Water – essential, but not the same for everyone or everywhere. For everyone water is vital to keep us alive, to keep our bodies going, to make us and the plants and animals we depend on, growing. For us as boat dwellers, water is vital to keep us moving. Without it, as now in theContinue reading “H2 Oh!”
Tag Archives: travel
Feather-brained queuing
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”
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”
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”
When a marathon is also a sprint
This time last week we were in West Berkshire, tootling along the Kennet and Avon determined to cross the Thames and Tidal Thames and see how far up the Grand Union we could get before the closures of canals due to low water levels which Canal and River Trust announced would happen on 26 August.Continue reading “When a marathon is also a sprint”
