Jump to content
  • entries
    48
  • comments
    32
  • views
    58,646

About this blog

Starting out again

Entries in this blog

Roy Orbison

Day 21   ITS OVER.   Our original plan for this day was to cruise down to Denham Country Park and find a little spot for 1 last barbie before doing the last 3 and a bit hours back to base camp. The day dawned overcast and very breezey and a few showers accompanied our meanderings through the locks. At Batchworth we were aided by orange lifejacketed children who were visiting the canal centre and getting instruction on locks and boats....Geoff, one of the staff was telling Nora that wh
saltysplash

saltysplash

1

Bucks Fizz

Day 17   Late start today as we only planned to go as far as the Globe. Hadn't topped up the fuel tank since Reading and knowing hard we had been forced to punch the flow of the Thames I was keen to top up again and see what we had used.   Milton Keynes marina was the first services so we turned in and approached the fuel landing. It all seemed very quiet. I had managed to get far enough into the marina to make getting out awkward when a chap called out from a boat that they were shut
saltysplash

saltysplash

2

Electric Light Orchestra

SUMMER AND LIGHTNING, all around us.   I think it mustve been about midnight that the electric show began in the sky followed by loud rumblings of thunder across the valley. The rain was so heavy that the plants on the roof took quite a battering so when we woke this morning to blue skies and sunshine evrything seemed so much better, except that is for the howling gale blowing from the sou'west.   The plant pots didnt stand a chance and after the 2nd time of putting them back in plac
saltysplash

saltysplash

1

Hangover

I think we eventually got to bed about 2am. So this morning when the church bells of Abingdon rang out it was a bit of a shock. They wont continue for long thought I, just calling the faithful to worship, but no, It was obviously a campanology convention calling the faithful who had quaffed a skinfull the night before to clamber out of bed and put the kettle on.   Maffi and Bones where already up and about and after the frist brew we were ready for the last haul to oxford. So we waved farew
saltysplash

saltysplash

1

Snail Speed

No photo's tonight as we only have snail speed connection which kinda matches our snail speed while under way.   We had probably the quietest ever night at Henley, you know, its so quiet that you cant hear anything at all except the noise from your ears.   We woke to spanking sunshine and clear blue sky, By 8am the Henley rowers where out and about practising for next week's ladies Regatta and the Cox's were being rather vociferous....Typical small person syndrome lol.   We Cast off and
saltysplash

saltysplash

3

Its a contact sport Part 2

9.30am saw us under way from Windsor and within minutes the rain was pelting down. In fact it had been raining most of the night and now I was concerned that river levels were going to rise again and see us stranded waiting for them to fall.   I was seriously considering turning round and heading back to Brentford, However just after Boveney lock the rain dried up and we had a mixture of sun and cloud, and the very occaisional light shower.   The river was still flowing rather fast and
saltysplash

saltysplash

1

Lobsters

Day 2     Set off from our mooring at Hanwell by about 11.30am and finished off the flight in Blazing sunshine. Nora steered us into the first lock....a first, and she intended to do the next few as part of her helm training but then a boat hove into view behind us and we held the lock for them. Not wishing to have to try to many odd manouvers she decided to hand back to me...at least she is getting there and proving very good at the attempts she makes.   We enjoyed the flight in c
saltysplash

saltysplash

1

Thats Theft that is

Ive been sitting here contemplating as one does and my eyes were drawn to the shelf infront of me.   At Easter Swmbo's mum bought us both a chocolate thingy each from M&S   Swmbo's was a choci Sheep and mine was a Choci Tractor.   Not being a great sweet eater its been on the shelf waiting for me to attack it one night whie suffering the munchies.   However, I see someone has got there before me.......please note the wrapping and the total lack of the chocolate chimney that on
saltysplash

saltysplash

4

Paddington Cruise

Set off Monday afternoon from Iver intending to stop overnight at bulls bridge Tesco. We had been up and about all day after getting home from work at 8 that morning but somehow we seem to have got past the tired stage and were in our second or third wind. Rather a tad more ice on the Slough Arm than i had expected but it eventualy cleared as we approached packet boat marina and the junction. We turned right onto the main line and chugged the three or so miles to bulls bridge where we stopp
saltysplash

saltysplash

3

1987

Back in January 1987 i was suddenly woken by my wife at the time telling me the baby was on its way....   We drove to the GDH...Greenwich District Hospital and spent the next 16 hours in the labour ward while my wife went through all the motions of labour and i played the doting expectant father who couldnt believe what i was putting this woman through. and after 16hours of is it or isnt it, would you like some water darling, can i sit down for a minute, i was suddly surrounded by doctors,
saltysplash

saltysplash

4

Wot! not on board over christmas

Its an outrage!   Nora's mum is away over christmas so she (nora) is reduced to cat sitting at their house in Sutton.   So your truly finishes work this morning at 7am and duly drives over to Sutton to spend the next 4 days in luxury with hot baths and no coal dust at the house....As for the cat...its not left me alone since i arrived, i dont even like the creatures, not a patch on dogs but this one just wont stop wanting attention....i can see Nora making requests at the moorings to al
saltysplash

saltysplash

1

winter overnighter

Spent all day wednesday lastweek changing the oil filter and engine oil as we had a planned trip witha chap called Phill arranged on the 16th.   How hard is it changing an oil filter??????   I thought they were supposed to be hand tight. Not this one.....thankfully trevour had left in the tool kit a decent 'strap' socket and with a bit of jiggery pokeerry i had the old filter off and new one in place...i then spent the next hour or so filling the engine litre by painfull litre which wa
saltysplash

