or the one at Gloucester Docks or Stoke Bruerne?
Perhaps you prefer Foxton's inclined plane or the Hay Inclined Plane at Ironbridge.
Or Prickwillow Pumping Station or Stretham Old Engine.
The London Canal Museum is handily placed for Kings Cross station and a fascinating walk along the Regents Canal. You can walk or indeed boat past London Zoo, and end up in Camden Market if you wish.
Or you can simply pop into The Thornhill Arms across the way for an excellent pint of London Pride or The Narrow Boat a few yards away along the canal at 119 St Peters Street.

The museum is uncluttered, though with an interesting archive of old canal films constantly running and when we were there an excellent canal related exhibition of photographs. The rather spartan exhibit of half a trad narrow boat gives atmosphere and a sense of the cramped quarters.

I'm all in favour of traditional narrow boats as shown here but I don't think John and I will be dressing up and grabbing pipes and bowlers for our meandering down the Ouse.
Nevertheless a lovely day with good company, lots to see and eat and drink and talk about.

Boat Poles and Hooks

2011-01-28T16:38:00.006Z

A narrow boat needs both a pole and a pole with a hook. Dropping something over the side or clearing debris from the water, even drifting away from shore and needing to haul yourself back will require a boat hook on a long pole. The ever-present possibility of running aground and having to push yourself away from an obstruction is better done with a pole without a hook, saving you a lot of bother as you punt yourself off the silt or muddy river edge.
Patience came with a galvanised boat hook on a pole that needed some attention so I sanded down the pole, filled a couple of cracks and soft areas then coated it with 3 coats of Sadolin.
However she had no simple pole so we looked around for a new one. Our local boatyard had no spare lengths from broken punt poles and online chandleries charged anything between £30 and £50 for ash poles. One actually described an 'ash pole 8" long x 44mm dia'. By my reckoning an 8 inch pole isn't a great deal of use ....
Anyway, the solution for us lay in the local wood yard where you can readily buy lengths of 50 x 50 mm Mopstick Handrail. This really is intended as a handrail and is 50mm diameter (that's 2 inches in practice), circular in section except for a flat edge intended for stair spindles - and ideal for resting on Patience's roof without rolling back and forth.
So it is that we have bought 3.6m (just short of 12 feet) of softwood and will chamfer the ends to avoid splintering then paint in 3 coats of Sadolin. We might find 12 feet a touch too long and cut it back to 10 feet but experience will tell. [Later: 12 foot is fine!] Undoubtedly ash is the best timber for the job, but this is an economical and readily available alternative.
I note the Boaters' Handbook says that if you are stuck:

"use the pole to push off against a solid object or the bed of the waterway - if you put the pole straight down and try to use it as a lever, it'll either break or you'll fall in. And keep the top of the pole away from your face and body, in case it slips suddenly."

A simple rack might raise the poles from the roof by a few millimeters to avoid rot setting in, but meanwhile we'll just move them around from time to time and tuck them inside over the winter.
The decorative arts and crafts side of me was inclined to try painting the pole in candy stripe like an old barber's pole, but my (and John's) practical side won out: get it waterproof, cover it plainly. Like brass boat hooks and floral painted watering cans on the roof we'll leave the fancy and the floral to the trad boats. Patience is a good old girl and we love her plain and healthy, not got up in frills and curls.
See also Boat Poles and Hooks 2 which might suggest a structural improvement to avoid narrow poles sinking deep into the mud. Or an Egyptian trumpet ....

Miscellany on a winter's afternoon

2011-01-16T18:50:00.010Z

As it was a relatively mild afternoon, I went over to check out Patience and attach her new 2011 Gold Licences. I also put up a small watercolour of some narrowboats that I had been given for Christmas on the bulkhead in the rear cabin. It has been painted by an architect friend and ex-neighbour of ours, Ian Taylor. I then climbed into the water tank in the bow and sponged out the last 3 or 4 litres of water that is below the level of the outlet pipe and can not therefore be pumped out. The inside of the tank is in very good condition with only a small amount of rust coming through. When the weather warms up I will give it another coat of potable bitumen paint. Finally, I ran the engine under load for about 20 minutes to keep the batteries charged up and circulate the diesel. I reflected on how much I am looking forward to our first cruise of 2011.

Canal Passport

2011-01-15T13:12:00.000Z

Pleased to see, on my new biometric passport delivered today, that page 17 has a picture of a narrow boat, with cratch, by a bridge over a canal. Anyone dare to identify the area?
Good to know that our waterways are considered part of the identity of our nation.
No picture of it here as I'm not prepared to risk national security by scanning it in ....

Patience in snow

2010-12-20T14:45:00.000Z

Even though we winterised Patience we've had a sneaking worry that the cold could still get to her. Last night, driving back from Crishall, the highest point in Cambridgeshire (so, hardly high but quite exposed) we noticed the temperature had dropped to minus 14 just after midnight. You need a fair bit of anti-freeze to combat that. On the other hand, as John pointed out, even where the ice is several inches thick, as it is in our marina, the engine compartment is surrounded by relatively warm (above zero) water so the anti-freeze in the engine has only to protect it for a degree or two.

Inside the beer was unfrozen, the water pipes flexible and since all had been drained that could be drained I left with a sense of relief. No chance of turning the engine over with the propeller under several inches of ice so I left her with her mooring ropes under a light coat of snow and spiders' webs sparkling white in the bow.

Boats and Frost

2010-12-07T20:40:00.001Z

Patience is drained down so the frost doesn't catch her, but I do wonder about the boat that seems to have been abandoned near my office in Godmanchester.
I've seen no-one near her day or night and she's been moored, apparently without a license, in the same spot since early August.

She looks beautiful amidst the frosty trees at the Godmanchester backwater - but six degrees of frost can't be doing her any good ....

The Cost of Boating

2010-11-30T18:40:00.003Z

With Patience now winterised and at rest we look back on a successful and interesting year and forward to licensing, insuring and saving up.
So what have we learned about costs?

Don't forget your GOBA subscription!

First, that the initial purchase price is not the whole deal. We were sensible and cautious in having a full survey in a dry dock before buying. The survey threw up some items, fortunately nothing serious, but a useful To Do list. We've carried out all these tasks except painting, which we'll undertake next year, but naturally these tasks have added to our first year costs. We think next year will be noticeably cheaper, but we now have Patience to the standard we are happy with.
We have categorised expenditure in three groups - start up, fixed annual and maintenance, and here is the approximate break down:
Start up
survey £420,
dry dock £130
plus purchase price

Fixed annual costs *
moorings £1000
insurance £135
BW license £800

Maintenance
blacking, welding, anodes £900 * ** ^
engine service £100 ^
odds and ends £200

* varies according to mooring and length of boat
** a recurring cost divided between three or four years;
^ cheaper if you diy
Fuel cost is about 0.5 litres per mile or 9.3 mpg (see previous blog entry, 4th May 2010)

So in round figures that looks like £2,500 per year plus fuel, all divided between the two of us.
Frankly, given the fun we've had, I rate that as a bargain!

Chief Engineer's Report

2010-11-15T16:56:00.017Z

With winter coming on, it's been time to catch up with a few essential maintenance tasks on Patience.

Firstly, I have replaced the seals on the Jabsco WC, as it had stopped working properly over the summer, with rather unpleasant consequences! It now works perfectly!

