droshky

Health warning: For the vast majority, wasp stings are minor nuisance. We’ve had issues with them having an organised go at our wooden stern rail, and obviously their sting hurts. However, careful! You’ll probably know all of this if you’re so afflicted, but Mrs D has had over the years a mild allergic reaction to soft shell crabs, wasps and then suddenly without warning (potentially fatal anaphylactic shock) to a snake bite (an adder, not a cider based mixed drink). Most people don’t have this problem Following the amazing response of the ambulance service in arriving swiftly at our remote location, swift application of adrenaline almost certainly saved her life. We had no previous indication of this issue, but have now been advised to carry epipens whenever snakes, wasps or other potentially dangerous situations may occur, and we do! You may never know until it happens that you or one of yours has this weakness, and most of us don’t. But she’s been warned that from now on she is more vulnerable. So if you’ve ever had an unusual reaction to shellfish or wasps… or of course snakes… be especially aware of the possibility of anaphylactic shock reaction causing your airwaves to tighten and act swiftly!

I am, but I can tell you it’s not the norm, check replica kit sales by size

Re overplating… just to give you our example: 39’ flat bottom narrow boat with major wear on the bottom, seller (by then a boat yard) and examiner agreed to full replate at their expense. 1. you asked about weight. They did the overplating and put the boat back in, but in the shallows on the mud at the edge of their marina, which was our mooring. But even off the mud we could barely move. Long story short, removing I can’t remember how many ballast bricks was hard. And we’re still a bit low in the water, though we have got round most of the system since then. If springers are lighter you’ll presumably have less ballast to remove. Compare weight of overplating to weight of ballast to see if it’s even possible. 2. we had a couple of problems with the welding, the second of which almost completely sank the boat. Tbf this was 2 years later, and occurred following a pressure wash and blacking. But the reason was because they’d burnt a tiny bit of weld, which sat there carbonised until washed away by the power wash. Blacking didn’t quite seal it, and we were lucky to come back bang on the 14 days, with water lapping over the new hardwood floor! So enquire around about competence.

Yes, unfortunate at this time, with the government grant up in the air and an election coming up, so maybe a good time to get Labour on our side. As the US president once said “but who do I call”?

Horrible incident on the river Shannon in county Leitrim in northwest of Ireland. Police not releasing much detail yet

No. Ireland and the uk have an agreement called a common travel area. Carriers such as airlines and ferries…any sign of that tunnel, Boris?…may (DO) insist on id but that doesn’t mean passports or the like. Anyone in either country may freely travel to the other, and stay as long as they like. Work and other entitlements are in theory another matter. You’re welcome, boys and girls, to be sure!

So are you looping back the other way? Trinity Buoy/Lea navigation/ Limehouse or Hertford Union

3rd party ( gas co??) issue has apparently completely drained west side of Hudd narrow from 32w-24w, see crt notice, update due later today. Good luck Regarding the van accessing the service tunnel, no they do not have guaranteed access. They have agreed access over network rail land on the west side, but that’s currently closed due to long term road reinstatement and underpinning. There is access over private property, which neighbours are permitted to use but specifically not CRT. The van currently accesses the tunnel courtesy of a short term agreements with NR to cross the safety restricted area on the East side (Marsden), but this may cease soon 🤞

Here’s another one, on the Hudd narrow near Marsden. Apparently going to be an extension to the adjacent hotel, but hasn’t been used yet despite looking ready. I asked how they got it between the trees, or did they grow around it? Cut and weld! Photo 2.93 somethings, so too big to attach, how do I shrink it?

No. We were there last Wednesday when the issue of access for the safety guy in the van came up. Network rail had started (on the Tuesday I think) extensive resurfacing work which will prevent access from the top of the road for some time. No safety van, no tunnel passage. It’s not impossible that Escapeology was lucky enough to benefit from a brief reopening last Monday, but I dunno, and if so I would be, erm, disappointed! But like you, I spoke to crt yesterday and there was no mention of any movement soon. So it’s not that they’re booked up, it’s that it’s closed. There is another potential route to the access tunnel which crt are hoping to negotiate with a private householder. Fingers crossed, because if we don’t get that they can keep the curtains down for quite some time Aha, just read your latest… well, I’m flummoxed!

Likewise Just had a look at their Fb page. Although it’s just been posted, I wonder are they talking about Monday of last week?

