Iona and Monty are off to Coventry

[Ange]

After spending nearly 2 years in the North West we're finally heading back down to the Midlands. We're currently moored up beside my mum & dad's boat, Monty, at Sale on the Bridgewater. Tomorrow we're setting off for Coventry via the Trent & Mersey, accompanied by mum & dad who are out for a month. After that we'll we ambling round the Midlands for a while.

 

We always enjoy meeting up with fellow CWDF members so I thought I'd run this thread to update our whereabouts on a daily basis (connection permitting!) If we're passing you give us a wave and if we're moored up near you give us a shout if you fancy meeting up for a beer.

 

[choogh]

After spending nearly 2 years in the North West we're finally heading back down to the Midlands. We're currently moored up beside my mum & dad's boat, Monty, at Sale on the Bridgewater. Tomorrow we're setting off for Coventry via the Trent & Mersey, accompanied by mum & dad who are out for a month. After that we'll we ambling round the Midlands for a while.

 

We always enjoy meeting up with fellow CWDF members so I thought I'd run this thread to update our whereabouts on a daily basis (connection permitting!) If we're passing you give us a wave and if we're moored up near you give us a shout if you fancy meeting up for a beer.

 

 

 

After 2 years up't' north.. thi still cant spell Lanky...

 

Enjoy.

[Ange]

After 2 years up't' north.. thi still cant spell Lanky...

 

Enjoy.

 

 

Thank you

[Guest]

 

Thank you

 

You're down our neck of the woods - or at least close fairly close we MAY be heading down the Coventry after this Friday, subject to stuff at home.

 

So if we see you we'll give you a shout.

 

 

 

Can't type edit...

Edited May 16, 2011 by MJG

[Liam]

Good to see you both this weekend and last weekend Ange & Dave... Enjoy your trip!

[Ange]

You're down our neck of the woods - or at least close fairly close we MAY be heading down the Coventry after this Friday, subject to stuff at home.

 

So if we see you we'll give you a shout.

 

We'll keep an eye out for you.

 

 

Good to see you both this weekend and last weekend Ange & Dave... Enjoy your trip!

 

Was good to catch up with you & Kerry too Thanks for the good wishes. We shouted hello to Kerry as we passed Ariel but I'm not sure if she recognised us. We couldn't see the paint job as Unity was in the way.

 

We had a fairly late start today and only cruised for a few hours in the dispiriting drizzle so we haven't got very far yet! We've just moored up near London Road Bridge at Stockton Heath for the night.

 

Hello to the chap at Hesford Marina who called out that he'd read this thread and wished us well

[Ange]

We managed to run out of diesel today - that's a first. I was in the cabin and suddenly there was silence! Fortunately we always carry a spare can so it wasn't a major problem. Dave initially thought we must have been victims of diesel theft, but when we totted up the miles since we last filled up, which include the Ribble Crossing, we realised that it was about right. We've got to get used to the increased usage that moving every day creates!!

 

We're moored up for the night outside The Old Broken Cross pub - we'll be popping in there later for a few pints of ale (it'd be rude not to wouldn't it )

[Liam]

Hello to the chap at Hesford Marina who called out that he'd read this thread and wished us well

 

That will be Stuart, he said he had just been reading one of my comments on here when I phoned Hesfords to book my slot for dragging Ariel out this Friday.

 

We managed to run out of diesel today - that's a first.

 

And not long before did you pass a diesel boat, oh well

 

Dipstick for Christmas, I think, Irene!

[Ange]

 

And not long before did you pass a diesel boat, oh well

 

Dipstick for Christmas, I think, Irene!

 

Hmm yes - guilty as charged m'lud!! I think dipstick is the appropriate term

[Ange]

We're now moored up for the night in Wheelock. I'd forgotten how miserable locking in the rain is - we normally don't cruise when it's raining!! We're having a couple of beers in the Cheshire Cheese early this evening if anyone's in the area

 

The Cheshire Locks, aka Heartbreak Hill tomorrow

[mrsmelly]

 

 

We're moored up for the night outside The Old Broken Cross pub - we'll be popping in there later for a few pints of ale (it'd be rude not to wouldn't it )

With you on this one dont you just hate those people who take a prime spot outside a pub and stay onboard and play scrabble

[Ange]

Well we didn't quite do all the Cheshire locks in one day - we've got 6 left to do in the morning then Harecastle Tunnel. Taking two boats up through the locks was interesting. It was great when the pairs of locks were both working but I reckon there were more where one was out of action than not. I wish I'd have counted now. There were some very stiff paddles as well.

 

Moored for the night just past lock 47 in Church Lawton - time for a beer and chill out

[Ange]

I was hoping to make it to Stone today but we've fallen just short and are moored up for the night at Barlaston - setting for the "Barlaston dawn" photo that adorned the front page of the forum as photo of the month winner May 2007 for quite a considerable length of time!

 

Dave is convinced the water levels on the Trent & Mersey have dropped considerably since we came up here 2 years ago. He particularly noticed it in the Harecastle Tunnel as he didn't have to stoop down at all this time. We could have saved ourselves a bit of time clearing crap belongings off the roof if we'd known!!

 

If we thought the paddle gear on the Cheshire Locks was hard we found Stoke locks dreadful. They were slow going as well and there seems to be a southbound exodus - we went through Harecastle with 5 other boats and only one went the other way. There was a long line of boats going down Stoke locks and hardly anything coming up.

 

Probably popping into the Plume of Feathers tonight for a couple.

[Ange]

Not a lot to report today - a much less strenuous day than the last few! Hello to the forumite (Panda?) who shouted hello to Dave as we passed - I was making a brew at the time so missed you.

 

Our favourite boat name of the day is "Lord Byron's Maggot" - wish we'd have had the camera handy.

