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2014 09 07 Newsletter – Following Your Dream
That’s it. I’ve had enough.
I stepped on to the hamster wheel in September 1977, almost exactly thirty seven years ago and I’ve been on it ever since running as fast as my little legs could carry me, never seeming to get anywhere or to have any time for myself and the leisure activities I enjoy so much.
I was a very green behind the ears sales assistant in a down town timber merchants in Birkenhead. A year later I moved to another branch with the same company next to the river Clyde in Glasgow where my father was managing an animal feeds mill.
After a very exciting six months, which included me being thrown off a moving coach during a very drunken Burns night in Stirling with my work mates, I moved back to England again, this time near Chelmsford in Essex. I worked as a progress/liaison clerk (I’m still not entirely sure what that was) and then as a senior contracts clerk by day and then behind the bar in a very select village pub by night. I regularly worked seventy hour weeks between the two jobs. The habit of working very long hours stayed with me over the following three and a half decades.
I loved my part time job at The Anchor. I worked hard, but played even harder. My evening’s work often finished in the early hours of the following morning after two or three hours socialising with customers after my shift finished. I was offered the position of bar manager there so left my day job to work in the pub full time. In 1982, at the tender age of twenty two, I was given the opportunity to run my own bar.
The training included six months on the relief circuit. I travelled all over the country looking after pubs while the regular managers took well earned holidays. My first relief couldn’t have been more different from the busy but select country pub I was used to. It was a rough estate pub in Harlow where a hard drinking session was usually followed by an even harder bout of fisticuffs in the bar or the car park outside. The grande finale of my month there was a bank holiday brawl which needed two dozen policemen to sort out.
I looked after some equally interesting pubs after that including one in Brentwood in Essex which was supposedly haunted by the ghost of a murderer who spent his last night there before being hanged. I don’t believe in ghosts but each night I spent there on my own terrified me. I took a knife with me if I ever needed to use the bathroom in the middle of the night. I’m a bit of a wimp really.
Just after my twenty third birthday I was offered my own pub on an estate in Milton Keynes. I can’t say that I really enjoyed it. Milton Keynes was a building site then and many of my customers were hard drinking Scots who had moved to the town for the work. They made my life a misery.
After eighteen months of battling drunks I was sacked by the brewery for not controlling the costs properly, or even at all. I had nowhere to go so I squatted in the pub for three months before being literally thrown out onto the street by a pair of burly bailiffs.
I should have quit the pub game then, but I wasn’t very bright. I secured a job in Putney as the assistant manager of another pub. Within a year I was back on the relief circuit but this time in a far more dangerous part of the world. Part of my training was in the King & Queen pub in Mottingham in south east London. It was a violent place. On one particularly memorable night an unhinged and very drunk local ran into the pub firing a magnum into the ceiling. I reluctantly climbed across the bar to help the manager relieve his of the firearm before throwing him out. We didn’t bother to phone the police.
I then spent eighteen months running my own pub at Grove Park between Bromley and Catford. I witnessed a murder and an uncountable number of serious assaults and was hospitalised myself when I had a pint glass broken against the side of my head. My almost severed ear was stitched back in place and I was back at work the following day. I finally left, very quickly, when drug dealers threatened to kill my eighteen month old son.
I moved to another pub in the not-so-sleepy market town of Bicester where I had some interesting nights separating drunken soldiers from equally drunken groups of Irish M40 construction workers singing IRA songs. The pub was far more placid than the one in London but after five years of regular Friday and Saturday night violence, I said goodbye to the licensed trade and moved to Southam in Warwickshire where I started my own cleaning business.
The hours were just as long as they were in the pubs and I earned less but I didn’t live in fear. After five years hard labour I had a successful business providing domestic cleaners to affluent home owners and a small fleet of vans of vans offering a high tech window cleaning service to 800 local households.
I decided to duplicate the business’s success across the country by opening franchised branch offices. I set up one in Blackburn, another in Glasgow and a third in Bournemouth before I realised that the expansion programme had sucked all of the profit from my core business and left me with debts I couldn’t service. The lovely people at Revenue and Customs forced me into bankruptcy so for the first time in thirty years I was out of work.
