Does a "Looking for crew members" website exist?

[Daryl]

Hi,

 

Is there a location on this forum or another web site where NB owners advertise for potential crew members?

 

A site where you can spend some time getting to know each other and then decide to team up knowing you're not going to wake in the middle of the night and find someone standing over you wearing a hockey mask and holding a chainsaw?

 

As a one timer who spent 4 days on a flooded K&A in January 2006, I am considering travelling to the UK in the future on a yearly basis to get a fix, but I may have to do it alone (the family will do the London tourist thing) and would be looking to help crew a NB and share the costs involved. I would like to do a different canal system each year.

 

I'm a easy going Aussie (I'm 47) with a good sense of humour who is fit (regular weights and running), loves the outdoors (I ski in winter so the cold and wet don't bother me) and doesn't mind a laugh over a glass of beer/red who is also a great cook. I have broad tastes in music, sport, film, travel, history, TV, politics, world issues, life, the environment, narrow boating and just about any other subject you care to discuss. Must be the writer in me. Everyone has a story to tell.

 

I work between freelance writing in the media industry and as trainee freight locomotive driver in the rail industry driving diesels weighing up to 130 tonnes and running trains up to 3500 tonnes so I'm used to handling large and heavy machines.

 

I also have a long distance love of the canals.

 

Its just too bad that when you guys decided to colonize Australia you didn't dig some canals for us Aussies to enjoy today. You gave us cities, industry and railways, but no canals. I'm not sure there were even plans to build any. I must do some research on that.

 

Regards - Daryl

Edited April 16, 2009 by Daryl

[carlt]

Its just too bad that when you guys decided to colonize Australia you didn't dig some canals for us Aussies to enjoy today.

Wasn't it "you guys" who colonised Oz?

 

Us guys are still over here, in the UK.

 

In answer to your original question, though, I think you've just started a "Looking for crew members" thread so you should get some response!

[Liam]

Hi Daryl,

 

As Carl says there have been a few threads in the past from various people, both asking for help and offering their help, although I admit they don't come along that often.

 

Now people know that you're interested you may be contacted.. if not then keep your eye out for other similar requests of assistance.

Edited April 16, 2009 by Liam

[bargeeboy]

I'm looking for a Galley Slave !

 

FEMALE !

[Daryl]

Wasn't it "you guys" who colonised Oz?

 

Us guys are still over here, in the UK.

 

In answer to your original question, though, I think you've just started a "Looking for crew members" thread so you should get some response!

 

Hi Carl,

 

I say "you guys" with the utmost affection as I am a child of the 60s and 70s and grew up on a diet of British TV that consisted of On the Buses, It Ain't Half Hot Mum, Dads Army, Love Thy Neighbour, Carry On movies, Steptoe and Son and so many more.

 

As far as I can tell 95% of my decendants are English and probably came out here in convict ships (no I haven't carried on the family's criminal past). My best friend when I was around 6 years old was from England. Malcom lived with his family at a migrant hostel not far from my home and we spent many weekends exploring the local creeks (probably where my love of waterways started) getting into trouble for coming home covered in mud and carrying jars of tadpoles.

 

Malcom had one of those Lady Penlope pink Rolls Royce Dinky toys and he introduced me to TV shows such as Stingray, Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlett and Joe 90, all of which I have full DVD collections of to this very day.

 

Yes "you guys" did kick start the process over here and "us guys" did run with it. I just wished someone had built a canal system or two. Imagine the number of locks it would have taken to get over the Blue Mountains - hundreds! Then again I wouldn't have the pleasure of travelling to the UK to experience all that "you guys" have to offer. Over the last 10 years of continuing drought to say that it has been a little dry and brown in my home state of Victoria is an understatement, though recent rains have turned the place green in a couple of weeks. Even the regions incinerated by the February firestorms are turning green.

 

Regards - Daryl

 

 

 

Hi Daryl,

 

As Carl says there have been a few threads in the past from various people, both asking for help and offering their help, although I admit they don't come along that often.

 

Now people know that you're interested you may be contacted.. if not then keep your eye out for other similar requests of assistance.

 

Hi Liam,

 

I guess its a bit like trying to invite yourself to come and stay at someone's home and you have never met before. There is always the risk factor that you wont get along and narrow boats don't have a lot of space. I figure I'll throw my hat into the ring and see what happens.

 

Regards - Daryl

 

I'm looking for a Galley Slave !

 

FEMALE !

