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It’s Been a while - have things changed THAT much?


Circe

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47 minutes ago, Circe said:

See, that’s how we remember it. Please tell me things haven’t changed! We always shuffled up or let people moor abreast. Have some gorgeous friends still from our boating days and have been thinking about getting another boat...

It was only 2 weeks ago

 

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9 minutes ago, Circe said:

We’re at Welford lock now - are you the boat at the end furthest from the lock? If so, we’re by the lock and relieved to be moored up.

 

Will definitely wave when we see you tomorrow. We’re in one of the Kate Boats fleet.

 

We knew about the Wilmcote flight (thanks for the heads-up though) - we’ve only got to get as far as Valley Cruisers in Stratford and The lovely people at Kate Boats will rescue us from there.

Yes, we're above the lock, furthest from the lock.

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10 hours ago, MJG said:

We are regularly in Europe but not permanently due to grandparent responsibilities so we content ourselves with regular jaunts across the Channel, off to Spain with the 'van next year as we haven't yet done that far.

We might need to get a few hints and tips off you for travelling in Europe with the dog.

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5 minutes ago, Naughty Cal said:

We might need to get a few hints and tips off you for travelling in Europe with the dog.

No problem, but it is very easy and straightforward.

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1 minute ago, Naughty Cal said:

It did seem to be and that was what was concerning us. It seemed a little too straightforward :lol:

Basically,

 

Get them chipped, compulsory now anyway.

 

At least 21 days prior to travel - Rabies vac and pet passport. Simon's cost £85 four years ago. They must be chipped before or at the same time the passport is issued. Cross check the correct chip ID number has been entered on the pet passport, errors are not unknown.

 

Travel using an 'approved' carrier. (Basicly the major ferry co's and Eurotunnel). We use Eurotunnel because the dog travels with us rather than left in the car or on board kennels. We are doing the 'long' crossing to Bilbao next autumn as they have 'pet friendly' cabins which get booked up virtually as soon as they come on sale.

 

Between 120 hours and 24 hours before your return to the UK have the dog treated with a tapeworm treatment at a vet. We have never had a problem doing this, most vets in Europe seem very familiar with the process. Double check the correct date and time has been entered on the pet passport, again errors are not unknown. This cost us €29 last week but we have paid as much as €45 in the past (Italy I think It was).

 

Travel home following your carriers pet check in procedure for pets first. Eurotunnel's is very slick. You basically visit a seperate building just prior to the main check in where your pet passport is checked along with your dogs chip. You then get the go ahead to check in.

 

That's about it really, along being aware of the extremes of heat and being aware of the increased risk of ticks in some European countries which goes without saying really.

 

 

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2 minutes ago, MJG said:

Basically,

 

Get them chipped, compulsory now anyway.

 

At least 21 days prior to travel - Rabies vac and pet passport. Simon's cost £85 four years ago. They must be chipped before or at the same time the passport is issued. Cross check the correct chip ID number has been entered on the pet passport, errors are not unknown.

 

Travel using an 'approved' carrier. (Basicly the major ferry co's and Eurotunnel). We use Eurotunnel because the dog travels with us rather than left in the car or on board kennels. We are doing the 'long' crossing to Bilbao next autumn as they have 'pet friendly' cabins which get booked up virtually as soon as they come on sale.

 

Between 120 hours and 24 hours before your return to the UK have the dog treated with a tapeworm treatment at a vet. We have never had a problem doing this, most vets in Europe seem very familiar with the process. Double check the correct date and time has been entered on the pet passport, again errors are not unknown. This cost us €29 last week but we have paid as much as €45 in the past (Italy I think It was).

 

Travel home following your carriers pet check in procedure for pets first. Eurotunnel's is very slick. You basically visit a seperate building just prior to the main check in where your pet passport is checked along with your dogs chip. You then get the go ahead to check in.

 

That's about it really, along being aware of the extremes of heat and being aware of the increased risk of ticks in some European countries which goes without saying really.

 

 

Thank you. Much as we expected. 

 

Syd is staying with friends in a few weeks when we travel to Brittany as we didn't think the 12 hour ferry crossing would be fair on him. He would have to stay in the car or in a kennel which he would hate.

 

He is coming to Belgium with us in April though. Getting his passport and rabies jab February time. Vet said it would be £90 for the passport and jab so not too bad.

 

Interesting about the pet friendly cabins on the Bilbao route. Will look into that as we are considering a motor home holiday in Europe next year and that gives us a second crossing option.

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13 hours ago, Circe said:

Hoping there might be a couple of old timers on here who might just remember me. We had a very loved narrowboat, which we sold a couple of years back when my hubby became ill and then changed jobs.

 

We’re finally back on the water (in a hire boat) and smiling so hard you can probably see it from where you are! Or we were.

 

Our middle boy is severely autistic so we generally look for quiet moorings and he likes following what we’re doing on the map, flapping and bouncing all the way. We’re on the Avon today, heading towards Stratford, so it made sense to avoid Bidford and use the moorings above the lock at Bidford Grange (also known as Pilgrim Lock) - from past experience, those are generally not used much at all.

 

Today, there was a single 60ft boat right in the middle of the mooring. We went to chat to the chap who point blank refused to move either up or down the mooring as he’d “just tuned his satellite dish and didn’t want to move (in a straight line) to let us moor up.

 

Meanwhile, our son is becoming hysterical because he doesn’t understand what’s going on (he can see there is space but hasn’t quite got the hang of how long the boat is!) Bloke on mooring is still refusing either to let us moor alongside or shift his boat.

 

Have the waterways really changed that much? We always loved the cameraderie, acceptance and genuine kindness we found when we were afloat.

 

Sorry for the rant. I so feel like naming and shaming. Grrrrrr!

Oh, name and shame, that ignorant prat really should be utterly ashamed of himself. It takes minutes to set up a dish and moving a boat along a few yards won't make much difference. Have also got an autistic son, not severely but have experienced some earth shattering meltdowns. Just back from 10 weeks boating in France, come over here, nice people, loads of space, underused canals. There is something wrong with attitudes on the UK canals these days (not everybody obviously but it only takes a few)

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13 hours ago, Ray T said:

Had similar at Brownsover last year. We were trying to get a 45ft boat into a 44ft gap. The boat in front had at least 10ft behind it. Even lifting the fenders our boat wouldn't fit. I asked the man (refuse to call him a gentleman) quite politely if he could move his boat a foot backwards. Got the reply, "No I've just set my satellite dish up." Me "I suppose that's important then." Him "Yes" and he scuttled into his boat and refused to come out.

 

Unfortunately what I call "motorway manners" are creeping onto the cut. 

Don't understand all the fuss about setting up satellite dishes, we used to spend a minute aligning and once locked on any backward and forward movement or rocking didn't make any difference. I suspect grumpy types just balance their dishes with a combination of string and iffy g clamps and the like. 

Edited by nb Innisfree
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16 minutes ago, Naughty Cal said:

Thank you. Much as we expected. 

 

Syd is staying with friends in a few weeks when we travel to Brittany as we didn't think the 12 hour ferry crossing would be fair on him. He would have to stay in the car or in a kennel which he would hate.

 

He is coming to Belgium with us in April though. Getting his passport and rabies jab February time. Vet said it would be £90 for the passport and jab so not too bad.

 

Interesting about the pet friendly cabins on the Bilbao route. Will look into that as we are considering a motor home holiday in Europe next year and that gives us a second crossing option.

Other routes and ships have them too.

 

Santander and Le Harve.

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Unfortunately I've found that over the last few years an increasing number of boaters have become more insular and selfish. Everyone seems to have become slaves to TV signals and solar panels. Indeed, I was having a conversation along these lines with another solo boater only about 10 days ago.

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25 minutes ago, Bee said:

Oh, name and shame, that ignorant prat really should be utterly ashamed of himself. It takes minutes to set up a dish and moving a boat along a few yards won't make much difference. Have also got an autistic son, not severely but have experienced some earth shattering meltdowns. Just back from 10 weeks boating in France, come over here, nice people, loads of space, underused canals. There is something wrong with attitudes on the UK canals these days (not everybody obviously but it only takes a few)

Didn’t want to break any forum rules. Should I name and shame? I’m still grumbling about him this morning but son is much happier now.

 

The thing we always loved about boating was the acceptance. Plus the boy sleeps better and is generally much happier afloat.

 

Might start thinking about France. Something to ponder for next summer :)

8 minutes ago, Slim said:

Unfortunately I've found that over the last few years an increasing number of boaters have become more insular and selfish. Everyone seems to have become slaves to TV signals and solar panels. Indeed, I was having a conversation along these lines with another solo boater only about 10 days ago.

That’s really not good. Grumpy is one thing but the me-me-me culture is entirely something else. We have a TV on the hire boat but haven’t had it on yet. We’re clearly doing it wrong ?

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16 minutes ago, Circe said:

Didn’t want to break any forum rules. Should I name and shame? I’m still grumbling about him this morning but son is much happier now.

 

The thing we always loved about boating was the acceptance. Plus the boy sleeps better and is generally much happier afloat.

 

Might start thinking about France. Something to ponder for next summer :)

That’s really not good. Grumpy is one thing but the me-me-me culture is entirely something else. We have a TV on the hire boat but haven’t had it on yet. We’re clearly doing it wrong ?

No you are not. We got rid of our TV on board years ago. No need for it. The odd time we want to watch a film we watch it on the tablet. 

 

We are hiring a boat in France next month. Should make a pleasant change.

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14 hours ago, Meanderingviking said:

I know where will it all end and don't I trust daddy Fairbrother as far as Elizabeth could throw him ......

 

How are you bud are we going to see you on the GU? 

 

Not for a while, we have accidentally become Northerners ? , spent last winter on the Weaver and are now stuck on the Rochdale.....but plan to spend the whole winter here, its like a super K&A with far fewer boats and much more spectacular scenery.....and cheaper beer.

 

.................Dave

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The only boat I've been on that had a TV, we hardly watched it because we were doing long days moving the boat, but I'm sure the owner's made plenty of use of the TV since. At first his fancy satellite dish, which automatically aligned itself to the satellite, would only give us the German channels, but we got some advice off the forum about how to adjust the settings for that.

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20 minutes ago, dmr said:

 

Not for a while, we have accidentally become Northerners ? , spent last winter on the Weaver and are now stuck on the Rochdale.....but plan to spend the whole winter here, its like a super K&A with far fewer boats and much more spectacular scenery.....and cheaper beer.

 

.................Dave

Shh!

 

It's grim up north. 

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54 minutes ago, Circe said:

Didn’t want to break any forum rules. Should I name and shame? I’m still grumbling about him this morning but son is much happier now.

 

The thing we always loved about boating was the acceptance. Plus the boy sleeps better and is generally much happier afloat.

 

Might start thinking about France. Something to ponder for next summer :)

That’s really not good. Grumpy is one thing but the me-me-me culture is entirely something else. We have a TV on the hire boat but haven’t had it on yet. We’re clearly doing it wrong ?

Hey, just for a laugh, try to anticipate where grumpy will want to moor up.  Get ahead of him, moor badly and bung the top of your wok on the roof, at a jaunty angle.  He'll really get that you're taking the mick, :giggles:

 

 

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2 minutes ago, Laurie.Booth said:

Avoid Burnley, weird folk come from there.

:) 

There are a lot of odd people up here, they stop in the street and have conversations with total strangers!

I have just replaced two of our batteries so need to find a scrap yard to weigh the old ones in, I believe there is one right in the middle of Burnley!

 

...............Dave

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4 minutes ago, NB Esk said:

Hey, just for a laugh, try to anticipate where grumpy will want to moor up.  Get ahead of him, moor badly and bung the top of your wok on the roof, at a jaunty angle.  He'll really get that you're taking the mick, :giggles:

 

 

Genius! 

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2 hours ago, Naughty Cal said:

Thank you. Much as we expected. 

 

Syd is staying with friends in a few weeks when we travel to Brittany as we didn't think the 12 hour ferry crossing would be fair on him. He would have to stay in the car or in a kennel which he would hate.

 

He is coming to Belgium with us in April though. Getting his passport and rabies jab February time. Vet said it would be £90 for the passport and jab so not too bad.

 

Interesting about the pet friendly cabins on the Bilbao route. Will look into that as we are considering a motor home holiday in Europe next year and that gives us a second crossing option.

Portsmouth to Le Havre on the Brittany Ferries economy line. They have pet and owner cabins on the top deck, right next door to the car deck. 

A lot of Brits bring their dogs over that way, or through the tunnel, though that is a longer journey to our part of France. The vets here in town are really helpful, and very accustomed to dealing with UK owned dogs - and their owners too.

Its a dog friendly world around here too, with, (I think) 9 poobag dispensers in town, and dogs are welcome in bars and restaurants as well. A much more relaxed atmosphere than in the UK.

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2 hours ago, dmr said:

There are a lot of odd people up here, they stop in the street and have conversations with total strangers!

I have just replaced two of our batteries so need to find a scrap yard to weigh the old ones in, I believe there is one right in the middle of Burnley!

 

...............Dave

Yep, right next to the jam butty mine.

:)

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