Norton Junction, Leicester Arm – Friday 25 May 2012
An early start, I left the mooring at 08:15, only because I was wide awake.  On the non-towpath side of the canal was a converted lifeboat, they don’t look big enough for the sixty people they are meant to carry.  As I was passing the Stowe Hill Workshop I noticed another Braidbar, a quick ask and I tied up alongside “Blue Mist” in order to take a picture, it was number 66 “Loie Fuller” and was up for sale (the yard staff thought I wanted to buy her).  At 11:00 I reached my scheduled stop at bridge 18 having covered 4 miles.  There is a sign on the bridge for boaters to get provisions at the local shopping village, so I went off to have a look.  The signs are misleading!  Yes there are 20 retail outlets – for example a florist, restaurant, toy shop, garden furniture and antiques (which would not be out of place in London) and even a Brides Boutique!.  The provisions were not a supermarket or village shop, it was similar to Fortnum & Mason or Harrods specialist food departments.  Nice browsing but no sales.  As it felt early I decided to go for the Buckby lock flight (7 locks raising 63 feet).  I hung around in the hope that another boat could share the locks but no joy.  At the bottom one there was a canoeist who asked if he could have a lift rather than him carry his gear up, I said yes, and we covered the solar panel with a towel and protective matting and set off – then I noticed a holiday boat coming up, so we waited in Lock 12.  This meant that I stayed on the boat and the others did the work.  At lock 8 we met a CRT (BW) temporary lock-keeper who was just securing the gates for the day.  We told him there was another pair behind us and he agreed that we could all go through, rather than be held between locks 8 and 7 for the night.  I have moored for the weekend just on the Leicester Arm and have about 5 miles and the Watford flight (7 locks) to do.  Another superb day – I have now turned nicely pink (lobster colour) just like being at a Mediteranean resort.

Nether Heyford, Grand Union Canal – Thursday 24 May 2012
Another late start – today was 10 am.  I only planned to go six miles today and the weather has been really lovely, just like the summer holidays remembered from years ago.  I passed a few boaters who commented that it just gets hotter and hotter, but I told them not to complain cos I enjoyed it!  Especially after the rain since the government declared a drought!!  I have been frightening the wild life, the locals and other boaters.  The weather is so good that I’m wearing shorts for the first time since the last century, showing off my skinny white legs, and even taking off me shirt (no hanky with a knot at each corner though).  After a couple of miles I passed the “Graphics Boat” who do mirrored window film, so I’ve had the two side hatches done which should keep the temperature down inside.  I’ll think about the cratch (the tent at the front) and the two ‘Houdini hatches’ the roof windows and perhaps get them done as well.  The portholes don’t need doing as the lace ‘spiders’ webs’ work fine.  At Nether Heyford I went off to the next bridge and a walk back through the village – a couple of miles.

Blisworth, Grand Union Canal – Wednesday 23 May 2012
Up at 7:30 and a leisurely breakfast as there is no start through the locks until 9:30.  While waiting saw a boat with a foreign flag I thought I recognised.  Went along to chat and discovered it is a tiny world.  The flag was the Murray River ensign from Australia – I had seen it last week at Wolverton and chatted to the owners of “Aussie Mossie (from Down Under)”.  The crew (on a Wyvern boat) were impressed that it had been recognised!  At this point the lock crew said we could start at 9:00 and with boats also coming down the locks seemed to be set for us all the way.  I stopped to have a look at the museum, while the others went on – to go through the tunnel and on to Gayton before turning round and coming back.  After lunch I decided that I would go through the tunnel – interesting.  Tunnels leak and there are ventilation shafts that drip water on the unwary boater.  Because the weather has been so hot today (34 in the boat) when the water hit the boat it immediately turned to steam – I couldn’t see where I was going!  It was like being in a sauna; normally a coat is needed, but not today.  When I came out of the tunnel there were no wet patches on the roof.  Having reached Blisworth I moored up and have given the boat roof a wash – the guy on the next boat has gone to have a lie down – he said I was tiring him out.

