Leaderboard

After almost three years of serving as a permanent home while Jane endured her cancer treatment. ‘Alnwick’ slipped her mooring at Cropredy Wharf and started the journey to Glascote Basin where we hope to get dry-docked and blacked. Progress, so far has been satisfactory but we did need to pay some attention to the starter batteries that had almost boiled dry due to my lack of attention - six litres of distilled water being required! The cabin batteries are in the ‘no maintenance’ category and seem to be OK. Sadly battery maintenance was not a high priority while we were attached to a mains supply and I will be very impressed if the starter batteries recover sufficiently to start our two and a half tons of Kelvin K3! Fortunately, we took the precaution of having our Honda generator serviced before setting out and, so far, this has been sufficient to provide enough power through our 24v charger to start the engine. On the first day we reached Fenny Compton and were pleased with the obvious improvements that have been made at Claydon Locks. The summit level was comfortably blessed with adequate water and we managed to avoid going aground. On Wednesday night we moored at Braunston where we purchased supplies (especially of distilled water) and last night, Thursday, we tied up near Easenhall Lane Bridge - No. 34. Please give us a wave if you see us on the way . . .

Of course, they were really pushed in by an asshole who also goes fishing. Assholes are also to be found engaging in other pastimes, sadly including boating.

It was cold, very very cold with sleety rain and gusty wind. Engines started 1st turn of the key - last started 20th October 2020. Port engine battery a bit sluggish, but did the job. Nice to be back. We managed 14 weeks aboard last Summer in between C19 lockdowns and will hopefully achieve more this year.

37 Boats to be put back in today It was a bit tight with boats being swung over the top of us, but the 140 tonne crane coped well.

I' m not too sure where I read it but I saw an article about this recently. To cut to the chase the temporary scaffolding bridge/steps were bl@@dy stupid and how they met safety requirements defies logic. Cyclists were expected to go up/down steps whilst pushing their bikes up what looked like a scaffolding boards at an angle of about 45 degrees. I'm amazed that I'm springing to the defence of cyclists but please track down a photograph before making a judgement.

No. Efficiency is achieved by division of labour. Gate people do gates. Ladder people do ladders. Balace beam people do balance beams. Board members do bonuses. See?

I'd certainly find it difficult to disprove your point Jack. I suspect lack of a definitive argument either way is largely responsible for most (including me) not going to the trouble of blacking the baseplate, particularly now the 10mm baseplate has become ubiquitous. Because it's such a challenge, the evidence of the requirement needs to be overwhelming doesn't it, but I agree it doesn't make not blacking the bottom the right answer either. I'd do mine if it was easy, but just conning the Long Haired Admiral into believing she enjoys doing the sides with me is hard enough!

I thought it was an oblique reference to CRT's towpath vegetation management policy. ?

Which after re-reading the topic and noticing the vital part I missed I totally agree with.

My favourite too. Will miss Olive and hats by the fire on quiet nights.

Don't they have them on railway access stairs as well.

No, she has been bailed to return to the police station on the 24th may.

When, long ago, we brought Secunda down the Canal de Calais, its solitary lock was 5.20 metres wide. Since then a new one has been installed, allowing loads up to 600 tonnes to pass - a larger vessel is waiting in the background of picture 2. Present-day traffic is in crushed stone from a plant outside Calais itself, involving several sizes of craft, though, curiously, access to Calais docks remains still at 5.20 metres in beam.

On this day 2018 Reversing Scorpio in to Gloucester waterways museum mooring.

ETA I see they moved it up to the next bollard. Boat and associated equipment is presumably not part of the crime scene then. I was getting carried away and wondering if the assailant had hurled the outboard motor powerhead forcefully at the victim. I think this is where it is appropriate to stop commenting.

[Magpie Patrick - quoted post removed] I’m not sure this is something to make a joke over...myself and others are just commenting on pieces of evidence as we see them. Indeed we don’t know if that boat and it’s crew are the innocent party...maybe never will. The tragic fact remains that a chap lost his life just trying to do his job. No amount of justice will be enough for his friends & family.

Would it not be better all round to lose the attackers rather than Rich who so generously gave his time?