Pleasant Saturday

We rose early and set off down the 17 locks to Northampton. We were in no hurry but enjoyed the fact that the locks were set in our favour until the fifth. The pound between lock 4 and 5 was also extremely low. Where does the water go? We crossed with nb Cygnet in the ound between lock 9 and 10. This is a 27 ft craft which is 'just perfect for a man and a dog!' In site its small length he still didn't fit into the lock sideways although he seemed intent on trying!. We stopped at lock eleven for breakfast and nb Marsh Harrier caught us up.

At lock 12 we encountered two obstacles. There was a 45ft multicouloured (with no name or visible license) narrowboat in the lock exit and an angler on the lock mooring. Looking at the characters on the narrowboat, their two alsations and another dog, I thought it easier to move the angler on the lock mooring. The boaters had stopped to chop some wood and for one of them to pop to the shop! When he returned they got on the boat and threw the three dogs on to the towpath. The last to be thrown was a lovely dauberman but by now the boat was more than a dogs throw from the towpath and the poor animal landed with two paws on the lock wall and the rest of his body slammed against it, he struggled on to the path. "Just letting them run, are you?" I asked. I cannot repeat the reply. These three men on a boat didn't deserve the dogs they had. They left a machete and some wood they had been chopping on the lockside.

The remainder of the cruise was weedy but the clear water gave excellent views of the many fishes. We reached the River Nene at about 11 am. We moored with Marsh Harrier at Morrison's, went shopping and had lunch then moved forward to use the excellent facilities at Beckett's Park. Pumped put and refreshed with water we moored on the new moorings at Midsummer Meadow with BCF members on Hotel Boats nb Oak and nb Ash, who awaited guests.

I went for a long walk around the Battlefield of the Battle of Northampton (1460) which is now a nature reserve, with Piglet, a telescope and binoculars. Tigger played football in the park and the Best Mate crocheted in a deck chair.

A nice relaxing day with more than our fair share of sunshine!

Ready, steady

We have arrived at Gayton. Our advisors have suggested that we do all the Northampton Arm and Flight in one go, get onto the River Nene and then moor up tommorrow at Billing Aquadrome. So that's the plan.

We have now moored for the night at the mouth of the Gayton Marina. Apart from the annoying beep beep beep. . . of the Marina entrance swing bridge it is quite nice here. We are in distinguished company. (For security reasons I am unable to disclose ther identity. More another time.). . . It was Granny Buttons

Thundery Lunch

We stopped in Bugbrooke, GU Bridge 36 to get supplies at the village store. A darkening sky was evident in the west and I reached for an umbrella. "Umbrella?" I asked. The Best mate declined with a look of disdain.

We went down the towpath and turned toward the village as the first drops of rain fell. After that a deluge and we ended up under my one umbrella up against a wall . . . whaoooh! I have just been rocked off my stool by a galloping yoghourt pot and a narrowboat trrying to keep up with him. . . . under a tree sheltering from the heaviiest thundery shower we have experienced for some time with the Best Mate regretting her obstinacy!

Provisions bought we returned and then decided to go to The Wharf for lunch, carrying three unbrellas. It was expensive but beautifully served. We might indeed stop again on the way back. So, blown out, we returned once more to the boat as the heavens opened again. In spite of our overhead protection, unlocking the boat one handed while carrying an umbrella was too much and we all got soaked again.

The sun is out now. We will need to proceed toward Gayton Junction in anticipation of Locking Saturday when we plan to descend to the River Nene.

The Reason Why?

The cable broke and we didn't get to eat at the Gongoozler's Rest.
But if we had this sign would have greeted us:



So 'all things work together for good!'

We had a locking partner from Brauston's second lock. They went out of the top lock first as they wanted to be ahead of us in Braunston Tunnel. They didn't want to be behind our smokey 45 year old BMC 1500 that has seen better days. At the entrance to the tunnel they waved us past because their Russel Newberry had died!

We went further than Nick's Canal Planner's suggested mooring between Buckby locks 8 and 9 because the pound was about 15 inches below its usual level. We moored opposite Wilton Marina on 48 hrs. 7.1/2 miles, 13 locks today.

No brecky again!

We didn;t make it to The Gongoozler's Rest again!

We always seem to be impeded in our attempt to get breakfast there. We have enjoyed it once but more often than that we have failed. They ran out of food, we were there oin the wrong day, we were in Braunston at the wrong time of day etc etc. Today, we broke the throttle cable and had to get Peter, the nice RCR marine engineer, out to fit a new one.

Briodge 100 is probably about as inaccessible as you can get on this part of the canal system and he had to borrow his daughter's bike to ease his journey from brisge 97 where he parked.

Call out was at 7.45 this morning. He arrived at 10.30 and has just gone, less than an hour later.

We ahve an hour to Braunston, so....too late for breakfast again!

Gravitational Pull

We are at Bridge 100 again. We have been here before. The bridge is still looking in a sorry state but the view is nice out of the window over the Northamptonshire countryside toward Rugby: with the cement works in the distance.

We ahve stopped here because we are close to Braunston but at the wrong end of the day. We need to be there in the morning to get a breakfast at the Gongoozler's rest.

Piglet emerged from his day bed today to state that he feels much better. He would enjoy a breakfast at the said floating cafe. He must be feeling quite OK because he needs his full appetite to be back! I do not fancy mooring in the middle of the Gonggoozlers in Braunston so have stopped short out in the country.

Here is a picture of Sonflower emerging from bridge 117 in the Napton Flight.

And another entering lock 10, Napton Flight

14.1/2 miles, 9 locks today

Summer's Here

YES! WE ARE ON OUR WAY. Today we start our Summer cruise. But it has already had its problems.

Firstly, Piglet did not wake at his usual 6am this morning. This is so unusual that we were quite concerned. He did have a long day at Alton Towers yesterday and queued for over 3 hours for one ride but this did not explain everything. He ate half his breakfast, again unusual, and then really didn't want to get going. Suddenly, our most enthusiastic lock labourer was not enthusiastic about anything!

Secondly,it rained. This morning, in fact, it poured. Those last minute jobs were now easily achieved because there was no way we were going anywhere in the proverbial torrential.

At about 1.00pm the rain eased and them stopped. We were now fed up with watching boats making a real hash of passing us on our home mooring so we headed off. When I say headed off, this in fact was aft first as we needed to back to the winding hole about 200 yards up the mooring(past ten boats). This procedure would have been excellently carried out, if I may say so myself, had two boats coming toward Banbury not got in the way. We achieved the turn and headed north.

Lunch was a sandwich on the move and we made up a lot of lost time. There were few boats on the move and until we came to Claydon Flight, where there was a queue to come down, there were few locks set in our favour. Not a lot of people to chat to today. We made top level at about 6 pm and proceeded on toward Fenny Compton. Here the heavens opened and the umbrella was put into full use. The moorings were full so we went past and moored just beyond bridge 134.

Dinner was served, Piglet cheered up and we witnessed a beautiful sunny sunset.

The picture shows the Best Mate relaxing for the first time in ages.

11 miles and 11 locks today.

A weekend Break

We would normally be off by now.

School is out. The holidays have started but we are not moving gently northward between familiar banks on our summer holiday cruise.