Stoke Bruerne Bottom Lock, Grand Union Canal – Tuesday 22 May 2012
The phone has again reset itself!  I now have full coverage and all my contacts are back, this is confusing me.
On the move again, left Wolverton at 9:15 and headed towards the only lock today at Cosgrove.  Took the opportunity to do some washing while travelling, and refilled the water tank at the lock.  After this the canal meanders towards Stoke Bruerne, which is my stop for the day.  A total of nine lock-miles.  I have moored below the bottom lock of a run of seven, which I will start tomorrow morning (9:30 open time, as the restrictions are still in operation)  The weather has been wonderful – clear blue skies with a hint of haze, the maximum temperature on the boat is 34.  Locals tell me this will be it for the week.  The change in the weather has brought more boats out (unless it’s just because I’m near Wyvern Shipping).  I spent time washing the roof of the boat to remove the bird sh**.  When I’m nearer to Crick I will have to give the whole boat a clean.

Wolverton Bridge 71, Grand Union Canal – Thursday 17 May 2012 to Monday 21 May 2012
Thursday – I moored at Wolverton Bridge, it is nice to have time to examine the details of the local scenery.  The local train sheds are being re-developed and there are new flats in the area.  The station behind these is also being re-built and will be much bigger (is some-one hoping for a massive increase in population?)  Between Bridges 71 and 70A there is a new footbridge with sculptures on both sides, one is old and rusty the other nice and shiny, however, having a close look at them the rusty one is made up of railway tracks and is holding in his hand an early train engine, the shiny one is appears to be made of bandages and is holding cyclists.  My eyesight is not good enough to see this detail as you go past but details do show up on photos.
Friday - I left the boat for a weekend in Brighton.  The journey was fine but the weather was rubbish.  There was no activity on the sea, but lots of people on the Brighton Pier enjoying the activities.  During the night some bright spark set off the hotel fire alarm.
Saturday – awoke at 6am in time to see some brave souls going for a swim in the sea.  The meeting I had come for was not until 12:00 so there was time to go sight-seeing then afterwards a pleasant walk along the promenade.  I was trying to work out where the shots were made for the film “Oh what a lovely war”, it was filmed in Brighton on the West Pier (which has been burned down – not by us I may add).  It was possible to work out some of the views used.
Sunday - was again wet and raining, so I was pleased that I was travelling back.
Monday a lazy day catching up on emails etc.  The weather is miserable, cloudy and light rain.  Loads of leaves have dropped on the boat, along with goose droppings, so the roof is all sticky - I will clean this at Stoke Bruerne as it would be a waste of time under the same trees. Phone is playing up, after a call to Orange to cancel my internet dongle (I’ve not been happy with it on the boat) the thing told me I could only make emergency calls, and my phone book is empty!  How do you make a call when this happens?  Contacted Orange via the web and got a ‘do not reply’ email back saying they would contact me within seven days!!!  Anyway off to Tesco to buy a ‘Pay as you go’ SIM card, so that I can at least make calls if necessary.

Wolverton Bridge 71, Grand Union Canal – Wednesday 16 May 2012
Yet another easy day – start at 09:00 and finish at 12:00 covering 6 miles with no locks.  The sun has been out all morning and the canal has been busy – there has only been five mobile boats!  One was a St John’s ambulance widebeam that, of course, I met at a blind bridge on a corner (where else, it never seems to be on a straight bit of the canal)!  Another was a little ‘day-boat’ with a steerer, 4 male adults in the hatchway and what looked like half a dozen ladies inside, she seemed a bit low.  There has been the usual run of wildlife, swans in pairs, herons, moorhens, wood pigeons and of course loads of ducks.  On the domestic side a few cats and dogs on boats, one was a husky style with its head stuck out of a catflap, very funny looking.
Some fun in names, last night I was moored near a boat called ‘Ahab’ and as I was breakfasting was passed by ‘Pequod’ – for the non literati that was Ahab’s boat in Moby Dick
Finally ‘Briar Rose’ the Braidbar boat that I saw on Monday at Soulbury has just passed going North

Peartree Bridge, Grand Union Canal – Tuesday 15 May 2012
Another easy day as my plan is to get to the Wolverton station (suburb of Milton Keynes) by Thursday.  Today started out at 09:15, it had been raining during the night but this had been replaced with a cold wind.  Only one lock today, at Fenny Stratford with a drop of 1 foot.  Normally these small stop locks are where Canal Companies would ‘stop’ boats so that the lock-keeper could collect the toll due from the passing traffic, apparently this one was inserted to break an 11 mile pound to assist in controlling the loss of water.  I had just finished filling the lock and opening the swing bridge which goes across it when I saw a Wyvern Shipping boat ‘Poppy’ approaching, I waited while they filled up with water and then we shared the lock and I sent them on their way while I closed the bridge and lock.  The gates swung open immediately in the wind so I left them.  After another couple of miles I moored upfor the day.  Out came the sun and I thought that would be it for the day, but no, that has been followed by heavy rain, more sun and hail which is bouncing into the boat through the brass mushrooms on the roof!  No-one should get bored with British weather!

