Day #4 as tourists in London

Sunday 20th April

Merry Eastmas

Things we learned today:-

You should never name your children after cocktails. Daiquiri is NOT a person’s name! I hate to think what his sister is called.

Do not book the Royal Albert Hall for a concert if your fans like to dance in the aisles. It’s not allowed.

You can eat a packed lunch in the Science museum.

The street where baby prince George was introduced to the world is fairly grim. More commoner than royalty for sure.

It being in the same area as tonight’s concert, we decided to re-visit the Science museum after many years. We spent most of the day quite happily mooching about and managing to learn a thing or two.

A quick meal, we went for an English in the Goat Tavern – excellent food and good beer selection.

Then onto the Royal Albert Hall for the reason for this whole trip. Graham’s 60th birthday treat was Bellowhead’s 10th birthday concert. An extra treat was Maddy Prior joining them for a couple of songs. A novelty was a group of four girls dancing Morris on stage at appropriate times. As ever, an excellent concert. Happy birthday Bellowhead, 10 more years please?

We discussed whether to alight from the underground at Paddington or Edgware Road. Which would be the shortest walk back to Jannock. My feet were killing me! We chose Edgware

which was great until we found that all of the security gates  through the tower blocks to the basin were locked so we had to walk back to Paddington station and enter via St. Mary’s hospital. Bah Humbug!

Brenda

Day #3 as tourists in London

Saturday 19th April

Last night, we ate at Palms Palace, 83 Edgware Road which is about 2/3rds the way down towards Marble Arch on the left hand side. Both our meals were delicious and filling. Remarkable was that G. tried and liked some of the chilli olives that came as nibbles. My lamb shank was so huge that I had to ask him to help me finish it. It is also a child friendly restaurant with plenty of child-safe dishes. Middle Eastern cuisine and take-outs too – Jannock recommended.

So, a late breakfast today, followed by a walking tour. Up to Hyde Park in the sunshine. Speakers corner to the old Police house and then onto the Serpentine. We sat awhile and let others others run, cycle, skate, rollerski, jog, scoot, yoge (a new word – meaning to do yoga) and pedalo. Then onto Apsley house, back into the park and turning for home. We watched a squirrel collect and bury nuts (or near equivalent) Neither of us have ever witnessed that before in all our country years, but in London  . . . . .

We crossed Pall Mall at the new Memorial for Animals in war and found ourselves, eventually, outside the American Embassy. It’s a short way from our lunch stop, the Barley Mow, a lovely real ale pub just off of Oxford Street. My ‘pub radar’ is still at 100%.

Almost at Edgware road we were tempted into ‘Green Valley’ (36-37 Upper Berkeley St. off Edgware Rd) by a splendid display of Lebanese sweetmeats. They have a good selection of take-out foods amongst many exotic things to cook and eat. So tonight’s supper was a Lebanese platter of flatbreads, cheese pies, kebeh and salads. Tesco provided chocolate éclairs. Red wine. Perfick!

Brenda

Day #2 as tourists in London

Friday 18th April

A late start this morning – a public holiday meant hardly anyone rushing past Jannock on their way to work. We decided to take some exercise and walk to Portobello market for a mooch. We got there well before the tourists, the real ones, did and had a good look around. Following a group of Italians, one of which was pushing a bicycle, led us to wonder “what is the Italian for spokey dokeys?” Answers on a postcard please.

Having done the market and started the return trip the need for a cuppa and some calories kicked in. We returned to a stall where an NHS chef was demonstrating how to make a balti  but it wasn’t quite cooked. All I got was his spice mix recipe. Requests on a postcard please.

We had noticed a place advertising ‘all day breakfasts’ that was not of the cocktail lounge, yogurt smoothie or spelt ciabatta ilk at the posh (Notting Hill) end of the market, so we headed there. Wonderful, it was a Malay cafe with curry puffs !!! ( if you know me well you’ll understand ) So, we had lunch and curry puffs on the side. Their tea was excellent too. Another £15 for two lunches, even in Kensington and Chelsea.

The area probably was the reason for my smile when a grandmother impatiently reprimanded her charge with “Tarquin, do stop that chanting”. We just thought he was humming quietly. Grandma’s boyfriend came in and was singing snatches of old crooner classics loudly throughout their meal, but seemed quite acceptable – poor child.

Back at Jannock and we got a phone call from Peter on Gecko. The boat moored next to him in the basin was just leaving, did we want to move down into the vacated space? We untied Jannock, made our way up to the junction at the top of the arm and winded. Then returned past our original spot and moved down into the basin proper. At least the solar panel will benefit from full exposure to whatever sunshine is available now.