Secondly, I spent an afternoon servicing the BMC 1.8 litre diesel engine. It was a beautifully still, sunny, autumnal afternoon on the Great Ouse, with only a few swans for company, curious to know what I was up to. I changed the engine oil and the oil filter. Draining the old oil out was facilitated by a very effective sump pump (top left in photo). I also replaced the fuel filter and bled the fuel lines. Finally, I cleaned the relatively coarse mesh filter over the engine air intake and lubricated the throttle and gearbox linkages. In common with many narrow boats, there is no paper air filter element fitted, as the engine compartment is a relatively dust free environment. The filters were obtained from ASAP http://www.asap-supplies.com/ who provide an excellent on-line technical support and parts at very reasonable prices. After all this, the engine fired up first time and seems to be running fine.

I have replaced the dipstick/oil filler on the PRM Delta gearbox, obtained from the very helpful people at Lancing Marine http://www.lancingmarine.com/ The old one looked as if it has been rather mutilated by the use of a mole wrench rather than a correctly sized 18 mm A/F spanner!

Finally, I increased the tension in the alternator belt slightly (to give the recommended +6mm play on its longest length), drained down the domestic water tank and associated pipework and checked the antifreeze mixture in the engine with a very cheap, but effective, hydrometer from Halfords. The inside of the water tank is still in very good condition after its repainting with two coats of bitumen in the spring, although some rust is coming through in one or two places, so it may be worth giving it another coat next spring to keep it in top condition.

James Brindley

2010-11-12T23:24:00.001Z

I just watched a programme presented by Chris Tarrant about James Brindley "one of the most famous British engineers of the 18th century".
His narrow canals"unlocked the midlands" enabling a horse drawn boat to carry 60 times the capacity of a horse and cart.
His canals created the Grand Trunk or Grand Cross that joined up our four major rivers, the Trent, the Mersey, the Severn and the Thames.
[later ...] They seem to have stopped showing the James Brindley programme on BBC iPlayer , which is a shame, but you can read up about him on wikipedia .
I really enjoyed the programme though!

Anniversaries

2010-11-11T16:17:00.000Z

We've now just passed the date of our very first narrow-boat-related event. That was the day I took my daughter Sarah to The Lazy Otter and the sight of narrow boats in the marina started us off on this journey. That first event is recorded here on an early blog. I found the original email asking John if he was interested.
Since then we've moved on - Sarah to start her teacher training, John and I to be partners in Patience. It does us good to look back to those early blog entries and see what we've done and then start planning what we have yet to do.
Painting I think is high on the list for the year ahead, as Patience is peeling in places. An annual engine service and replacement of some of the hoses would be important too. But Patience has performed well and we have learned how to manoeuvre her without too many bumps, and use her accommodation to the full. Speaking of which, we still have two cream leatherette swivel chairs for sale, ideal for the trendy boater. Just add a comment to this blog and they could be yours!
So, thank you Patience for a wonderful year. Next year we plan to explore the parts of the eastern region we haven't yet seen. After that maybe we'll head off for the rest of the canal system, but all in good time.

Last Boat to Ely

2010-10-30T19:34:00.000+01:00

With a sunlit day on the cards we abandoned decorating and headed up to Ely for what is likely to be our last trip of the year. We planned to fill up with diesel (topping up helps avoid moisture in the tank over winter) and to pump out in advance of refitting seals on the marine toilet.
Ely was in sunshine most of the time (which compensated for the unpleasant job of pumping out) and a meal at The Cutter with a pint of Wherry compensated for anything else.

The approach to Ely from the south

Today we also received good news about The Lazy Otter as a marina. The leasing of the restaurant had sown doubts in some minds, but the owners confirm that they are planning a cesspit for the marina (which may sound foul to you but is good news to us and particularly to the live-aboards at the Lazy Otter!). Oh, and they're not putting the mooring fees up, so that's extra good news.
This may therefore mean that this post should be entitled Last Drain from Ely ... but enough on that subject for the time being.

About Bloggers

2010-10-14T16:30:00.002+01:00

I heard Andrew Marr (an otherwise intelligent chap) sounding off in a rant about bloggers.
He sneered that they are "inadequate, pimpled and single" loners who rant about the world from the safety of their mothers' basements.
Well of course he had to show off at a literary festival that he could be as vituperative as the best of opinionated columnists, but if you don't mind I'd just make two points.
The first obvious point is that he didn't distinguish between the different types of blogs. He was snarling at news bloggers, amateur journos telling the world about the news in their corner of the globe - and often ignoring professional standards of balance and perspective as well as replacing facts with opinion and rumour. At best these folks can tell it like it is because they're there, in Hurricane Katrina, in army controlled Burma, in a blizzard or a political storm; at worst it's just bile and rant. That's what you get from the freedom to write with new media; these are the strengths and the weaknesses.
However some of us bloggers may have other intentions.
Our blog about Patience is intended to be both a travelogue and a guide to owning a narrow boat. A worthy enough aim, I think. For me it reminds me of our trips and provides boating information that we wished we had when we first bought her. I'm sure Sam Pepys would have blogged, though anonymously .....

The other obvious point is that bloggers come in all shapes and sizes and the only common link is that they want to keep an online diary. Imagine a well-educated and reasonably sociable family man and writer in his fifties and with a moderately successful career behind him. The description fits both Marr and me. Barely a pimple in sight between us. However, I don't vent my spleen at literary gatherings. And he gets paid well for giving his sensationalist opinions.
I just blog.

Back Down The Lark

2010-10-12T22:07:00.002+01:00

Early mist and bright low sun at Judes Ferry started my long journey back to Patience's home moorings.

Judes Ferry facing south up the Lark

On the right behind the orange ring is the cut between the old far mooring and near newer jetty. Doing a 3 point into the cut is easier for the boat in the picture than for Patience, which has to reverse past it in a straight line before turning sharply in.

Judes Ferry facing north back to Isleham

The first section back down to Isleham Ferry was delightful. I saw three kingfishers flashing in front of me and two swans took off and soared overhead.

A beautiful peaceful day and not a single boat on the Lark apart from Patience.

Back down the Great Wide Ouse and soon I was back at Ely from where it's not far back to The Lazy Otter and our home mooring.

Up with The Lark 2

2010-10-12T21:51:00.003+01:00

Sunday saw me one of the first visitors at the Ploughing Match and the Pumping Museum (Museum of Fenland Drainage). And so I saw some of the tractors brought in on low loaders and being moved into position along a very long straight line on Green Farm. Each ploughman his own area marked with stakes, bright tractors and shining ploughs cutting through jet black soil. Men with soft Fenland voices earnestly calculating straight furrows and depth, huge adjusting spanners in hand.

Let the ploughing begin

Black Fen soil like long straight lines of liquorice

Meanwhile, beyond the Eel Pie Band, the classic cars and the wild boar sausages, the Pumping Museum steams and rattles its oily way at full tilt to remind us that at Prickwillow agriculture and engineering go hand in hand, side by side. The drainage engineer draws water from the soil to enable the farmer to plough and sow then place his produce on the river barge on the canal created and watered by the drainage engineer who ....
And then it's off towards Isleham, passing the remains of one of the original pumps, (there are more pics on wikimedia) known now as The Pepperpot having lost its sails long ago....

The Pepperpot wind pump(or pepper mill?!)

... through Isleham Lock and on up the beautifully winding Lark past Gravel Gardens to Judes Ferry where I moor up in some rather high moorings at the bottom of their beer garden and take a fine pint of cider.

I'm not wildly keen on Judes Ferry as a pub / restaurant, as it felt that it had a character bypass and didn't like its big screen pop videos, but they have a broader-than-pub-grub menu and it's a pleasant garden on a fine day. Besides it's a handy mooring - though next time I would choose the ramshackle set of moorings just north of the pub. These are a little quieter away from the chatter of patrons and most importantly - at this furthest point of navigation for a 45 footer - you can turn the boat directly into a side channel instead of having to reverse first, as I did. I wasn't brave enough to risk turning in the river itself which my Imray Guide tells me is 13.7m while 45 feet is 13.716m .... A tight squeeze!

