Carrie~Lou is going cruising!

[Moley]

Do I win the prize for being the first to spot the deliberate mistakes?

No, you missed one.

Now whose being pedantic? I was rounding up, Roses txt was timed in at 10:56.

09:45 “Through the first lock of the day, now onto the upper Avon navigation. The rain overnight has raised the levels at Warwick so we have been warned there is a lot of water heading our way expected at Evesham late afternoon. We dont think it will cause major problem tho. Its dry and very pleasant cruising this morning.”

[cheshire~rose]

I am running the laptop on battery and will be unable to put the inverter on until its ok to run the engines as all the powere is a tad low this morning so I will apologise in advance if I post without spell checking!

 

Yesterday was a mixture of sunshine and very heavy showers. The warning we were given by the lock keeper in Evesham was quite quickly put into context when a second boat joined us in the lock. A hire boat - the people on board were a couple of employees from the Environment Agency whop once a year hire a boat to go and survey the trees along that strech of the Avon (nice work eh?) They told us they were in telephone contact with various people on that stretch and although the computers were flagging up a warning of something like 1.23m of water at Warwick which was supposed to arrive in Evesham by late afternoon they assured us the people at Warwick only had an additional 6" of water on the river level boards!

They were travelling up as far as Bidford with us and told us if the situation changed they would be the first to hear.

 

The river was gorgeous along that stretch. We spotted some more unusual ducks - these are not even in the book at all so I will have to do a bit more research. A fox standing in the middle of a field of sheep looking totally bewildered! Thankfully I think the lambs were all pretty big and so the chances of it taking one were fairly remote. We also got several really good sightings of woodpeckers. There were properties which made us drool a bit too - some wonderful gardens as well.

 

As we progressed the river flow became greater and the levels did start to rise on the boards. It was still well within the green though. The plan was to moor up in Bancroft Basin, Stratford but before we did so we wanted to continue upstream as far as the navigable limits allow (about a mile up to The Red House). We approached the first bridge (Tramway?) and as we did so I realised that there was going to be very little clearance for the chimney and TV ariel - in fact I started to wonder if it would fit at all Dave carefully lined the boat up with the bridge and we got through with millimetres to spare - phew! The next bridge is supposed to be a bit more tricky as it is at a funny angle but at least there is more clearance and there was no problem at all getting through. We had a good look at some very des res's along that stretch and decided which we would choose if we did win the lottery . We got to The Red House bend and went to wind and just as we were completely broadside across the channel a little motor boat came round the bend! No harm done of course but it certainly screwed up the firt attempt at winding when we gave way to the little boat. Heading back downstream we were amazed at just how fast Carrie~Lou can go when the current is with her. We wizzed back past the properties we had looked at first time round with the engine just ticking over. We came to Compton Bridge (the tricky one) and Dave lined her up perfectly to slot through the gap but of course with the current everything is happening much faster and that same current decided to take the stern over. Whoopsie! We now have quite a bit of paint missing along the top edge of the side rail and one of the fairleads was completely ripped off with very little time to line her up for the next bridge Dave managed to secure the line with the highest clearance but the TV ariel scraped right through and came out the other side looking distincly wonky - I guess that arch is either a few mm lower than the one you use going upstream or else the river was still rising! Ah well - The fairleads always were a waste of space on this boat and the TV Ariel still works so no real harm done

We are now safely moored up in Bancroft Basin which I am pleased about because there was a lot more rain last night.

We had an excellent banter with BSP and Kev last night as well. Hopefully Lisa managed her 6am start today

The battery on this PC is telling me it is low so I will post this now.

[BlueStringPudding]

Hopefully Lisa managed her 6am start today

 

Yes indeedy! I'm at w*rk right now. Missed my bus this morning though , but was fortuitously saved by a late running train which got me to work just about on time! Kinda tired but alive enough to sort out Mark Antony's flapping toga drapes and Portia's skeletal cleavage not to mention a Plebian revolution!

 

Had a great night at the "Stringy Banter" (as Jan called it!), sheltered from hideous rain aboard Dave's boat (we timed that to perfection!) while quaffing the last of their beers (sorry about that), then on to the Pen & Parchment for fish and chips and more beer! I'll confess to having drank Staropramen as opposed to proper beer coz if I admit it now Chesh can't threaten to report it here and have me disowned and stoned to death! ("Et tu, Cheshy?")

 

It's a long day at work for me today, followed by entertaining a colleague of mine who kind of got invited to stay on the boat overnight by someone else and then we couldn't get out of it! (But fortunately she's bringing wine and her American perspective on the Eurovision Song Contest, so should be interesting) so I probably won't be able to catch up with our travelling chums for long today. But they'll be passing our boat in Wootten soon enough so they can observe first hand the astonishing speed at which the wind turbine isn't whizzing round!

