Jump to content
  • entries
    48
  • comments
    32
  • views
    58,657

About this blog

Starting out again

Entries in this blog

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

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

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

Weather

Its currently 4.30am and its been lashing it down since i retired to my berth at 1am   Not looking good for the Thames circle if this rain continues. We have the option of turning left at The junction and heading north on the Grand Onion and then making a descision to do the circle when we get to braunston, The down side to that is, if we do head down to oxford and the rain returns we will be hard pushed to get back to base using the long route.   There are other circles such as the
saltysplash

saltysplash

0

time

How come there is never enough time to do what needs to be done   On our last set of days off was determined to change the fuel filters on the engine and the genny seeing as the previous days were taken up with my birthday, visiting grandaughter and visiting me old matey in wales. However those days off were taken up by the inlaws visiting.   So I had set myself 5 days off to have a good faff with the filters and what happens, We are expecting visitors again tomorrow. Not that i mind cr
saltysplash

saltysplash

0

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

The Specials

Day 11   We had cast off by about eleven and chugged through the lovely winding countryside hoping to arrive at Banbury in order to stock up at the supermarket. The sun was out but a bit of a breeze kept the heat down as we passed through familiar places to me from 15 yrs ago.   Laura decided there was no way she was going to steer in Somerton Deep Lock so that honour was left to me. Its still a great feeling going into that narrow chasm and seeing that huge slab of wood close behind yo
saltysplash

saltysplash

0

The sound of silence

Day four       Our evening with Phil alongside Hampton Court turned into a very early morning. I think we eventually retired about 5am.   By the time we woke up and set off it was 1pm. Phill decamped at Moseley lock for his return home.   We have still been having trouble with the starter and having to resort to the magic wire which engages the solenoid prior to turning the starter. Our progress was very slow as there is still a tremendous amount of water coming down the rive
saltysplash

saltysplash

0

The Beatles

Day 13+14   YESTERDAY saw us moored at Braunston and no phone signal and no Web an Walk signal for the first time this trip so no post was possible.   We cast off from Fenny Compton and negotiated the lovely summit level of the Oxford winding around the hills and farms. Saw loads of young lambs and hundreds of tiny Moorhen chicks all along the level. Finally Napton windmill came into view in the distance and we started the descent at Marston Doles. Ive always enjoyed doing the Napto
saltysplash

saltysplash

0

The Beach Boys

Day 12   Fired up the engine by 10.30am and toddled up towards the windly windly hole cum water point at Cropredy. While I held Lady Elgar into the side waiting in the queue, Nora plodded over to the Bridge Stores for some supplies. I was still queue waiting when she returned, Her bags seemed rather light. She was outraged! " they hardly have anything" said she......No bread, no veg, no potatos.......I sent her back with instructions for more Coke and Tobacco. She returned heavily laden and sh
saltysplash

saltysplash

0

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

Supertramp

Day 15   Opening the blinds this morning revealed drizzle and then some more drizzle. It was morning as well, about 6am. We knew we might get a bit of noise from the mainline railway nearby but hadn't bargained for the sheep with megaphones. Actually we did manage to drop off again and evenually arose about 10am....still drizzling...so a couple of cups of coffee and watched Takeshi's Castle.....Love the High Rollers.   We cast off around about 11am with yours truly fully decked out
saltysplash

saltysplash

0

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

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

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

Slug speed

What is the differece between slug speed and snail speed? Are slugs faster because they dont carry a shell on their backs?     Today saw us awake at just before midday thanks to our evening with Kath and Neil in Goring......mmmmmmm sleeeeep. So when Nora got up amnd asked the time and she said quarter to 12. I said...."no its not" she said " yes it is" I said "no its not" and so we continued for a couple of mins but yes it was indeed nearly midday and we had 8 hours cruising ahead of us
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

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

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

ramblings

Its saturday morning and we've been home from work for the last 4 hours.   have already tried sleeping but over the last couple of weeks i've developed a shoulder that just wants to ache and pain its way through the day and night regardless of its owners comfort. So, Its now just turned midday and i cant sleep due the pain and ive got to set off to work in another 5.3 hrs for another 12 hr night shift. ok ok i can hear you shout...get to the doctors,, but so far ive not had chance to r
saltysplash

saltysplash

0

Peter Sellars and Sophia Loren

Day 20   The morning broke dry and lovely. Following a couple of brews we fired up and cast off, Nora working the swing bridge and 1st lock while we kept looking behind us in the hope of seeing a boat coming down behind us who we might share with.   Its wasnt to be so we slowly dropped down the heavily locked Hemel Hempstead section and arrived at the santary station at Apsley to take on and drop off fluids. A bot had decided to chain themselves up to a large protion of the services mo
saltysplash

saltysplash

0

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

Nearly hols time

Only six days to go before we cast off and head down to Brentford for our grand cruise of the thames ring.   We finished work saturday morning and that was my last day at work till 3rd July...yipeee, Unless of course you count my long service ceremony next friday. (its only a year late)   I wasnt initially going to bother going but then i read the small print and noticed that it was treated as a 'tour of duty' so I emailed em and let em know Salty, Nora and mumsie would be attending
saltysplash

saltysplash

0

Make and Model

Day 10   I was up and about by 8am and following the first brew of the day, left Nora sleeping and I set off down the Botley Road to find Halfords armed with my electrical componant complete with box and Lucas part number. I passed a cycle shop on the way and looked longingly at a smashing little folding pushbike in the window but payday is still to far away for toys like that plus the car needs MOT'ing when we get home.   Found Halfords and presented me at the parts desk. I showed t
saltysplash

saltysplash

0

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
×
×
  • 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.