Up with The Lark 1

2010-10-12T08:43:00.000+01:00

With a promising weather forecast we planned a 3 day trip up the River Lark to Judes Ferry. Unfortunately John had other commitments, but I was keen to go on - and had an excellent trip in glorious weather.
We set off together from The Lazy Otter, pausing at The Cutter at Ely for lunch, then on into uncharted territory for us, up the Great Ouse which heads north to the Denver Sluices and thence the sea. Here the river is very broad, more like a German canal, and frankly once Ely is to stern, rather unattractive.
But after a while up comes the junction to The Lark, a fair sized tributary to start with, only narrowing after ten miles or so, at Judes Ferry. Some sections are quite straight, notably the first section which must be artificial before it joins the ancient course of the Ouse to reach Prickwillow. This village itself may be a bit of a non-event as it has no shops and even the church was closed on Sunday. However it does have a fascinating Pumping Museum which is well worth a visit. As the Fens in their present form rely entirely on centuries of pumping out water, the Prickwillow Drainage Engine (and the Stretham Pumping Engine) are important working relics.

Patience at Prickwillow with Pumping Museum beyond

With John heading home I was moored up quietly with only the sound of tractors charging across the bridge as they brought in the harvest (note for next time - there is a quieter mooring a few yards up beyond the bridge). I managed to steal a look at The Old Vicarage which shows the results of Fen drainage. It was built on clay foundations with two steps leading up to the door; now there are nine steps, and the old cellars are ground floor rooms!
But having arrived, the best day was yet to come ...

Godmanchester to The Lazy Otter

2010-09-26T16:18:00.003+01:00

We spent the weekend bringing Patience back from Godmanchester.

Moored under trees at Godmanchester Backwater

Knowing Saturday would be fine but rain was predicted by Sunday afternoon, we had a good meal on Saturday evening (good value, well patronised, good atmosphere, magnificent website though inefficient male loos) at The Old Ferry Boat at Holywell. There are good walks around here too,on The Great Ouse Valley Way. Then Jenny and Sarah made their excuses and left us to it.

The Old Ferry Boat, Holywell, and Patience moored below

So on Sunday John and I beat our way against the winds through Brownhills Staunch and Hermitage Lock back to the Lazy Otter, at which point the downpour began.
This is a delightful stretch of water with lovely towns and villages when seen from the river - Brampton, Godmanchester, Hertford, Houghton, St Ives , Earith ... with swans and geese, cormorants, grebes ... not to mention riverside pubs and restaurants with ample moorings. A pleasure to wander along.

Single Handed Boating

2010-09-23T20:50:00.001+01:00

I mentioned my single handed venture in the previous post then came upon some notes I'd made a while ago. Worth reading.

Harvested from an article in Waterways World January 2010 by Peter Fellows.

Anticipate problems! Work out a solution before acting!

Prepare

Have at hand: map, phone, windlass, waterproofs, refreshments and camera.

Manoeuvring

When leaving a mooring reverse and push the stern out. Only when you are clear swing the bow into the middle.

If stopping briefly nudge the bow into the bank and hold it in place with the engine in forward at tickover speed.

Cruising

Be very careful at obscure junctions or where bends or trees block your view. Sound your horn and listen carefully.

A sudden collision could knock you off and leave you stranded, or worse. Always stand in front of the tiller.

Pulling in

A centre rope is essential. Aim for the bank with the bow at a shallow angle. Swing the tiller to bring the stern against the bank and simultaneously reverse. Step off holding the centre rope and secure it to a bollard. Place engine in neutral and either wait for your lock or moor up with mooring ropes.

Mooring in wind

An offshore wind can pull you away from the shore while mooring so try to choose a sheltered spot, apply the centre rope immediately and prepare by tying the centre rope to a mooring pin before you manoeuvre, hammering it in instantly.

Locks

Plan carefully, use the centre rope – and ask for help from bystanders if possible.

Keep the stern away from the cill but place engine in tickover reverse for downhill or tickover forward for uphill while holding onto the bow rope.

The Heron is also a solitary soul ....

Solo to Godmanchester

2010-09-23T08:45:00.001+01:00

Patience at rest in Godmanchester backwater

I share Patience with John and we've had a great time together pootling up and down river, fixing improving and generally mulling over the ways of the world. I've found boating very sociable. However I've always fancied venturing out by myself from time to time though I've been put off by the realisation of how hard it can be to control a 45 foot narrow boat in difficult conditions (currents and winds can be real problems on the east anglian rivers.)
Anyway, having read up about solo techniques at this blog and it being a beautiful day with plans to go boating at the weekend too, I set off from the Otter aiming for Godmanchester. Why Godmanchester? Well it's a pretty little village (er, ancient town!) with a backwater (literally, that's no slur!) and at the bottom of the garden at the offices where I work there is an ideal unused mooring (though an overhanging branch nearly scraped off the TV aerial).
It means I can commute (in a very round about, wholly impractical way) to work.
It also serves as a convenient staging place to explore the further regions of the Great Ouse instead of always returning to our main moorings at Stretham.
So I had a great trip, the weather was fantastic, I managed some of the locks single handed and at others was helped by other boaters in a small cruiser heading from Holywell to Huntingdon. It's also handy to be going upstream in locks where the gates are downstream and most of the locks are guillotines (no arm-tiring winding).


Approaching mill and bridges at Huntingdon

The Old Bridge from the Godmanchester side

Neptune Staircase

2010-09-04T14:34:00.001+01:00

While John and Sarah cared for Patience in East Anglia Jenny and I made a regular pilgrimage to Scotland and amongst many other things took in the Neptune Staircase at Fort William, on the Caledonian Canal.
It's a pleasant walk and particularly fascinating to watch as a tall yacht goes through the full staircase, which is the longest lock in the UK (according to wikipedia). To go through the whole stair the lock keepers must close both road and railway and swing both bridges aside to let the boats through.
Here's the step by step record:
First the boat in a higher lock, making its way down

Now, viewed from the bottom of the locks and to my left, the road ...

... and here to my right is the railway (Fort William to Mallaig)

Now the road is swung around ...

and the railway bridge is also swung away, to allow the boat finally to pass through to another part of the Caledonian Canal. A sight to see!

Ely and back

2010-09-04T12:33:00.003+01:00

A very pleasant day trip from our base at the Lazy Otter (near Stretham) is to motor the 6 miles down river to Ely, moor up, have lunch in 'The Cutter' on the waterfront, visit the Ely Boat Chandlers (always a source of useful equipment and good advice) and return leisurely to base. We have done this a few times over the summer.

The attached photo shows Patience moored up right outside The Cutter, not always possible, on Friday 3rd September. On this occasion we also took the opportunity to top up Patience's diesel and water tanks at the Cathedral Marina.

St Neots and back

2010-08-27T18:49:00.014+01:00

Sarah and John have just returned from taking Patience to St Neots and back (64 miles and 18 locks) over 5 days. We set off in glorious sunshine on Sunday afternoon and moored at the Old Ferry Boat Inn, Holywell on Sunday evening. We arrived in Huntingdon on Monday and enjoyed an excellent dinner at The Bridge Hotel. By Tuesday evening we had got to St Neots and moored overnight just downstream from the town bridge. Heavy rain was predicted for later in the day, so we made an early start back on Wednesday and got as far as Hemingford Grey before it started raining. We had a very pleasant evening meal at The Cock in the village.
On Thursday morning we waited for the heavy rain to abate slightly and set off again downstream at 12.30. The rain just kept coming down and the water level downstream of St Ives lock was sufficiently high to prevent a number of cabin cruisers getting through under the guillotine gate. Patience made it comfortably, although we did have to remove the chimney and stow the TV aerial on the foredeck.
The river was very high from then on; right over the top of the gates at Brownshill Staunch (see photo below) and well over the banks from Brownshill to Earith. We decided to just keep going and got through Hemitage Lock with a few cm headroom to spare. The headroom under the lock bridge had reduced to 1.8m and Patience is about 1.7m. See photo of boats held up on the Old West River the day after we just made it through.