Brenda

Day#1 as tourists in London

Thursday 17th April

Last evening, our friends Peter and Margaret, from nb Gecko, visited and we were introduced to their delightful grandchildren. They had had a good day out at Queen Elizabeth Olympic park and had a good time, so it’s on our itinerary for today. When our boys were small, after a visit somewhere, we’d ask them “best thing, worst thing and one thing you have learned”. I thought to pass this by M-R who was telling us much of her day. “What’s the best thing you did today?” I asked. Her fast response was “I got some new knickers!” so, Olympic legacy . . . . . I was too amused to progress to any more questions.

Our first destination of the day was Borough Market, recommended by friend Margaret, a foodie destination. We wandered around admiring the selection of veggies, cheeses, meats, beers, oils, preserves, cakes – you get the picture. I was pleased to find that the Horseradish that I have just planted in my garden at home could fetch over £6 per kilo, and my homemade chutneys and jams are also worth the effort at “those prices”. We tasted some super grub. After wandering around the sweets and cakes our tummies began to rumble so we headed to ‘the Rake’ as recommended by ‘the Drinks Cage’ (stockists of bottled Vale beers) in the market. It must be the smallest pub I’ve ever been in. We sat in the garden and G. enjoyed  a pint of Jaipur (5.8% IPA) while I had a Peach Timmermans. The downside was they didn’t do proper food, many drinkers brought something with them from the market. We regretted not buying fab chiabattas until we decided to get a hot Indian meal, in a box. We were stuffed with rice, two curries, samosa, onion bhaji and sauces for £15. Our dining room was the steps outside Southwark cathedral. Lovely! We then went on to find the Golden Hind, in dry dock. Interesting too were the remains of the Bishop of Winchester’s palace.

Then onto Queen Elizabeth’s Olympic park because I wanted to see it finished. Only open a couple of days but it was very busy. We loved seeing all the children enjoying themselves and have decided that scooters and roly-polys should feature in future Olympic games. It’ll be great when the waterways that pass through the park are fully open too.

Then we ventured into Westfield shopping centre as G needed some new trainers after a poorly toe. Never again; to think that some people enjoy that sort of shopping experience. I had a purchase in mind but put it back on the shelf as I decided that life is too short to queue for that long at the check-out. Your children’s shoe sizes could change before you get to the till. Even G. had gone up two sizes . . . . .

Then back to hotel Jannock for a cup of tea.

Brenda

Well done the Constabulary!

Wednesday 16th April

Last evening, while Brenda was cooking a sinus busting chipotle pork, she espied a dodgy looking yoof putting up a small ladder against the ‘bite-yer-bum’ topped security fence to an industrial yard opposite. He looked around him, pulled his grey camo hoody down over his face and went up said ladder and over the fence, narrowly avoiding ‘shredded-crutch’ syndrome. Another look about and he was gone. What to do? It was well after office hours, the front gate was only a couple of hundred yards away. Didn’t look right so I dialled 101 to report a possible crime happening as we watched.

After a couple of minutes listening to a recording of Sir Bernard Hogan-How telling me what a good job the Met do, I was put through to a Police telephonist. I explained that I was a visitor to the area, on a canal boat and what I could see. Then came the inevitable question – “what’s your postcode?” How the **** should I know? “Where abouts exactly are you?” Even with the help of Mr Nicholson I could only estimate a location that made no sense at all to the call handler. Any how, crime number CRS8670 15/4/2014 was logged so we got on with our supper. About 20 minutes later camouflaged yoof appeared back over the fence and dived into the hedge. Then he produced tools various that included a pick-axe and started hacking away at something under the fence. Elfin safety would have required at least a hi-viz , hard hat and goggles but he did look a bit more legitimate now. I dialled 101 again and after listening to Sir Bernard yet again, informed the call handler that it was less likely that criminal intent was occurring. And then a copper appeared. Very plain clothes; only his warrant card flashed from a lanyard around his neck identified him. Words were had and off he went. Yoof was last seen clambering over the fence almost removing his testes as his trousers momentarily caught on the sharp pointy bits atop the fence.

That’s a court case I’d like to witness; industrial injury meets common sense and health and safety. We’re very sorry for the wild goose chase but can report a good response from the Met.

A fresh moorhen egg was there for us this morning, laid on one of our tyre fenders between the boat and the bank. I asked Brenda if it was edible but she said she had no intention of trying to cook it. Stupid bird. (the moorhen, not Brenda)

I was cruising along the Paddington Arm by 8am. Brenda stayed abed a while, only taking over the tiller once she had eaten her breakfast so that I could have mine. We stopped for water by the Black Horse at bridge 15 only to find nb Elbereth all closed up but moored on the water point. Not possible to go in front as we would block the bridge and there were other boats moored behind so we had to work around, on and over said nb Elbereth.

