Is a narrow boat holiday now just a pipe dream ?

[pomkitanner]

The impediments to ever be able to again travel seem to be increasing by the day .   New strains of the virus pop up almost daily, prompting the question, are we ever to be over it. Even though my country is on the UK  green list , there is as yet no timetable to again allow travel by the NZ government , our border remaining shut tight for the foreseeable future.  Were travel possible , the staycation holiday for UK residents has blossomed, with hire companies seemingly booked out for the next 2 years . Bucket list dreams fast being poured down the drain  ? 

[Laurie Booth]

Yep, no more holiday boating

 

[Sea Dog]

9 minutes ago, pomkitanner said:

Even though my country is on the UK  green list , there is as yet no timetable to again allow travel by the NZ government

You seem to have missed that the green list comprises only of countries we can't get to, don't want to go to, or won't let us in if we get there... 

[Ray T]

17 minutes ago, pomkitanner said:

The impediments to ever be able to again travel seem to be increasing by the day .   New strains of the virus pop up almost daily, prompting the question, are we ever to be over it. Even though my country is on the UK  green list , there is as yet no timetable to again allow travel by the NZ government , our border remaining shut tight for the foreseeable future.  Were travel possible , the staycation holiday for UK residents has blossomed, with hire companies seemingly booked out for the next 2 years . Bucket list dreams fast being poured down the drain  ? 

 

Not much help but there is this:

 

Training for novice hirers? - Page 2 - General Boating - Canal World

[matty40s]

Not all hire companies are booked out for 2 years, especially at the nether ends of their seasons, and no doubt once foreign beach all inclusive holidays open up(soon), there will be lots of cancellations.

Viruses mutate all the time, this is no different, and our (and with Europe slowly making progress too) vaccination program means our NHS should no longer be under danger of swapping resulting in lockdown again.

Your problem now is your own country playing catch up with the rest of the world in the vaccination race.

 

[Arthur Marshall]

Perhaps, just perhaps, wot with climate change and all, we might have to accept that looking to go on a holiday jaunt the other side of the planet is just  well, stupid?

[Chagall]

17 minutes ago, Arthur Marshall said:

Perhaps, just perhaps, wot with climate change and all, we might have to accept that looking to go on a holiday jaunt the other side of the planet is just  well, stupid?

Why stupid? Are you suggesting foreign travel just for pleasure is not necessarily needed and so is worthless? 

[Athy]

21 minutes ago, Arthur Marshall said:

Perhaps, just perhaps, wot with climate change and all, we might have to accept that looking to go on a holiday jaunt the other side of the planet is just  well, stupid?

I'd go as far as "unwise" - but would make an exception for people who have family in the far-flung former colonies. It seems unreasonable to disbar, for example, parents from visiting their children and perhaps grandchildren down under.

Edited May 15, 2021 by Athy

[Chagall]

Only “unwise” during the current situation perhaps but I wondered if Arthur was implying all foreign travel in an indeterminate future should  be curtailed because of climate change.  

[Guest]

24 minutes ago, Arthur Marshall said:

Perhaps, just perhaps, wot with climate change and all, we might have to accept that looking to go on a holiday jaunt the other side of the planet is just  well, stupid?

 

Yes there is a tendency to try and demonise anybody who wants to drive a diesel have a multi fuel stove and god forbid go on holiday more than ten miles from home.

 

The more people try to demonise such things the more I want to keep my diesel, keep my multi fuel stove AND go on holiday where I can get a bit of decent weather for a couple of months a year.

 

Of course when Greta Thunderknickers gets her way and such freedoms are legislated away I will have no choice. Hopefully I will be too old by then to worry about it.

[Athy]

1 minute ago, Chagall said:

Only “unwise” during the current situation perhaps but I wondered if Arthur was implying all foreign travel in an indeterminate future should  be curtailed because of climate change.  

He probably was, but I stand by my comment. Mrs. Athy has a cousin and nephew & niece in N.Z. As it happens, they aren't that close and we aren't thinking of going to see them, but it would be unfortunate indeed if they were never allowed to see each other again.

 

On the other hand, any regulations which keep my first "wife" 13,000 away from me are to be encouraged.

[Arthur Marshall]

11 minutes ago, The Happy Nomad said:

 

Yes there is a tendency to try and demonise anybody who wants to drive a diesel have a multi fuel stove and god forbid go on holiday more than ten miles from home.

 

The more people try to demonise such things the more I want to keep my diesel, keep my multi fuel stove AND go on holiday where I can get a bit of decent weather for a couple of months a year.

 

Of course when Greta Thunderknickers gets her way and such freedoms are legislated away I will have no choice. Hopefully I will be too old by then to worry about it.

I wouldn't worry. No-one will legislate these things away because nobody wants to lose the votes of the majority who think like you.