We did the last 8.8 miles back to the Lazy Otter in 2 hrs 10 mins, an average speed of just over 4 mph. We moored up at 18.30 hrs, 6 hours after setting off from Hemingford Grey, 18 miles and 4 locks upstream. We were helped by the faster than usual stream flowing, although we were also sailing into a moderate NE wind.
Altogether a great trip, but the weather could have been kinder to us! Next time, we'll try for Bedford!

Photos are of 1) Patience moored up at St Neots, 2) Sarah on Patience (surrounded by duckweed) waiting to go through St Neots lock on the way home, 3) the water over the top of Brownshill Staunch, also on the way home and 4) boats held up on the Old West River by the high water on the tidal section under the lock bridge at Hermitage.

Why Canals?

2010-08-03T13:59:00.002+01:00

I came across a wonderful little project my daughter had written for school at the age of 12 called "Why did canals become popular". It was a really good piece about the history and geography of it all, the links with the industrial revolution, moving raw materials and fuel to places of industry then the decline when the railways proved more flexible and faster.
But what it didn't address was why we love them today.
So I re-quote a piece by Ben MacIntyre from The Times. It sums it up rather well:

"The survival and revival of the canal is a reflection of its enduring place in British culture: a strange admixture of commerce and pleasure, history and modern development, back-breaking labour and reflective leisure. Canals always mattered more than the money they made.
In an age of dirt and speed, the canal is not only a vital artefact, but a form of therapy. Puttering along a man-made ditch seems a peculiar form of relaxation, but once one has seen Britain passing slowly and serenely at eye level, it is impossible to see it in the same way again."

Ben Macintyre

Slow and serene - that's the life for me! And Patience is the key ....

Chimneys

2010-07-29T21:47:00.005+01:00

Non-boat users may not be aware but the chimney on a narrow boat has a lid to keep out rain and the flue pipe itself is removable for reducing height under low bridges.

The flue on Patience (left) had at some time in the past been painted green like the rest of the boat but the green paint was peeling off leaving a perfectly good black enamel surface. The brass rings and grab handle had been painted red which was also peeling off and fading.
Having nothing better to do, I took to scraping off the paint and polishing up the brass. Quite successfully actually. And cheaper than buying a new one.
Probably the brass was painted because brass, looking good when polished, is a beast to keep shiny. I promise to give it one more buff then lacquer it to keep it bright.

Here's a pic from Ely Chandlery showing a spanking new flue pipe.
Ours looks a little bit like this (after an hour's polishing ...) But look at the little hook on the side. Is that for anchoring the pipe in a brutal storm? And ours has a double skin, keeping the hot gases separate from the outer decorated skin. Is this normal, or are we posh ?

All Aboard

2010-07-27T23:04:00.004+01:00

Today we fulfilled our promise at an auction of promises held at The Shelford Feast.
The prize was a day's cruise (and back) to Ely, with picnic. The lucky family boarded at The Lazy Otter and, fortified with fruit drinks, biscuits, coffee and a lunch such as Patience has not seen in our time, sped upstream. Thanks to Sarah for the excellent picnic and also for providing napkins and flowers.
Mum, dad and three children then explored Ely while we washed up and, in a spirit of bonhomie, finished off the bottle of wine.

Though we proffered bird books, coloured crayons and an Eye Spy activity sheet (it's the teacher in me!) and because we explained the TV was out of bounds, activity was mostly based around trying to point Patience in the direction we were heading and talking about the boat and her slow and peaceful surroundings on the Ouse.
Not too exciting perhaps, but our passengers showed genuine interest in the new experience.
We think they had a good time on the cruise - we certainly did, any excuse for a purposeful trip - and we noted that prices for commercial boats at Ely were £120 for one and a half hours, so our 4 hour charity promise plus lunch and tea and chocolate cake was a bargain!

AC/DC

2010-07-15T18:19:00.005+01:00

We have added an additional 12V DC power socket to the end of the starboard bunk in the forward saloon. This is in addition to the one already installed on the bulkhead of the rear cabin. The new socket is protected by a 13A fuse and the wiring is rated at 15A.

It can be used in conjunction with a small 12V DC/240V AC Belkin inverter (also shown) for low loads (up to about 150W), eg to charge phone batteries. There is an irony in converting from 12V DC to 240V AC and then back to low voltage DC - however it works!

Also shown in the photo is a twin 240V AC socket, but this is only live when Patience is hooked up to a shore power supply.

Polished and Shining

2010-07-13T16:41:00.001+01:00

John and I set to and waxed and polished Patience. Last week we did the starboard side, this week we reversed her in (not an easy task - I recommend getting as close as you can and then manhauling it!) and waxed the port side.
My how beautiful she looks. The chap up the way tells us the previous owner used baby oil to give her a sheen before we bought her, and we can't help think that a) that's not a great idea b) it's surely washed off now c) wax polish is the long term answer.
While doing this we confirm that a previous painting was done without proper preparation, which explains the way a layer of green paint is peeling off the gunwhales. So another job is lined up - scrape, prime, paint and add a layer of non-slip sand to the final coat. Patience deserves no less.

Twenty Pence

2010-07-13T16:32:00.001+01:00

Monday evening, family out having fun so I head for the friendly Lazy Otter for a very filling baguette and a pint.
A cloudless sky and nearly the longest day encourage me to take Patience out for a gentle stroll down to Twenty Pence Marina. Once there was a pub here, I believe, but sadly not at the moment, so I turn around (in a rather tight spot) and return refreshed.
Anyone know if there are plans to create a new pub at Twenty Pence? I'd visit it for a short evening trip out.
On the way back I pass three young Huckleberry Finn figures in a well-worn cruiser setting alight to a barbecue on a flat area of the river bank. Those guys were really enjoying themselves in the simple life. Not a beer in sight, boat well moored up in the middle of nowhere, just burning a few sausages and having a chat on a long sunny evening. A pleasure to see. Another tale from the riverbank.

Another uneventful day in the sun ....

2010-06-18T09:36:00.000+01:00

Our posts up to now have been about boat improvements, plans for improvements, and taking to the water. It's worthwhile pointing out that part of the fun is just pottering about, going nowhere, achieving little - but visibly relaxing, away from work, away from computers, away from the home phone.

So I went to see Patience kitted out with lengths of hose to fill her water tank, a broken hasp that needed replacement from the chandelry, and a plan to sand and paint the front doors.
However while the hose was long enough, I'd forgotten the connectors, and while contemplating moving her up to an empty berth near the tap another resident told me a scary story of a narrow boat colliding with a cruiser to catastrophic effect. Hence the empty berth. I opted not to move.
Sanding down proved effective as well as sociable as several owners paused for a chat, but unfortunately revealed a woodwork mosaic of brown and white patches - white where the original brown stain had vanished. Now I knew that I had to stain the wood first before I could apply my varnish, putting back the job by a few days.
In an attempt to save the day I drove to the chandelry for a new hasp (the original broken in a struggle to beat our way off a mooring against the wind) and saw success turn to failure when the apparently good fit was about 4mm off - I could bolt through two holes but not all four.
So, why an uneventful day in the sun? Because instead of cussing about three successive failures I just retreated to the aft deck with my sandwich and a custard tart and read Bill Bryson's "Thunderbolt Kid" until my smile muscles ached.
And isn't that why I have Patience? She helps me switch off, just messing about on the river. And the next day I returned to work refreshed. Thanks to Patience.