Ever a glutton for punishment I landed myself a job as Operations Director for a fledgling soft drinks franchise. I commuted four hours to and from London every day for a year before discovering that the guy behind the company was wanted by Interpol for a multi million pound telecoms fraud in France, was suspected of having something to do with his wife’s lover being found handcuffed to the steering wheel of the family Mercedes when it was lifted out of Swansea harbour, and further suspected of being behind the disappearance of £500,000 raised by a London finance company for the company’s development.
I left the drinks company then spent a year as professional photographer providing studio quality photographs at black tie events and, on two memorable occasions taking photographs of fans holding the FA cup at both Chelsea and Liverpool. I often returned from the events at dawn absolutely shattered. I couldn’t keep it up for long.
And then, quite by chance, I was introduced to the wonderful and tranquil world of the canal network. I stopped my photography work and started working part time helping to look after the grounds at Calcutt Boats. I loved every minute working on and around a marina full of narrowboats and the happy smiling owners enjoying holidays travelling at less than four miles an hour. I earned very little money but I was happy for the first time in many years.
Part time work at the marina became full time. Commuting three miles to work from the house I shared with my wife became living on site on a dilapidated narrowboat on my own. Then I created this site and spent an increasing number of hours each week working on it.
So here I am, thirty seven years after leaving school. still working close to seventy hours a week. The big difference is that now I thoroughly enjoy every minute of the two very different jobs I do. By day I’m a labourer. By night I’m a blogger. I lost everything including my pension when my business failed so I had to start from scratch to generate an income to support me in my dotage. This site with the products and services I offer is my pension. I’ve achieved the goal I set for myself four years ago, but it’s been hard work.
I don’t mind hard work. In fact I’ve reveled in it as long as I can remember, but the hard work seems to be getting harder and harder. I’m no longer able to shrug off the effects of a full day’s physical labour or fourteen hours hunched over a keyboard after just a few hours sleep. I’m constantly tired.
For a while now I’ve been considering reducing the number of hours I work each week so that I can spend more time exploring the country’s canals and rivers. I was given a virtual kick in the right direction when I received the following email…
“My whole world has turned upside down. When I retired we sold the house then started to live the dream in May, then disaster struck. I was diagnosed with cancer. Not just any cancer but terminal, as in they gave me 6 months at best or with chemotherapy maybe 12 months. I started the treatment a week ago & the effects have been terrible but I am hoping my body will adjust slowly to it. It has meant a huge change in plans we now realise that a marina mooring for our first winter is essential now…
…We have had a fabulous 4 months afloat with memories no one can take away…”
Sadly, it’s not the first email I’ve received along these lines. I know far too many people who worked hard throughout adulthood in order to enjoy a comfortable retirement to find that their health failed before they could turn dreams into reality.
A particularly memorable example was a single guy I met at Calcutt Top Lock a couple of years ago. He told me that he and his wife saved every penny they could over three decades to buy the boat of their dreams. They spent many an enjoyable evening planning the boat’s layout after cruises on hire boats spanning many years. They bought a full set of canal guides and carefully planned the itinerary for their first summer of leisure together. They chose a builder together then visited the boat yard each week to watch their new floating home take shape. The husband retired from the engineering job he’d endured for twenty years then waited eagerly for his wife to do the same the following month.
Tragically, she suffered a heart attach and died the week before her retirement party.
A month after her funeral and cremation, their dream boat was launched. It was a sad affair but the husband was determined to use the boat for its intended purpose so he set off on his own. When I met him he had been cruising single handedly for just over a year. He was standing next to the lock with an open rucksack at his feet.
