In one of his 43 poems – yes, 43 – about the life of a river, Ted Hughes observes: The winter floods have ruined her. She squats between draggled banks, fingering her rags and rubbish.” And so it is as the flood waters drop on a river leaving debris hanging from overhanging branches andContinue reading “Soar-ing deep, high and demanding”
Tag Archives: flooding
Flood, evacuation & freeze
It’s been a dramatic week. From wet and muddy to a pollution incident. emergency evacuation, danger to life levels, and ice. Monday began with grandson’s school being closed on the first day back from the Christmas holidays because not enough staff could get in through flooded or snowy roads. This is a benefit of beingContinue reading “Flood, evacuation & freeze”
Diverse perspectives are invaluable to keep us all afloat
We have been on our first winter mooring for near a fortnight now, and strangely, it doesn’t seem anywhere near that long. There has been much to do for work and family as well as the many additional tasks that Storms Bert and Conall have created for boat dwellers and many others. How time fliesContinue reading “Diverse perspectives are invaluable to keep us all afloat”
Building resistance while getting scuppered
Our coddiwompling is coming to an end for a while as winter draws near. It is possibly my favourite season living afloat and we’ve decided to try something new this year. For the first time, we’ve determined to try staying in one place for the winter months near our family. A couple of weeks agoContinue reading “Building resistance while getting scuppered”
Into every life, some rain must fall.
The British and boaters are obsessed with the weather. It plays a major part in how we live, enjoy and in our case, move, our floating home and office. Walking this morning as rain and sleet, hail and wind whipped my skin and Boatdog shivered beside me, I was in full agreement with the manContinue reading “Into every life, some rain must fall.”
Weathering the storms when you live and work afloat
It’s been a stormy, destructive week for so many. Hot on the heels of last week’s Storm Henk we’ve had to contend this week with both Storm Isha and Storm Jocelyn. The winds are still strong, but we seem in a time of respite with sun streaming through the boat windows. It’s interesting that weContinue reading “Weathering the storms when you live and work afloat”
Heading out into the unknown
It’s been a harrowing start to the new year for so many. We know of boaters who have lost their homes, been washed off moorings by rising flood waters and either damaged or sunk by water or falling trees. We’ve been hugely fortunate having made the decision to base ourselves in a marina with controlledContinue reading “Heading out into the unknown”
Unwinding
After a period of frenetic activity it’s important to unwind, but how? In our case it’s doing things we haven’t been able to do because we’ve been absorbed (happily I might add) in the mechanics and demands of travelling afloat. We are seeing family which is what we came to do, catching up with friends,Continue reading “Unwinding”
Man overboard, a marathon and fear
Our first night of permanent living on the boat felt much like another holiday on board, albeit more crowded with ‘stuff’ and surrounded by familiar things from home. Our first morning brought high drama. 6.08am in September without streetlights is dark. Our black spaniel returned to the boat from his morning constitutional and gleefully jumpedContinue reading “Man overboard, a marathon and fear”
Pickingupducks 