In the meantime  kids who live in city centres will carry on dying from air pollution, wars will be fought over dried up water supplies, rivers will be poisoned by runoff from the fields, glaciers will carry on melting and California will just catch fire. None if which matters so long as you can, unlike the millions who came before you on this planet, fly somewhere hot for a fortnight.

Doesn't bother me, I've only got a few years left!

[Guest]

5 minutes ago, Arthur Marshall said:

I wouldn't worry. No-one will legislate these things away because nobody wants to lose the votes of the majority who think like you.

In the meantime  kids who live in city centres will carry on dying from air pollution, wars will be fought over dried up water supplies, rivers will be poisoned by runoff from the fields, glaciers will carry on melting and California will just catch fire. None if which matters so long as you can, unlike the millions who came before you on this planet, fly somewhere hot for a fortnight.

Doesn't bother me, I've only got a few years left!

 

 

Oh yes I forgot that approach to go with demonising people they do the patronising school teacher act too.

 

[Arthur Marshall]

6 minutes ago, The Happy Nomad said:

 

 

Oh yes I forgot that approach to go with demonising people they do the patronising school teacher act too.

 

That's because it's very hard not to appear patronising when talking to those who are being deliberately obtuse.

Complaining about that is like trying to find something complimentary to say about the IQ of a flat earther, or the new leader of the DUP. Of course the thing about a teacher is that they generally like their pupils to learn stuff and tend to be disappointed when they don't. Me, I find the proudly ignorant add to the entertainment, like the clowns at the circus.

[Guest]

8 minutes ago, Arthur Marshall said:

That's because it's very hard not to appear patronising when talking to those who are being deliberately obtuse.

Complaining about that is like trying to find something complimentary to say about the IQ of a flat earther, or the new leader of the DUP. Of course the thing about a teacher is that they generally like their pupils to learn stuff and tend to be disappointed when they don't. Me, I find the proudly ignorant add to the entertainment, like the clowns at the circus.

 

Forgive me if I resist the temptation to respond with a detailed response.

 

Suffice to say I've heard it all before. I will however not be bounced into buying an electric vehicle when I have a perfectly serviceable diesel one nor will I be ripping out my stove anytime soon, I take it you have removed yours? and converted your boat to electric? Untill you have go forth and lecture somebody else. 

 

At least @peterboat can talk from a more principled perspective when he tries to convert us.

[JohnEW2912]

From the evidence I have seen in the last few days stories of no hire boat availability are greatly exaggerated. Clearly it’s still the shoulder season but at a time when hire boat holidays are allowed and hotel stays not you might expect most hire boats to be booked this week - the only limiting factor is the single household rule.

We have passed Silsden Boats, Snaygill Boats and Pennine Cruisers in the last few days. On Wednesday Silsden had 10 boats moored up and coming back this morning 9, with maybe 1 looking like it was being turned round. Snaygill and Pennine had fewer boats in but they both had a few.

[Idle Days]

We'er doomed I tell you, doomed. 

 

In the meantime I shall enjoy my boating.  

[Jerra]

10 minutes ago, The Happy Nomad said:

 

Forgive me if I resist the temptation to respond with a detailed response.

 

Suffice to say I've heard it all before. I will however not be bounced into buying an electric vehicle when I have a perfectly serviceable diesel one nor will I be ripping out my stove anytime soon, I take it you have removed yours? and converted your boat to electric? Untill you have go forth and lecture somebody else. 

 

At least @peterboat can talk from a more principled perspective when he tries to convert us.

Two thoughts.

 

The first is I don't know that anybody has suggested to rush out and change your vehicle or take out your stove merely that people need to accept that change is coming and when they replace things consider the environmental impact.   The more that do that the sooner things will get better.   If everyone say "sod this for a game of soldiers let future generations cope with the problem" then there may not be any future generations.

 

I assume you have no children/ grandchildren or you thing climate change is some conspiracy or other the alternative is you don't care about their health and well being in decades to come.

 

It is IMO the only way change will happen is for people to realise there is a problem and do what they can as they can.

[pete.i]

1 hour ago, Chagall said:

Why stupid? Are you suggesting foreign travel just for pleasure is not necessarily needed and so is worthless? 

Exactly that.

[Guest]

25 minutes ago, Jerra said:

Two thoughts.

 

The first is I don't know that anybody has suggested to rush out and change your vehicle or take out your stove merely that people need to accept that change is coming and when they replace things consider the environmental impact.   The more that do that the sooner things will get better.   If everyone say "sod this for a game of soldiers let future generations cope with the problem" then there may not be any future generations.

 

I assume you have no children/ grandchildren or you thing climate change is some conspiracy or other the alternative is you don't care about their health and well being in decades to come.

 

It is IMO the only way change will happen is for people to realise there is a problem and do what they can as they can.