My nephew and his fiancee have chosen this weekend to get married. This is a great time of celebration and the clan is gathering in Cardiff to witness the event. He says that it is the first wedding in his family for two generations (don't ask!) and everybody is over the moon about it. We love weddings. I have been involved in five as father of the bride or groom and to be on the sidelines for this one will be quite a change. I may even take a few photos without being one of the prime suspects.

It will be fun and we will rush back to the boat on Monday. From then the serious cruising will commence.

Cropredy and Back

It may seem strange to some people but our little cruise to Cropredy and the return this morning was one of the most relaxing outings I have had this year.

It isn't distance that makes boating enjoyable: Cropredy is only 4 (and a bit) miles by canal.

It isn't the weather: We had heavy showers yesterday and light drizzle this morning.

BUt it is the wonder of being on water, with family and friends. We had a very enjoyable evening with Aurega's crew on their mooring. We moored very close to them and our original intention was to return late yesterday evening. But with heavy thundery showers persisting an early start this morning was by far prefereable.

The return to home mooring was without incident in peaceful solitude: not a moving boat on the way and a sleeping crew!

All done for another Four years

YES! The Boat Safety Certificate has been issued and SONFLOWER is now licensable for another four years.

Lee, the examiner was very thorough and diligent about checking the gas system and the security of the batteries and even re-checked the test point screw that he had removed to do the test. All is leak free and safe.

I posted the copy to British Waterways for their records and all is done now for another four years.

One little problem with the system is that there are some safety matters that do not quite tie together. Fire Extinguishers are recommended for testing every FIVE years so they are not yet due. They were tested at the same time as the BSS exam last time and I must make a very prominent note to get them done without the prompt of the compulsory test.

Day of Reckoning

Today I have the re-examination by the Boat Safety Examiner!

Everything has been done, I am assured so later today I should be in possession of a BSC for the next four years.

Oh, I must remember my cheque book, there is always something else to pay. This time it is the Examiner's fee!

Actually, the examination does bring to light real safety issues. In my case a few small gas leaks. BUT these could build up in an unventilated bilge to a large explosion!

More Publicity

I have just had a call from Tooley's Boatyard.

They want to put the signwriting from SONFLOWER in their publicity!

No objections from me. It looks great.

Celebrations continue

When I invited friends and neighbours round for a drink I put "No fuss, no presents" on the invitation. Most of them ignored this and bought me a bottle of wine to help me celebrate. The result is that the celebrations will continue for quite some time. You can see this by looking at the collection of wines that are in the photograph. And this does not include those that have been consumed so far!



THANK YOU EVERYBODY

A weekend of Celebration

Wow! It all started with a few of the neighbours and friends in for a drink on Friday evening. I must say it was a balmy evening and we had a very enjoyable time overlooking the canal and sipping margharitas, sangria, wines a many and a few beers accompanied by tapas/antipasta of various oiley olivy varieties.

Then on Saturday we moved down to Portsmouth to celebrate the Best Mate's cousin's 60th birthday at a Tapas Bar/Spanish restaurant. The same heady mix without the margharitas and with professionally prepared Sanish delicacies. This time the company was mainly family with a few friends from childhood around as well! Talk about catch up time!

Back to Banbury today missing the Grand Prix crowds at Silverstone. Tired but still celebrating.

The Result

For those of you that are waiting with bated breath......it failed!

Two reasons: 1) A gas leak 2) One battery tray (wooden) was not fixed down so the batteries could move.

Not to worry. These are pretty easily fixed. Matt at Tooley's will do the fixing and all will be well.

Strangely, we don't smell gas except just before a bottle runs out. I think the fridge pilot gets jittery and combustion is incomplete. But there is apparently a pretty reasonably sized leak. Good thing it has been found. The main problem with gas leakson a boat is that, because LPG is heavier than air, the gas builds up in the bilges and then a naked light sets the whole lot off BOOM! Far better to get it fixed.

Thank you Lee

The Examination

It is hapening at this very moment.

I met with Lee, a Boat Safety Examiner, on my boat this morning. I couldn't stay long but I wanted to see him to point out a couple of things.

> The diesel leak! The BSS says that "All permanently installed fuel systems and fixed engines must be designed, installed and maintained in a way that minimises the
risks of explosion, or of fire starting or spreading.". I wanted to point out that mine was maintained to be leak free by wrapping self amalgamating tape round the known leaks.

> The gas locker floor: "Within the required LPG-tight area, the bottom, sides, and seams ofevery cylinder locker must be free of holes, cracks, damaged welds,
significant corrosion, or other damage." This is one of the reasons the boat is at Tooley's. The repair is sufficient to prevent gas getting into the engine bay and the rest of the floor will be replaced this week.

> Battery covers: They are there! One has just temporarily slipped down the back of the battery bank.

> Ventilation: The cooker fan does not work but the ventilator around it still acts as a ventilator.

I showed him all this and then left him to inspect the boat, making decisions on safety from, hopefully a practical engineering view point rather than a dogmatic following of the rules.

More decisions

The sword of damecles, the Boat Safety Scheme examination hangs over our head. The engine repair, which would eliminate the oil and diesel leaks and belt chewing that has been the plague of our cruising life for the last three/four years, will take three weeks plus removal and refitting time. We don't quite have it before we head off for our Summer Cruise this year. Matt the mechanic is off for his hols for two weeks in July and will not be back to complete the job before we need the boat again on the 10th.

However, our BSS certificate expires on the 24th July. We need to fix the diesel leaks. I have examined the BSS documentation and it is emphatic that the fuel system should be maintained such as to remove all sources of fire or prolonging fire. Having deisel leaking out toward or in the vicinity of hot engines seems to me to be BSS unacceptable.

Alternatives must be sought.

The boat is booked in to the boatyard for next Tuesday. The engine work is not to be done then but postponed until later in the year so we need a miracle cure on the fuel spill lines. Almost every marine engineer from Thrupp to Braunston has had a go at this leak and a man in a van from RCR looked at it last week on the Thames. Someone must be able to stem the flow!

When all is said and done

SONFLOWER is back on her home mooring. All the post cruise duties have been completed and she is ready to go back to the boatyard on Tuesday next week for a little more attention. Today I have: pumped out the loo (at Sovereign Wharf), filled the stern tube greaser, emptied the drip tray under the diesel leak, pumped out the bilge, checked the water, checked the boat for laundry etc. What I haven't done is touched up the scratches on the gunwhales sustained during the cruise and fixed the shelving in the bow locker so that I can put the painting things away.

But I did have a long chat to Matt at Tooley's about the work to be done next week. There is a skylight to remove and refit so that the shape of the skylight and the shape of the frame match. The rear gates need a bit of attention having been attacked by Godstow lock landing and there is the collapsing floor in the bathroom which needs shoring up or replacement before putting the new calorifier on it. The engine thermostat needs fixing before the calorifier will work and an oil seal needs doing as well. Both of these need the engine to be slid back or a large hole to be cut in the bathroom. The former is preferable! While slid back, why not replace it? That gets rid of the diesel leak and the mal-aligned belt pulleys as well!

Ching, ching..... what's that noise?

There is much more to be done another time: electrical fuse panel needs renewal and the wiring needs tidying up and the Boat Safety Scheme Examination is due.....there are bound to be more that needs doing......the list must be endless.......

The wanderer returns

Dave and Sue have returned SONFLOWER to her accustomed berth on Castle Quay to disembark their goods and chattles after what they described as a fantastic time on the Thames.

We had dinner with them this evening and enjoyed some of their tales. Another 117 miles and 56 locks under the keel for the boat log.

No serious problems on the way either. A loose alternator belt and a loose decking board on a lock landing causing most consternation. The belt was handled satisfactorily by Canal Rover Rescue and the decking board resulted in David getting wet to his thighs.

Well done Sonflower. More happy boaters.

WHY do they do it?

I have had someone scratch the new paintwork on SONFLOWER using a sharp implement to cut 2cm long lines through the paint like a bar code.

Having sanded them down and primed the damage, 'they' did it again in four more places. Because they could?

I have just heard from our friends that they have had the fire extinguisher stolen from the cruiser deck of the boat. It was probably discharged to cool some overheated young person in the recently barmy nights. There was no sign of it in the adjacent park in Caversham the next morning. Why? It is no real loss to me. I found the extinguisher floating in the canal and had it refilled and checked when I had my other fire appliances checked. I paid as a job lot so I think it cost me about 50p extra! I kept it for the purpose of extiguishing towpath fires that one comes across occasionally. Usually started by ....I don't know why?

Vandalism has been with us for years and many of us have got used to it. Has anyone ever really investigated the reason it is so prevalent? I just cannot understand it.

There she goes

SONFLOWER cruises away from us under the lift bridge at Thrupp in the capable hands of our friends, David and Sue. They are heading for the Thames so SONFLOWER will again enjoy the pampering of lock keepers and gin palace masters as she cruises down to Reading. David and Sue are in no particular hurry so I hope that they enjoy it as much as I did recently.

We enjoyed the leisurely cruise down to Thrupp for the rendezvous. I was amazed to find this a centre of activity for the BCF with nb Florella, nb Bruin, nb Dragon Lady and nb Hannah all along the moorings together.

Now back to the domestic life, piano and drum lessons for the boys and back to school/college routine from Monday!

Spot the Difference

I popped into my local boatyard for some of the essentials: pump out, gas, engine oil.




I looked around the chandlery and said,"No Morris SAE 30, then?" Ray indicated, in his inimitable style, that I must be blind. "It's over there!". I looked, and looked again and then noticed the modern plastic packaging. "You need to modernise", he said, "don't you like the new style?"

To be honest, I am a Luddite. I don't see the necessity. I like the metal oil can. You can re-use it as a petrol can. It cannot be a money saving exercise because the price has gone up from £16.00 to £17.50 for 5 litres.

Black Screen of Death?

This is my laptop.

You may notice the black screen

After about five minutes of whirring it tells me it cannot find its operating system!

This was posted from the Best Mate's mac.

Is this necessary?

The notice has been up about a week and all local moorers have received a letter telling us about the Canal Experience Days this week end.


This photo of the Banbury towpath moorings was taken at 2.30 today (15th May). Was is really necessary to empty the moorings and stop boaters enjoying Banbury last night? The absence of boats would indicate a negative answer. Is it necessary to sterilise 300 feet of mooring for two hire boats and a day boat? I wouldn't have thought so.

Come on British Waterways. Put boaters FIRST.

Bridge Hopping

SONFLOWER is moored on Castle Quay, Banbury near a sign that says "no return within 28 days" and thinking how stupid it is. In the last 20 days I have just navigated a distance of over 275 miles, through 176 locks and Braunston and Blisworth Tunnels. There were at least 23 moveable bridges of which 16 were left open.

I am moored in the same place within the 28 day period! Oh dear! I am not exactly bridge hopping am I? Castle Quay, to me, indicates a place to load and discharge cargo. That's what I am doing.

A long and worthwhile day

We are back on the Oxford Canal.

We went one lock too far, met the lock keeper at Iffley lock and he reccomended a cruise past Port Meadow in the late evening light to finish the day off. So we did. We worked up Osney Lock and then saw the delights of the meadow in a beautiful light. He was right. It was as good an English landscape as I have ever seen with the life of horses, geese and ccws grazing gently. It reminded me of a Cooper watercolour.


So to Kings lock, a swing eastward to Dukes Cut Lock and the Oxford Canal. We moored after sunset and feasted on Kedgeree and bean salad. Hungry but tired and happy.

33 miles and 12 locks today.

Spelling etc.

The Best Mate tells me that my spelling is atrocious. I don't think so. The spelling on the blog can be bad because my typing is atrocious!

I hope that you can understand the sense even if the spelling offends your eyes and mind. I will try my hardest to do better in the future.

Birding Part two

What wlse is there to do on the Thames. Apart from keeping ones eyes peeled for the rowers, there are only the birds to observe and endless green trees, meadows and very expensive houses.

As I prefer nature to architecture I look at the birds.

We have left parakeet country behind and very briefly entered Kite country around Marlow. Ther were five or six in the air at once, wheeling and sparring. At one point two of them mimicked the display variety we see in the local park and did a formation flying display turning together in a marvelously co-ordinated flight. A bit further on I noticed a group of falcons. Whether they were Merlin, peregrine (too small) or some other, (hobby?) I am not sure but there were five or six together wheeling around and swooping low over the water.

Terns were the next feeders to be seen almost touching low over the waves and then we spotted a lone swift. They really do make it summer. However the weather belied that. We had a rain storm for two hours this morning. When we reached Temple lock it was as though we had crossed the line drawn by the weather forecaster and we entered a zone of blue sky. The wind did not let up though. We battled it right to our overnight mooring.

Also spotted along the way was this immigrant family. I am not colour prejudiced but I wonder how long it will be before the balck swans outnumber the white ones! The Canada Geese we saw on the way today certainly outnumber the grey varieties by a factor of ten at least.

As we finished our fish and chip dinner, we saw a barn owl quartering the field where we are moored.

A long and tiring day. 27.1/2 miles, 8 locks.

Bird Watching

The Thames is amazing for birds. Apart from the wrens, robins and thrushes that shout from the marginal hedgerows and trees there are many many birds that I would not include as being indiginous species. Parakeets abound. On the water there are mandarin ducks, egyptian geese and even a black swan on her nest on Goose Island near Molesey.

I always thought of grebes as being lake birds but the great crested grebe is very common along here. More common are swans. I counted over 110 in one view at Chertsey.

One other bird that was note worthy was a peregrine falcon darting and weaving over the river at Windsor. I wondered whether they nest on the castle tower. An ideal spot I would say. Other raptors spotted were sparrowhawk and buzzard.

A sandpiper walked the banks yesterday morning. A nice little bird that isn't often seen.

There was a stack of sand martin nests near one lock but the birds were absent. We have seen house martins and swallows picking off the thousands of caddis fly that are emerging from the water at the moment. One such fly hitched a lift on the boat. I tried to get a photo but it flew as the shutter clicked. This one came aboard later.

Dog tired

I could not blog yesterday evening because we were very tired.

Having left Willowtree on the Paddington Arm before seven in the morning we navigated the eleven locks down to the Thames Lock at Brentford in very good time to get there before opening time of 1200h.

We joined nb Crystal Haze in the Guaging lock and then shared the Thames lock with her. As we left the lock I pointed out a large sheet of sonething in the water. They did not take enpugh notice of my warning andd got it on their prop. I towed them back to the lock to attend to clearing it and set off up the Tideway on our own. The wind was strong and the waves were significant. The wash form a PLA craft was even more significant putting spray from teh boaw as we hit it overthe roof level of SONFLOWER.

In the end all was well and we gotto Teddington in just over an hour.

We lunched on moorings beside Kinston Bridge and then went on to the suggested mooring at Desborough Cut. This was not a nice spot and we moored on Environment Agency visitopr moorings at teh mouth ofthe River Wey.

I visited an old friend who lives nearby after dinner on board.

Being Very Tired I fell into bed and slpet until morning and the singing thrush. A very good day. 24 miles 16 locks today.

Uneventful Day

Just a quick post to update you all.

I pumped out, and waited in Paddington Basin for my new crew member, Brian, and then went together with nb Trinity down the Paddington Arm and we moored at Willowtree Park. Nice moorings but the ubiquitous shopping trolly had got there before us! Trintity pulled it out rather than moor on top of it.

We had a lovely dinner with Lyn and Henry on their boat and then fatigue caught up with us. I lit a fire to warm the cooling boat and then went to bed.

This morning we look forward to getting to Brentford and onto the Thames.

After the Parade

It is over.

I have had a wonderful time. The crew left on the 1600 train and I am now waiting for boating friends to go out for an end of festival meal together. All around us the boats are gradually leaving to make their way home and the IWA workers (all volunteers) are breaking camp.

It was really a fun weekend. Already I have been told that there are more boats booked in for next year than the pool can accommodate. After this experience, we will certainly be back next year, wherever we have to moor.

Well done IWA.

AND we had the priviledge of being moored next to the winning 'best boat in show'!

I now wait for a new crew member to join me for the trip back to Banbury. Probably up the Thames.

While I am waiting I have just recharged the stern tube greaser: life goes on.

An Interesting Day

It atarted with the Boaters Sunday Service. Not many turned up for the Church Army led worship and celebration service. However, we had a good time together with many 'modern' songs rather than traditional hymns. If was refreshing.

The crowds began to gather around midday and we had a stream of people to chat to and who came to enquire about boating and boat life and Christianity. I am always amazed by the number of people who don't think we have toilets and a bathroom!

This afternoon I had a very pleasant conversation with Eric C Bartholomew who is here to promate his latest book, a novel, titled Distant Horizons. This is a story based on the true events in the life of a family on the Indian subcontinent. It proves to be a page turner as the Best Mate cannot put it down.

The author is a very interesting man who left a trade to travel and write.Firstly in a caravan and lately he has a narrowboat He puts a wealth of experience as a genuine adventurer into the writing.

I look forward to another chat with him tomorrow in between his book signing.

Sonflower at the Cavalcade. Apparently in a very prominant position.

In fact, the boat next to us went for a little cruise leaving us exposed to view. In my rush I hadn't washed her down and thought it would not matter because she would not be exposed to view. Then Y~Not moved out on a trip and there she was exposed. A quick mop over was all I could achieve.

The festival is great. There are crowds of people marching past the stand on the towpath near us and many stopping to chat. Chatter is the orfer of the day with the boaters and bloggers. I have met Jo from nb Hadar, Adam from nb Debdale and a first meeting with Simon from nb Tortoise

I am looking forward to another good day today.

Arrived

We got there.

After 128 miles 111 locks 5 moveable bridges in 66 hours of cruising we arrived at Paddington Basin at noon on Thursday.

A very successful and enjoyable cruise. A little faster than we would have liked but necessary to enable me to return to Banbury for the family, chair a meeting of the Full Governing Body and see my Mum.

In the basin everybody seemed very bouyant. Boats are moored with stickers in the window indicating that they are waiting for the Cavalcade. Boats of every description from 40ft Springers to 72ft boats and butties. They are all seem to be looking their best.

We have a lot to do before SONFLOWER looks her best. Brass to clean, paint to wash, windows to polish. We now have a few scratches. After passing 222 gates I am not really surprised!

More pictures

SONFLOWER, perfectly lined up to enter the lock.
And making a perfect entry.


SONFLOWER and an interesting workboat. The boat was bought as a burnt out shell. The BMC1500 engine was intact and working and was worth more than this enterprising duo paid for the craft. Removing the roof and putting in a plate deck was a simple modification to give them a utility boat.

Almost there

Today was a wonderful day as far as the weather was concerned and as far as progress was too.

We started on our own and then found company in the form of NB Ricola. They were going to Little Venice as well, had thirty years experience of boating, a boat that could travel like a washless speedboat and knew this stretch of the Grand Union like the back of their hand.

We stopped for lunch just through Widewater lock but befoer mooring I backed to where there was a working boat trading diesel coal etc. He sold me two bags of taybrite and thres in a bag of sticks for £20. Good value. He informed me that he is installing a pump and tank to do pump-outs which will be ready on our way back. 'Where there is muck there is brass'

We stayed withour partner after lunch and when he had cleared Cowley lock we let him disappear intothe distance.

We cheered as we turned onto the Paddington arm and marvelled at the BW boat that is there for the purpose of cleaning the waterways. It had a coot's nest on the bit that should scoop up the rubbish. It was very obvious that it hadn't been used for aq good length of time. The canal was full of plastic bags varying in size from tesco carriers to blue circle cement bags, It was only a matter of time before one or two fouled the prop.

We arrived at Willowtree nature reserve to see NB Ricola already moored and a perfect space for us betweeen her and our frinds NB Trinity. After a welcome and chat we disappeared to cook Beefy Botham Burgers.Tesco (c300yds from the mooring)
provided the large baps.

Three hours or so to go tommorrow. The sky is beautifully clear tonight. I hope it still is in the morning.

Arch-i-tecture

The canals never cease to amaze me. Here under a humble railway bridge over the canal is vaulting that would not be out of place in a Cathederal Crypt. The structural engineers have had a heyday with the steel members but the concrete beams are beautiful.

The vaulting in brickwork of some of the 200 year old bridges is also amazing. Some of these skills are being lost for ever in the modern cut and paste world of prefabricated edifaces. There is always something new that's old to wonder at!

A ten bob note!

This is the sign on the swing bridge at Winkwell. This bridge has been updated with automatic barriers and electric opening and closing gadgetry. Why did they not update the sign!


I think I could afford 50p if I was in a rush!

All alone

The only company we had today was a couple of boats, also heading for the Cavalcade but behind us. When we stopped for lunch and shopping at Sainsbury's they went by leaving us to tackle the locks even without them coming up behind and closing the bottom gate for us. A hard day but we achieved our target and more. We are at Lady Capel Lock No 74 leaving us 16 locks for tommorrow. An easy day after the 22 locks of today.

The weather was kind. Only a light shower today and plenty of sunshine. No real problems except sharing a lock with a workboat and the workman opening the paddles without us having crew on deck (taking his coat off) and putting the boat on the cill. Our crew returned to alert us and we easily floated her off averting a potentially doisasterous incident averted by quick action by all concerned.

We have thought about going on but after a real Italian dinner of spag bol, ice cream and chianti we don't feel like going anywhere except to bed!

Shiny Boats

Here is a picture of NB The Sharp End and SONFLOWER together in Dudsworth top lock yesterday. Both have very new paintwork



And here is a picture of the end of yesterday as we approached Berhamsted on the GUC



We stopped shortly after to dry out for the third time in the day.

Pictures- Dash to London April 2009

O what a morning. . !

I was singing "O what a morning, glorious and bright, with the dawning of day in Jerusalem...." yesterday morning and awoke a couple, who we were later to share locks with, as I passed in Fabulous sunshine. This morning we were accompanied by NB Knot Normal with their wonderful crew of Mark and Margaret or (M 'n' M or Mork and Mindy). They have been doing bespoke joinery on narrowboats now for 13 years and are heading for the cavalcade as well. But they stopped to visit friends in Dunstable Boat Club. Not before we had navigated seven locks in the most unsummery conditions possible with heavy rain and hail! We had one set of water sodden drying by the fire after the locking and over 'a full English' brunch break.

We then got a new partner at Marsworth Locks NB Sharp End who were with us with their friend Colin and his dog Mac. Here we took most of the soaking. After lunch, from Bulbourne we cruised the top level in light rain but it had dried up when we came up behind her again. She was waiting for her partner who caught a bus from Berkhamsted and 'normal service was resumed, apart from having to wait at Dudswell Lock No 1 (Top lock) while a BW contractor finished rolling the new tarmac path. They have covered the boaters foot holds with tarmac. When I pointed it out they told us not to worry, they will be cut out tomorrow when the tar is set. I hop so.

We should be in Berkhamsted before six o'clock. We need to be so that we can get to Waitrose. Either that or its tinned mackerel on toast, without toast for lunch tomorrow

Another Hot One

When we woke up I lit a fire and started to doze off again to be awoken by the smoke alarm. Some of the sealer from the chimney was smoking!

After opening a few windows we decided to start off and were on the move while there was still ice on the roof and a blue sky over our heads. While we queued for water we made scrambled eggs on toast for breakfast. Then we used the facilities at Cosgrove lock and then shared the lock with another boat that passed as we were coiling up the hose.

The rest of eh day was cruising in sunshine and stillness. Milton Keynes is really attractive from the canal. We enjoyed the ride except for having to give way to a wide beam boat who didn't even say thank you, a hire boat who hadn't heard that one cannot steer in reverse at a bridge hole, and hitting an ex-swing bridge narrows to make sure there was a scrape in the blacking.

At one lock we met up with RYA trainers who were the ideal coaches for a weekender lady crew of a Wyvern Cruiser in a lock with us. We shared locks with them through Soulbury Three Locks and got to know them a bit. They are heading for Brentford and the Thames and said they might meet us again tomorrow. They moored near us last night and we woke them up as we passed at 6.30am this morning.

Today we went further than our target mainly because of the lack of piling rails to moor to in this area. We have covered 26 miles and 9 locks today which Nick's planner says should have taken us 10 hours and 4 minutes. We are a bit slower than that because of the hen party, the lady at Fenny Stratford lock who is polling her engine less shell to Birmingham with her daughter aboard, lunch at the Three Locks and the water stop that is about right.

Where we are

Any one can follow SONFLOWER's progress on Water Explorer

I update whenever I get a connection to the web through my dongle.

There was a scratch on SONFLOWER when we got up this morning. Whether it was a vandal or a hawthorn bush was debated by our crew and a BW lengthsman at Whilton Locks. He admired the boat and noticed the blemish!

It was pouring with rain this morning, scorching sun this afternoon and a wonderful glow about the evening as we ate our Chicken Italien washed down with Chianti.

The change in the weather was dramatic. We have a strong breeze of the starboard bow which chills a bit but the sun has made a dramatic comeback and illuminates the green and pleasant country around us wonderfully.

We are now away from the waterfall of noise that is the M1 and are moored in very peaceful surroundings where gentile ladies ride on horseback over the canal bridge to get exercise. We got ours on Buckby and Blisworth flights.

Altogether a really successful and enjoyable afternoon that increased the happiness rating from 5.4 to 9.5.

We lit a fire this evening to dry the shoes.

Ahead in time

We are now through Braunston Tunnel and moored at Norton Junction. Today, we exceded our target and have really enjoyed it.

We started by watering at Marston Doles and then benefitted from the generosity of NB Alnwick who left a paddle open for us to fill the locks all the way down Napton Flight.

We lunched in Braunston and had a walk round the town and did a little shopping. The Braunston Butcher is fantastic. Pricey but well worth a look.

We did have a little problem! As we waited for the locks at Braunston bottom lock I turned off the engine and it would not restart. I thought it was a jammed starter motor and was about to hit it with a hammer when I noticed that we were outside Union Canal Cruisers where stood a man in overhauls. I asked if he was a mechanic and he said 'not today, but he is!' The man in question came over to our boat with a wit as sharp as a razor, told us jokes and bantered for about 15 minutes as he diagnosed a wiring fault rather than a jammed motor, cured the spill rail diesel leak that he noticed, adjusted the loose fan belt and told me how to modify it so that it can take the extra load of generating charge for my four batteries and then only charged me £15!

I have his details and his assurance that he has a good supply of spares for my 40 year old engine.

Along the way

We atarted today with a wonderful dawn. Sunrise was spectacular. Red sky in the morning shepherd's warning! But not today. It was glorious.

My crew arrived on time at 0900h and we slipped the mooring, saying goodbye to NB SKYY who is set to go south, and headed north. As we passed the Grimsbury Arm I phoned Steve Haywood of NB Justice to see if he wanted to join us as he is headed for the Canalway Cavalcade, but got his answerphone. I left a message.

We had a lovely time. A chat with Chris and Vic on NB Auriga in Cropredy. Vic was runbbing down his boat with baby oil to try to emulate SONFLOWER's shine. He hasn't got a hope without a repaint!

At Cropredy lock we met with a mother and daughter who were towpath walking. They expected to get to Claydon today. They helped my crew, pictured above at several locks on the way before we lost them taking a well earned coffee break. They walk the towpaths every Thursday and hope to cover the whole of the Oxford Canal from Oxford to Coventry in stages in this manner. They had a great day for it today.

At Claydon flight we met a couple who often come to sit on the bench by the locks here. They can no longer boat as the wife has Parkinson's desease but they obviously love the canals. They had a boat in Fenny Compton marina for a long time and miss it terribly. I hope that I never have to leave SONFLOWER.

We continued past our planned destination, The Wharf and moored near Stoneton Bridge in an idylic setting with lambs gamboling around. We hope that the sunrise tommorrow brings as much joy as today's.

A bright idea

nb SKYY has a marvelous idea for weather proofing a dongle. So simple I wonder why I didn't think of it. They use a clear plastic water bottle but I like my salt container. Refuse, reuse or recycle! I have had mine taped up in plastic bag, taped onto the end of my pole for a long time now.




Sadly, canals are usually down at valley bottom level and reception has to be sought by elevating the dongle. With the inherent dangers of the short sharp shower in this pleasant land of ours, this is an ideal solution.

Thank you nb SKYY!

Change of Plan II

Having considered all the pros and cons, I have decided to go to London via the 'pretty route' of the Grand Union rather than the 'motorway dash' down the Thames. The river locks are only manned 9 to 5 with an hour for lunch. Although boaters are allowed to use the locks outside these hours they are very heavy and power is not allowed because we might do quite a lot of damage if we opened all the paddles at once!

My other concern was the tidal passage. Altough re-assured by the lock-keeper at Teddington that if we arrived there at high tide (about 8am on Tuesday) we would be in Brentford lock 45 minutes later, there is a possibility that we would not be there in time and then we would have to go against the next tide 13 hours later to get through Brentford lock before it closes. I don't think my little 45 year old BMC would like that.

The Best Mate is happier because we think canals are safer than the river. They are not so deep and don't have a current to tow you down and drag you under if you fall in. They don't have big weirs to jump out and grab your boat either. Also, once started, the weather has to stay dry to ensure that the river levels remain steady. Otherwise I will be racing the flood behind me!

The GU means working a longer day but, then, what else have we to do?

I just hope that my crew agrees or I might start off with a mutiny on my hands.

We leave at 9am on Thursday, heading north (to go south!)

Change of Plan

SONFLOWER is back at Tooley's Boatyard having window trims and a few other snags sorted out. Our little cruise down to Oxford and back was a good test and we had to return in some very wet conditions. However, this weekend was dry.

We met narrowboat Bones on the way back to Oxford.

We have just visited friends in Trowbridge and attended their son's baptism. We used to take care of him one day a week when he was little and it was good to see how he has grown up in the intervening years. We were reminded that he had already been 'baptised' when he fell into our pond! I loved the family celebration as we joined them for lunch. Thanks for a wonderful day.

This week is a busy one as we have to prepare SONFLOWER for a dash down the Thames. This is the quickest route to Little Venice even though the tides are not too favourable next Wednesday when we will need to make a passage to Brentford from Teddington lock. We have had offers by two friends to crew the boat. One will be joining me from Oxford so I need to leave this Thursday morning to get there by Saturday lunchtime.

The original plan was to go round the Grand Union route. That is slightly longer but not so scary (no tidal water). However, we have run out of time. I hope to leave the boat in Little Venice on Thursday, return to Banbury and rejoin her, with the full crew, by train on Friday evening. We have fish and chips booked so don't need to worry about victuals!

Easter Monday

Easter Monday

Today I tried to get onto the Three 3G network but failed.

I am writing a blog with the hope that I can post it tomorrow when I can find a signal.

We are now at Somerton on the South Oxford after a most pleasurable six hour cruise. For a Bank Holiday there was not much traffic about and no queues on this part of the canal. It is Idyllic. We have been asking ourselves why we so rarely head this way rather than the well trodden route north to Braunston. No answer except that there are limited options at the end- the Thames or The Thames.

This morning we heard a knock on the boat and Matt, the mechanic from Tooley's asked why we were still there. The engine won't start, I told him and he went to get tools and ten minutes later we were thrilling to the thump of our BMC 1500 diesel. He also put screws to hold the control column cover in place so that it didn't come off in ones hand when the engine stop button is pulled! “Anything else?” he asked. “Not at the moment” I replied and with thanks we were on our way via the water point and lock toward Oxford.

We are armed with the call out details of Tooley's (just in case) and we are members of Canal River Rescue.

It was wonderful to hear people comment on the marvellous paintwork as we passed. It quite made me feel like I had done it myself instead of just paying for it!

Al dressed up- nowhere to go

We are a very sad crew at the moment.

Tooley's mechanic worked on our boat until almost eight o'clock last night to clear faults that prevented us getting away.

We came out of the dock and the boat looks superb. However, the remainder of the day was not so good. "We couldn't have written a script for this" I quipped. But by the time the Tooley's man had finished all we caould do was get Kentucky fried chicken and go home to bed. We had no hot water and no energy left.

We saw our friends off back to Germany yesterday lunchtime after a full english special breakfast in Paw Paw. This wonderful resource is just a step from the canal at the bus station and provides a wonderful and reasonably priced breakfast until lunchtime and then a mix and match chinese menu thereafter. Full take away service available. But I digress.. . .

We returned to the boat this lunchtime after Easter Service at church, loaded with provisions for our mini cruise for the remainder of the holiday and invited Granny to come aboard as our newly modified stairs from stern deck would now be manageble by her hips and knees. Auntie janet steered her into the boat and she was thrilled to be aboard properly for the first time. So we expected to take her for a little ride but. . . . the engine would not start.

I have emailed the boatyard and will report on their response.

We look good on the outside. But wthout an engine a boat is dead.

The last straw

Here is Tooley's man with his head in the gas locker. He is welding a patch into the bottom with a drain attached that will vent to the outside of the boat.

When he struck up an arc, the engine bay filled with smoke showing me how serious a problem we had.

As he took breather from his work he quipped "That proves it. Mason's paint isn't heat proof!'

I think we knew that! It is a great pity this little job wasn't done at the start of the job. But at least we have a safe boat. That is the important thing.

Another Setback

The paint looks and feels like glass. The sign-writer is working well and doing wonderful work on the graphics. The carpenter is preparing the new steps and getting ready to put the windows back in and all was looking good until the mechanic put a gas bottle into the gas locker to find that the bottom was very thin.

The boat surveyor had hit it with a hammer but had not found that the gas locker was in fact venting into the engine bay! This is not a good idea on a boat. Besides being contrary to the Boat Safety Scheme it is plain dangerous. A leak from fittings on a gas bottle is a common occurrence and one needs to know that the gas, which is heavier than air, will find its way out of the boat and not accumulate in the bilges at the bottom of the engine bay waiting for a spark from the bilge pump or alternatator to cause a disaster.

The bottom needs to be repaired and vented to outside. The painter fears for his handywork and doesn't want a welding torch anywhere near his lovely gloss finish. The people who weld are working on the boat fittings, windows or have a foot in plaster.

Don't worry they chorus. We'll sort it out!

Watching paint dry

I have just come back from a family visit to Kent. We have seen two of our granchildren and their parents. I have been measured for a suit for my son's wedding; the Best Mate has looked in all the usual places for a wedding outfit and we have dined with another daughter and son-in-law. Apart from the soon to be married son's fiancee we have seen all the Kent branches of the family. Pooh made a visit to his own Nanny and Granddad and we stopped off at the Best Mate's parents on the way home. A very successful couple of days.

We are now exhausted and back in Banbury where the boat's top coat should be drying off nicely ready for the signwriter in the morning. Hopefuly we will be able to get onto the boat and get a few things sorted because we are seriously in need of preparing the boat to leave on Saturday.

I am sure that we won't have any time to watch the paint dry.

Flag Query and Etiquette

NB Snowgoose was in town today. Unfortunately there was no-one on board when we passed but she was sporting the Queensland territorial flag on a mast on the roof and this flag on the tiller swan neck.

I am not often bamboozled by a flag. I can usually track it down somewhere. But this one has got me foxed. It might be based on the old Australian Colonial flag with blue stripes overlaid.

Can anyone, the skipper of NB Snowgoose perhaps, tell me what it represents.

A small point of etiquette for visiting narrowboaters. If one has ones national flag or ensign on a vessel it is customary (as a courtesy) to fly the national flag of the country you are visiting higher than the flag or ensign. The Union Flag should have been in the place of the Queensland flag.

Progress Report

No photos today because I did not go into the dock while Martin was lovingly applying paint to the roof of the boat but we had to have a peep on the way to lunch at the club. It is still looking good.

However, I had a call from Matt the boss this morning. He is back at work for as long as he can stand (pun) with crutches but he rang to tell me that they were not going to be able to pull back lost time in the preperation stage when he had his accident and Martin got steel in his eye. He needs to talk about the final stages of completion on Wednesday when the sign writer, Jezz, will be working.

There are a few unknowns. What will the internal trims be like when the new windows are fitted? There will be no time to remedy and dress up any gaps in the lining wood that is there. The windows might fit like a glove but there is no guarrantee that the work will not be without hitches.

Matt says that the probability is that we will be floated out of the dock on Saturday afternoon. We will need to be away straight away and heading up the cut to get to our rendezvous with friends in Cosgrove on Wednesday the next week. Nick's Canal Planner gives the distance as 26 hours, 19 minutes cruising. This is over 8 hours a day assuming we get to Cropredy on Saturday night. We usually cruise for far less and this doesn't take into account Bank Holiday Monday in Braunston!

We will need to return to Tooley's later in the year for a few touches and internal tidying, which is a pity.

Another One to look out for

I came across this post from Lancashire Today about another narrowboat stolen from a marina. This time from Chorley in Lancashire. It is a long way from me at the moment but who knows where it will be later in the season.

I expect it is having a quick gloss over at the moment to disguise it.

Most disturbing is the quote from the loss adjuster: 'Peter Clark, from C Claims Adjustors, who is dealing with the theft, said there had been a recent crimewave on the water, with increasing numbers of leisure boats going missing.

He said: “In the past year I would guess there have been around 70 to 80 similar thefts, whereas in previous years it would be around ten on average. "'

I am taking lots of photos of SONFLOWER to be able to describe her. This wasn't what I would call a 'posh' boat. Just an ordinary narrowboat that is a family's pride and joy.

I hope they find it soon and lock up the theives. practical Boat Owner gives the following details: "If you have any information concerning the present whereabouts of the Rebecca Kathleen or any other stolen vessel, contact the Police at Chorley, tel: 01772 415566 - crime ref: CA 09 00933 - or C Claims Adjusters, tel: 0208 502 6644; email: cclaimsuk@aol.com"

Glistening

SONFLOWER is glistening in the sunlight that streams into Tooley's dock as the first of the two top coats is completed.

The roof has had its first coat of Raddle and looks very nice in its new grey livery and the grey decks offset the green and yellow beautifully.

The yellow looks thick and lush and the painter wishes that we wanted more of it as he loves working with it. It is expected to be ready for the signwriter next Wednesday and on schedule to come out of the dock on Thursday, all being well.

Oh to be back on the water. . . .

We have just spent a lovely hour or so over a pint and a glass of wine with good friends who have returned from a winter break in Malta.

What did they miss most? Not the wintery weather or the damp weather, not the credit crunch or the less imaginative food or even the beer but...they couldn't wait to get back on their boat.

It will be the same for us.

Don't get us wrong. We love the flat. The view over the canal is great: the space for the boys to stretch a bit and clutter some more is excellent but we do miss the boat and can't wait ot get back on it.

Obviously, one cannot live on a boat while the windows are out and the vents are sealed and there is dust or paint fumes everywhere.

But we do miss the boat.......

A lovely evening

The Best Mate stopped sewing and I stopped blogging long enough to enjoy a game of Yahtzee and a glass of this most delicious wine.

It is Black Cherry Wine from the Cwm Deri estate in West Wales. Anyone who thinks that fruit wines are second best to the grape or that the British can't make wine should have a go at this. It is full bodied., totally wrapped in fruit and spicy flavours with a rich bouquet that is good with any food or, as we enjoyed it this evening, on its own.

I won at Yahtzee as well!

Arm or Armless?

As Easter approaches we need to plan our next cruise.

The next major event in our boating calendar is the Canalway Cavalcade at Little Venice. Well, with a new professional paint job one can show off a bit, can't one? We will need to get there.

We hope to start the journey on Easter Saturday. I do not really like travelling on Bank Holidays when the world and his wife take the yoghourt pots out for a picnic trip but needs must.

We could be passing through Braunston then as well which is not good planning! It may not be the best thing for our new paintwork!

Then we need to decide where to stop. We have to get the boys back to college/school. The holidays just are not long enough these days. We may need to take a break. We have left the boat at Cosgrove in the past but that is quite a way from London. Granny Buttons thought Bulls Bridge mught be suitable but that is too far from Banbury as we won't be out of the boatyard until Good Friday.

We have never done the arms. We got to Marsworth Junction, looked toward Aylesbury and thought '16 locks there....16 locks back' and went on past; we got to Cowley Peachey Junction, looked toward Slough and thought 'flat and straight...' and went on.

So this may be an opportunity to reach out an arm!

I have just come across this walking site, foxyislandwalks,that has a photo log of the Aylesbury Arm. It looks very nice.
I've nicked this picture from their site.

More progress

We were just passing.

SONFLOWER is progressing well. The second green undercoat is now being applied and the grey undercoat on the roof is evident too. She really looks OK.

Of course there is nothing that can be done about the aging of the steel and the ripples in the roof sheets are more evident in grey than they were in green.

The Best Mate commented that Piglet will have the job of keeping the grey clean. He will enjoy going along the top with the mop and bucket!

Completion is ever getting nearer and I will need to think about those little jobs that need doing before we start our cruising. Like repairing the top box and clearing out the accumulated rubbish.

The Big Green Machine

YES

SONFLOWER is back to her normal colour. Having been embarassingly naked and metallic then in her prime and with her underclothes showing she is now getting her petticoats on with a green undercoat. That is except for the yellow bits. They are being unedercoated in 50% gloss. Martin explained this. He said the yellow does not cover easily and it is therefore necessary to build it up a bit at a time using the finished colour.

I can attest to the non-covering qualities. The back rail must have had three coats when I did it and always looked blotchy.

The finish will be started about next Wednesday she will be sanded back to give the base for the last glistening in the sun shiny Mason's enamel finish!

There are other details to see to. We are having 'Raddle' (by Craftmaster) on the roof and decks and sand on the gunwhales.

There always seems to be more to do than can be achieved in the next two weeks. We'll see.

Beautiful blogging

Blogging is not a waste of time. The Best mate often looks across to me and says something like.'blogging again?' But sometimes a little searching around the blogs finds some real gems.

Take this quotation

'A boat is not a destination, nor a conclusion, as a house or a piece of land might be, but a means to reach conclusions and destinations you could only dream of. Everything that hangs in the air above the boat is open-ended. She knows no horizons. For her, anyway, every prospect is an invitation and every casting off an absorption in where she might go. A boat is all beginnings...' Adam Nicholson's 'Seamanship'
p.10

My thanks to Nick Holt who blogged this on 24 April 2004

NO ENTRY! chequing in....

There is a sign on the door to the dock. DO NOT OPEN. That is because the undercoat is now going on to SONFLOWER. After all the preperation the paint is now being built up and the painter does not want any nasty dust to get into his very clean dock.

It is very obvious why we had trouble trying to DIY under the M42 bridge when we last painted the boat. It was little more than a gloss over really.

I came across another narrowboat painting post (a series really) which tells how to do it yourself. The time and effort to get a good job is terrific. I am glad I have put it into the hands of professionals.