Up and Down The Cam 3

2010-06-01T18:04:00.000+01:00

After a restful night at Burwell a short run back up the lode to the Upware 48 hour moorings at the junction of Wicken Lode then a short walk across the fields to Five Miles From Anywhere, an unexpectedly urban style pub in the middle of nowhere (hence the name ...) Nevertheless, any port in a storm and a pint from Buntingford Breweries was very welcome.

It's worth pointing out that the lode at Upware is actually higher than the surrounding fenland, so walkers on the road below would see us quite high up on the horizon - an odd sight.
Finally up to Pope's corner and back down the Old Western River to The Lazy Otter. Home again.
Was the trip to Cambridge worthwhile? Certainly! We saw our own city through new eyes, saw goslings in strict straight lines and moorhen chicks going in circles, even cygnets clambering up the back of mum to hide beneath her tail feathers. The weather could have been worse and after all, Patience is a comforting boat with warmth and food and drink and shelter from the storm.

Up and down the Cam 2

2010-06-01T17:32:00.000+01:00

From The Bridge in improving weather to Baits Bite Lock. It's just north of the busy A14 but it is also in the middle of the countryside and beautifully tended.

Then further down the Cam, past lots of live-aboards, rather too many boats that looked abandoned and in bad shape, through fleets of university boats with straining oarsmen and women to Jesus Lock, effectively the end of the line for motorised boats. Along the way we had seen Cambridge from a new point of view, and despite the fact we have lived here for well over 30 years it was as if we were seeing it for the first time. We celebrated by taking lunch at the carvery at The Fort St George, which we strongly recommend!

With the weather on our side it was a leisurely return up the Cam, through Baits Bite and Bottisham Locks again but this time through Reach Lock - more a water barrier than a normal lock, as the water levels are the same on each side - and down Burwell Lode to Burwell itself at the end of the line. We were fortunate to find space on a mooring here, at the point where navigation ends and only a few hundred yards from the Anchor public house.

We chose Burwell Lode over Reach Lode this time as the turning circle at the end of Reach Lode is barely an inch more than Patience (13.7m) while at Burwell there is a little more room for a multi-point turn. So we'll return to Reach after a recce and hope to enjoy the delights of The Dykes End (don't laugh ...) some other time.

Up and down the Cam 1

2010-06-01T15:32:00.001+01:00

We live just south of Cambridge and our friends scratched their heads when we said we were going to Cambridge for the weekend - and taking 3 days about it. Moored as we are at The Lazy Otter just north of Cambridge and living just south of the city on Saturday we drove from home around Cambridge, up the A10 to where Patience is berthed and headed up the Old West River to Popes Corner, turning right onto the Cam.
By this time the weather was pretty foul but we ploughed on, rain dribbling into our shoes (anyone got a spare trad stern?) while our wives read the papers inside.

Passing the "Five Miles From Anywhere" pub at Upware we saw all the cruisers had moored up to escape the weather, leaving no space for a 45 foot narrow boat, so we trundled on through Bottisham Lock and finally moored up by The Bridge Hotel just outside Waterbeach.
By this time the wet weather had blown away so, drying our shoes by the wood stove, we took our rest before having an evening meal at The Bridge. Good value, very busy, well organised.

Three boats south of The Bridge. Patience in the foreground, a totally black boat called Walhalla at the end, looking for all the world like a spooky German U-Boat

River machinery moored next to the Cam Conservators headquarters, doing a great job keeping the river free.

About Diesel

2010-05-16T16:26:00.001+01:00

We couldn't find anything that helped us work out our fuel capacity and rate of use, so here are our conclusions, based on John's calculations and my length of stick.
My dip stick is marked at 5cm intervals and by measuring before and after journeys plus some clever estimating, John calculates that 1 of these units equals 17.5 litres. He estimates the tank capacity at 200 litres.

A combination of dip stick before and after plus filling the tank from the diesel pump reveals that Patience uses an average of 0.5 litres per mile or 9.3 mpg. This will vary according to speed, winds and current but should hold good for an average journey at 4mph.
Do you agree?

From Lazy Otter to Ely

2010-05-14T23:04:00.000+01:00

A short trip, less than 2 hours each way, but a very pleasant one.
We pumped out, watered up and filled with diesel. We saw the wonderful cathedral on the horizon - Galleon of the Fens. We visited the Ely chandelry, our friend Ted Coney, an antiques emporium, and just got back in time for supper after a relaxing day.

Go to Ely for a pleasant trip!

Fuel Consumption

2010-05-04T14:03:00.008+01:00

The 18 mile trip from Hemingford Grey back to the Lazy Otter enabled us to estimate our diesel consumption, based on the horizontal cross sectional area of the transom fuel tank (0.35 sq metres) and the drop in height measured by a dipstick. This gave a very approximate figure of about 0.5 litres per mile or 9.3 mpg. The capacity of the tank is estimated to be a little over 200 litres, so Patience has a cruising range of about 400 miles. Does anyone else have fuel consumption figures for narrow boats? [postscript: later figures suggest 8 miles per gallon is nearer the mark for Patience]

The photos show Patience waiting to pass through St. Ives lock and after passing through Hermitage lock. The water on the Old West River was a lot calmer than the exposed tidal section we experienced upstream of Hermitage!

Photos by John

To Hemingfords

2010-05-03T23:01:00.002+01:00

Taking advantage of the Bank Holiday weekend we set out on Saturday morning aiming to reach the Hemingfords and return to base. This involves several locks, several waterside pubs and a variety of views along the Great Ouse and Old Western River.
We were also testing out Patience for overnight stays - the first we've had since we took her over at Christmas.

The river to Earith is meandering and the river banks are built up high as flood protection, which can make visibility limited.
Nonetheless it's worth looking out for church spires, windmills and of course the bird life - herons that float lazily away as you approach, swans that sit proudly in pairs, on substantial riverside nests or in groups of 50 or more with last year's cygnets in the flooded margins at Earith and beyond.
Geese of various kinds, terns, grebes, egrets ... they're all here, flourishing and undisturbed.

Flood damage, collision or carelessness? These two are past their best as they cling to each other near Twenty Pence marina.

Approaching St Ives from the east. I thought I knew St Ives but it is very different approaching it from the water. The Dolphin appears after the bridge and on the left, where there are some moorings, but we went on a little and to the tributary on the right after the bridge, where there is a public mooring outside the Norris Museum. Very convenient and close to the town, lots of eating places, the church and a nature reserve.

Next morning, following heavy rain overnight, we had hardly left our St Ives moorings when we chased a long rowing boat to a medieval recreation alongside the river. Tents, open fires, pig roasts, iron tools being made, sword fighting etc. And our old friend councillor Charles Nightingale visiting in his official capacity as Chair of the South Cambs District Council.
Next to The Ferry Boat at Holywell, Needingworth, for a well earned pint then on to Hemingford, a beautiful old village, boasting the oldest continuously inhabited house in England - Lucy Boston's house, author of The Children of Green Knowe. You can see the garden over the wall on the right from our mooring place here.

A pint in the excellent Cock inn which manages to be both a good local pub and an up market restaurant (a tricky balance) while welcoming oddments like ourselves.
With time pressing we head back now rather than press on to Houghton and Godmanchester and with wind and current against us narrowly avoid a scape at a rough mooring by The Ferry Boat (Holywell) to make safe harbour at The Pike and Eel (Needingworth).