 

Anyway, back to Togaville-Tenessee for me now... anyone seen me loincloth?

Edited May 16, 2009 by BlueStringPudding

[cheshire~rose]

@ BSP!

 

Don't worry - we will get more beer stocks in today - we still have a "Keeping-Up banter later in the week and we are hoping we might meet a few more forum members yet. Dave is just washing up - is that a dishcloth or could it be- nooooooooooo not a loincloth is it?

 

The Black Prince boat that was on our pontoon left this morning onto the river - then they promptly put a sign up at the lock that says "Danger - Stop - Moor your boat until this sign is changed"

 

There is another boat there now and the owners are considering whether to ignore the sign or not. The level is in the orange I am told and so an experienced boater should not have a problem but I have visions of the poor hirers who left only a short while ago whizzing downstream at a hair raising rate wondering what is going on.

[BlueStringPudding]

@ BSP!

 

Don't worry - we will get more beer stocks in today - we still have a "Keeping-Up banter later in the week and we are hoping we might meet a few more forum members yet. Dave is just washing up - is that a dishcloth or could it be- nooooooooooo not a loincloth is it?

 

The Black Prince boat that was on our pontoon left this morning onto the river - then they promptly put a sign up at the lock that says "Danger - Stop - Moor your boat until this sign is changed"

There is another boat there now and the owners are considering whether to ignore the sign or not. The level is in the orange I am told and so an experienced boater should not have a problem but I have visions of the poor hirers who left only a short while ago whizzing downstream at a hair raising rate wondering what is going on.

 

And with that very heavy poop-induced typically-Black-Prince list too. I noticed as I came back from the theatre now that there's some sort of dragon boat racing event going on, so they obviously don't mind th speed of the water!

[Michele]

And with that very heavy poop-induced typically-Black-Prince list too. I noticed as I came back from the theatre now that there's some sort of dragon boat racing event going on, so they obviously don't mind th speed of the water!

 

It must be the weekend for it as I'm going to a dragon boat race at Himley Park (near Stourbridge) tomorrow.........I suspect it'll be somewhat calmer on the lake though!!

 

 

[bottle]

Dragon boat racing also at Gloucester Docks, tomorrow (17th) in aid of CLIC.

[cheshire~rose]

The dragon boats were good fun to watch between showers - the team I liked best were the guys all dressed as Harry Hill! all but for one had a flesh coloured pcv cap on. That guy had no need for any flesh coloured cap = his head already looked the part.

 

We have had a really lovely relaxing day - tomorrow ---

 

 

17 locks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Anyone fancydoing some lock wheeling???

[cheshire~rose]

17 locks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Sorry folks - I lied - we did not actually do 17 locks after all. We set off bright and early from Bancroft Basin and wiped out the TV Ariel and the coolie hat on thefirst 2 very low bridges. The situation was not helped by us being a bit low on water in the tank so the bow was a bit high. Even though we were off early a hire boat still just beat us to it. We were soon catching them up and when I popped up at the lock they were just leaving to set it ready for Dave to bring the boat into they were really surprised to see me!

Even with 6 on board they were unbearably slow so we were relieved when they tied up after 4 locks to have breakfast and we pressed on. A big gap of around a mile between locks meant I jumped on the boat but upon arriving at the next lock I went to pick YSL up and she was not there!!!

(note to anyone who does not know - YSL is my designer windlass - fished out of a pound at Atherstone with the assistance of The HBF's patent MKIII (facelift version) Acme fishing magnet. She has since accompanied me on lock wheeling duties for numerous forum members in numerous places and on loads of different boats)

 

I walked back to find her resting on the balance beam where I left her but the race was on to get back to the boat and off before the hire boat got ahead again. It had by now started raining, we pressed on, the tomato sauce squeezed out of the bottle sideways, I slipped on a wet bank at the lock and very nearly went flat on my back, I bumped the boat in a lock a weeny bit harder than I intended and the resulting crash noise from inside turned out to be five glasses had shot out of the cupboard and were lying on the floor. further inspection revealed only 1 was broken!

It has rained hard today - for what felt like hours then the sun has come out and we have dried out again only for it to rain again and soak us all over again. We had the planned 17 locks done by lunctime - had a pint at "The Navigation" at Wooton Wawen and then decided to go a bit further.

