We have made it onto the rivers and water is again moving below our hull. To be honest, it couldn’t have been shallower where we had been moored after lock and water control issues left boats and businesses high and dry. It isn’t just about the statistics of distances and locks but the richness ofContinue reading “Water way to go…”
Tag Archives: boatlife
Planning to manage BST – British Shallow Time
So two weeks ago, we left you at a point where we had a broken boat and immense frustration at the state of the canals. A family holiday with the invaluable perspective of an eight year-old has helped immensely, as have beautiful Welsh beaches, seaside pubs and glorious countryside. Tackling everything in turn, the brokenContinue reading “Planning to manage BST – British Shallow Time”
Life-changing decisions.
What a week. Broken boat. Clouds of black smoke. Repairs underway. Canals are being closed around us and a feeling of despair settling around. Canal and River Trust say reservoir levels are higher than when they closed routes last year with two weeks’ warning, but this year locks have shut around us with no warning.Continue reading “Life-changing decisions.”
White gold
I am born in water. I live in water and I die when water touches me. What am I? The answer to this old riddle has been adding flavour to our days and dishes, fascinating, exfoliating and also relaxing us these past weeks. It is the mineral once known as white gold and in CheshireContinue reading “White gold”
Surviving a heatwave in a metal box
Narrowboats like ours are basically a metal box. Living and working in a metal box has its challenges, but probably one of the biggest is surviving during extreme heat. When travelling on a boat there is a natural flow of air created by the movement, but when you are sitting still, or moored up overnight,Continue reading “Surviving a heatwave in a metal box”
Accepting change and changing direction
It has been a week of decision making, or rather accepting decisions made for us by circumstances without railing against them. After a wonderful weekend of seeing family, meeting our newest teeny family member and staying in what we are convinced was a real-life Fawlty Towers hotel, we returned by Shanks’ Pony, buses and trainsContinue reading “Accepting change and changing direction”
A million dollar question and a priceless prize
We are no strangers to 24hr challenges – our boat is named after the village where we lived in France that lies some 70km from Le Mans, site of the prestigious 24hr endurance races. I used to be involved in the car 24hr there, the Skipper and I actually met at the 24hr motorbike raceContinue reading “A million dollar question and a priceless prize”
Highs, lows and a mishap or two
Normally this blog is positive, hopefully upbeat and in some way uplifting. This week it is also honest and reflects the HUGE HIGHS and frightening lows we’ve encountered in terms of humanity. We have experienced good and bad on our travels this week, but fortunately not in equal measure. We have been cruising sections ofContinue reading “Highs, lows and a mishap or two”
Nature thrives in the industrial heartland
Birmingham is underlining to us the importance of canals that are navigable. These were once the highways of industry as boats plied back and forth with coal and wood, iron and chemicals, pottery and products of all sorts. Now they are ribbons of nature, wending their way through the the Black Country, unexpected but genuineContinue reading “Nature thrives in the industrial heartland”
May madness
May – a month of promise, of blossom and new beginnings and for us, the distinct possibility of embarking on a voyage to unknown waters where we could very well get lost. “Not to have passed this way is to have missed something unexpectedly impressive and extremely important to the understanding of modern history”, saidContinue reading “May madness”
Pickingupducks 