A brief advert – I am not on commission, but, one of the Braidbar boats called nb Sanity Again has owners that are e-publishers. Bruce has produced one about the building of their boat and Sheila has written ‘ A Boaters Commonplace Book’ full of thing boaters may find useful.  They can be contacted through their blog nbsanity.blogspot.com

Linslade, Grand Union Canal – Sunday 13 May 2012
Lots and lots of noise from the local pub all through the night, and I also experienced my first bit of anti-social behaviour.  At about 3:30 am I was woken by people running across the roof of the boat, so I got up to investigate but of course they had gone by the time I was dressed and out.  Back in the boat at about 4:10am I suddenly felt the boat move and went out to discover that the mooring lines for “Ice Breaker” and “Jasmine” had been removed from the bollards (we had looped them round the bollards and tied off on the boat.  Fortunately I had also used a ring set in the ground so “Ice Breaker” was still fixed to the bank but “”Jasmine” was completely loose, but had not floated out too far.  I grabbed her rope, pulled her in and put the ropes back over the bollards.  No-one was near but there were two guys casually staggering away on the towpath, (were they the culprits?).  I then spent time putting a chain round the bollard above so that it couldn’t easily be removed and this secured both boats.  Later on I discovered that
After breakfast I got ready and went off to the Trinity Methodist Church in Leighton Buzzard.  This is a fairly new church built with funds from the Rank Foundation, it is in red brick and is very much involved with the local community, there appears to be activities nearly every day (Scouts, Guides, Juniors, Dances, Coffee mornings, and even practice rooms for a band who meet each week.  Everybody was friendly, and it was an IT style service with the words to prayers, hymns etc appearing on a screen next to the Communion Table.  It is interesting seeing different service styles each week.
A slow wander round Leighton looking at the various buildings and when I eventually got back to the boat I spent time cleaning the bilges (inside the bottom of the engine compartment) as I had noticed that the stern gland (where the prop-shaft goes through the hull into the water) was leaking.  Fortunately the weather has again been lovely, blue skies and sunshine so the job was reasonably easy as I could have the back end of the boat open, the ‘Captain’s perches’ (seats) in place and other stuff dumped where I normally stand.  I had to get a sponge mop to reach the last of the greasy water as I didn’t want to dump it in the canal.

Stoke Hammond, Grand Union Canal – Monday 14 May 2012
No ‘night-time problems’ last night so I did not wake until 8:30 so ready to go at 10am.  The rain has returned with a vengeance, I had only 5 down locks to do and had help at every one!  At Leighton lock there was a crew going up but the lock was in my favour so they told me to stay on board and did all the work, at Soulbury Three locks there was a Canal and River Trust lock-keeper on duty who also told me to stay aboard while he operated the locks (CRT is the new name taking over from BW).  These 3 locks  are not exactly a flight but the pounds are only about boat lengths apart so boats can pass in them. Then at the Stoke Hammond lock again there was a crew who were happy to leave me on the boat.
As I was leaving the Soulbury locks I passed “Briar Rose” another Braidbar boat (my first for this year) and we called to each other, but they were going up and as I had just come down the lock was in their favour and the CRT man was waiting for them.
I have moored up on the towpath side of the canal with open fields all around.  Once moored the sun came out and it was warm, just like a May day, but it didn’t last, after a couple of hours we are back in torrential rain and thunder.

Linslade, Grand Union Canal – Saturday 12 May 2012
After mooring up last night I went off for an hour walk to exercise the legs and also to find out where the station is.  When I got back a boat was just mooring behind me (“Jasmine” built by Nantwich Narrowboats) chatting to the owner she had almost bought a Braidbar and will be going along the Peak forest canal.  We were comparing ‘air-draft’ (the height of the roof of a boat above water level) as some bridges can be a bit close!  It looked the same height as “Ice Breaker” so hopefully “Jasmine” will be ok.  She has two dogs on board one a Collie/Alsatian cross and the other similar to a collie but ginger with a lovely personality, when she is called back from wandering off she is straight back onto the boat with a ‘look’ to say “why do you call for me? I’ve been here all the time”!  I’m not cruising at weekends unless I get visitors so I had a late morning (up at 9am) and headed into Milton Keynes to get some wrist and ankle weights to improve my fitness when walking.  I also got a decent pair of non-slip safety boots for use on the boat so should be fine if anything heavy drops on my foot.  The train journey time Linslade to Milton Keynes is less than 15 minutes, or 2 days by boat.  The weather has been lovely and sunny but there are not that many boats out on the cut.