We got behind another hire boat, the type which has 6 people on board, all of them bar one have to get off at a lock but only one has a windlass (and he is standing at the wrong end of the lock at the wrong time to use it) The type that have to slow to a complete stop to line up with a bridge hole and they proceed through the gap at little more than tickover checking the clearance on both sides of the boat for the full length of the boat - need I say more? We followed these guys through lock after lock. Resetting each lock as they left and still catching them up at the next one! The countyside was beautiful and the weather continued to change like - well like the weather! eventually we reached Lowsonford and they guys on the hire boat stopped for water - we just had to get ahead while the chance was there. We knew we would have to put a couple of locks between us before stopping but then we hit the motorway and wanted to get away from the traffic noise by keep going a few more locks-

we have eventually tied up just above lock 24 with only 2 more to go to Kingwood junction - we have done 31 locks today - phew! tomorrow we will take it a bit easier!

 

Then there is Hatton!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Keeping Up]

I still think you're travelling this fast because you liked the Avon so much you're going to go down Tardebigge and come back up the Avon again, and still get home inside your original timescale

[steelaway]

Hi Rose

 

You could use those hire boaters tommorow if you're going up the Hatton.

Spend half an hour teaching them locking and it could be an easy trip.

 

Alex

[Catrin]

Rose,

Great to read what you've been up to - I'm now really fed up that I have to go to w*rk tomorrow! Who'd chose to be in a classroom when there are boats out there?

Cheers

Cath

[magpie patrick]

Txt received, 11am:

“We have left our secluded mooring and are heading upstream to Pershore. Had lots of fun watching 3 mandarin ducks and a redshank who's territory we had invaded. It's so beautiful here. Have not seen another boat yet 2day.”

 

Pah!

 

 

Oh, BTW, that should be “whose territory”.

 

Well it's my turn to get grumpy... you met US! you must have done, we went the other way! Okay, we only waved and didn't recognise you but we DID pass another boat and the date of the posts suggests it was you! we also passed BSP on the Stratford, but no one was aboard. Are we invisible? Are Ex-Clifton Cruisers fitted with a cloaking device?

 

The ducks are escapees from Slimbridge BTW, we get loads of them on the G&S

[cheshire~rose]

Well it's my turn to get grumpy... you met US! you must have done, we went the other way! Okay, we only waved and didn't recognise you but we DID pass another boat and the date of the posts suggests it was you! we also passed BSP on the Stratford, but no one was aboard. Are we invisible? Are Ex-Clifton Cruisers fitted with a cloaking device?

 

The ducks are escapees from Slimbridge BTW, we get loads of them on the G&S

 

Oh No! I don't remember a boat called Ripple today but then again there have been lots of boats. We always wave to everyone we pass thankfully so I hope we came across as being the friendly bods we are! What colour is your boat?

 

I know BSP was not aboard today when we passed the boat. I know she was just not avoiding you Patrick. What sort of time was it when you passed through Wooten Wawen today? We did tie up at lunchtime and went to the pub so maybe we missed you then?

 

Just in case anyone else is likely to be passing (and to save confusion until such time as I manage to locate a virgin to use in the renaming ceremony) Carrie~Lou does not have that name painted on her side. She currently bears the name Aquagem. Yes - I know its Dave's boat and he needs a tiny bit longer to be persuaded that it will be a good idea to change the name of the boat but I am working on him

 

Getting him to change his forum name was much easier! Perhaps I can just PM a moderator and ask them to come down with some paint and sort the signwriting out! - Hey Graham, Dan, Liam? how are you fixed for a spot of signwriting?

 

I still think you're travelling this fast because you liked the Avon so much you're going to go down Tardebigge and come back up the Avon again, and still get home inside your original timescale

 

I doubt with the amount of rain that has fallen in the last couple of days that the Avon will be the calm and tranquil millpond it was as we passed through. We might just add another little detour on if the shedule allows - watch this space

[BlueStringPudding]

Well it's my turn to get grumpy... you met US! you must have done, we went the other way! Okay, we only waved and didn't recognise you but we DID pass another boat and the date of the posts suggests it was you! we also passed BSP on the Stratford, but no one was aboard. Are we invisible? Are Ex-Clifton Cruisers fitted with a cloaking device?

 

The ducks are escapees from Slimbridge BTW, we get loads of them on the G&S

 

 

Sorry to have missed you, mate! If it's any consolation I missed Jan & Dave too on the Sunday, coz I was off being an uber-geek at a Middle Earth festival near Birmingham! Apart from getting drenched no less than 4 times, we had a great day! And managed to come home with a bottle of Maple & Whisky Liqueur and some homemade pate for a fab supper - not to mention some very yummy smelly soaps! hmm... (very Hobbit, I don't think). Although I have to say, there is nothing funnier than seeing a Middle Earth wizard stepping out of a modern plastic portaloo - made my day that did!