saltysplash

1

beatie

So 1 day and 2 nights at at work have skipped by and now have 5 days off to look forward to.....i say five days, finished work at 6 this morning and its now turned midday and still not been to bed yet so that really leaves 4 days providing i get up early enough tomorrow but knowiing my night time body clock its going to be around 1 ish so thats another half day missed. Never mind, you knew the risks when you bought the ticket.   Managed to get the 6.45 from Paddington this morning however it
saltysplash

saltysplash

1

Inagural Cruise

Set off Tuesday afternoon rather late due to swmbo making me stay up till the early hours drinking bacardi and watching the Sweeny on DVD.   First problem was starting the engine. Key in ignition. turn and click!!! try again and....click!     In all my eagerness to replace the domestic Batts id completely forgot about the engine battery. Fool that i am. So started her up using the emergency switch which kicks in the domestic batts to give that extra vummph. and remembered to turn off
saltysplash

saltysplash

1

last few days

It looks like its the last week ill be spending on Emblem   We got the nod today that the money transfer has gone ahead on Lady Elgar so she is now ours...i think Anyway we have been down to Iver this week and paid the moorings and applied for the licence renewal and all is hunky dory, Except we are back at work tomorrow morning for five days so cant do anything about moving aboard till next week   So we will pick the keys up Thursday, stay on board that night then hopefully John Cur
saltysplash

saltysplash

1

things finally,almost,nearly sorted

So it looks like its finally safe to commence my inane ramblings concerning the move from old tub to ditch crawler.   Got the nod from Barclays that the finace we required is ready for release tomorrow they are just waiting for the final docs we had to send em. We sent em last thursday tut!!!!! so it all gets held up again coz of fings lost in the post. Nevermind, at least we kept copies. Also had a message from Virginia Currer Marine requesting personal details for the bill of sale so t
saltysplash

saltysplash

6

still waiting

So its been over a week since everything was in place and were still waiting. Last minute forgotten bits of paper to sign and this that an the other. We had been hoping to get in with the early discount for the licence which is up in october but that aint gonna happen now. Never mind, were expecting completion by monday at the latest famous last words.   In the meantime, Things have finally been going forward with Emblem. I am currently sitting in drydock at Otterham Quay waiting for the
saltysplash

saltysplash

0

exiting Otterham creek

Well to say the exit was interesting is probably the understatement of the month.   Me old mukka steve took her into the dry dock on wednesday. That trip alone was enough to get the pulse racing. I had to work early turn and couldnt do it so enlisted steve to skipper the old tub to otterham and in turn he enlisted alex and neil to crew(hold the fenders) Apparantly all went rather well for the first half hour despite the force 5 gusting 6 northerlies. Just as they approached Hoo island, The
saltysplash

saltysplash

0

2AM

Its 2am and im sitting here waiting for high tide. Why? i hear you ask....do i hear?....nope...oh bugger im on me own   Because, Tomorrow/today we will be picking up keys for Lady Elgar yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh   so i have spent most of the day disconecting and packing stuff and things from Emblem and trundling the trolly up and down the pontoon to the car. However, the reason im waiting for the tide is, at the end of the pontoon there is a ramp which obviously rises and falls with the tide
saltysplash

saltysplash

0

Finally onboard

Finally picked up the keys thursday afternoon and plonked ourselves on board although didnt unpack anything as the cleaning needs to be attacked first. Not knowing the condition the batteries would be in i switched on the Heart interface charger and left em to it for a few hours. As suspected they were shot at. The charger was so busy trying to charge them that they started to boil. so it was switches off and a trip around Berkshire on saturday trying to find 4 110 lesuire batts. Much harder
saltysplash

saltysplash

0

safely home

And so we arrived back at Iver yesterday afternoon after 9 days cruising up to the Wendover Arm and back.   Came across a couple of Forum members on the trip, Magnetman at Lady Capels lock and Chris JW up on the tring summit. Pity we didnt have time to stop proper to say hello but was very nice putting faces and boats to members names.   Nora soon got into working the locks with gusto and with very few errors, except one or two that i should really mention. I always have a little smile
saltysplash

saltysplash

0

So many things and so little time

Its half ten Sunday morning and im sitting in front of this machine instead of doing stuff and fings.   Am Currently round at Swmbo's mothers as she (swmbo) is cat sitting for a couple of weeks and i was dragged round yesterday to put up a new garden shed however, its raining, and its that fine rain, you know, the stuff that gets you wet through.   Its all a bit annoying as there is plenty of stuff to be getting on with on Lady Elgar such as oil change, fuel filter change, re black the
saltysplash

saltysplash

0

wot! no swmbo

Its been a quiet kinda few days. Nora is at her mums looking after Harry and ive been here trying to fit too many jobs in at one go not not really getting any of them done except the huge bed.   Today was back to work day after 6 days off...mmmm nice init, but what of those six days?   I started the conversion on the bed the previous week and thought id done a damn'd ggod job till it came to folding it all away and found id made it far too heavy. Im not the best wood worker and i sti
saltysplash

saltysplash

0

Emblem

Did indeed meet up with Ludwig and Tamara for sunday lunch and a discussion over the old tub.   As mentioned previously the survey was carried out some weeks ago so has been quite a while before they finally go back to me.   Anyway, Lunch was at the Black Horse Iver Heath and went down rather well and didnt have to pay a thing as Ludwig insisted on it being his treat. Mind you, i have to admit that all through the meal i was wishing we could get down to the nitty gritty. Not very graciou
saltysplash

saltysplash

0

Single Boat owner

She has finally gone. Am sitting here with a bankers draft in me pocket about to set off for the bank to pay it in.   Spent all of yesterday showing Ludwig all of Emblems systems, seacocks and going through the engine starting routine. He was very busy with his notepad and doing lots of little diagrams.   So thats another chapter of ones life closed.
saltysplash

saltysplash

0
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.