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Increased demand on the waterways this summer ?


Momac

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I would say most traffic on the canals is from private boats which will all be allowed out sooner than hire boats. It's still very quiet on the Eastern K&A, the anticipated rush of boats moving on the 23rd didn't happen. I wonder if there were heaps of boats moving on the Thames this weekend now it has also reopened (albeit just for day trips for most boaters)? Didn't hear about it being that busy if it was...

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3 hours ago, Dave123 said:

I would say most traffic on the canals is from private boats which will all be allowed out sooner than hire boats. It's still very quiet on the Eastern K&A, the anticipated rush of boats moving on the 23rd didn't happen. I wonder if there were heaps of boats moving on the Thames this weekend now it has also reopened (albeit just for day trips for most boaters)? Didn't hear about it being that busy if it was...

The Oxford is much and I mean much quieter than normal. I spose it will pick up at the earliest July 4th?

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15 hours ago, JamesFrance said:

I hear there are a lot of wellbeing seekers on the locks of the Audlem flight making it difficult to keep a safe distance, maybe not such a safe way of travel as I had hoped (being over 80).

I went through several locks yesterday with plenty of gongoozlers but they kept a reasonable distance. There is plenty of space generally. It also occurred to me that the only surfaces I touched when operating the locks were the safety catches when closing paddles and occasionally the ladder handrails in deeper locks when I couldn't pull the boat out or step onto the roof directly from a sitting position on the lock edge. It was always possible to move gates with some combination of arm leg and back and using an arm behind the handrail when crossing the lock gates. 

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9 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

What do you mean "WILL" ?

 

It is already having a severe effect in the North (must be that old North / South divide again)

Yep, looks like access onto/off our 22 mile stretch (upper mac and Peak) will only be available in July and August. At the moment a little tupperware on it could set off at 6.30, head to Bosley, turn round, head to Whaley, turn round and be back on its home mooring by dusk and owner back home in bed without breaking the no overnight away from home rule

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16 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

What do you mean "WILL" ?

 

It is already having a severe effect in the North (must be that old North / South divide again)

I am sick to death of watering the allotment its hard and heavy work with 2 watering cans

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5 minutes ago, peterboat said:

I am sick to death of watering the allotment its hard and heavy work with 2 watering cans

I too have got into a regular watering routine in our gardens and it's somewhere between a pleasure and a chore; but I suspect we'd be complaining more if we couldn't get anything done outside because it was tiddling it down with rain.

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3 minutes ago, Athy said:

I too have got into a regular watering routine in our gardens and it's somewhere between a pleasure and a chore; but I suspect we'd be complaining more if we couldn't get anything done outside because it was tiddling it down with rain.

True but a couple of days rain a month is desperately needed for farmers otherwise they will be emptying canals and rivers for the crops that we all eat 

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All UK holidays will rocket this summer if we are not in lockdown. Unfortunately for those of us who have known it for years many people are going to holiday in the UK and find out how fab it is ? and many will continue into the future here. Lots of campsites for instance are already very booked.

 

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32 minutes ago, Athy said:

I too have got into a regular watering routine in our gardens and it's somewhere between a pleasure and a chore; but I suspect we'd be complaining more if we couldn't get anything done outside because it was tiddling it down with rain.

One problem I can anticipate is that a lot of us have had the time at home to do some fettling in our gardens, get some veg seeds in etc, a bit more than a normal year when we would have been off fettling our boats. But, the amount of water these plants are chugging each day is huge in this current weather. When we can eventually spend a few nights aboard again, will we all be fretting that our carefully nurtured plants are dying of thirst?

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4 minutes ago, BilgePump said:

One problem I can anticipate is that a lot of us have had the time at home to do some fettling in our gardens, get some veg seeds in etc, a bit more than a normal year when we would have been off fettling our boats. But, the amount of water these plants are chugging each day is huge in this current weather. When we can eventually spend a few nights aboard again, will we all be fretting that our carefully nurtured plants are dying of thirst?

Yep lol. I have some great dwarf beans, tomatoes and other bits coming on well at my mooring. I just lean into the canal to fill the watering can so not too onerous. Soon as we are able though we are of int motorhome and I will mourn the loss of my beans etc ?