There was a slight hiccup which took me to the boatyard this morning. I had not signed the last cheque that I gave Tooley's. It was quite a sizeable amount and this left them with a bit if a cash flow crisis as it was returned. I signed it this morning and took them some cash so that they can pay the painter while they wait for the second attempt to clear. I don't want him to stop work!

What's in a name?

I had acall from Matt at Tooley's this afternoon. I forgot to sign the cheque I gave them last Saturday and it bounced. Ooops! I will need to put it right in the morning.

While I was on the phone, I asked him about the paint that we are using. The quotation I got said that they would beusing Mason's undercoat and top coat. Martin the painter, was using Craftmaster primer and told me he would be using Craftmaster Undercoat, so I asked matt what were his intentions. I was told the sad news that Masons cannot supply undercoats any more. We therefore will have to use Craftmaster undercoats. Tooley's say that they really like these paints but still use Masons Boat Enamel over the top.

I looked at the Canal Junction web site where Phil Speight, reputed to know a few things about canal boat painting says: "be sure of the quality and quantity of the paints to be used. There are some other good paints on the market but obviously we recommend CRAFTMASTER products because we developed them, we use them all the time and we're sure of the results we get. Avoid cheap paint. Once the boat is primed you will need a MINIMUM of two coats of undercoat and two coats of gloss. Make sure that there are at least two undercoats and one (dry) gloss coat on any areas that may be sanded BEFORE sand is sprinkled onto wet gloss. It will then need at least one more coat over the top once its dry and been cleaned."

Thanks for the advice Phil.

Learning the ropes (in France) Pt 5- the finale

It was not all bad. We had a wonderful time. In fact we would love to go again.

The picture is of our hired narrowboat, Saint Nazaire with the crew. The fact was that we were under crewed. In the large locks one really has to tie on to something to stop the boat being tossed around and this means one needs a crew member fore and aft and another on the lock side. Some of the locks have such a large rise and fall that one cannot put crew ashore and there are long poles set into the side of the lock to pass a line around to control the position.

There is one lock that is on a river section of the canal with a lock cut that narrows considerably. It is traffic light controlled but to tell the control system of your presence one has to turn a switch that is dangling over the middle of the canal from an overhead line. When you don't know that it is there, discover it late and pass it it is a job to back up and position the boat so that one can reach the dangling switch which is swinging in the wind that is making it very difficult to back up the boat!

Mooring is fun. One can moor just about anywhere but bollards and rings are very rare. The canal is lined with Plane trees and most of the time one ties to one of these sturdy items of canal furniture or to one of the thousands of roots that dip into the water and form a bank of sorts.

The french hire boats do not seem to know the beauty of taking things slowly and wash making is very common. The french commercial barges also do not slow and keep to the centre of the canal making it quite daunting as they approach. We felt that our little narrowboat would be swept away by these towering beasts. They are big.

One thing we should say. We learnt a lot on our adventure on the Canal du Midi and the Canal de Robine. We went to Narbonne and Carcasonne as well as Beziers and stopped at many villages in between. We loved the countryside and the people. We went to Minerve and the vineyards and sampled Muscat so smooth that it slid down the throat. We visited a chateau right beside the canal and bought wine from the vat. We had steaks and mussels and cassoulet. We loved the Mediterranean sea and the bright blue skies.

And we got there before the Narrow Dog.

Learning the ropes (in France) Pt 4: Tipping is optional

All the guide books suggest that the lock keepers on the Canal du Midi do not expect to receive a tip. However, many of them have a little stall displaying Mon Mammon preserves and Vin de Table at highly inflated prices. Sometimes a purchase from these stalls might not speed your passage through this time but might do on the return. The lock keepers also have telephones. They might communicate with the next lock keeper if you are sypathetic to their wares, the next lock keeper might also expect you to be.

At one lock, the lock keeper displayed a large number of wood sculptures. Many were obviously fixtures but there were some smaller works of art that were definitely for sale. I must say that I am not a collector of sculpture and it didn't really interest me. This lock keeper also had a large yellow labrador dog. He was particularly fond of mooring ropes and would not let go of ours nor would he let us get to it to retrieve it, pulling the end with great strength and gusto, dropping it and then barking furiously before attaching himself to it again. This game went on for quite a time. Long enough for us to get a picture anyway.

I wondered whether he was trained to hold on to our rope until we had bought a sculpture or left a tip!

Learning the ropes (in France) Pt 3: Stopping for lunch

In France, everything stops for lunch.

As we were travelling just around Easter time when there were not too many tourists about we also found that in the villages lunch was a very lengthy meal. There were several days that we stopped when the sun was high and walked into a village to obtain the basics, milk and bread, to find that it was closed for lunch. And I mean everything! Church, shops, garage, houses and businesses.

But there are some things that one does not expect. We approached an automatic lock at a time just about lunch time. Being good English boaters trained on the ettiquette of the canals, we looked back to see a plastic hire boat approaching the lock about a third of a mile away. We waited for them. As they entered the lock the gates automatically closed behind them and the Best Mate pressed the "Ascend" button at the controller.

Nothing. As it was now 1302h, the lock had closed for lunch. The Best Mate was ten feet above us and we were trapped. We were in the lock, the Best mate on the lockside. All we could do was have our lunch. With no way of getting off we made sandwiches on board and attached some of them to the end of the mooring line in a plastic bag. The Best Mate pulled them up. We then tied on a plastic bottle of tea to refresh her spirits.

What can you do when you are in a lock? Well one thing is splice the rope that was cut when it got crossed on the bollard! So that is what I did.

Lesson three: stop early for lunch. [To be continued

Learning the ropes (in France) pt 2 Beware Automatic Locks

The French waterways have been modified by the electrification of the gates and automation of the locking process. However, this can have disadvantages if you are a relative novice boater or unaware of the hazards, as we were on our trip to the Canal du Midi.

Having turned in the round lock at Agde we were returning toward Beziers and were rising for the first time. We entered the first lock alongside a german crew on a plastic hire boat. The gates closed automatically behind us. We had experienced the automative system and I, Eeyore, was on the lock side. I looped the centre rope of the narrowboat around the centre bollard and pressed the 'Ascend' button. I admired the view as the paddles opened automatically, water entered the lock and the boat began to rise. The flow of the water into the lock pushed the boat forward as the rope around the bollard slackened as the boat came up. But only so far. As the roof of the boat came above the top of the lock side it started to tighten again and as the boat had moved forward the rope was crossed and locked onto the bollard. The boat began to tilt quickly and dramatically. The boys were on the boat and plates started to slide off the table onto the floor and items started to crash around them.

Fortunately I noticed in time and hit the RED EMERGENCY STOP button. The paddles closed and calm was restored with the boat at quite an angle but clear of the water. The German crew were not amused as they were stuck in the lock with us. Their skipper shouted at me to get a knife. I got the boys off the boat first and then took a kitchen knife to the taught mooring line. The boat jumped up and bounced back into the upright position.

Voies Navigables de France (VNF) the French navigation authority sent their engineer out to find out why the button had been pressed and reset the controls. I explained and apologised. No harm done!

I had learned a second lesson. Watch the ropes at all times!

It is this incident that makes me believe that the newly installed extra bollards on narrow locks will be "an accident waiting to happen". It happened to us. [To be continued