A very welcoming place, though surprisingly empty, we force down a pint of Adnams, retire for a rest and a read of the papers, to trot back for an excellent and well priced evening meal. The mooring is very good too, though we imagine more designed for cruisers, and this is the view in the morning just before we set off back to the Lazy Otter.
Four different locks - Earith, St Ives, Brownshill and Hemingford, four pubs and a wealth of experience gained navigating seemingly simple rivers in very squally conditions. Winds and currents that threaten to blow us onshore, three hail storms and combined sun and wind that make my face as pink as a salmon. But it was worth it - a thoroughly enjoyable trip, with many thanks to John for his calm seamanship.

The bunks are finished!

2010-04-27T18:51:00.014+01:00

We have finally completed installing the twin bunks and refitting the carpet round them.

They look very smart and will provide seating for up to 6 people (round a removable dining table for meals), twin single beds or a 4 ft 6in wide double bed. There is also a lot of useful storage space underneath them. As well as providing more accommodation, we think they greatly enhance the appearance of the forward saloon, which looks much less cluttered.

They are designed to be freestanding, so that they only need to be screwed down to the floor and not the walls, and are constructed from 18 mm hardwood-veneered marine ply on a softwood frame. The ply has had three coats of Ronseal gloss medium oak varnish, which blends in very well with Patience's existing interior woodwork. The total cost, including the upholstery (from Whalin Upholstery) has been about £850.

Photos by John

Houseboats

2010-04-25T22:23:00.000+01:00

Just a couple of weeks ago I was on a houseboat in southern India. This weekend I was walking around another houseboat on the north Norfolk coast, near Brancaster Staithe.

This one is simply a metal hull barge with a long shed on top.

Quite a nice shed, as sheds go - and I like sheds - but this houseboat, presently stuck in low tide mud, couldn't go anywhere without a tug, as it has no propulsion. An earlier version with a timber hull lies adrift and rotting in the background.
So, anyone suggest its purpose? Could it be a base for mussel farmers? They take the shellfish from nearby mussel beds and transplant them in local creeks, to be harvested again once they've reached maturity. Do fishing boats tow them to the site? It can't be for leisure purposes as no-one I know would fancy a week in a shed on mudflats. But wait - isn't that what twitchers do? Surely it can't be a hide for observers of wading birds?
Answers on a postcard please ....

Return From Exile

2010-04-18T21:24:00.002+01:00

Well, not exile exactly, but we brought dear Patience home to the Lazy Otter after a week scraping and painting at the Earith boatyard.

She was craned in and out and now looks polished and frictionless. She would have sped through the locks at Earith had it not been for a power cut and the lock keeper's lunchtime ....
Bottom blacking is one of those things a narrow boat needs every two or three years. Economising on blacking is a false economy, but there are cheaper ways and more expensive ways of going about it.
We were charged for prepare and black = £7.50 per foot, to lift on crane £5 per foot and to lift back £3 per foot. Then add the sacrificial anodes and welding them on (clearly seen in the top picture) and the total was £697 blacking plus £180 anodes.
So if you can get a cheap dry dock and DIY you get that relative sense of wealth as well as satisfaction, despite the bitumen in your hair and fingernails!
But we are at least pleased that Patience is in good shape. Now to install the berths John has so lovingly created. Next time, folks.

How poor are they that have not Patience

2010-04-10T19:13:00.001+01:00

That's Othello Act 2 Scene 3 - and so it proved today as we had an idyllic day boating up the Old West River from the Lazy Otter to Earith for Patience to have her bottom blacked.
It's generally recommended that a narrow boat has its bottom covered with a couple of coats of bitumen every 3 or 4 years and we brought Patience for this treatment to Westview Marina at Earith where she will also have a couple of new sacrificial anodes to help her resist rusting.

The trip up took a little over three hours and involved our first lock, thankfully manned. Note that the lock is below the road bridge and that in being raised to the higher level Duncan's sensitive scalp nearly touched the underside of the bridge. Unlucky for you if you're 6 foot 3 and it's high water...
As Westview were fixing their crane it may be a week or two before Patience can show off her new bottom. Meanwhile we can relax after a perfect day - and watch one of the several seals who have made Westview Marina their home.. (Photos by John)

Waterways in India

2010-04-09T18:38:00.002+01:00

Lest we forget, the UK is not the only place with canals and waterways. Much of Europe has well developed internal traffic, but this week was my first boating holiday on the waterways of southern India at Alleppey in Kerala.
My stay was on the houseboat Pallanaya - 93 tons, capacity for 6 passengers, 4.85 metres wide and 32 metres long, 1.65 metres in depth and made in 2008 with an Ashok Leyland engine (capacity unknown) and a crew of 4 including a cook. So not your average narrow boat in the cut.
The waters are wide and full of varied craft from tiny fishing canoes (and one small pedalo) through commercial ferries to luxury leisure houseboats like ours and not forgetting one raft containing a full sized combine harvester!
Here's a double decker like ours, timber with metal sheeting below water and coir woven around a tubular steel superstructure.

Inside there were three ensuite double bedrooms and aircon. Upstairs a lounge with excellent views ahead, while the main deck downstairs was a dining room.
Crew quarters, spacious kitchen and air con units were to the rear.
I recommend it at least for 24 hours, if you happen to be passing that way. More info here.

Fame at last

2010-03-29T07:42:00.001+01:00

Fame at last! Duncan was flying out on holiday and picked up a copy of Canal Boat magazine. Later, in jet lagged confusion, he seemed to think that a photo on the front cover reminded him of someone ...
And so it was that a little 3 by 2 inch photo of John and Duncan inspecting one of the narrow boats at the Birmingham Boat Show appeared on the cover of the April edition of a national magazine.
Was it the two handsome men who caught the eye of the photographer? Was it that we look like typical boating types? Was it the delicate but professional way that John inspected the water hatch? I don't know - but now we are cover boys. Why do I hear such hollow laughter from our wives? I'l contact my agent ....

Spring has arrived at the Lazy Otter

2010-03-28T17:25:00.013+01:00

Patience (in centre of photo) basking in the spring sunshine, a marked contrast to a couple of months ago when the Great Ouse was frozen over.

John went over today to check some dimensions on the benches/bunks that are being built back at base. These are just about ready for varnishing, which will be done this week. We heard from Darren at Whalin Upholstery that the upholstery is also due to be finished by the end of this week.

A brass lifting ring has been fitted to the engine hatch, which will make it easier to raise.

Chief Engineer's Update

2010-03-17T16:45:00.058Z

The most welcome warmer weather has enabled us to tackle some more of the recommendations from our survey.

We have installed a new gasket on the weed hatch, which has completely eliminated any water getting through into the bilges.

The second (and much less pleasant) job has been right at the other end of the boat. We have wire brushed and repainted the inside of the water tank in the bows with two coats of 'Ruberoid' bitumen potable paint. Not a job that you want to undertake very often! The photos show the tank before and after. This task should only be attempted with caution. A face mask is needed when wire brushing the old paintwork and great care must be taken when applying the paint, as you are working in a confined space. The paint will be left for a week to completely dry and we can then recommission the water system.

Meanwhile back at Patience's Engineering HQ (aka John's garage) one of the new bunks is almost ready for installation. They are designed to be free standing so that we can minimise the amount of work required on site and we will only need to screw them to the floor without needing to drill into the panelled sides of the boat. They have two hinged lids to access storage space underneath. Brass piano hinges were used, which although expensive, are well worth the extra cost. The benches will be installed in Patience as soon as we take delivery of the upholstery, which is being made by Whalin upholstery (see earlier blog).
These photos are © John Coppendale.

Twenty Pence Marina

2010-03-16T18:08:00.001Z

Today we ventured down, by water, to Twenty Pence Bridge and their Marina. It's a subject of some sadness to us that some of the local waterside pubs hereabouts have closed in recent years. The pub at Twenty Pence Bridge apparently closed some ten years ago and the Fish and Duck at Pope's Corner closed a couple of years ago - though there is some hope that it may be rebuilt.