 

My point is I do what I can within my means. I definitely don't need some eco evangelist to tell me what I need to do to 'save the planet'.

 

I avoid driving into cities if I can for one thing, that is what Metro System's/Trams/Park and rides are for. So my particulate matter isn't going to bother any city dwelling kid's lungs. (Can all boaters say this? Answer no). Besides - My Euro 6.2 compliant diesel is far far cleaner than anything fitted to 99% of narrowboats any way. As I have said previously in other threads when the time comes to change I will consider an electric vehicle. I have one in my sights that actually comes close to meeting all my needs though the range especially when towing remains a potentially insurmountable problem for me. Hopefully things will advance even further (no pun intended)

 

In none pandemic times I will revert to using public transport if it suits. I also walk when I can. I won't however cycle on our local roads and sold my bike last year. I don't have any suicidal tendencies so gave that up as a bad job.

 

I burn smokeless fuels and have done ever since we had a stove on the boat, only making the mistake once of buying 'house coal' - bad mistake. We do the same on the stove at home.

 

I always source dry wood and check it with a damp meter to check we haven't been 'had' and sold wet wood as dry. This happened to me once and the seller let me keep the wood so I left it to season and burnt it when it was dry. The stove at home is also DEFRA approved for use in smokeless areas, how many narrowboat stoves are I wonder?

 

So I suppose my only real 'climate crime' is driving (even worse, towing) to Europe two or three times per year (when we can of course). If that makes me a 'clown' as indicated by Arthur then so be it. I reserve my right to broaden my horizons a little bit before I shuffle of this mortal coil.

 

Oh and yes I have kids and a granddaughter.

 

For somebody like Arthur living on a boat with their 'dirty' engine and 'dirty' stove to call anybody else a 'clown' is frankly very very amusing.

[Arthur Marshall]

51 minutes ago, The Happy Nomad said:

 

For somebody like Arthur living on a boat with their 'dirty' engine and 'dirty' stove to call anybody else a 'clown' is frankly very very amusing.

What gave you the idea I live on a boat? As I have had a very successful career as an entertainer  I am always pleased to bring amusement to the masses.

3 hours ago, Chagall said:

Why stupid? Are you suggesting foreign travel just for pleasure is not necessarily needed and so is worthless? 

Yes. Sorry, couldn't answer you before as I'd missed your post, as I have you on ignore for previous gratuitous unpleasantness.

Edited May 15, 2021 by Arthur Marshall

[Bee]

Climate crime. Wednesdays is a bin day, that's recycling, including a big blue bag of paper and cardboard. The piles of cardboard, boxes of bottles and stuff left out is staggering and includes our contribution too. Add this to the damage a car does, electric is very nearly as damaging as petrol if you include the plastics, tyres, glass and steel and the motorways for them to drive on and then the truth is facing you, me and all the aspiring earners just waiting to consume stuff. Its very sobering and saying so is not lecturing. It is alarming though and living within our means is going to be really hard and probably backed by unpleasant restrictions.  And, just a thought, what is the point in having armed forces, ostensibly for 'Defence' if we can't use them to remove the awful Bolsanaro as the Brazilian leader before the Amazon rain forest disappears?  The future might be violent too.

[Chagall]

21 minutes ago, Arthur Marshall said:

What gave you the idea I live on a boat? As I have had a very successful career as an entertainer  I am always pleased to bring amusement to the masses.

Yes. Sorry, couldn't answer you before as I'd missed your post, as I have you on ignore for previous gratuitous unpleasantness.

Since you chose to misunderstand the alleged  “ previous gratuitous unpleasantness.” I’m really not at all concerned if you ignore. 

[Guest]

36 minutes ago, Arthur Marshall said:

What gave you the idea I live on a boat? As I have had a very successful career as an entertainer  I am always pleased to bring amusement to the masses.

Yes. Sorry, couldn't answer you before as I'd missed your post, as I have you on ignore for previous gratuitous unpleasantness.

 

So you dont have a boat either? The point of course is you do actually know the point I was making.

3 hours ago, Chagall said:

Why stupid? Are you suggesting foreign travel just for pleasure is not necessarily needed and so is worthless? 

 

Some people have very narrow perspectives on what constitutes 'living'.

[David Schweizer]

5 hours ago, matty40s said:

Not all hire companies are booked out for 2 years, especially at the nether ends of their seasons, and no doubt once foreign beach all inclusive holidays open up(soon), there will be lots of cancellations.

Viruses mutate all the time, this is no different, and our (and with Europe slowly making progress too) vaccination program means our NHS should no longer be under danger of swapping resulting in lockdown again.

Your problem now is your own country playing catch up with the rest of the world in the vaccination race.

 

 

Yes that is a problem for both NZ and Australia, who both appear to have chosen Isolation as an alternative to Vaccination.