Linslade, Grand Union Canal – Friday 11 May 2012
Woke to find some-one was shining a bright light through the portholes, then realised it was the sun!!  Was getting ready to move at 9am when a large cream, wide-beam boat came up through the lock, it was being steered by Rob, an Australian who has the boat next to mine in Packet Boat (called “Platypus”).  Before I left last week he had said he was selling her but had no idea what he was going to do, he went for a drive and saw and bought his new one!  No-one was around to help with the locks so it has been single handing all morning, but the run went according to plan.  At Church lock (number 29) the stables had horses on the indoor gym again, for them it must be just like being on a treadmill or going round and round in a revolving door.  I have got to Linslade and have moored on the visitor moorings near Bridge 114.  There are TESCO, ALDI and Homebase stores with a 2 hour mooring limit just beyond me.  There has been blue skies with cloud patches but it has been very windy (including waves in the locks!).  Today was an easy run with 10 lock-miles.

Ivinghoe, Grand Union Canal – Thursday 10 May 2012
A late morning as the locks won’t be open until 10am, so at about 9:15 headed off to Bulbourne Junction join the queue that I was sure would be waiting – surprise the “water bailiff” had unlocked the lock and there was only one other boat waiting (no name), so we headed off sharing the locks.  I have estimated my time assuming that I would have to operate the locks on my own; it’s much quicker with a second boat to help.  The Marsworth locks are fairly close together (seven in about half mile) and there was also a helpful member of BW staff so we were through in what seemed like no time!  Then we passed the junction with the Aylesbury Arm and onwards on the Grand Union Canal Main Line.  At the next lock there was a very friendly mastiff type dog which wanted to help with the gates, but kept getting in the way of the windlass!  After the first of the Ivinghoe Locks I moored up and the other boat headed off.  It had been lovely and sunny up till then, but as soon as I was trying to tie the boat up the rain started and it is fairly heavy.  Tomorrow should see me at Linslade for the weekend.

Bulbourne, Grand Union Canal – Wednesday 9 May 2012
The trains did not disturb me I slept peacefully and up at 7am, ready to head out at 8 while the canal would have water from last night.  Berkhamstead has seven locks in less than two miles but they were all empty as I approached so I was fairly quick and just getting into a rhythm when at the fifth one (Gas 1 Lock number 51) I saw that the next ‘pound’ was empty!  A pound is the bit of the canal between two locks and can be a few yards or a few miles.  At the summit (Cowroast Lock number 46) British Waterways have closed the lock between 3pm and 10 am the next day, so because of leaks in various locks the pound had drained overnight.  A local taking his dog for a walk told me that this has been happening every night.  Ah well, I settled down to a long wait and about an hour and a half later was just about to start off again when I saw a Wyvern Shipping hire boat called “Juniper” heading the same way, so I waited and from there to Cowroast we shared lock duties.  They were hoping to do the locks after the Tring Summit Level so headed off while I started looking for somewhere to moor.  I had to go further than I intended but it was all on the level and I moored opposite the old BW workshops having completed 17 lock-miles.  Tomorrow I plan to do 11 lock-miles.  It has rained persistently all day as my hands are all ‘pink and wrinkly’!  This is a major change from last September / October when the sun was out all day.

Berkhamstead

Berkhamstead, Grand Union Canal –Tuesday 8 May 2012
Left Apsley at 10:00 having done some last minute shopping for bits for the boat (it’s a year since I took her over).  Then through Apsley locks on my own, BW have put information about the various closures due to the drought on the lock gates, so I’ve taken a photo and will read it later and decide if I need to review my journey.  The next lock (number 65) has a major leak in the bottom gates which do not close properly, this meant that the water was going out almost as fast as going in – nearly half an hour to fill, then on to Two Waters lock, where I met up with a river cruiser called “Chapter Two” which had been at the water point at Apsley, they were happy to share so it made the work easier – me going ahead to set the lock and open the gates then afterwards they close the gates and reset the paddles (the bits that allow the water through).  At Winkwell there is a road swing bridge that crews have to operate, fortunately today there were maintenance men working on it so it was controlled by them – then just running on to lock 56, Top Side Lock which is just on the outskirts of Berkhamstead.  Opposite to where I’m moored is the railway line from Euston so Virgin trains go past slightly faster than a canal boat, it makes me appreciate the quiet bits of the countryside.  Today I have travelled 16 lock-miles which is the canal way of measuring as you move at 4 miles an hour (unless you are going past moored boats) and a lock should take about 15 minutes - about the time for a mile.  Finally the weather – what’s a Brit to do if not chat about it – for most of the day it has been overcast, but no rain, then after mooring up the sun has come out so it looks like a lovely evening.