 

Can't help you there!

[RLWP]

As far as I can tell 95% of my decendants are English

 

So you don't know the nationality of your children and/or grandchildren for sure???

 

Richard

 

I wonder if we have any ancestors in common?

[casper ghost]

Hello. I think that if a section was set up for like minded people to get to know each other, it would just be full of men seeking women and none the other way around, it's just the way life is.

[blackrose]

Its just too bad that when you guys decided to colonize Australia you didn't dig some canals for us Aussies to enjoy today. You gave us cities, industry and railways, but no canals. I'm not sure there were even plans to build any. I must do some research on that.

 

Regards - Daryl

 

Don't you have some canals & lagoons on the Gold Coast in Queensland?

 

I heard they're full of crocs.

Edited April 17, 2009 by blackrose

[RLWP]

Don't you have some canals & lagoons on the Gold Coast in Queensland?

 

I heard they're full of crocs.

 

This site talks about Australian canals: Australian Canal Society

 

Richard

[Sue1946]

Hi Daryl,

I am a Brit currently enjoying sunshine on the Gold Coast. (Queensland, for those who are not sure, just to the south of Brisbane)It is not all "Surfers Paradise" ( or hell)depending how you see it.

Seems 'they' built canals in order to drain the marshy areas, but also only built houses with waterfront areas. I was fortunate enough to house sit such a property recently. But it was on a 3 way confluence so, if mine hosts grounds was not fully covered in ferny trees etc then I could have seen into several homes. However, the sun was also obstructed by said trees/ferny stuff, so I got no sun, just a happy dog n cat for company!!

Those properties were selling for up to 500 thou sterling, but not many were moving.

The worst thing I can say about these canal areas is that one cannot get there to walk and enjoy as in UK. They are only home frontages for those wealthy enough to own a home on them. Now - that I find is a pretty poor thing. I would have loved to have been able to walk along those frontages - BUT ALL PRIVATELY owned.

hey BW? - wanna learn a thing or two?

[magpie patrick]

Hi Daryl,

 

Would help if you gave an indication of the sort of time of year that you come over. Also, I've got crew for our main trip this this year, but while your over this time you could meet me or others as a sort of prep interview for next year. We tend to take holidays 2-3 weeks long and have friends and others on for 2-3 day stints and make sure we have a day or two to ourselves. One couple who are joining us this year were relative strangers three years ago when the man joined me for three days to move the boat, but they are now firm friends and were even at our wedding last September!

[Mary 1]

Hi,

 

Is there a location on this forum or another web site where NB owners advertise for potential crew members?

 

A site where you can spend some time getting to know each other and then decide to team up knowing you're not going to wake in the middle of the night and find someone standing over you wearing a hockey mask and holding a chainsaw?

 

As a one timer who spent 4 days on a flooded K&A in January 2006, I am considering travelling to the UK in the future on a yearly basis to get a fix, but I may have to do it alone (the family will do the London tourist thing) and would be looking to help crew a NB and share the costs involved. I would like to do a different canal system each year.

 

I'm a easy going Aussie (I'm 47) with a good sense of humour who is fit (regular weights and running), loves the outdoors (I ski in winter so the cold and wet don't bother me) and doesn't mind a laugh over a glass of beer/red who is also a great cook. I have broad tastes in music, sport, film, travel, history, TV, politics, world issues, life, the environment, narrow boating and just about any other subject you care to discuss. Must be the writer in me. Everyone has a story to tell.

 

I work between freelance writing in the media industry and as trainee freight locomotive driver in the rail industry driving diesels weighing up to 130 tonnes and running trains up to 3500 tonnes so I'm used to handling large and heavy machines.

 

I also have a long distance love of the canals.

 

Its just too bad that when you guys decided to colonize Australia you didn't dig some canals for us Aussies to enjoy today. You gave us cities, industry and railways, but no canals. I'm not sure there were even plans to build any. I must do some research on that.

 

Regards - Daryl

I am up for it, but what would wife think!!!

Mary 1

[Daryl]

So you don't know the nationality of your children and/or grandchildren for sure???

 

Richard

 

I wonder if we have any ancestors in common?

 

 

Richard,

 

I haven't done the family tree yet. Might be too many Dark secrets.

 

Regards - Daryl

 

Don't you have some canals & lagoons on the Gold Coast in Queensland?

 

I heard they're full of crocs.