“Caroline always loved the canals and the locks around here”, he told me. “Our goal was to tick off all the locks on the system. I’ve been through 626 in the last year. Caroline would have loved the experience and I think she would appreciate what I’ve done.” He bent down and gently eased the top of a black cylinder in the bag at his feet, reached reverently inside, withdrew his hand with some dark powder between his thumb and forefinger then gently tossed it into the lock water. “These are Caroline’s ashes. She’s sharing the journey with me. I’ve done this at every lock I’ve passed. I won’t stop until they’re all done and we’ve finally completed the network together.”
Coincidentally I was standing at a lock today telling a passing boater this story. He told me that on my travels today I would pass a moored boat called Dot’s Dream. Dot of course had sadly passed away before she could realise the dream. Her husband had named the boat after her and now cruises the network on his own.
The emails I’ve received and encounters like the ones above have frequently reminded me that I can’t predict the future. I can’t ever remember being as fit or as healthy as I am right now, but how long will my good health last? I don’t know, so I need to make the most of every day. Over the last four years I’ve been an evangelist for the live aboard lifestyle, but all the time I’ve been wistfully watching serene couples cruising past our wharf thinking “One day that will be me!”
Enough is enough. I’ve taken the bull by the horns and drawn a line in the sand (sorry about the mixed metaphors). I’ve set a date for the start of my grand adventure. That date is 2nd April 2016. It’s my 56th birthday. I’m going to try to move the date forward if I can but I need to satisfy an outstanding financial commitment first. I’m going to try to set off before then but I certainly won’t set off any later.
I have thirty seven years of relentless work behind me and just over a year ahead of me. I can’t wait to see it all behind me. I now have a countdown timer on my laptop’s desktop and another on my phone’s home screen. There are 573 days to go before I set off on a cruise which I hope lasts the rest of my life. I’m going to bed early tonight so I can cross another day off the total.
Stoppage Alerts
Last week I told you that you can find a list of all scheduled and emergency stoppages on the canal network. Keith Renouard kindly reminded me of the following additional information…
“You mentioned at the end of your newsletter about checking for stoppages. What is useful with the Canal and River Trust website is that if you set yourself up as a user with a login name (e-mail address) and password then there is a ‘MyTrust’ section.
In here, you have the option of setting up a personalised notification of waterways by simply ticking the waterways that are of interest to you and you then receive E-mails advising/updating you of unplanned closures.
We find it useful and it has forewarned us a few times over the last few years of potential problems/delays.”
You can view all stoppages here. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to register yourself so that you can receive email notifications.
Living Life In The Slow Lane
Nigel Buttery, Our Nige on the forum, has been living afloat for just over a year now. Like me he has to work for a living so he’s based at a marina, but as often as possible he takes his floating home out onto the canals to explore. He’s out and about at the moment and he’s recording his daily travels in fascinating detail. His day to day activities are typical of a relaxed and grounded live aboard boater. Here’s his account of the last five days in date order. If you want to comment on his posts you can click on the link at the bottom of the page to the duplicate post on the forum.
http://livingonanarrowboat.co.uk/blogs/steppinout/steppin-out-2014-world-tour-day-1-tuesday/
http://livingonanarrowboat.co.uk/blogs/steppinout/steppin-out-world-tour-2014-day-2-burton-to-alrewas-nice-people/
http://livingonanarrowboat.co.uk/blogs/steppinout/steppin-out-world-tour-2014-day-3-thurs-alrewas-to-armitage/
http://livingonanarrowboat.co.uk/blogs/steppinout/steppin-out-world-tour-2014-day-4-friday-armitage-to-cannock-chase/
http://livingonanarrowboat.co.uk/blogs/steppinout/steppin-out-world-tour-2014-day-4-sat-cannock-chase-to-grt-haywood/
I Need Some Help!
Each time I write a newsletter, I tick another subject off the list of things which those new to boating have told me that they want to read about. The hardest part of the process isn’t the writing itself, it’s constantly thinking of new content for each issue. The trouble is, I don’t know what you want to read. I think I keep the newsletters reasonably interesting but I don’t know for sure. That’s where I need your help.
Can you let me know what you would like to read in the future? Are there any areas of narrowboat life you don’t think I’ve covered enough or areas which I’ve missed completely? Please let me know what you want to read about. Thanks for your help.