From then it was an un-eventful and pleasant run into Paddington. At Union Tavern we spotted nb Donnatella sporting a Cutweb sticker in the window and we know Gecko is about here somewhere too. We went into Paddington basin but there were no moorings free so we winded and moored, in the only free space in the arm, outside Paddington station entrance.

Wouldn’t you know, just as we’d settled another boat left the basin. Too much bother to move now.

Graham

Look at those flocking parakeets

Tuesday 15th April (please note correct date! I was told off by my brother ;^)

An un-eventful day after a very quiet night. Although we were in sight of a railway line when we moored up last night, it was only the Chiltern line and so we were not disturbed at all as the trains are both small and quite quiet.

The most exciting thing to happen today was the ‘words’ we had when I almost took on of Jannock’s windows out whilst exiting a lock. At Denham Deep lock a working boat was moored with it’s bows well into the lock throat. Graham opened the offside gate to let me exit but it would not open fully due to an un-seen obstacle below water level. He had to then partially open the gate on the same side as the moored boat and that caused a window pane to lightly kiss the bows of a working boat – luckily without the glass breaking. Good thing I hadn’t rushed at it, I claim it wasn’t my fault – a good boaters tactic.

We then managed to team up with another southbound boat to share both Uxbridge and Cowley locks with. G. spotted nb Progress, resplendent in a fresh coat of paint, outside Uxbridge boats. Cowley lock was manned by very friendly volunteers and so was the easiest lock passage through a lock so far this trip.

We stopped at Bulls Bridge Tescos for more provisions that we couldn’t get a Ricky yesterday and then turned into the Paddington arm to continue on towards central London. We moored for the night at the park, just beyond Packet Boat marina, in the sunshine. Far to cold a wind to sit out for a cup of tea for more than ten minutes, but long enough to watch the flocks of Parakeets coming in to roost.

Brenda

It’s bad enough living in Midsomer

Monday 14th April

First Parakeet spotted approaching Croxley Green.

Another sunny day, and warm enough for himself to sport shorts and sandals; no socks despite being British! As we passed Bridgewater basin a freshly blacked narrowboat was being craned back into the marina. That’ll be Gecko in a couple of weeks then;^).

We stopped at Ricky and restocked with milk and essential vittels at Tesco before moving on towards Stockers Lock. A very excited lady walker told us that ‘they’ were filming there, and so ‘they’ were. To think that we’ve come away from Midsomer and Morse/Lewis territory to get away from all that.

So, we had a delay whilst chaps in olden days (1950s?) clothes (the Policemen’s high collar uniforms being the best candidates for promotion of heat stroke) with olden day cars and a good deal of 20th century hi-

techery to film with got on with their jobs filming around the lock and associated bridge. We were told that Robson Green stars, but apart from that we can offer no movie or TV gossip dear reader.

And talking of our dear readers, hello to nb Valerie. Nice to make your (passing) acquaintance. We moored for the night mid-gravel pits, a nice peaceful spot if you don’t include tweeting, quacking and honking.

Gourmet note :- Tesco pork and apple scotch eggs are rather good! Especially when short dated and reduced to 10p each.

Brenda

A day with Fiddlers Green

Sunday 13th April 2014

Turning round yesterday brought an un-expected disadvantage after we had gone to bed last night. The previously un-exposed weed build-up at the water line attracted a hungry duck to ‘Jannock’s all night duck diner’ and we were duck nibbled for what seemed like ages. An odd sound at the best of times and not one you want when you are trying to sleep.

Our first day ‘proper boating’ of 2014 was lovely. Sunshine all the way, from Bourne End to Cassiobury Park, although the wind was cold in the morning.

As we pulled off of our mooring a boat nosed through the bridge. They were running solo and so we agreed to buddy up as their final destination is London, the same as ours. Fiddlers Green is the new home of Ashley, a novice boater who is already very competent.

We shared with them for the whole day, travelling through twenty locks. Just before Lady Capel’s lock we came across competing fishers. A heron was stood fishing alongside a fisherman and his family. We commented about this as we passed and the wife stated that they had been feeding the heron with line caught fish.

Immediately after the same lock we saw this, a VW Touran body fitted onto the front of a narrowboat – at least I own the right car should Jannock ever need the same modification.

We passed down through Iron Bridge lock, resplendant with the ever present horde of Gongoozlers  and then moored for the night just before Cassio Bridge lock.

