Long Winter Evenings

[Emerald Fox]

"Masturbation then sleep ??" ...or 'sheep' for the Aussies & NZ boaters?

 

No-one has mentioned basting the swans they have caught and put in the oven.

 

Night is a good time to go foraging for firewood...

 

How about learning Japanese? Or doing an Open University course? With the Internet there are no limits, only your own laziness.

 

Night photography? I haven't seen many photos of boats in the dark...

 

Pubs are cheery places in which to retire to and write postcards - send one to yourself if you have no friends?

 

Candle-lit dinners on board with an agreeable South African Chenin blanc...

 

Ride your bike to some local churches for bell ringing practice evenings...

 

Catch a train to London and go to the cinema...?

 

(orf to bed now with 'Anderton for Orders', almost finished)

[system 4-50]

Ride your bike to some local churches for bell ringing practice evenings...

Highly recommended. Search Dove for times & places.

[DeanS]

In the summer you dont get an evening, because by the time the sun goes down, it's very late. In winter you get more relaxing time, sitting by the fire, glass of wine, watching Netflix, reading, posting on this forum ;-)

 

Both seasons are gems for their own reasons.

[Naughty Cal]

I thought it was obvious but clearly not.

 

You can cruise until it gets dark and in Summer we'd probably be tying up maybe 7ish, sometimes later. When the dark evenings force you to get sorted by 4-5pm there's more time to kill.

 

Also with long evenings you can potter about outside, walk dogs etc. and as Robbo mentions often there will be someone to have a chat with.

 

Being an outdoors sort of person I've always found Winter hard to get through and where we live the days are a lot shorter than down south.

You don't have to moor up when it gets dark. That is your choice to do so.

 

There is always a job somewhere on a boat that needs tending too so you shouldn't get too bored!

[Ricco1]

 

Would like to try that but don't get too many big waves on the Grand Union, except if someone goes past too fast

 

Surfing for me too. Not actually doing it, but planning the trip now booked for 2 months in the new year. I booked the flight yesterday at the mind boggling sum of £495 return to Bali. Includes 30kg baggage and an extra 10kg free for a surfboard. Mine weighs close to that, I'm too old to try to kid myself that I can ride a short board. I now need to sort insurance, look up accommodation, call on some contacts over there, get a new rash vest etc. etc.

 

As much as I love living on my boat (overall) the thought of being on it from now until the days get longer again would fill me with dread. I'm not a night person, nor an inside person.

[Mac of Cygnet]

 

 

Candle-lit dinners on board with an agreeable South African Chenin blanc...

 

 

Just waiting for someone to call you a racist. Are Chinese classed as whites anyway?

[junior]

Week days it's The One Show, Eastenders the Corrie and bed at 9pm. Saturdays is X Factor > Casualty > Match of the day then bed. Sundays is Antiques Road Show > Country File > Downton Abbey then bed.

 

I go to bed early most nights and get up early and go cruising during the day.

[Lady Muck]

I posed this question on another thread just as it was running out of steam so didn't get much response. thought I'd try again over here.

 

I can see a time in another few years when we might spend the whole year on board. The weather doesn't concern me at all, one thing that does bother me slightly though is how to get through the long evenings once the clocks go back in October.

 

So I wonder how folks who already live aboard full time while away the dark evenings or do you just go to the pub?

 

We are both internet addicts and music fans and we like red wine. We read a lot. Not really pub goers, total stay-at-home hermits. I love winter. I love falling asleep on the couch next to the burner. I would quite happily lock the door and not go out til March. But, hey, the dog needs walking, now. Friends of ours tried living onboard this year, but would fall into a big sulk and get very depressed everytime it was bad weather. I don't get this, I love hiding in my cozy boat. They have moved off now.

Edited November 11, 2014 by Lady Muck

[patty-ann]

I dunno about bell ringing, I tried that once ...talk about scary....flipping bells have minds of their own, uncontrollable...hated it.

