First journey, Bristol - Bath

[sassan]

So, we set off yesterday on our first journey, Bristol to Bath.

Due to the tides, we couldn't leave the harbour until 12:30, and due to a hangover and the huge number of ferries ("we'll just wait till this one goes"), we didn't manage to leave our winter mooring until well gone 13:00.

 

We were moored in St Augustine's reach and facing the wrong way. We've had to turn the boat around here a few times already (practise drives around the harbour, filling diesel, etc) and are not too bad at it now, but the wind was awful, blowing strongly to the north, making it hard to turn and pushing us into the steadily narrower and narrower channel. We've encountered this here once before, but neither time come to any harm, and made it in the end.

 

Fortunately a neighbour reminded us of how low the prince street bridge is, so we were able to remove everything from our roof before setting off (would have been damn awkward to do if we'd only realised when we approached the bridge!

 

Traffic gradually became less and less as we got towards temple-meads, quite a nice journey. Netham lock was open, straight through. Forgot which way I was supposed to turn at Netham lock (no signs, either) but fortunately guessed right (left) and was relieved to see the sign behind me warning of the weir in the other direction.

 

Feeder canal was quite nice (other than the busy road adjacent), but a lot of fallen branches in it, most of them just held steady with ropes (if it's possible to get a rope around it, why not just pull it out?), the ropes proved as much of a problem as the branches when my concentration lapsed.

 

Had a very nice gentle introduction to locks with Hanham lock (only about 2 feet difference at this point) and fortunately shared with a nice bunch of more experienced boaters.

 

A very nice, relaxed journey followed, watching the river wildlife go by (ducks, geese, moorhens, dead sheep, etc).

 

Unfortunately, the journey was somewhat too relaxing and I forgot to check the time for the whole day and as a result it got dark on me unexpectedly and we were left hurriedly looking for somewhere to moor for the night (and get dinner, hadn't eaten all day!).

 

We temporarily stopped 30m above saltford lock (against a sign that said "unsafe for large boats :s") , while I went to ask in the Jolly Sailor (which everyone seemed to recommend for food, etc) if they knew of any visitor moorings nearby. They said we could moor on the lock landing for the night and move on in the morning (I'm not sure how much I trust this, is this generally ok (if directed)?).

 

We rather regretted not having stopped on the landing when we went in to ask them, and decided to reverse into place. Unfortunately the pull from the weir made this very difficult and we decided to instead continue and find somewhere else (remembering some visitor moorings at the Riverside Inn, not much further up). Unfortunately, we failed to find any available visitor moorings, and finally came to the decision to moor up on the river bank.

 

I brought the front of the boat in, but couldn't get it in far enough for Babs to jump to the shore. It was a short enough distance for my longer legs to jump, so I climbed along the side of the boat to reach the front. Unfortunately the rain had made the gunwhales a little slippery and I fell in.

 

After hauling my way back onto the front of the boat, I found that all my scrabbling had pushed the front of the boat further from the bank, at this point shock from the cold and keenness for a speedy resolution and subsequent sleep led me to the rather daft conclusion that "I was just in there, I can jump in again and swim with a rope to the bank.

 

It took roughly 10 seconds to realise what a stupid idea this was, as my clothes now (rather predictably) weighed a ton. I aborted and scrabbled my way back onto the boat.

 

Now rather cold and wet, I decided to move the boat along further and get closer to the bank. Ended up in a very questionable mooring position with a tree against the middle. Very rocky ground made getting mooring stakes in at the front very difficult, but we managed it.

 

Ate the best beans on toast of my life (now too late for pub food). Slept. Very well. Awoke in the morning pleased to find the boat still there. The bank looked a lot friendlier by morning.

 

Returning to complete the remaining leg to Bath this evening.

 

 

A great day, a challenging but ultimately successful ending, a good story and many lessons learned .

[Rebotco]

That was a tough day's work!

When I did that trip, mooring was also a problem, especially when unfamiliar with the territory.

I finished up mooring in the dark at Saltford lock, just outside Mastawerks caopies premises where there is a bit of a pontoon.

Is yours the same Widebeam Boomshanka that used to be moored at Bathampton? Always thought that was a particularly striking boat.

Anyway, I was quite glad to get on to the canal at Bath locks, and enjoy a quieter life!

Sounds as though you will appreciate a little less excitement too!

Happy cruising - hope to see you on the K & A soon.

[sassan]

That was a tough day's work!

When I did that trip, mooring was also a problem, especially when unfamiliar with the territory.

I finished up mooring in the dark at Saltford lock, just outside Mastawerks caopies premises where there is a bit of a pontoon.

Is yours the same Widebeam Boomshanka that used to be moored at Bathampton? Always thought that was a particularly striking boat.

Anyway, I was quite glad to get on to the canal at Bath locks, and enjoy a quieter life!

Sounds as though you will appreciate a little less excitement too!

Happy cruising - hope to see you on the K & A soon.

 

Must be another boat (thought it was a fairly unusual name, but maybe not), We're not a widebeam and I think the previous owners were never moored long term in Bathampton. How long ago are we talking?

[Rebotco]

Must be another boat (thought it was a fairly unusual name, but maybe not), We're not a widebeam and I think the previous owners were never moored long term in Bathampton. How long ago are we talking?

 

12 - 18 months? Sort of brown and yellow colours.

Still, if you're not a widebeam it must be a different boat!

[sassan]

12 - 18 months? Sort of brown and yellow colours.

Still, if you're not a widebeam it must be a different boat!

 

definitely a different boat. We're green with some red and yellow trim

[sassan]

Update: A much easier trip the rest of the way to bath yesterday.

[David Mack]

We temporarily stopped 30m above saltford lock (against a sign that said "unsafe for large boats :s") , while I went to ask in the Jolly Sailor (which everyone seemed to recommend for food, etc) if they knew of any visitor moorings nearby. They said we could moor on the lock landing for the night and move on in the morning (I'm not sure how much I trust this, is this generally ok (if directed)?).

 

When we did the same trip some years ago we ended up mooring up awkwardly on the back of the lock landing stage at Saltford, half outside the short green nb. Later the widebeam cruiser came through and we invited them to tie up along side us. And spent a convivial evening in the Jolly Sailor with their crew.

 

[sassan]

Ah, I now understand, they meant the back of the landing stage!

 

Did consider that, would've been easier too. Ah well, tired self didn't think!