Newsletter Index
I created the site just over four years ago to provide a source of information for anyone interested in narrowboats and the possibility of living on one full time. The site has grown to encompass a comprehensive listing of inland marinas in England and Wales, dozens of articles, a forum and regular newsletters. I’ve already created (below) indexes of the site articles and the more popular forum posts. I thought it was about time I created an easy to use index of the newsletter content. Here’s the index so far.
Route finding for narrowboat owners – Here are the popular paper and digital route finders to help make navigating the network child’s play
Long term narrowboat hire – Is hiring a boat long term a realistic alternative to buying one?
living on board in the winter, the cost of living afloat generally and where you can moor your floating home are all subjects which are misunderstood by many aspiring narrowboat owners. Here’s what you need to know.
Narrowboat heating, electrics and engine specifications – How is the perfect live aboard narrowboat configured? Here are a few suggestions
Essential boating equipment – Here’s the stuff every boater should carry on board
The pros and cons of a wide beam boat – More and more wannabe boaters are considering more spacious wide beams rather than narrowboat. There is clearly more living space on board but how practical are wide beam boats on the inland waterways?
The dreaded weed hatch – Sooner or later your engine will start to overheat, you’ll lose propulsion and you’ll know that you need to dive down your weed hatch to free an obstacle or two from the propeller. Here’s how to do it properly and a list of the tools you’ll need.
Digital aids for narrowboat owners – Digital applications and maps for inland waterways boaters
Practical experience for lone boaters. Here’s an account of a day’s cruise with a nervous single boater. He wanted enough confidence to deal with locks on his own. I spent the day with him, designed a route to include twenty six locks and spent ten hours helping him hone his locking skills.
Extending your boat’s storage space – The pros and cons of fitting covers to your front and rear decks
Naming your boat – The legal requirements when naming, renaming and displaying your boat plus the inland waterways’ two hundred most popular boat names
Speeding boats – Are rocking stationary boats the fault of speeding passing boats or the fault of boat owners who can’t moor securely?
Boat Handling – lock and paddle gear types.
Boat handling – Swing and lift bridges
Single handed boating – Negotiating locks.
Single handed boating – Choosing the right type of boat for single handed cruising and equipment to make your solo journeys safer and more enjoyable.
How to avoid common narrowboat accidents. They happen far more often than you might think. Here’s what you need to keep yourself out of harm’s way.
If you want to live on your boat and don’t want to, or can’t, cruise full time, you must have a residential mooring. Here’s how to find one.
What makes a perfect live aboard narrowboat. Two experienced boaters discuss layout, size and essential equipment
A cautionary tale if you are considering buying a wide beam boat to live on.
A further update to the site content index.
The A -Z of everything narrowboat – With over 5,500 posts and pages on the site now, quickly finding exactly what you want can sometimes be a problem. For this newsletter I started creating and A-Z index of all the site content.
How do you continue to earn money to support your boating lifestyle as you cruise the network?
Sharing your narrowboat space – The practicalities of sharing living accommodation the same size as a large shed.
Paying for a narrowboat – What practical steps can you take to ensure you’ve established legal ownership and how do you deal with the transfer of monies between buyer and seller?
Narrowboat Knots – At my first lock on my first cruise I watched my boat drift into the centre of the canal along with my twelve year old son. If you want to avoid the same embarrassment and potential damage to both your boat and your self esteem, you need to know how to tie your boat securely in a number of different situations.
Toilets is a subject often discussed by narrowboat owners but they usually talk about either pump out or cassette toilets. There is a third type though and it’s one which is both environmentally friendly and cheap to run. Here’s all you need to know about composting toilets.
Boat owners who live on board are considered to have a pretty simple and basic life by many living in bricks and mortar homes. Compared with the lifestyle of the farmers I’ve been staying with in the Philippines though, my UK life seems overly materialistic and expensive. Cou
Here’s an account of my very first winter on board and that of one of the site’s subscribers, Nigel Buttery. They’re very different experiences. My first winter was the coldest on record. Nigel’s is one of the mildest winters we’ve had for a long time.