So I offer you - The Lazy Otter! A friendly pub by the side of the A10 between Chittering and Ely. Use it or lose it!

Bottisham Sluice

2010-03-15T18:29:00.000Z

I happened to be in Waterbeach (bech is OE stream or valley, there's no beach here) and wandered over to see the Bottisham Sluice being maintained by DEFRA.
Soon Patience will be heading this way on her way south. The electrically driven guillotine locks are common hereabouts, with tidal rivers, rather than the more traditional winched locks elsewhere in the country.

First Voyage

2010-03-06T17:49:00.000Z

Today we took a short trip up to Pope's Corner - our first journey in Patience - and despite sometimes biting winds we not only resolved the last questions about our berths / bunks but removed the carpet tiles (excellent invention) for cleaning at home and gave dear Patience a blow in watery sunshine.
Here she is on the Ouse approaching Stretham Old Engine from the north. This was a Victorian pumping station draining the fens into the Ouse.

Walkers can get to Ely easily from here on the Ouse Valley Way.

Gunthorpe Lock

2010-03-05T17:23:00.002Z

While in Nottinghamshire we stopped off at The Unicorn for lunch (good value, good service, range of real ales) at Gunthorpe Lock, on the River Trent.
A wide array of boats there, narrow boats in excellent condition and one being restored, different cruisers and wide barges, plus a marina and boatyard opposite with more narrow boats in hiding.

A jolly Cornishman whose name I didn't catch has (on the right) this 60 foot live-aboard, "Kookaburra" in excellent condition, including a boatman's cabin. All freshly painted and very well maintained. His girlfriend lives next door (the boat on the left) and today, apart from giving Brasso to everything in sight, he was practising on his newly acquired klaxon to the general amusement of local dogs, who joined in.

Foam topped benches

2010-03-05T17:05:00.002Z

A visit to an upholsterer today, Darren at Whalin Upholstery in Plinxton, Notts (phone 01773 812813).
It's always good to talk to someone who knows what he's on about, can tell you the pros and cons, but without being pushy. So thanks to Darren for good value and good advice

Here Darren is explaining to John the benefits of medium density foam, the curved and slightly raised edge, the buttons to keep its shape. Meanwhile John calculates the height and thickness of both foam and base. And that was before we started on the different fabrics, their "rubbability" and whether washable or dry cleanable.

There's more to this bench making / bed making lark than meets the eye.

However we've ended up with two parallel 19 inch high by 6ft 3 inches long benches, 2 feet deep, each with two back cushions, plus one folding table, which will provide us with either 2 narrow beds, 2 wider single beds or one double bed, depending on how we lay the cushions.

Here's the pattern we've chosen.

We start work tomorrow.

Painting the Water Tank

2010-03-03T18:59:00.004Z

Patience is equipped with a large integral water storage tank built into her bow, with a capacity of several hundred litres. One of the recommendations from the survey was to repaint it with a potable tank paint, as some rust is beginning to appear. Today I plucked up courage to climb into the tank through the rather small hatch in the foredeck, which is visible in the photo at the top of the blog (not for those with either claustrophobia or a bigger than average waistline).

This enabled me to remove the final few inches of water that was trapped below the outlet pipe and make a closer inspection of the tank's condition. I should add here that the tank had previously been drained down as part of Patience's preparation for winter! Although the galvanised steel is in pretty good condition, it does indeed need repainting, with some rust visible and paint flaking off in places. I found a part tin of bitumen paint on board that is advertised as being suitable for drinking water tanks, although Patience is also equipped with a separate plastic drinking water tank in the galley, so we won't be drinking the water from the bow tank. So the next task is to wirebrush the old paint and apply a couple of new coats, wearing a boiler suit and a facemask.

Flood Warnings

2010-02-28T22:59:00.003Z

The Environment Agency does a good job of warning us about potential flooding.
In the low-lying area where Patience is berthed and being on The Great Ouse we naturally face flooding at times of heavy rainfall like the present.

Fortunately on Saturday, Patience was sitting well in the water, with spring lines holding her confidently but not too firmly to her berth.
But the rivers are high - as you can see on The Environment Agency's flood warning map.

This is what it was like last year at Godmanchester.

This is the rear of the Cambridgeshire Education ICT Centre, looking out over the Great Ouse and here merging seamlessly through the trees with Port Holme, the largest water meadow in England.
And this is what you do not want happening:

(Kennet and Avon Canal February 2008, from The Reading Chronicle)

A bilge pump activated by a £20 float switch might have prevented this, though remember that by turning off battery power when you winterise your boat you would also turn off the power that works the pump.

Other causes could be an ill-fitting weed hatch or a worn stern gland (tighten yours daily!)

The Boat Show

2010-02-23T21:01:00.000Z

We had an interesting trip to The Boat show at the NEC. On a mission to find the best way to add two berths to Patience, we'd already reached some conclusions about the design of two benches and a table that could become two beds or a double bed, but we wanted to test our ideas against the expertise of experienced boat builders, caravanners and camper van designers.

Here's an interesting layout from a caravan. The extra foot wide of a van can enable side to side beds as well as fore and aft. These two benches have been joined by a slatted section that is cunningly hidden in a small drawer and pulled out to fill the gap between the benches. It rests on a ledge in the edge of the benches and the slats are joined together by a flexible tape. The backs of the benches lay down as part of the mattress.

This would work well on a narrow boat, though our preferred option is to use a table with its own foldable legs. When eating or playing games the table would be free-standing between the benches; when sleeping it would rest on the ledge as a base for the bed. Alternatively without it the benches would be two fairly narrow single beds about 2 feet 3 inches wide and 19 inches high (13 inch base and a 6 inch mattress).

The carcases would be made mainly of marine play 20mm thick.

At the moment we have two large white leather rocking chairs but these will soon be redundant.

Anyone care to offer a fair price? Contact Duncan.

Barges on the Thames

2010-02-21T16:56:00.002Z

Spent a few days in London including a lovely day strolling up and down the Thames.
The views over the Thames from the restaurant at the top of the Tate Modern are fantastic on a bright spring day.
Walking across what is known as the "wobbly bridge" towards St Paul's a raft of barges chugged beneath us, stacked with containers and bound for some rubbish dump down river.

Three barges are tied together as a giant butty boat and towed downstream by the tug. I'm told they are called Thames Lighters. No mudlarks in sight, but the Thames is a perpetual source of life and fascination.Samuel Pepys was well acquainted with barges - just look at www.pepys.info where you'll find even the king had a barge (May 1661).

The Bridge Continues

2010-02-15T13:37:00.000Z

Yes the work on Godmanchester Chinese Bridge continues, despite the cold.
I nipped out at lunchtime to see progress today. With the old bridge taken away last week they have delivered half of the new bridge - white and clean and identical to the old one as far as I can see - and have loaded it onto a pontoon fitted with its own crane. That is now resting in the water by the bridge while the workmen top up their flasks and the mayor drives off to another engagement. Yes, so important is the Chinese Bridge to the people of Godmanchester that they have summoned the mayor to check on arrangements.

It would be interesting to see the pontoons being moved into place as I can't spot a rudder. I imagine they'll simply use ropes and lots of men. A bit like the mediaeval cathedral makers, though rather less romantic....

Moving Bridges

2010-02-10T08:52:00.003Z

By good fortune the place where I work has a long garden that leads down to the River Ouse at Godmanchester, where in summer narrow boats and cruisers often moor. Yesterday I couldn't fail to see a massive crane hanging over the river, which made me curious. It turned out that they were planning to remove the famous Chinese Bridge, which had become unsafe, and replace it with a new one.
Now this is no tiddly little bridge - it's pretty big and would have to slide and swing into a small paved area next to the road. So that would be a sight to see. And the crane was huge!