 

Moored for the night at Great Haywood.

[pandajulienne]

Not a lot to report today - a much less strenuous day than the last few! Hello to the forumite (Panda?) who shouted hello to Dave as we passed - I was making a brew at the time so missed you.

 

Our favourite boat name of the day is "Lord Byron's Maggot" - wish we'd have had the camera handy.

 

Moored for the night at Great Haywood.

It was Panda Julienne, next time its no sugar in mine. Hope you have a great trip to Coventry! perhaps the have cleaned the canal from Hawksbury to the basin as the last time we went there we came across a sofa and sunken wheelie bins as well as the usual crud.

Paul

Edited May 21, 2011 by pandajulienne

[Ange]

It was Panda Julienne, next time its no sugar in mine. Hope you have a great trip to Coventry! perhaps the have cleaned the canal from Hawksbury to the basin as the last time we went there we came across a sofa and sunken wheelie bins as well as the usual crud.

Paul

 

Hi Paul

 

Hopefully when we pass next we'll have a bit more time so can stop for a brew.

 

We haven't been to the Basin for 2 years so I've no idea what it's like - will report back.

[Ange]

I forgot to mention our drama the other day. We had our dinner then walked up to mum & dad's boat which was moored up about three boats away from us in the direction of the pub. Mum is already on the towpath, dad is on the back of the boat - as he does up one of the two padlocks that secure their boat he shouts to mum "you have got your keys on you haven't you?" The answer was no

 

Dave walked back to our boat and fetched a big hammer and sturdy screwdriver to try to break the padlock - which is quite small and looked easy to crack. Lots of clanging rang out across the cut with no effect. Then Dave went back to our boat and fetched his handsaw- it soon became apparent that the padlock may be small but it is very strong - the saw made no impression at all.

 

What followed was a combination of the two, holding the padlock at various angles and noisily bashing it with the hammer and screwdriver, thoughts of sawing through the body of the padlock rather than the U bit and discussions about mum & dad sleeping the night on our boat and calling out the locksmiths in the morning rather than paying out of hours charges. All the time me & mum watching our husbands coming close to bashing their fingers off, and people in the houses opposite looking to see what all the din was about.

 

At this point I said to Dave "haven't you got a power tool that'd cut the padlock?". Eyes lit up, Dave & dad went back to our boat, lugged our generator along the towpath along with the angle grinder. Two minutes later (and a lot of sparks!) the padlock had been sliced through. The relief was immense - we'd envisaged losing the best part of the next day either calling out a locksmith at some expense or scouting around via public transport for the tools to crack the padlock.

 

ETA the three or four minutes we ran our generator to cut the padlock were at about 8.30pm - norty us!!

Edited May 22, 2011 by Ange

[Ange]

I forgot to award myself plonker of the day award. While we've been locking two boats through narrow locks I've stayed with mum & dad to help them and Dave has been locking single handed with our boat. I'm not the brightest spark first thing in the morning, in fact I'm a total waste of space, apparently functioning but brain dead. I reached lock number 2 of the day to find Dave had set it, drove the boat in, emptied it and opened the gates on his own. When mum & I arrived he climbed back on the boat and prepared to leave the lock. I started shutting my gate on him and ordered mum to shut hers - mum was very confused but trusted this 2 year liveaboard knew best. One toot of the horn and a big whistle from the depths of the lock woke my brain up!!

 

Ho hum

Edited May 22, 2011 by Ange

[Ange]

Well the wind certainly made life quite exciting today!! Why are there always boats moored up on the offside with their owner aboard when you get blown across the cut while waiting for the lock to fill

 

We've made it onto the Coventry Canal now and are moored up just past bridge 90. We were hoping to make it to Whittington but we stopped to watch the Grand Prix. Hopefully we'll make it to Atherstone by the end of tomorrow and then Coventry Basin on Tuesday.

[Guest]

Well the wind certainly made life quite exciting today!! Why are there always boats moored up on the offside with their owner aboard when you get blown across the cut while waiting for the lock to fill

 

We've made it onto the Coventry Canal now and are moored up just past bridge 90. We were hoping to make it to Whittington but we stopped to watch the Grand Prix. Hopefully we'll make it to Atherstone by the end of tomorrow and then Coventry Basin on Tuesday.

 

You've scooted past us - we have decided to stay marina bound due to the wind.

 

Enjoy the rest of your trip...

[romarni123]

Will give you a wave when you go past

[Ange]

You've scooted past us - we have decided to stay marina bound due to the wind.

 

Enjoy the rest of your trip...

 

I must admit we wouldn't normally boat on windy days but my brother's expecting us and mum & dad only have a limited amount of time for the trip. Damn, just checked the forecast and it looks like it's set to be windy all week.

 

 

Will give you a wave when you go past

 

I'll look out for you - whereabouts are you moored?

[romarni123]

I must admit we wouldn't normally boat on windy days but my brother's expecting us and mum & dad only have a limited amount of time for the trip. Damn, just checked the forecast and it looks like it's set to be windy all week.

 

 

 

 

I'll look out for you - whereabouts are you moored?

In hawkins boat yard next to the locks

[Ange]

Atherstone is looking a bit less likely now. We set off at 8am but have had to moor up because of the wind. Hopefully it'll drop later on cos we really need to make it to the next services to empty loos.

 

I think I'll snuggle up under my duvet with a book now to warm up!

[Guest]

Atherstone is looking a bit less likely now. We set off at 8am but have had to moor up because of the wind. Hopefully it'll drop later on cos we really need to make it to the next services to empty loos.

 

I think I'll snuggle up under my duvet with a book now to warm up!

 

Viscous isn't it?

 

We are currently bobbing about like a cork moored in the marina - we haven't ventured out at all yet and it's the longest we have ever been on the boat still moored here.