 

The Gold Coast is too far south for crocs, but they do have Bull Sharks which can be very agressive. The only crocodiles you find in the Gold Coast wear white slip on shoes, slicked back hair, too much gold and want to sell you an investment property that just can't fail.

 

You would have to travel up around Cairns and further north to run into crocs. Not that you'd want to. Saltwater crocs are extremely dangerous and only in the last month at least 3 three have been taken in the Northern Territory including an 11 year old girl and a 20 year old man.

 

Once while doing some research for a film script, I spoke with a guy who was an expert on "salties" as they are affectionately known. He said that if he had to chose between being in the water with a Great White shark and a saltie he said he would take the shark, because the Great White will maybe attack you 70% of the time, but the saltie will attack you 100% of the time.

 

Regards - Daryl

 

Hi Daryl,

I am a Brit currently enjoying sunshine on the Gold Coast. (Queensland, for those who are not sure, just to the south of Brisbane)It is not all "Surfers Paradise" ( or hell)depending how you see it.

Seems 'they' built canals in order to drain the marshy areas, but also only built houses with waterfront areas. I was fortunate enough to house sit such a property recently. But it was on a 3 way confluence so, if mine hosts grounds was not fully covered in ferny trees etc then I could have seen into several homes. However, the sun was also obstructed by said trees/ferny stuff, so I got no sun, just a happy dog n cat for company!!

Those properties were selling for up to 500 thou sterling, but not many were moving.

The worst thing I can say about these canal areas is that one cannot get there to walk and enjoy as in UK. They are only home frontages for those wealthy enough to own a home on them. Now - that I find is a pretty poor thing. I would have loved to have been able to walk along those frontages - BUT ALL PRIVATELY owned.

hey BW? - wanna learn a thing or two?

 

Hi Sue,

 

The GC is not a bad place to spend sometime in the sun. Further north there are some even better places to visit. You are right, the canals were basically built for housing development as much of the area was a marshy swamp many years ago. I guess they forgot the pathways to keep the riff raff out.

 

The GC canals certainly don't have any of the character and ambience of the canals in the UK. They are more like small rivers actually and there are no locks. Also, Bull Sharks are often found in them so you want to stay well clear of them.

 

If you get a chance have a look up around the Sunshine Coast north of Brisbane. Very nice area.

 

Regards - Daryl

 

 

This site talks about Australian canals: Australian Canal Society

 

Richard

 

Richard,

 

I have visited that website before.

 

Regards - Daryl

 

 

Hi Daryl,

 

Would help if you gave an indication of the sort of time of year that you come over. Also, I've got crew for our main trip this this year, but while your over this time you could meet me or others as a sort of prep interview for next year. We tend to take holidays 2-3 weeks long and have friends and others on for 2-3 day stints and make sure we have a day or two to ourselves. One couple who are joining us this year were relative strangers three years ago when the man joined me for three days to move the boat, but they are now firm friends and were even at our wedding last September!

 

This is about putting my hat into the ring and seeing what response I get. I have no set dates as yet, and if I have to I will try and go it alone or in convoy with other NBs.

 

I would prefer to enjoy the company of like minded people though. Thank you for the kind offer and when I have an idea of when I will be in the UK I will contact you.

 

 

 

Regards - Daryl

 

 

I am up for it, but what would wife think!!!

Mary 1

 

Mary,

 

She will probably think, thank God I don't ever have to wind another lock gate and fall on my butt in the mud again!

 

 

 

Regards - Daryl

Edited April 18, 2009 by Daryl

[T.A]

Hi Daryl,

Said many times before you might want to edit your email address to something like nsu581athotmaildotcom for security reasons!

[Daryl]

Hi Daryl,

Said many times before you might want to edit your email address to something like nsu581athotmaildotcom for security reasons!

 

Good point!

 

Thanks - Daryl

[tillergirl]

Hi Daryl you should try the family tree thing it might suprise you - though I can say its most addictive - like narrowboating I used to communicate with a lady in Wonthaggi (southern eastern bit of Aus) whose family actually came from about 4 miles from where my lot originated. Not convicts at all. Left rural England for the cotton mills of the North then emigrated to Aus once they had earned enough for the passage out there. GG granndad was a Cordwainer by trade so set up his own business when he got to the Antipodes and made his fortune.

If only my lot had been so adventurous but then I would have to come 1000's of miles to spend my holidays canalboating. I'm so lucky its right on my doorstep.

 

Good luck finding someone to take you on board as crew. :lol: