River Nene open!

[i love my narrowboat]

Sorry I misheard him his name is Leon. A Geordie who told me he lives in a barn near the top of the flight. Seemed sober enough to me and did a good job locking me up all 16.

 

Yes that is the same one, he did a good job taking us down, however I made the big mistake of giving him my phone number... Won't go into details, just crossing fingers we don't see him on our way up to the cut in the spring...

[Purple Fairie]

The working parties have certainly made a big difference. The lower section from lock 14-16 used to be almost impassable in places due to the encroaching reed beds but it's now much better. Many thanks to those who helped.

The brewery is at the bottom of the flight. The barn he pointed out was in a field on the north side opposite lock 3 or 4. Although as purple fairie says he does talk a lot of nonsense so I'm not sure he does live in the barn.

he does live in the barns there, he went into great detail telling us that the farmer is replacing the roof and in so doing depriving him of his home. He also said he was on the council list but they will only offer him a house that no-one else wants!!???

i will give him a cuppa, i will give him food, i will give him a ciggy, when he stands there with his hand out i will give him a slap!

oh, and we've given him a windlass too :-\

[i love my narrowboat]

he does live in the barns there, he went into great detail telling us that the farmer is replacing the roof and in so doing depriving him of his home. He also said he was on the council list but they will only offer him a house that no-one else wants!!???

i will give him a cuppa, i will give him food, i will give him a ciggy, when he stands there with his hand out i will give him a slap!

oh, and we've given him a windlass too :-\

 

He told us the same last May, I wish I had been as sensible as you and not given him any money, and we gave him a windlass too :-)

[Martin Megson]

I don't hand money over to beggers on the street but I felt Leon earned his. He did a good 3hrs work locking me through, did it very well and knew what he was doing. And he was quite entertaining, even if most his stories were bs. I felt he earned a fiver. What he does with it is his choice.

 

I find it ironic that we set moral standards for the homeless saying they will only waste the few bob they get on booze yet don't mind buying records from pop stars and DVDs from film stars who stuff thousands of pounds worth of narcotics into their bodies. Just my two penneth

[Purple Fairie]

Meggers, i totally agree with you but we have had people come into the marina who said they didn't like that he offered 'help' then stood with his hand out asking for £30 at the end, and it has put them off coming down the arm again.

[i love my narrowboat]

I don't hand money over to beggers on the street but I felt Leon earned his. He did a good 3hrs work locking me through, did it very well and knew what he was doing. And he was quite entertaining, even if most his stories were bs. I felt he earned a fiver. What he does with it is his choice.

I find it ironic that we set moral standards for the homeless saying they will only waste the few bob they get on booze yet don't mind buying records from pop stars and DVDs from film stars who stuff thousands of pounds worth of narcotics into their bodies. Just my two penneth

 

We will help anyone in need.we gave him £70 and was hoping that he would spend it wisely, what he spent it on is his business, but he kept text me, first with jokes, then asking for help, when I text back to say that we did not expect to keep in touch on a personal basis and that we exchanged numbers so that we could get him to help us up the locks in the spring. He started getting nasty and threatening violence ( as he likes a drink I know people with a drink problem can turn) I asked him not to text anymore, he then started saying he was going to kill himself. I ignored his texts

The last text he said he was in hospital with a heart attack, which I assume was not true. My friend and I were upset at his texts as he was so pleasant on the flight down.

I got a text just before Xmas quite out of the blue from him asking how we were, I ignored it. Once bitten twice shy ....

[ditchcrawler]

I don't hand money over to beggers on the street but I felt Leon earned his. He did a good 3hrs work locking me through, did it very well and knew what he was doing. And he was quite entertaining, even if most his stories were bs. I felt he earned a fiver. What he does with it is his choice.

 

I find it ironic that we set moral standards for the homeless saying they will only waste the few bob they get on booze yet don't mind buying records from pop stars and DVDs from film stars who stuff thousands of pounds worth of narcotics into their bodies. Just my two penneth

Fiver, he wanted £30 last year when we came up

[Martin Megson]

Sorry to hear he's been bothering you that certainly not acceptable. You should be able to block his number on your phone or report the calls to your phone company.

I can see he could be intimidating. Fortunately I'm big enough to throw him off if I had to. Had I known his history I would have told him to sling his hook. He seemed a happy friendly guy - I obviously caught him on a good day as he was clearly sober. He did say CRT are applying for an ASBO because some people have complained about him.

[Scholar Gypsy]

Thanks for all the tips re Northampton Arm - should be there on 12th April...

 

I wonder where this obstacle will be by then (email just arrived from the EA):

 

 

"

EMERGENCY

RESTRICTION NOTICE

Section 15 Anglian Water Authority Act 1977

Please be aware there is a very large tree stump afloat in the navigation, downstream of Ditchford Lock. Please take care when navigating in this area. "

 

 

 

[i love my narrowboat]

Thanks for all the tips re Northampton Arm - should be there on 12th April...

 

I wonder where this obstacle will be by then (email just arrived from the EA):

 

 

"

EMERGENCY

RESTRICTION NOTICE

Section 15 Anglian Water Authority Act 1977

Please be aware there is a very large tree stump afloat in the navigation, downstream of Ditchford Lock. Please take care when navigating in this area. "

 

 

Hopefully on its way to Thrapston!! I walked the dogs to higham lock yesterday, didn't see it then,

Sorry to hear he's been bothering you that certainly not acceptable. You should be able to block his number on your phone or report the calls to your phone company.

I can see he could be intimidating. Fortunately I'm big enough to throw him off if I had to. Had I known his history I would have told him to sling his hook. He seemed a happy friendly guy - I obviously caught him on a good day as he was clearly sober. He did say CRT are applying for an ASBO because some people have complained about him.

We had offered to drop some camping gear off to him as we felt sorry for him, but by the time we got to Wellingborough and the amount of texts, that gesture went out of the window.. When we go up on the cut, we plan to leave our mooring at first light so hopefully will be up on the cut by the end of day 1 and hopefully miss him.

Meggers, i totally agree with you but we have had people come into the marina who said they didn't like that he offered 'help' then stood with his hand out asking for £30 at the end, and it has put them off coming down the arm again.

Can understand how they feel uncomfortable, we certainly will be wary of him now.

[Martin Megson]

Thanks for all the tips re Northampton Arm - should be there on 12th April...

 

I wonder where this obstacle will be by then (email just arrived from the EA):

 

 

"

EMERGENCY

RESTRICTION NOTICE

Section 15 Anglian Water Authority Act 1977

Please be aware there is a very large tree stump afloat in the navigation, downstream of Ditchford Lock. Please take care when navigating in this area. "

 

 

 

 

It's actually a whole tree root and is about 10 ft across. I passed this on my way up on Monday but can't recall exactly where. It had run aground and was thankfully close to the left bank (heading upstream) in a reasonably wide stretch so no difficulty in passing it. Hopefully it will stay put now the levels have dropped as it's not a problem where it is.

[ditchcrawler]

Denver is closed if you are planing going that far.

[Martin Megson]

Denver is closed if you are planing going that far.

 

Have they broken it again?

[ditchcrawler]

 

Have they broken it again?

Not sure but it has its own thread on here now

 

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=64845#entry1262782

Edited March 12, 2014 by ditchcrawler

[MoominPapa]

Have they broken it again?

Gate motor needs to be removed and sent away for repair, apparently.

 

MP.