Graham

1st trip of the year (belated post)

Sunday 9th March 2014

A surprising day! I was surprised to be agreeable to a day’s boating so early in March, that was due to the surprising weather. It was lovely, no clouds, no wind and shock horror – no rain in the forecast for days. The cabin temperature was up to 25 degrees of sunshine. Surprising was the number of butterfly species flitting about. More surprising was a child playing in the brook at the bottom of her garden in a swimsuit, in March, in England. And not surprising at all was that we had a disagreement with 2 fishermen.

There they were fishing in front of the winding point sign, opposite the new large red large winding point signs and refusing to take their rods out of the water, or even bring their lines in. We had to go nearer to then in order to get under their lines. They didn’t like it at all. We had signalled that we would be turning but they stayed put claiming that another boat had managed to turn OK without disturbing their fishing at all. At All? Unlikely. 68 foot? Not at all. One of them even pulled in a small fish, but tried to hide it. After all, we all know how boats scare all the fish away ;^)

Once pointing North and back on the mooring it turned into a cleaning, mooring gardening and maintenance sort of day.

Sorry for the delay in posting this one – just found it in the logbook.

Graham

Easter 2014 Day#1

Saturday 12th April 2014

To turn back facing South again

We arrived at the boat at about midday and spent a couple of hours getting everything sorted, bedding, food and our clothes ready for a two week cruise down to London and onwards onto the Kennet and Avon canal.

Peter, on nb Gecko, wrote in his blog this week that Jannock was looking nice and clean as he passed her on the mooring. He obviously didn’t look that close as she was covered in yellow stains where the pollen from the pussy willow type things that covered the roof. There was also lots of evidence that the Sarahan rain fell here as well.

We moved up through two locks, Sewerage and Lower Side, to wind just below Top Side lock so that we are now pointing South towards London, our destination for Easter.

After descending through the same two locks we moored again at our Bourne End mooring for the night.

A very busy day with not a lot of travelling done. I’ll try and get some pictures to add to the blog posts for the rest of the trip.

Graham

The annual website update has occurred

 

The statistics for our 2013 trip to Llangollen are :-

488 miles

334 locks

262 engine hours

A full trip report can now be found at http://www.jannock.org.uk/2013.html 

 

Looking forward to 2014 which will start with a trip to London again because I have purchased tickets for Brenda and I to see Bellowhead perform at the Albert Hall in April.

 

Graham

Journey’s End . .

Sunday 6th October

.  .  .  and back to our home mooring for winter.

Usually we arrive back with our hats and mitts in place, yet failing to keep us toasty – well me at least, as G. has had a day full of locks. Then it’s a hot drink to keep us warm and a quick exit home to our centrally heated house. Today we moored up, sporting tee-shirts, did a bit of gardening at the mooring, had a cuppa to re-hydrate and ate our dinner on board to soak up the last of the sun. What wonderful weather for October. Looking back, we’ve been blessed with a very good summer especially as we are able to count the exact number of times we’ve actually got wet whilst boating this year.

We set off from Marsworth and climbed the flight solo. Graham found a new best friend at the reservoirs. A delightful old chap who watched us work through a couple of locks and was interested in everything. He was telling me all the things his mum got him to do to make the food go further during the war. The abundance of fruit this year was bringing him happy memories of blackberries as a sauce with rabbit and apples under suet dumplings in stews. He stated his favourite is plum cobbler. He reckons he’s had about 15lbs of plums this year. I hope there’s a ‘girl’ at home, that his mum would have approved of, to make jam, pickles or even a drop of sloe gin with the harvest he collects.

We passed nb Minnehaha moored at Tring Station and thought happy thoughts of the late Bill Sibley who used to own the boat. He is sadly missed.

At Berkhampstead there was a fishing match going on in the park and I was perversely disappointed that one fisherman didn’t catch a child. Not that I mean harm to the victim, erm, child but it would have proved a point. As boats pass fishermen using long poles take them backwards, horizontal with the ground. Today that happened across a footpath along the edge of the park. They had their pole rests located either side of the path. As Jannock approached I got scowled at, poles were pulled back and woe betide anyone using the footpath. A couple of kids, about 7 years of age, came onto said path on their bicycles. Now, they were a bit wobbly and had no idea about fishing so it was no surprise that one poor child nearly got kebabbed as a fisherman put a long length of carbon fibre across the path about a foot off the ground  immediately in front of the bike. Fisherman didn’t look and child was too busy staying on his bike to notice. At the last second his following parents yelled and he fell off – safely. Shame he didn’t land on the fishing pole and break it.

Outside the Rising Sun we met Debbi and Simon. Poor Debbi is on crutches again having sustained a double compound fracture of her ankle. Getting naughty cats back on board for the night is obviously dangerous.