An hour later there was still no movement and I was freezing cold and had to get to work, but I kept an eye open, just glimpsed the bridge being raised and swung across, (this second picture just shows a simple and temporary scaffolding bridge) then dashed out to see it "landed" and soon cut to pieces.

One or two folks even took bits away with them. This chap is clearly bearing his cross ...
The Cambridge Evening News and The Hunts Post both filmed it. The lady from the Hunts Post was more friendly.
They expect to replace it with a new bridge - which everyone hopes will look identical - in a week or so.
I realise that since buying Patience I've started to notice things like bollards and weirs, river banks and bridges, which previously I'd mainly passed by. It's good! I've also joined the Great Ouse Boating Association or GOBA, which does good works and knows of good moorings.

Finding Your Way

2010-02-04T12:38:00.000Z

Just a quick word of praise for Nick's Canal Route Planner — CanalPlanAC — an interactive guide to the inland waterways of Europe. It plans journeys, calculates the length (distance, number of locks, time taken etc) of your trip.
I'm sure he won't mind me saying that it's a bit rough and ready at the moment - but for me it supplies a need and does its basic job really well. If you log in properly you can amend the information if you believe it's wrong and tailor it to your needs. Give it a try and tell Nick you value it!

Everyone's Blogging!

2010-02-03T16:19:00.003Z

Even though I use computers every day it's only recently that I realised just how many blogs there are out there!
I was just starting to create a list of good narrow boat blogs when I quickly realised first - there are loads of them and second - Granny Buttons has already collected 150 of them - and third there is a list of waterways blogs ranked in order of hits (I'm not confident enough to add Patience yet) and fourthly nbDebden has a constantly updated list of blogspot blogs, even down to the time they were last updated! Makes me feel guilty ....
So if you want to find out what narrow boaters are up to in the winter, some liveaboards and others itching to get back on the water, browse one of these lists and catch up with what's going on.
The ones I've read so far reveal narrow boat bloggers as really interesting, literate people with a wide variety of skills. But I guess you knew that already ....

Meanwhile, elsewhere ...

2010-01-19T18:48:00.004Z

While Patience lies gently at her moorings and we have pipe dreams of the summer to come ... (and blacking her bottom, building bench seating and decorating her lovely steel sides) there seems a rash of narrow boat and canal incidents.The sinking in the Cam I've referred to before, and now from Lothian in Scotland comes the tale of two joy riders who bet they could drive the length of the local canal. Apparently they managed a whole mile on the ice before the car sank. More here.

And in Northamptonshire an unfortunate novice boatman (this could be me ...) found his 65 foot narrow boat wedged athwart a bridge in a fast flowing current, needing several fire and rescue teams to pull it away. More here.

So warning: Beware fast flowing and high waters.

The Chandlery

2010-01-16T12:04:00.003Z

Long ago my wife's grandfather, Thomas Grieve, ran a busy ship's chandlery on Tyneside. In those days rope was of hemp, wood was tough hardwood like teak or mahogany and metal fittings were of brass. As a student, John worked in such a shop when he was young, but now such places are few and far between. Like Simper's Ropeworks in Cambridge they've been replaced by clean and spacious warehouses on industrial estates and the ropes are of nylon and the wood replaced by plastic and glass fibre.

So we visited the Ely Boat Chandlers, just yards from the Ely marina, with low expectations, half expecting it to be closed on a wet, dark and miserable Friday afternoon at 4.30pm. (This photograph was taken near Patience the previous week, when the snow and the sun were out; on the day of our visit all life had drained from the sky and the world shuffled around heads down with hands in pockets and its collar up.)
I'm delighted to say that this is a really useful shop with a wide range of goods for both cruisers and narrow boats. And what's more the proprietor obviously knows what he's on about. Which is a wonder rarely found today.
He gave us sound advice on solar panels, bilge pumps and galvanic isolators and we browsed a small but exquisitely selected range of books, maps and manuals plus everything from brass fittings to buoyancy aids, narrow boat chimneys to waterproof grease.
It may lack the ancient charm of the gloomy salt-infused sea but it's a great place to get that essential kit for boating. And no, I don't have anything to gain from advertising this shop; I just think it deserves to have our custom.

Well Winterised

2010-01-08T17:41:00.005Z

Today, in the midst of the coldest sustained winter for 30 years, we thought we'd better check that the winterising was working.
Nothing worse than finding your boat wallowing under water like this one by the riverside in Cambridge this week (picture left, video clip here)
or with water spouting from a once-frozen pipe.
Of course old sea salt Alan had done everything necessary - draining the water tank, the loo, the fresh water jerrycan, switching batteries off and battening down the hatches.
Nevertheless, it was useful to browse the switches and knobs to check which ones had to be turned on again. And we started the engine (first time!) to warm her up, as well as to recharge the batteries, left her running for a while and set the wood stove going to heat its associated radiators and dry out the inevitable damp. All is well and Patience relaxed quietly as the warmth reached her chilled metal sides.

Outside, the picture was very different, with a bright low sun and a firmly frozen river everywhere except near the bridge. I also chanced upon these pics of a narrow boat as ice breaker.

So we retired to the Lazy Otter to consider our options and plan our next moves over a pint of Rocking Rudolph Seasonal Ale (Greene King, 4.5%).

The main project is to decide on the best way to create two more berths. I had looked at the current double bed in the aft section and noticed it was made up of chunky cushions. Closer study this time reveals it is in fact two fixed bench seats convertible into a double bed with the option of a table between, "pullman" style.

This adds another variation for us, as we could now choose to have any combination of tables and beds fore and aft. By building two bench seats forward with an optional table, we have maximum choice for eating, sitting, and sleeping up to 4 people.

Only time will tell the most popular combo for us, but it will be worth providing the options.

So enthused are we, and so happy that winterising has worked, that when the ice has melted we may take Patience out for an overnight trip very soon, perhaps down to Cambridge, and test our mastery of locks.

If we take a jerrycan of water, a few basic supplies and avoid using the loos we won't even have to de-winterise her.

What fun!

Another Family Visit

2010-01-03T17:39:00.005Z

John and one of his sons (David) paid Patience a visit on 3rd January. Patience looked wonderful in the crisp winter sunshine, although the temperature was only 1 deg C above freezing (about 35 deg C cooler than the Queensland coast from where David had recently travelled). We worked out which of the many keys open the rear hatch so thet we can get a duplicate set cut. As well as the cabin, we inspected the gas bottle cupboards and engine compartment and came up with some ideas for improvements. Patience met with David's approval - we now need some warmer weather to start cruising!

Family Approval

2009-12-29T17:39:00.006Z

Family approval on my side came about on a short and cold winter walk over Christmas which ended up in the Lazy Otter.

Everyone seems to want a go when the weather is warmer, and is astonished at the good shape the boat is in and what kit goes with it. We noticed a batch of canal books including maps had been left behind, and that the bed (which John and I had supposed was just that with storage below), could be in fact a "pullman" style bench seat. This we will explore further.
Meanwhile John needs the opportunity to show his family around (sorry John, I've still got the keys!) and has compiled a maintenance regime to ensure Patience is kept in good shape. When we've agreed and refined it we'll link it to this blog so anyone can have a look. In fact here it is!
I can recommend the Canal Boat Manual by Canal Boat and Inland Waterways Magazine. It covers every aspect of boating I can think of - except, surprisingly, use of solar and wind power to supplement meagre battery power. Apart from that an excellent and informative read.