 

Are you in Stratford today? If so I'll wander down to the basin in my lunch break and harrass you!

Edited May 18, 2009 by BlueStringPudding

[cheshire~rose]

managed to come home with a bottle of Maple & Whisky Liqueur and some homemade pate for a fab supper

 

We are consulting Nicholsons for a winding hole as I type!

[BlueStringPudding]

We are consulting Nicholsons for a winding hole as I type!

 

[cheshire~rose]

Today has been a nice easy day

 

We are moored at the top of Hatton and will head down into Warwick tomorrow. We have pumped out and refilled the fresh water so we are at a much more even keel than we were.

 

I forgot to mention yesterday - what do people wnow about Ethos narrowboats? We passed their base yesterday on the way out of Stratford. Being a Sunday it was not surprising the place looked closed but all the boats tied up outside (about 7 of them) had licences that were out of date. A quick google search found some info about them possibly having gone into receivership but that was back in 2007! I find it strange that there are still boats sitting there after all this time.

[alan_fincher]

I forgot to mention yesterday - what do people wnow about Ethos narrowboats? We passed their base yesterday on the way out of Stratford. Being a Sunday it was not surprising the place looked closed but all the boats tied up outside (about 7 of them) had licences that were out of date. A quick google search found some info about them possibly having gone into receivership but that was back in 2007! I find it strange that there are still boats sitting there after all this time.

Something about it in this thread.....

 

Previous thread link

 

I'm sure we saw them out and about last summer, so don't think the fleet was laid up be then.

[cheshire~rose]

Thanls Alan

 

I forgot to mention the treasure we found yesterday - I spotted a "fishing thingy" tied up with a branch on the offside and suggested a bit of reversing to retrieve it.

We were lucky enough to have Janet S aboard earlier this year and her enthusiasm for fishing must have rubbed off. We have cruised past hundreds of "fishing thingies" in the past. (can you tell I know nothing about fishing?)

 

A deft bit of reversing by Dave and a pair of scissors soon had the thingy released. I had a closer look at it. A red fluffy bit concealed 3 dangerous looking hooks and a dangly chrome tear drop had coloured flashes on it and the words "Rublex Ondex 5"

 

I text Janet a description of the thingy and got a reply:

 

"The fishing thingie is a lure and a very good one. Yes it was well worth reversing to retreive it. Somebody will have been really pi**ed off to lose that"

 

Feeling very pleased with ourselves that not only had be stopped those nasty hooks causing an injury to some poor bird that might have been passing we had also got a rather good find to pass on to our fishing friend when we see her next made our day! (yes I know - but I am vey easily pleased! )

I googled "Rublex Ondex" last night and it appears these things cost the princely sum of around £3.75 to buy!

 

Dear Janet bless her - she gets so excited about things even if they are only £3.75 - It almost ranks alongside The Moles rummage through the recycling skip - I wonder if he will be as thrilled that I have another posh (empty) cider bottle for him!

 

Anyway enough of this idle chatter - I need another coffee - Hatton is awaiting the arrival of YSL!

[Janet S]

Dear Janet bless her - she gets so excited about things even if they are only £3.75 - It almost ranks alongside The Moles rummage through the recycling skip - I wonder if he will be as thrilled that I have another posh (empty) cider bottle for him!

 

Hey, a freebie is a freebie!!

 

Janet

[Chris J W]

Anyway enough of this idle chatter - I need another coffee - Hatton is awaiting the arrival of YSL!

 

Just make sure you don't leave her to fend for herself this time!

 

Hmm. Will have to start keeping an eye out for stray 'fishythings' ...

[alan_fincher]

Hmm. Will have to start keeping an eye out for stray 'fishythings' ...

An unfortunate way of putting it really.....

 

Some of the nastiest "fishy things" I've encountered dangling from trees and bushes, could certainly take an eye out.

 

I've nowt against fisher-people, per-se, but if it's not possible to fish without leaving lethal hardware attached to the vegetation, I'd prefer they went and only fished where there was less vegetation.

 

Large amounts around here also dangling from power lines - right by the "don't fish under the power line" signs.

Edited May 19, 2009 by alan_fincher

[Moley]

It almost ranks alongside The Moles rummage through the recycling skip - I wonder if he will be as thrilled that I have another posh (empty) cider bottle for him!