At Sewerage lock the trusty bike was put back on Jannock and we entered a very low pound indeed, I have never seen it this low before in the seven years that we have moored here. It seems that some-one walked down with a windlass and lifted the ground paddle of lock 50 where the bottom gate paddle has to be left open to keep the level right in the pound above. It was still about 20cm down when we finally locked up and went home at 6pm.

 

That’s it for now. I’m sure that G. will be along soon with some statistics for this year later. Off to find some more sunshine in the Med. next week.

Brenda

Penultimate cruising day 2013

Saturday 5th October

Up and at-em at 9am but no-one to share Soulbury 3 with. Never mind, they were all in our favour and folk turned up to come down, as it were, at the top lock. Another day of super weather, especially as in the past we have risen from our bunks on October mornings in these parts to find frost on the ropes. This year’s weather has provided an abundance of fruits to be foraged. Twice Graham set a lock to fill slowly to allow us time to pick fruit. Blackberries, again, and a fab haul of plums. Jam will be made.

Today we actually avoided what looked like becoming an inevitable crump. As we rounded a blind corner nb Cat’s Whisker came steaming round the other way, on the wrong side, heading straight for us. Much manoeuvring by both of us put a gap of, well, a cat’s whisker between us and their new paintwork remained un-touched. We were told that they were newbies and so we must praise the steerer for the avoiding action he took which complemented our own.

At Marsworth we found ourselves moored under a plum tree and so the short boat hook was put into service to bring down some of the high fruit  much to the delight of the small boy who caught them & he was going to present them to hid nanna.

Chicken korma and keema paratha for supper and then onto the Red Lion for a beer.

Brenda

Cracking weather Grommet!

Friday 27th September

We arrived at Jannock at dusk and found working boats Northolt (FMC) and Kestrel moored in front of us. We opened up and awaited our guest crew, Simon & Nina. Once they had arrived and had a cup of tea Simon and I went off to do a mini car shuffle as they are only with us until Sunday  morning. Brenda was showing Nina the working boats when their owner returned and invited them in to admire the back cabin. Northolt has just been bought back by him, Martin, having been in his family for years. He was brought up on it. He has also restored it to it’s original name, Northolt as it was renamed Sunny Valley, the boat that appeared in the black and white film Painted Boats. He has paired the boats back together and is selling coal again.

 

Saturday 28th September

Saturday morning was cool and misty and we set off towards Blisworth tunnel after a ‘French toast’ breakfast (that’s twice in two weeks for me as we had that on the Soddit  cruise last weekend) Nina is Swiss and has never been on a canal boat before but her yachting experience showed in her ability to steer – an experienced helmswoman. So, her first UK canal experience was ‘Blisworth tunnel’. It was our first ever run through with no-one coming the other way and not full of choking fumes – excellent! We were planning to stop for water above the locks but as we approached we spotted that the VLK’s were setting the top lock for a solo hireboat so we decided to go down the flight instead. They started to close the gates after the hireboat had gone in so we tooted the horn to attract their attention and they re-opened them again. We shared the whole flight with a willing crew of first timers who were very keen to learn. Brenda instructed their steerer, I looked after the lock crew and Simon and Nina set ahead. We stopped on the water point at the bottom of the flight to fill Jannock’s tank. S & N went for a walk back up to the village whilst Brenda went walkabout. I stayed on the boat and managed to rescue a baby adder that was stuck in the canal. It was getting very tired as it could not find anywhere along the high concrete bank that it could use to get out of the canal. After I fished it out with our net and released it in the hedge Brenda returned bearing blackberries and a couple of pears. Once on the move again we did some off-side blackberry harvesting. I placed Jannocks bow into the bushes and held her in place using the boat pole whilst Brenda, Nina and Simon harvested the fruit from the front well deck. Near Yardley Gobion we passed nb Justice and had a brief chat with the ‘Haywards’ as the wind carried us past far too quickly. Kit (their cat), being of good judge of character, didn’t bother to show her face. Onward to Cosgrove where Nina was going to steer through the lock to complete her ‘instant’ training course. When we arrived there was a boat waiting to go in and lots of people hanging about because there was something stuck on the top gate cill and the gates wouldn’t seal properly. CaRT had been called and were estimated to be there in about 3 hours. We put the two boats into the lock and I used our boat pole to clear all I could feel from the top gate cill. We closed the gates and they didn’t quite meet properly in the middle so I had another go and this time they closed and we could use the lock. We moored for the night just below the lock.

