Farewell October 2025, month of queues! The drought and hot weather of the past two years has led to an historic shortage of water in Britain’s canals and the reservoirs that feed them. It was the driest spring since 1893 according to the Met Office, and much of the country was steadily declared in droughtContinue reading “Feather-brained queuing”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Au revoir
Finally we bid farewell to the Grand Union main line and turn back on the Leicester Line. How far we shall get with water shortages remains to be seen, but we are about 14th in the queue for Watford Locks. They are due to reopen at 10am on Monday for just a week, all beingContinue reading “Au revoir”
Enjoying a final flourish
It’s here, and it feels wonderful to embrace autumn, particularly this year after the long dry spring and summer, that turned everything to dust. Living and working on a boat brings nature and the changes of seasons to you in a way that living in bricks and mortar cannot. We are in and out intoContinue reading “Enjoying a final flourish”
Belonging as boat people and walking with royalty
How long does it take to put down roots, to feel a sense of belonging, to feel part of a community? Being a nomad, I reckon a couple of days often does it for me, but I am aware it’s different for each individual. For the first time for a very long time, we haveContinue reading “Belonging as boat people and walking with royalty”
Small matters
Living and working afloat is rich in small moments. Small things that make days special. Small moments of pause. Small moments of reflection. Small moments of calm or small moments of excitement and drama. I believe we have more of these revitalising moments every day than we did when we lived in bricks and mortar.Continue reading “Small matters”
Steeling ourselves for the future
Trust is vital when you let someone cut out a chunk of your floating home with an angle grinder while you’re on the water… Trust we had but I still feel glad the dramatic work is over, and we are still afloat! It was something that had to happen. So why did we need toContinue reading “Steeling ourselves for the future”
Results from an experiment in living differently
Our “Let’s give it 2 years and see what happens” experiment in living and working afloat has just passed 5 years! In that time with our 50ft floating home/office/workshop we have travelled 3,530 miles, worked her through 2,328 locks (counting locks we’ve officially lock wheeled for others in that time we have worked 3,043 locks).Continue reading “Results from an experiment in living differently”
Free food and well-being
There is little as rewarding for mind and body as a foraging stroll, ideally for me with a dog, along towpath hedgerows. This year despite the drought, many fruits are early and so plentiful boughs are groaning under the weight and sweet scents accompany every walk. Gleams of orange, red and purply black signal ripenessContinue reading “Free food and well-being”
By narrowboat to America for world guidance
Travelling to the United States of America by narrowboat is not something I ever thought we would be able to do, but this summer, we did just that. We travelled down the River Thames to the Berkshire/Surrey border, moored our boat home with the help of a handy English oak, and set off on footContinue reading “By narrowboat to America for world guidance”
Historical perspectives and Operation Sanctuary result
We did it. The fable of the tortoise and the hare proved valid for (certain) narrowboats and their crews in 2025. Slow, dogged determination won the day against The Drought and The Closure of Locks to Preserve Water (capitals all mine!). Slow it may have been but stressfree it was not. We left Thatcham outsideContinue reading “Historical perspectives and Operation Sanctuary result”
Pickingupducks 