Tricky for you. I’ve no boating experience of the Rochdale. A close call which is better maintained etc, I’d guess. If they can sort out the access then I’d say the Hudd is lovely but we’ve been hanging around for ages waiting to get through. Good luck either way

Problems at Standedge. Rather than put my foot in it, ring crt and get them to explain. It’s to do with the access to the observation tunnel by the guy in the van. Atm there are no passages in either direction

Lock 32Ehas now been repaired and several boats been through both ways. They may have to return to sort it out long term. As they said themselves “shame we weren’t sent here to check all the way down before Spring reopening.”

…later, and a repair has been done. Pretty prompt, some talk about they may have to have another go at it. But such traffic as there is is getting through, so fair enough. To quibble, it must have been obvious from the first passage this year that the surviving 2 paddles weren’t going to last long. But small mercies, it’s done for now.

Nothing on the crt website yet, but both paddles on lower gate not working. A few did get through today Mon 10/4 but only by waiting 1 1/2 hrs+ for water to leak down out of the lock. Even then you’re a few inches short, so serious muscle needed. Repair has been booked, we’re told

Thanks dmr, again, the kind of sensible reply I was hoping for. Dunno how far we’ll get, let’s get into Standedge first (after 8 months and 2 optimistic climbs) and on down (what could possibly go wrong?) then we’ll plan a little further ahead. Cheers

Newton Heath? Good Lord man, we’re not going over the top…even if our no. 2 son is a United supporter! No I just meant what’s it like up towards the summit, with particular attention to 1. us part timers who abandon our craft for weeks (2 of em) on end and 2. Reliability of lock, etc hardware. Scallywaggery is, I’d guess, less of an issue up there, though of course always with us

…is the answer I was hoping for. However to complete it, and help persuade SWMBO, can you confirm that all locks, ponds, teenagers, tramps and thieves…well maybe not them… behave as nature and boaters would like?

If we ever do get thru Standedge, I’m hoping to fit in a return cruise up towards Hebden Bridge before we return and continue towards Wakefield and Leeds. How far should we go up C&H/Rochdale? No particular time constraints but we’re getting a bit tired of stoppages.

Sure does….Standedge Diggle lock pretty much closed both ways after we eventually got through We had the expected low pounds on our way up to the tunnel but the very last lock 32W is out of commission, only one of four paddles working, I think in each case the mechanism having come loose from their paddles. Using leakage to empty it after a slow fill, the occasional boat is getting through but it’s taking a couple of hours to nearly empty then 3 strong men.. well 2 and me! to push 5/6 inches of water away. Repair booked but consider it closed till then. Boat behind us who has a Friday booking couldn’t get up, nor another one down, both stuck for now. Needless to say, we missed our slot for the tunnel, so 2 days’ delay. It is lovely round here when it’s not raining!

Hi Adam, thanks again for your account. We got to Uppermill last year, so had a different experience in the dry weather, more grounding (we’re a bit deep anyway, underplated which didn’t help) and then came to a full stop, missing the tunnel by a few days. Our booking was for august, they shut on the first. We enjoyed quite a few Pennine walks and bike rides, but don’t live aboard, so decided to wait it out. We had less issues than some seem to with the Hudd narrow (west), apart from water shortage. Eventually battery life meant we had to go back a bit and literally recharge over winter. So here we are back approaching tunnel mouth, with the pounds jammed full of water by comparison with last autumn , and going thru Standedge tomorrow afternoon 🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞 more later dave

Yes we’ve generally found them very helpful with that kind of urgent issue. But there’s a stop notice on there since Thursday, updated yesterday and saying that it’ll be dewatered for repair and next notice will be this monday3rd. Not looking too brilliant for Easter weekend, we can but hope. Nuisance that we can’t get to the cafe or wool rd moorings. Hopefully the imminent holiday weekend will concentrate their minds and spanners. I don’t think it’ll be passable if it’s still dewatered! But we’ll 100% make our way up to Uppermill and walk up to check it out. I guess once they can get at it they’ll be keen to get the job done. 🤞🤞🤞

Yes we’ve generally found them very helpful with that kind of urgent issue. But there’s a stop notice on there since Thursday, updated yesterday and saying that it’ll be dewatered for repair and next notice will be this monday3rd. Not looking too brilliant for Easter weekend, we can but hope. Nuisance that we can’t get to the cafe or wool rd moorings. Hopefully the imminent holiday weekend will concentrate their minds and spanners.