Graham

Nina has written - “We spend a wonderful weekend on the canal. Meeting film stars, trying not to get wet indoors (in the tunnel), working lots of locks and after that getting rewarded with home made beer and sloe gin. And we had a wonderful family-pre-Simon’s-birthday party with the whole family assembled. Thank you for giving me the experience of canal boating and providing me with a warm welcome to the family. I had a wonderful time and I’m sad that we already have to leave again”

Sunday 29th September

Simon and Graham went off to do another early demi-car-shuffle while Nina and I enjoyed our cups of tea that had been delivered to our beds before they left. When they returned we had prepared a breakfast feast of pancakes and freshly made blackberry, pear and nectarine compote. Yum and loadsa vitamins. After an explore of the Iron Aquaduct at Cosgrove, Simon and Nina set off towards Manchester via the Black Country museum historic boats meet. We set off  towards our winter moorings taking the whole day to move through Milton Keynes.

Surprise 1 – Not a fishing competition in sight.

Surprise 2 – the weather was just gorgeous and here is photographic evidence.

Puzzle 1 – These wind generators have been on top of these flats at Wolverton for quite a few years now and I’ve never ever seen them turning.

At Fenny Stratford lock Graham managed to bump the stern of a Wyvern Shipping boat. They’d got into the lock at a jaunty angle and had settled onto one side so that he could  slide Jannock in alongside to ease their boat gently over. Then the Wyvern skipper hit hard reverse and started coming back out at speed. Despite avoiding action the loud crump was inevitable. Sorry Wyvern. Out of the lock and onto Willowtree for our last diesel fill for the year before mooring up and having our dinner. All done in beautiful sunshine.

Brenda

Time to catch up on.

Saturday 7th September

Brenda and I arrived at Jannock mid-morning and set about doing several jobs that required doing including installing a digital temperature controller onto the Inlander 12V fridge. I had noticed that the fridge kept cycling on and off erratically once it had got down to temperature and I thought it was caused by the internal thermostat. By installing an independent temperature controller that switched the 12V on and off and turning the internal one to max I could see how much power the fridge used when working normally. After the Soddit cruise (reported later in this mega picture less issue) I can confirm the system works very well and the power used by the fridge has dropped by approx 40%. We can also see the fridge temperature displayed permanently on an LED display which has highlighted the fact that the fridge temperature increases by 1.5 degrees whenever the door is opened.

We set off from Hillmorton after lunch and had an un-eventful run down to moor for the night just outside Braunston. Shortly afterwards nb Earnest (yes – that one) appeared and moored up just in front of us.  We then arranged to join it’s crew at the Mill House after we had eaten on-board as they were planning to eat out. On the walk down to the pub we passed a cruiser moored on the 14day moorings blatantly displaying three potted cannabis plants on the roof. Brenda wished she had brought her secateurs with her from the boat as she felt they needed pruning (to about 1/2 inch above the compost). An enjoyable evening was spent with Neil and Linda before the dark trek back to the boats.

Sunday 8th September

A very easy day today as we just need to deliver Jannock to UCC ready for blacking in the dry dock tomorrow. We moved into Braunston and onto the sani-station mooring so that I could do a pump-out. I only had to stop pumping once to allow another boater to empty his cassette – brave soul. We the moved on through Braunston and spotted that the crew of Prairie Crocus II were on board in the marina. Brenda disappeared for a chat with Claudia and I moved Jannock up to moor on the UCC moorings on my own. I then took the di-blasi back to Hillmorton to fetch the car and tried a new route through Barby.

Friday 13th September

We collected a very clean and tidy Jannock from UCC and set off for the Blue Lias  at Stockton ready for the 2013 Cutweb rally. We locked down through the 3 Calcutt locks and the Stockton flight solo as there were no other boats around. Once at the Blue Lias we winded in the entrance to the old arm and moored up outside No Frontiers who was already moored alongside Earnest (yes, that one).

Monday 16th September

I was up early to be one of the 4 strong crew who worked nb Rosy and nb Enseabee up the Stockton flight. Not as fast as yesterday’s run up when nb Loddon and nb Vide Nueva completed the flight in 38 minutes with an 8 strong locking crew. We then returned to Blue Lias and moved Jannock up tied alongside Harnser so that both Brenda and I could assist Diana working the locks. We stopped on the straight after the Rugby road bridge and then returned home having walked back to Blue Lias to collect the car.

Soddit Autumn Cruise 2013

Friday 20th September

The usual crew of Ian, Brian and myself arrived at Jannock having feasted en-route on excellent fish and chips obtained from the Southam chip shop. As we were unloading the car in the dark, Terry Streeter from nb Arun arrived to see us as his boat was moored two boats behind us. We invited him to join us in a few games of Soddit. We actually played 5 games and finished at approx 01:30 on Saturday morning.

