Decisions! Decisions!

It is difficult to write a blog with so many exciting things happening.

Should I paint the bows or chip paint at the stern……. Decisions Decisions.

The Tupperware clan were out in force at the weekend. I had moved out of Lincoln and was moored out near Pyewipe Inn and had started to do some work on the stern. One of the boats passing did decide to slow down as he passed me. The thing was he throttled back as his bows come level with the stern and speeded up as he reached my bow. I don’t think that he has quite got the hang of it yet. Abigail Jenna was still moving ten minutes later with the waves that he had left behind.

Nb Boudicca passed me Saturday. A new boat with a bit of a different layout. The overall shape is as per usual with a mass of windows in the front end. More like an inspection launch than anything else. As it went passed I looked out of the window to acknowledge the helmsman but there wasn’t one. The boat must be able to be steered from inside the bows. Very eerie with the boat moving and n at the tiller.

Back in Lincoln for Monday and to check up on how the bike is doing. Hopefully the shock absorbers have arrived and the MOT is with reach tomorrow.

Don't Panic

I have moved back to Lincoln to get the bike off for the MOT. The trip back through the Glory Hole was easier than when I left. With the rainfall recently the speed of the canal was high. As I went through the Glory Hole the engine revs were quite high just to keep forward momentum and once on the Brayford I had to slow down to reduce the bow wave for the moored boats.

Yesterday I visited friends in Horncastle. We managed to get Facebook sorted and started a blog for Sellwood Gardens. They are a group of inveterate silver surfers that meet every Wednesday and Friday. Eighteen months ago most would have had trouble turnhing a computer on but have come forward by leaps and bounds. A happy band of internet warriors. www.sellwoodgardens.blogspot.com

Massive panic today. Getting the material ready for a bookbinding class and the engine was running to run the laptop and printer etc when it suddenly stopped. Checked the fuel lines and everything seemed OK. An hour in the engine room and then rung the Deutz supplier who was of no help. I found the telephone number of Alan who owned the boat last and asked if he had any ideas. Try checking out the fuel solenoid he said there might be a duff connection.

Follow the wiring and the connection was not quite in. Re-assemble the engine cover and try the engine. Starts first time. Good old – OK not all that old – Alan.

The view from the window

I heard someone shout and being nosy I looked out the window. Tired and emotional I thought then the police turned up. A few minutes later the Lincoln Parking van turned. Then it was the turn of the Community Response Ambulance and then a proper ambulance. A busy night I thought.

Just then the invertor started to complain I had had the laptop on most of the day and the batteries were low. As I had to start the engine I took this as a hint to move on back towards the Pyewipe Inn.



A much nicer view even if it can have a bit of a background drone at times.

What a north and south

Having been completed exhausted by all the excitement of watching the washing machine for two days I moved off to the lock to turn around.

Used the opportunity to get rid of all the rubbish and had a swift bike ride over the bridge to the picture for Abz. The fish is about 3 ft 6 in high so quite a catch if it was ever on the end of your fishing line.

Moved on to Lincoln in the cloud and cold day and as I entered the lock it started raining and now five hours later is still at it.

Several of those hours disappeared at high speed with a visit by Sidney and Heidi were we put most of the world to rights and we couldn’t understand why everyone else is so wrong :-)

The blog layout seems to be to most peoples satisfaction and easier to read. If you read the back numbers could you read Witham instead of Withern as my fingers didn't seem to have been connected to my brain when I wrote it.

Eat up

I left Lincoln bright and early on a cloudy and cool morning. By the time I had got through Stamp End Lock the cloud was breaking up and cleared by Fiskerton Fen. The occasional Heron was on the look out for fish but must have had a problem spotting one with all the weed about.

Between Washingborough I spent a leisurely hour watching the Red Arrows practising their formations. They are quite stunning and a joy to watch.

One of their final formations was a heart in the sky so I took a photo of it for Abz. Not one of the best but the sentiment is there.

Come along kids eat up - Ifor wants a clean canal

The canal out from Lincoln is getting a bit green with weed. The cygnets seem to like it so I hope that they are all hungry and get on with the job of removing it.

Some of the cygnets however get very tired of all that swimming so hitch a lift with one of their parents.

More Canal Hogs

Chris had decided that I spent too much of my time contemplating my naval so when he visited he brought me three books to read. The first one I read was of interest as it concerned a trip across the channel to the canals of France. This trip I wanted an answer to for some time. How much alteration was needed to get a narrowboat across the channel? Lots of planning it seems but not much according to the book Narrow Dog to Carcassone by Terry Darlington. The second one I have just finished. Narrowboat Dreams by Steve Haywood is the tale of a trip to find the north of England and over the Pennines through the Standedge Tunnel. One of his pet hates are those narrowboaters in a rush.

As I travel along – if I am not using GPS I tend to time myself as I pass the km posts so that I know my speed. I look for ten minutes to do 1 km giving me a speed of 6km per hour which is the speed on the canal here. I am usually below this. On the approach to Saxilby from Torksey there is a very long sharp left hand bend and as I came to this another narrowboat caught me up. At the time I was doing exactly 6 km per hour. With my bow and stern not far off the bank midships filled the centre of the canal and the boat still went past on a corner that anything could be coming towards us. Plonker. Its not just the GRP boaters that go faster than they should. I don’t mind being overtaken as I usually travel slower than others but at least do it in a safe manner and where you are able to get out of the way of advancing boats.

On the way to Torksey I was surprised by the number of deer carcases to be seen floating in the water. There are points along the way where rocks have been placed at the banks to allow deer a means of escape. Either there are numerous deer crossing and a small percentage drown or the rocks aren't working.

I will get to Bardney Lock to day and get on with the washing then back to Lincoln as I have a cat-sitting job on for my Ian on Sunday.

I Can't be asked!

I was going to go out on to the Trent tomorrow but I just can't be bothered to move.

Instead I am going to go down to Bardney to the moorings at the lock and take advantage of the electric points to plug in the washing machine and get some clean clothes and get some ironing done.

I had a pleasant meeting today with Eric while I was wandering about at Torksey. I last saw Eric 14 years ago while I was working for the railways. He recognized me immediately which says something for his imagination. I have stood next to a person I have known for 35 years waiting for the hole-in-the-wall and she didn't have a clue who I was and bumped into another in Tescos with the same result.

A reader of the blog is staying at Torksey and collared me yesterday and asked if I could change the background so that it is easier to read. Anything to please a reader. I am in the process is doing it.

Bath Night for Dash

That Damn Cat still hasn't found out the fact that water is wet. For the fourth time he has fallen in. Luckily enough for him I was working on the bows of the boat and was able to call him to the side of the canal, grab him by the scruff and lift him out. Along the canal here at the visitor moorings at Torksey the canalside is piled and so no easy way to climb out.

I am undecided at the moment as to whether to go out onto the Trent and turn left or right. I will make my decision on Wednesday when I check to see if the fuel tank holds enough to get me to Newark which is the nearest place to pick up suppies.