Should 1st Time Aussies go Canal Boating in Winter

[Nic]

Rain isn't that much of a problem though, I've been out in plenty of downpours - okay so long as you've got waterproofs on. Though it does take someone determined as you can often have a freezing face.

 

A few points to consider for winter cruising:

 

Daylight. I went out for new year in 2003/4 and often the canal was frozen in the morning, which melted once the sun was up a while. Though the air was chilly it made pleasant cruising weather so long as you were wrapped up. Once it got to about 3pm the sun would be setting and the temperature started plummeting and the canal icing over. So you really have a maximum of 11am-3pm, unless you really want to cruise in the freezing twilight.

 

Thermals. Ensure you plan time to shop for thermal underwear (long johns and vests) - I don't normally where these but I'd got some for the previous New Year's (as we were in Norway at -13C) and they were really useful when your outside on the aft deck.

 

Gas. If you have gas central heating, take plenty (maybe try and negotiate for an extra bottle even if it means paying £13 or so for it). That year the seal on our coal stove had gone so we went through 2 bottles in about 4 days luckily we found a boatyard on New Years Day willing to sell a bottle.

 

Ice. Getting frozen in is a possibility, so you may want to plan in days when you may not be able to move. Or it maybe parts of the canal are frozen. On that New Year we had under 1cm of ice but had someone on the bow with a barge pole cracking it (its not so much your boat but if there are plastic cruisers moored as sheet ice can go through the hull!). Mind you we were out for easter this year (2 weeks and got frozen in for 5 days - luckily we had a lazy holiday planned as it didn't freeze until day 4 of our holiday. The worst point was fresh water we needed to go a couple hundred yards to the water point to fill up when we were low.

[Daryl]

Hi All,

 

Well only one month to go before National Lampoons The Blake's European Vacation and much reading has been done having received a number of canal guides in the mail.

 

The weather has also been a subject of much interest both on the internet and Foxtel. Here's hoping that it won't rain too much. Maybe I should bring the drought we are having here in Australia at the moment. Everything here is a lovely shade of brown, though over the last few days we've had a cold snap which has resulted in snow falling the alps. Probably more that actually fell during ski season.

 

For anyone who is interested we will be cruising the Kennett and Avon canal from the 18th to the 21st of December on the NB Kintbury. I don't think we'll get to far past Newbury before we have to turn around, but it should be fun anyway. Just look for the guy in the Akubra hat who is struggling to get through the locks. I'll try and keep the swearing to a minimum.

 

Regards - Daryl

 

 

Rain isn't that much of a problem though, I've been out in plenty of downpours - okay so long as you've got waterproofs on. Though it does take someone determined as you can often have a freezing face.

 

A few points to consider for winter cruising:

 

Daylight. I went out for new year in 2003/4 and often the canal was frozen in the morning, which melted once the sun was up a while. Though the air was chilly it made pleasant cruising weather so long as you were wrapped up. Once it got to about 3pm the sun would be setting and the temperature started plummeting and the canal icing over. So you really have a maximum of 11am-3pm, unless you really want to cruise in the freezing twilight.

 

Thermals. Ensure you plan time to shop for thermal underwear (long johns and vests) - I don't normally where these but I'd got some for the previous New Year's (as we were in Norway at -13C) and they were really useful when your outside on the aft deck.

 

Gas. If you have gas central heating, take plenty (maybe try and negotiate for an extra bottle even if it means paying £13 or so for it). That year the seal on our coal stove had gone so we went through 2 bottles in about 4 days luckily we found a boatyard on New Years Day willing to sell a bottle.

 

Ice. Getting frozen in is a possibility, so you may want to plan in days when you may not be able to move. Or it maybe parts of the canal are frozen. On that New Year we had under 1cm of ice but had someone on the bow with a barge pole cracking it (its not so much your boat but if there are plastic cruisers moored as sheet ice can go through the hull!). Mind you we were out for easter this year (2 weeks and got frozen in for 5 days - luckily we had a lazy holiday planned as it didn't freeze until day 4 of our holiday. The worst point was fresh water we needed to go a couple hundred yards to the water point to fill up when we were low.

[Sir Nibble]

I'll try and keep the swearing to a minimum.

Well then we won't know you're bloody strines will we?

[Yoda]

Well then we won't know you're bloody strines will we?

 

They might be lucky with the weather.

[Bones]

They might be lucky with the weather.

 

 

even as a child I never really understood that one - of course they'll be lucky with the weather... the only time they'd be unlucky would be if they didn't have any weather at all.

[Yoda]

even as a child I never really understood that one - of course they'll be lucky with the weather... the only time they'd be unlucky would be if they didn't have any weather at all.

 

Was it something I wrote or just indigestion?