Packet Boat Marina, Grand Union Canal - October 2011 to April 2012
Where to start?  Having settled in to my berth I removed all the bits not needed (spare ropes and poles etc) and put them into storage.  Then time was spent cleaning and polishing the boat so that she was ready for winter.  Time was spent getting Hillingdon Council to accept that I was a genuine resident but eventually they did, so I now have a library card, and official London Borough bus pass.  During the months moored up friends have visited and short ‘day’ cruises have been taken – from the Marina up through Cowley and Uxbridge locks, stop for lunch at a pub and back.  This gives guests a little experience of canal life, I do ask if they would prefer to come out when it is freezing and chucking it down but so far no offers.  The winter has been reasonably mild (weedy southerner that I am) although there was snow and ice for about 10 days (a photo for this year’s Christmas card?), but with the squirrel stove working the boat has been nice and warm inside.  Life in London is totally different in speed to the canals, but I can revert to high speed Londoner going past tourists and taking short cuts on the London UndergrounD (where the sign saying “Exit in emergency only” just means you may be going against the flow, if its timed right there may be no-one coming the other way).  Time has just flown by as I had a reasonably full diary of meetings and people to see, duties at St Columba’s Church, along with visits to cinemas, theatres and places like the National Archives at Kew to do research.  Also visits for check-ups with optician, dentist and doctor, nothing to worry about with the first two but a diagnosis of type 2 Diabetes put off down my leaving Uxbridge.  I’ve had various tests and the results show it is mild and I should be ok on just diet, I will report how I’m doing
My plan for this year is to head off to Crick (meeting the Braidbar crew), go around the Cheshire ring, head to Poynton (for the Braidbar owners’ weekend) and return to Packet Boat for the winter.  There are a few meetings I have to go to so at times it will be moor-up and let the train take the strain!  So no pressure eh.
However it’s time to head out into the world again.
April 2012.  I was going to give the boat a wash-down with a hose, but we are now officially in drought so a bucket and sponge it has to be.  (Since the Government declared a drought this has brought the storm clouds gathering and it has been raining heavily).  Items were got out of store and put back onto the boat, and those not required for cruising (long mains power lead, hose and mains powered electric heater etc) put into store.  Food stores stocked up and ready to go.
Apsley, Grand Union Canal -Monday 7 May 2012
Well I have been out for a week.  I left Packet Boat Marina last Monday having filled up with water and pumped out the holding tank (no easy flush and forget on a boat) and have gone slowly so that I get back into the swing of speed, locks, rain and the other joys of cruising.  Monday I moored just after Denham Deep Lock having done 3 locks and 3 miles, Tuesday was at Batchworth opposite the TESCO (5 locks and 6 miles), Wednesday at Cassiobury Park Lock (5 locks and 2 miles).  After I had moored the Fellowes, Morton & Clayton (FMC) boat “President” with its butty (unpowered) “Kildare” (both run by the Black Country Living Museum) moored up.  Usually the butty is towed but here it was ‘breasted-up’ (tied side by side).  They were heading towards London as they are at the Camden Cavalcade this weekend then in the Queen’s Jubilee Thames Pageant over the June Bank Holiday so won’t be at Crick this year.
Thursday I did 10 locks and 4 miles to get to Apsley having crossed the M25 so I’m now out in the country!  I moored up just before bridge 154 which has a double arch; this means that boats going through the main arch will be clear of me.  I will not be moving until Tuesday (I’m going to try not to cruise at weekends unless I have to (or I have visitors)
Friday I had a quick trip back into London (half hour on train) to go to the AGM and Marchers Lunch of the London Transport Old Comrades Association.  Saturday spent exploring the Apsley area and Sunday off to Church at St Mary’s