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6 minutes ago, BilgePump said:

One problem I can anticipate is that a lot of us have had the time at home to do some fettling in our gardens, get some veg seeds in etc, a bit more than a normal year when we would have been off fettling our boats. But, the amount of water these plants are chugging each day is huge in this current weather. When we can eventually spend a few nights aboard again, will we all be fretting that our carefully nurtured plants are dying of thirst?

Probably, as I tend to do that anyway. You should see the tomato plants in our greenhouse when we're about to go away, they look as if they're growing in a paddy field.

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2 hours ago, BilgePump said:

When we can eventually spend a few nights aboard again, will we all be fretting that our carefully nurtured plants are dying of thirst?

I wouldn't worry too much. As soon as the restrictions are lifted, it will rain continuously for weeks!

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25 minutes ago, Big Bob W said:

I wouldn't worry too much. As soon as the restrictions are lifted, it will rain continuously for weeks!

The torrential rain, strong winds and unseasonably cold weather will start on Saturday if we get NC launched on Friday :rolleyes:

3 hours ago, mrsmelly said:

All UK holidays will rocket this summer if we are not in lockdown. Unfortunately for those of us who have known it for years many people are going to holiday in the UK and find out how fab it is ? and many will continue into the future here. Lots of campsites for instance are already very booked.

 

We should have been camping in Burnham Deepdale, Norfolk for a week starting 4th July. We have cancelled the booking. We have decided it will be safer to use the boat and not have to be sharing facilities with other campers. 

 

Think we are going to have a nice relaxing week on the Witham instead assuming we can stay onboard by then.

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2 hours ago, Naughty Cal said:

The torrential rain, strong winds and unseasonably cold weather will start on Saturday if we get NC launched on Friday :rolleyes:

We should have been camping in Burnham Deepdale, Norfolk for a week starting 4th July. We have cancelled the booking. We have decided it will be safer to use the boat and not have to be sharing facilities with other campers. 

 

Think we are going to have a nice relaxing week on the Witham instead assuming we can stay onboard by then.

The beauty of the motorhome is like a boat. everything on board so no sharing ?

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4 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

The beauty of the motorhome is like a boat. everything on board so no sharing ?

We were slightly envious of the motorhomers at Spurn Point yesterday with their toilets and kitchen facilities :D

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2 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

The beauty of the motorhome is like a boat. everything on board so no sharing ?

Are caravan sites open in England yet? They are still closed in Scotland and we are still in the stage of necessary journeys only. A lot of camper vans/motor homes  are coming up from England and wild camping and they are most unwelcome, especially in country areas where folk have been obeying the rules only to have wild campers come in possibly carrying the virus and touch gates, fences etc and leave their litter behind. 

This sort of selfish behaviour does nothing for the relationship for folk from across the border ? 

I gather Wales is in the same position as Scotland just now.

 

haggis

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18 minutes ago, haggis said:

Are caravan sites open in England yet? They are still closed in Scotland and we are still in the stage of necessary journeys only. A lot of camper vans/motor homes  are coming up from England and wild camping and they are most unwelcome, especially in country areas where folk have been obeying the rules only to have wild campers come in possibly carrying the virus and touch gates, fences etc and leave their litter behind. 

This sort of selfish behaviour does nothing for the relationship for folk from across the border ? 

I gather Wales is in the same position as Scotland just now.

 

haggis

No, not open yet. Hoped to be 4th july at the present time. We taxed it today and took it for a spin as its been stood months. Done some bookings for July but hoping camp sites are opened earlier. Its very easy to keep well away from anyone in a motorhome so couldnt be any safer. Its different in England as wild camping is not allowed apart from dartmoor so everybody is waiting for legitimate camp sites opening. I am sure the odd numpty will be taking the mick but no sites are open yet.

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1 minute ago, mrsmelly said:

No, not open yet. Hoped to be 4th july at the present time. We taxed it today and took it for a spin as its been stood months. Done some bookings for July but hoping camp sites are opened earlier. Its very easy to keep well away from anyone in a motorhome so couldnt be any safer. Its different in England as wild camping is not allowed apart from dartmoor so everybody is waiting for legitimate camp sites opening. I am sure the odd numpty will be taking the mick but no sites are open yet.

That's the same with boats though. People extracting the Michael and ignoring the no overnight stops rule.

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