Saturday 21st September

We dragged ourselves into action and breakfasted on sausage sarnies before setting off towards Braunston again. We arrived at Calcutt locks just after a single boat ahead of us had started locking through. They waited for us in the second lock as we ascended the first and then shared the other two with them. We then turned left at Wigrams and found ourselves at the head of a procession of 4 boats. We stopped for lunch and a session of maggot drowning just after the dis-used railway bridge before the puddle banks. Once lunch was finished we continued through Braunston and set off solo up the flight. There were loads of boats coming down the flight but no others going up.

Out through the top lock and into Braunston tunnel where Brian had his CD of rousing music playing at high volume in Jannock’s lounge for the whole length of the tunnel. It was amusing to see the lady in an approaching boat come out of their cabin, carrying her newspaper, into the cratch to see what all the noise was just as the choral crescendo of ‘Land of Hope and Glory’ was reached as we passed. The crew on the second boat we passed in the tunnel applauded. It’s nice to be noticed. Once out of the tunnel we continued on past Welton wharf and stopped soon after at a location identified as suitable for another session of maggot drowning. After a dinner of beef stew, that had been cooking in the slow cooker since lunchtime, we spent the rest of the evening playing Soddit until a relatively early night at 11pm.

Sunday 22nd September

A filling breakfast finished, we set off towards the Buckby flight and descended down to Whilton wharf with very little to report. At most of the locks we crossed northbound boats and made quite good time. Once out the bottom lock we ran alongside the noisy M1 until the road and canal parted before the A5 bridge. On into Weedon where we stopped for lunch just before the winding hole and another maggot drowning session was started. The crew are convinced that there are no fish in the Grand Union as the success rate along this stretch is almost non-existent. After lunch we continued on through Stowe Hill, Nether Heyford and Bugbrooke before finally mooring up on a 14 day mooring at about 4pm. I then went and fetched the car from Stockton whilst the crew tidied up and drowned a few more maggots. During this session Ian actually managed to catch quite a nice sized Perch whilst I was away. We finally locked up and set off homeward at 7pm.

Graham

Short day on the North Oxford

Saturday 31st August

After a weekend off to celebrate Granddad's 90th birthday we returned to Jannock for a one day trip and met up with our friendly canoe traveller, last seen on the Llangollen canal. Tea and cake was exchanged for her tales. She was blackberrying for her second breakfast, a pastime we joined her in, and it was so necessary to explain to her how to make fruit liqueurs. She reckoned that Rugby Tescos could provide the cheap gin required. We have become used to seeing fruit and coconuts floating in the canals, especially in urban areas where our canals deputise for the Ganges, but today it was an oven ready chicken, sans packaging, we spotted floating upside down near Brinklow marina. One has to wonder .  .  .  .  .

On through Rugby and whilst I was making a cuppa there was a hell of a clonk on the steelwork. No unpleasant kids about so not a stone then. No golf course nearby so not a golf ball. It turned out to be a muck-spreader working in the filed alongside the canal hurling stones as well as muck about. It left a goodly hole in the paint work by the front well seat. Just as well himself at the tiller didn’t get an attack of the wurzels. We stopped by the shops at Rugby as G. wanted some oil from Halfords and I took the opportunity of purchasing some new shelves for Jannock from B&Q.

We ascended Hillmorton locks alongside a Viking Afloat boat whose husband and wife crew decided to only use the left  hand lock no matter what state the locks were set in. G. thought it was great as they ignored the empty righthand locks to use the ones that needed emptying. We passed Aldgate moored above Hillmorton locks where the owner was cleaning all the rust off of the hold floor before painting – what a mucky task. G. fetched the car from All Oaks Wood whilst I tidied up ready to go home. Another trip down to Hampshire tomorrow.

Brenda

The rain didn’t arrive till late.

Saturday 17th August

A late start today due to domestic matters at home and a gloomy weather forecast – which turned out to be late anyway!

I cast off Jannock and we set off south from Hartshill whilst Brenda was unpacking and preparing lunch inside. Although there was quite a stiff breeze it only affected us when we slowed down to pass moored boats where there was no shelter provided by trees or hedges. The plan was to try and get as close to Hawkesbury as we could before mooring up when the forecast rain set in. On the approach to Nuneaton we happened across a fishing match but unlike the Milton Keynes ones, there were only 9 participants here.

Just after Wash Lane bridge there is a large blackberry bush, on the offside near the allotments, that was smothered with large juicy fruit so we stopped Jannock alongside and harvested as many as we could before another boat came along and we had to move on due to the bows having swung across the canal effectively blocking it. The, long closed, Navigation Inn alongside bridge 14 is undergoing a major renovation but I suspect it is not destined to re-open as a pub again.