I think I should clarify that is The Mole, singular, other moles find the practice embarrassing and do not join in. However, I fail to see anything wrong with rummaging through bottle bins, re-use has to be better than recycling, and everything is scrubbed and sterilised.

 

As to the posh bottle, I'm becoming a bit more selective about my empties now and would rather you drank Magner's, Bulmer's, Speckled Hen or Newky Brown.

 

Returning to topic, Carrie~Lou is over halfway down Hatton, every lock against them so far, and some pillock two locks ahead who won't wait for them to catch up and share.

[cheshire~rose]

Returning to topic, Carrie~Lou is over halfway down Hatton, every lock against them so far, and some pillock two locks ahead who won't wait for them to catch up and share.

 

Carrie~Lou is now moored in (what was) a delightful secluded bit of countryside just outside of Leamington Spa. Her pantry and wine cellar has been restocked at Lidl a while back. The mooring was delightfully secluded when we tied up but we now have a hire boat that decided THE place to moor along the wonderful deserted stretch was 10ft in front of us!

 

Now then - about Mr Mole's post - I don't think that was a direct quote of my text - I know I was chuntering no actually on the point of fuming at one point when I text him but I don't think I ever used the term pillock did I? - oh please God - I really hope I did not call that lovely chap on the boat that spent most of Hatton flight a few locks ahead of us a pillock!! Neil on Silver Sun (former anglo welsh boat) is actually a cracking chap who is likely to be a new member of the forum very soon so if he is reading this please accept my apologies if I was chuntering at you for not waiting for us! I think he was actually chuntering at us for taking so flippin long that we did not catch up with him.

 

We had not long started our day when a boat passed us on our mooring near the top of Hatton. We were no where near ready to set off so the momentary consideration of whether to go and share locks with them was quickly dismissed. We spent the next hour and a half pottering about on the boat doing "stuff" hoping another boat would materialise to share with but no one arrived. With hindsight I suspect what happened was that Neil having passed us a few hundred yards back, was on the top lock mooring hoping a boat would come along to share with him and when it did not he set off. We made a start and all the locks were against us. Dave twisted his knee agravating a recent injury by the third lock so I told him to stay on board meaning I was going ahead 2 locks to set the lock then coming back to open the next lock before going back to open the lock the boat was in to let him out then close the gate and paddle. quite tiring!

When we got onto the straight section where you can see down a lot of locks I was certain I glimpsed a chap opening a paddle about 2 locks ahead and was certain there was a boat coming up. I stopped setting the locks so far ahead. I then lost sight of the person or the boat and decided I must have imagined it. Then there were 2 boats on the way up. they reached us and advised there had been a chap working his boat down single handed only 2 locks ahead of us! They had suggested to him that he wait for us to catch up but he seemed certain there was no boat following him - I think I must have been wandering back to close a lock when he looked for us. Then we saw him. Waiting in a lock - finally he was waiting for us and only 1 lock ahead. I opened both paddles on this one to try and speed us along as I knew the next lock was already ready for us. I looked again and he was gone! another pair of boats on the way up and he had left the lock. I was convinced at this point that he had left the lock to gain the advantage of the locks in his favour and I was chuntering big time - very weary with loads of locks to go and guaranteed they would all be against us. It was raining lots as well - I was not a happy bunny!

The pair of boats were not even out of the next lock so we had to wait for them - and then turn the lock for them to come through :lol: - chunter chunter - I made a cup of tea and had a choccie bicky and chuntered some more then one of the people on the pair of boats told us the lone boater was waiting one lock down for us. He had set off because he lost sight of us and decided we were having a break.

We finally entered the next lock and the chap walked up to meet us. He has only had his boat since December - given up his job and set off - He has hired boats before but this single handed continuous crusing lark is quite new to him. I suggested when we reach his boat we breast up and work through together. He had not come across the concept before and was willing and happy to get some help. A couple of ropes were soon tied and Dave took the tiller of the pair while Neil and I soon got a great rhythm going and zipped through the remaining locks in no time. His concern was where we could find a launderette in Warwick but s text to the lovely BSP soon produced a reply with directions on how to find two launderettes and which pubs to wait in while the laundry is done! If Neil needed any persuasion that this forum is full of helpful characters that will be willing to advise him along his route then that text was probably it.

Neil if you do read this - I am really, really sorry if I chuntered at you for not waiting for us!!! A lesson I am still learning is that there are often reasons why people behave the way they do on the canal. Just because their behaviour impacts you does not mean they are trying to deliberately spoil your day - it might just be inexperience.

With that lesson under my belt I am looking at the stern of a hire boat through the cratch window where they was once an uninterrupted view of canal and wondering what their reason is