[system 4-50]

I dunno about bell ringing, I tried that once ...talk about scary....flipping bells have minds of their own, uncontrollable...hated it.

You must have encountered a bad tutor, there is no way you should have felt scared. A scared learner means they are not being taught properly. A pity, it is a unique activity where you can go anywhere in the country and be made welcome immediately.

[ditchcrawler]

You must have encountered a bad tutor, there is no way you should have felt scared. A scared learner means they are not being taught properly. A pity, it is a unique activity where you can go anywhere in the country and be made welcome immediately.

Surprising how many boaters do it.

[Naughty Cal]

This helps

 

[Neil2]

Well bell ringing is something I would never have thought of, and having done a little research I may very well take that suggestion further. Many thanks to those who suggested it.

[nb Innisfree]

This helps

 

Wot, no 'endersons on it?

[Naughty Cal]

Wot, no 'endersons on it?

In it of course!

[Pykebird]

I try to get all my outside jobs done as soon as I get back from work before it gets dark. As I rarely stay on my mooring I am usually moving the boat back and forward at least a couple of times a week. Even if I only go a small distance I don't feel "trapped".

The dogs get a long walk at lunchtime so its in the day light. I often pop round to a friends boat for dinner and she comes to mine. We sometimes still sit out with neighbours and light a fire, but I usually cave in and get too cold!

I read, go online ,do some baking, knitting, go down the pup out with friends and sometimes just sit.

The danger is though I then tend to start planning what improvements I can make to the boat.

[Neil2]

I try to get all my outside jobs done as soon as I get back from work before it gets dark. As I rarely stay on my mooring I am usually moving the boat back and forward at least a couple of times a week. Even if I only go a small distance I don't feel "trapped".

The dogs get a long walk at lunchtime so its in the day light. I often pop round to a friends boat for dinner and she comes to mine. We sometimes still sit out with neighbours and light a fire, but I usually cave in and get too cold!

I read, go online ,do some baking, knitting, go down the pup out with friends and sometimes just sit.

The danger is though I then tend to start planning what improvements I can make to the boat.

Absolutely - that's what I'm trying to avoid... usually involves spending more money!

[Naughty Cal]

Planning doesn't cost anything!

[keble]

Knotting! Not having done any splicing or whipping (!) since I were a lad, I had a go one winter. Used Ben Selfe's book "Knots for the Cut" and found it very satisfying.

Even spliced a couple of lengths to make a longer centre line and it's survived several years use.

Must have a go at those decorative knots, eg Turks Head

[Sunsoup]

Do an OU course, there's loads of subjects to choose from.

[Neil2]

Knotting! Not having done any splicing or whipping (!) since I were a lad, I had a go one winter. Used Ben Selfe's book "Knots for the Cut" and found it very satisfying.

Even spliced a couple of lengths to make a longer centre line and it's survived several years use.

Must have a go at those decorative knots, eg Turks Head

Thank you for this suggestion, I know how to do basic splicing but I've always wanted to learn more.

Do an OU course, there's loads of subjects to choose from.

Yep, another good idea, blindingly obvious in hindsight but it hadn't occurred to me.

[blackrose]

The same as people living in a house I should expect

Yes, I watch tv, listen to music, go on the interweb, and once a week a have my Wed evening wank. It's booked in the diary.

[Rickent]

Yes, I watch tv, listen to music, go on the interweb, and once a week a have my Wed evening wank. It's booked in the diary.

 

 

 

 

only Wednesday ?

Monday and friday are in my diary. .....

[wullie]

Just wish i had this prob. as it cant come quick enough for us hope by this time next year we will find out what we will do, read, start writing letters again instead of emails and pub pub pub and not forgetting pub hic.

[Starcoaster]

Week days it's The One Show, Eastenders the Corrie and bed at 9pm. Saturdays is X Factor > Casualty > Match of the day then bed. Sundays is Antiques Road Show > Country File > Downton Abbey then bed.

 

Who are you and what have you done to Junior?!

Edited November 17, 2014 by Starcoaster