We moored for the night, just before Hawkesbury junction prior to the forecast rain starting. We ate most of the harvested blackberries for dessert accompanied by tinned rice pudding – they were excellent. In fact they were so nice we suspected that the bush was originally cultivated stock that has escaped from the allotments next door and not a run-of-the-mill wild bush.

Graham

Is this really Atherstone

Sunday 11th August

After a slimmer's breakfast, only half a sausage each and half wholemeal rolls with our egg, mushroom, marmalade and Stella’s Gooseberry and Elderflower jam (purchased at Stafford Boat Club) we tackled the Atherstone flight. Accomplished in 1 hour and 57 minutes with every lock in our favour, no rain and nothing horrible happened. Finally the Hex has been lifted. The duck platform floating in the side pound alongside the top lock amused me. Not sure where mum was but the ducklings were enjoying a snooze.

Fashion tips for chaps – let us consider the onesie. Not really sportswear or outdoor clothing, so why? This morning we met a wolf! I hope he didn’t get his tail caught in the paddle gear. The onesie, you think you look cool in the dressing up clothes you knew you were to grown up for when you were 9.  At least this one was wearing shoes unlike the last one we saw. Mind you, is there a Hippopotamus one? I have the right figure for it. Pink tutu – Disney’s fantasia. Darcy Bussell eat your heart out.

We moored up and were serenaded by the sounds of an amateur American marching band practicing over the hedge. The marching and flag twirling looked quite professional, shame about the accompanying music. Luckily practice only lasted an hour.

Brenda

P.S. If any regular readers use our Jannock at lavabit dot com email address then please delete it as Lavabit have stopped operating after an argument with the American authorities about releasing email contents.

Winner’s rostrums in Hademore

Saturday 10th August

We moved onto Jannock last night and awoke this morning to the sound of very noisy ducks. They were running along the surface of the canal, very similar to swans trying to take off, whilst quacking very loudly. I wondered whether this is a new sport in the ‘Duck Olympics’ that they were practising for.

That apart, nothing much happened today, but in a good way. At Hademore, Graham noticed some odd concrete contraptions alongside the new road that passes over the railway via a new bridge. What are they? His guess was that they were medal awarding platforms left over from the Olympics as they seemed to be three concrete blocks formed into a 1 – 2 – 1 step format. Brenda thought they were viewing platforms, with handy handrails, to allow railway enthusiasts a better view of the trains. further along the canal and another set were spotted, this time with a road sign that made it all clear. Health and safety on the roads – they are equestrian mounting blocks because horse riders must dismount and lead their horses across the railway bridge. Wouldn’t want litigation after someone gets thrown by a horse frightened by a Virgin.

Best dressed boat of the day was at Fazely, the Maid of Fibre, a cruising advertisement – it was clad in brightly coloured balls of wool. Must be warm in winter.

At Alvecote marina there was a lovely row of working boats all moored end on to the wharf. Must be a rally happening soon.

It’s been a long time since Brenda commented on fashion tips for chaps – but today the debonair boater was wearing a top hat and tattoos. Quite a look.

We continued on to Bradley Green bridge where we stopped and Graham did a car shuffle on the Di Blasi. On his return we ate dinner and then moved up and moored close to the bottom of Atherstone lock flight ready for tomorrow mornings ascent.

Oooops we forgot the 28th July

Sunday 28th July

It rained for 7 hours last night to our knowledge, hard and fast with thunder and lightening. We assume there was more but we fell asleep to the constant drumming on the roof. So, it seemed counter intuitive to awake to find G drilling holes in the floor. Noah did stuff with doves and ravens, not holes in the floor. But Noah didn’t have a fridge that struggled for cooling air in an unusually hot summer. We hope it will now be able to pull cool air from within the bilges and settle down, especially at night. A fridge in a fit is a noisy thing.

Sunday, Fradley junction, hassle! The volunteer lockies were at middle lock, ensuring folks an easy and quick passage into mayhem. We turned onto the Coventry and stopped to fill with water as soon as we were through the swing bridge. Jannock shooting across into a vacant water point threw the approaching boat into a bit of a panic – calm down dear! We the continued on under the A38 bridge and past the nice house at Brookhay which is due to be sold during 2014 (so the sign outside says) – too near the main road and a railway line for  our taste. The mini arm cut into the front lawn looks ideal for a mooring though.

We finally moored up at Huddlesford with the plan of eating at the Plough before we set off homeward. Car shuffle completed and boat tidied and locked up, we arrived there at 3:15 to find that they stopped serving food at 3pm. We noticed Andrew Denny aboard nb Granny Buttons moored on the 48hr moorings there so we stopped for a chat and catch-up before heading south in the car in search of dinner.