I’ve also included to links to my Philippines blog. I spent the whole of February living in a rural farming community on the island of Negros.
Have you ever wondered how a narowboat is built. Here are the first two parts of a very detailed account of the building of a Sea Otter aluminium narrowboat. You’ll be particularly interested in Sea Otters if you don’t fancy the constant battle with rust that you have with traditional steel narrowboats.
Condensation is something all boat owners have to deal with. Here’s an explanation of why it occurs and what to do about it. I also tested a remote boat monitoring application in this issue.
Cold floors, cold air above the floors and cold hull sides. It’s a combination which can cause your bottom half quite a bit of discomfort. Here’s what I do to deal with the problem.
Weil’s disease – It’s an often talked about and often feared aspect of living, working or playing close to inland waterways but just how dangerous is it and what can you do to keep yourself safe?
If you’re on a budget maybe a self fit our sailaway is the way to go for you. Here’s the story of a wide beam self fit out to give you inspiration (or put you off completely)
Planning for the year ahead – Written plans and goals have always been important to me. They help me see into the future. Here’s what we’ve planned for our lovely floating home in 2014.
The practicality of hosting Christmas afloat – How do you achieve a floating festive event (and do you really want to)?
Liveaboard case study, The Pearl – Tony and Jane Robinson believe in forward planning. They stated their narrowboat fund thirty years before buying their own boat. Now the two retired education workers moor in a marina for the winter then explore the waterways during the warmer months.
Narrowboat Storage Space – How much space is there to store your worldly goods on board a narrowboat? Here’s a video walk-through of my own boat James.
Roses and Castles Canal Art – What is it and why do boaters spend so much money decorating their boats with it?
Fitting secondary double glazing – Fitting the panels is a simple operation for those with the most basic DIY skills, something which I sadly haven’t developed. As you might expect then, the fitting didn’t go as well as it should.
Narrowboat videos – I launched the Living On A Narrowboat YouTube channel
Secondary double glazing for your boat – The pros and cons of double glazing on a boat and why secondary double glazing is a much better bet and a fraction of the cost.
Living on a narrowboat vidoes – My first hesitant steps into the world of video production for site content
Can you either live or holiday on a narrowboat if you have a disability? – Here’s what you need to know.
Winter fuel allowance – Do you qualify for one if you live on a boat?
Case Study – NB Progress. Kim Wainwright recorded her journey on the forum from nervous anticipation to current liveaboard boat owner. Here’s her story.
Narrowboat central heating – I don’t have any. All that is about to change. Here’s the system I’m going to install and why I’ve chosen it.
Narrowboat running costs – I compare my own running costs to those of a prominent YouTube video blogger and detail my exact costs for October 2013
Popular narrowboat terminology – Hundreds or words or phrases used to describe parts of boats and the waterways they cruise through.
The wind chill factor – How strong the wind is blowing and which direction it’s coming from can determine how difficult it is to heat your boat. Here’s what you need to know.
Case study – Another couple from down under living the dream on the inland waterways.
20th October 2013Condensation. It’s a common problem on boats. Here are a few suggestions how to keep your boat’s interior dry.
A new organisation for liveaboard boaters
On demand water heater problems – Discover a common fault with these water heaters and what you can do to resolve the problem.
Know your firewood – Not all timber burns well. Find out which is best and which to avoid.
Managing your boat’s water supply. You can use your water supply as and when you need it when you live in a house with all mod cons. You can pretty much do the same when you’re on a marina mooring with a water supply just a hose length away. It’s a different kettle of fish when you’re on an online mooring.
Liveaboard case study – A prime example of mooring without a water supply on tap.
The folly of using unseasoned wood as a fuel – Here’s essential information if you plan to use logs you find to heat your boat for free
Creating lasting memories of your cruises – Slightly off topic, but please bear with me. You’ll have some wonderful adventures as you travel throughout the network. They’ll be adventures worth remembering but will you remember them? I have a very poor memory but instant and total recall of all my cruises is just a click away.