[Sir Nibble]

Well no-one can swear like an aussie, they use the english language like a musical instrument. So I for one look forward to the rain!

[Daryl]

Yes,

 

I'll be there by the lock, Akubra hat with corks on strings attached to keep the bloody flys away (you do have flys don't you?), thongs, stubbies, singlet, zinc cream on the nose and a can of Victoria Bitter in my hand singing - "WARNIE" "WARNIE" "WARNIE". Then I'll get me mobile phone out and send a suggestive message to some female half my age. Of course I'll take me hat off to let everyone see me new hair implants. Oh, and I'll have some Cold Chisel playing on me stereo.

 

Stone the flamin crows, hows that for a hideous image? It should keep any canal hoodlums at bay, or get me beaten to death.

 

 

 

Well no-one can swear like an aussie, they use the english language like a musical instrument. So I for one look forward to the rain!

[Sir Nibble]

Lookout! Stereotype!

[anhar]

Lookout! Stereotype!

Talking about Aussie types, I am minded of the magazine Private Eye which a very long time ago had a regular cartoon strip written by Barry Humphries (himself an Australian) about the adventures of an Aussie called, if memory serves, Barry Mackenzie, based on the adventures of an Aussie caricature character. One of his regular themes was to invent a new expression every time he had to take a french.

 

I recall two, one being "I'm just going to shake hands with the unemployed" the other "point percy at the porcelain." Whilst the latter has alliterative qualities it lacks a certain wit which the former certainly has, particularly when considered in the contex known to followers of the strip, that Bazza never managed to score with the ladies. He could never understand why they didn't take to his crude Aussie ways.

 

regards

Steve

Edited November 23, 2006 by anhar

[Yoda]

Fair dinkum mate!!

[Daryl]

Hi All,

 

Well only four days to go before we go white water rafting on the Kennett and Avon. If you're not busy come and watch a bunch of aussie land lubbers try and get through a lock without looking like a pack of tossers.

 

Hope to see at least someone out there. We're really quite a friendly bunch accept when it comes to cricket which btw we will probably win and get to dance on the ashes of another English cricket team.

 

Now that should bring someone out in the rain for a bit of a barney.

 

Capt'n Dazza

[tomsk]

Hi All,

 

Well only four days to go before we go white water rafting on the Kennett and Avon. If you're not busy come and watch a bunch of aussie land lubbers try and get through a lock without looking like a pack of tossers.

 

Hope to see at least someone out there. We're really quite a friendly bunch accept when it comes to cricket which btw we will probably win and get to dance on the ashes of another English cricket team.

Now that should bring someone out in the rain for a bit of a barney.

 

Capt'n Dazza

 

 

This comment is ill-concieved and premature.... Did you witness Montys fivefer earlier?..... Giles already packed and on his way home.... Only question left to ask is why he wasn't blooded earlier....

[Bones]

Hi All,

 

Well only four days to go before we go white water rafting on the Kennett and Avon. If you're not busy come and watch a bunch of aussie land lubbers try and get through a lock without looking like a pack of tossers.

 

You are going to have great fun - don't forget to pack your sense of humour and arm bands!

[John Orentas]

You are going to have great fun - don't forget to pack your sense of humour and arm bands!

 

 

Yes you will need your sense of humour this time of year, have you ever researched under what circumstances you ancestors found themselves down there.

[Moley]

here in Australia at the moment with the terrible drought we are having, rain is not something we see much of anymore. In fact you start to get tired of seeing the sun everyday.

 

Well you're coming to the right place.

 

Two or three more bouts of storm force winds are forecast before the month's out, and most regions have already exceded December's usual average rainfall. Of course, that could mean that there's no more to come, but don't bet on it.

 

It's not cold though, last night didn't go below 12°C, making it the warmest December night in living memory.

[Daryl]

Monty's a bit of a goer. Finally someone who can take it up to the Aussie - GAME ON!

 

Hey, Aussies hate nothing more than when our own start believing the media. It should be very interesting from now on.

 

You are so right - why didn't the poms bring this guy out two tests ago?

 

 

This comment is ill-concieved and premature.... Did you witness Montys fivefer earlier?..... Giles already packed and on his way home.... Only question left to ask is why he wasn't blooded earlier....

 

 

Okay - why arm bands and what are they?

 

You are going to have great fun - don't forget to pack your sense of humour and arm bands!

 

Well we might be riding white water, but at least it wont be cold.

 

Well you're coming to the right place.

 

Two or three more bouts of storm force winds are forecast before the month's out, and most regions have already exceded December's usual average rainfall. Of course, that could mean that there's no more to come, but don't bet on it.

 

It's not cold though, last night didn't go below 12°C, making it the warmest December night in living memory.

[bottle]

 

The above is a picture of "arm bands"