A tragedy at Calcutt. Sudden Oak Dieback hits our 1,500 twenty year old oak trees
Forum private messaging – Now you can email other forum users from within the site
Managing your water supply
An American blogs about his travels
Solving engine room leaks – A simple solution to a dripping stern tube
All about the weed hatch – Removing debris from your propeller
8th September
A disaster – I inadvertently deleted this week’s newsletter and there wasn’t a backup on the server. What a shame. It was all about the damage you can do to your boat if you don’t watch what you’re doing in a lock. You would have loved it!
Effective fly killers for boats
The downside to living on a narrowboat
Liveaboard Case Study – American Richard Varnes has taken a year out from work to cruise the canal network and write about his adventure. Here’s his case study and a few stories from his journey so far.
CART Guide Approval – The waterways’ governing body is now promoting the information packages available from this site. Yippee!
Narrowboat Insurance – A summary of insurance quotes from the major narrowboat insurers
Liveaboard Case Study – Keith and Nicky downsized their property in Jersey, used the released capital to buy their 57? “go anywhere” narrowboat and now live on their boat full time while they continuously cruise the canal network. They’re ridiculously young to retire, and I’m very, very jealous
Downsizing from a 3 bed semi to a narrowboat – What do you do with a lifetime’s accumulated possessions?
A free download – Living On A Narrowboat: 101 Essential Narrowboat Articles
Narrowboat tips – Handy hints from experienced narrowboat owners
The cost of a continuous cruising lifestyle – How one liveaboard boater manages on a shoestring
The perfect narrowboat washing machine? – It’s low cost and doesn’t need plumbing in, but does it actually clean clothes?
The cost of a continuous cruising lifestyle – How much does living the life of a water gypsy really cost?
The cost of living on a narrowboat – An article in the Daily Mail… and why most boaters disagree with what they said.
Hire boat expectations – Fully understanding what facilities will be available to you is essential if you’re going to enjoy a narrowboat holiday. Here’s what not to do.
Fenland river cruising – Another boater’s maiden voyage to whet your appetite.
Anticipating winter weather – You may well be enjoying unusually warm winter weather but the winter will be with us all too soon. Now is the time that you need to plan for the cold weather ahead.
Keeping your stove glass clean – Maybe you think it’s an odd subject for the summer but you can’t trust the English weather. Late June and the stove was still on now and again. At least now I have a crystal clear view of the fire I shouldn’t need to light.
Traffic chaos caused by Braunston’s historic boat rally – On a day with high winds and a canal full of working boats returning home after the rally, I had the pleasure of taking some very nervous hirers out on the cut.
23rd June 2013 – The cost of a two week cruise. If you live on your own boat, what’s the real cost of taking it away for a two week break?
Case Study – Mary Anne swapped dry land home rental for floating home ownership. Now she loves life afloat and works from home.
Life as a continuous cruiser – The Holy Grail of narrowboat ownership. The ability to travel where and when you like. Peter Early tells all.
The Ashby canal cruise part two – We spent a bit more time on the Ashby before heading south again, joining the Coventry canal, this time following it into Coventry’s rather depressing and disappointing city centre, then retracing our steps back to Calcutt
Most popular narrowboat names – Here’s the definitive list of the top 200 most popular narrowboat names and a resource you can use to find out if any other boat has the same name as yours
Considerate boating – An article prompted after a near head on collision with another boat trying to avoid a fallen oak.
I was on holiday for the first two weeks of June. Sally and I cruised from Calcutt to Braunston, north along the north Oxford where we joined the Coventry canal briefly before taking a very sharp right turn onto the Ashby canal. Here’s a daily report of the first week of our holiday.
An encounter with two poorly prepared holiday boaters and my own impending two week cruise encouraged me to put together a pre cruise check list
Laptop hacking – An update on the problems I encountered after buying a brand new laptop which I suspect was tampered with before I bought it.
Diary of a new narrowboat owner – Frequent forum poster “Our Nige” finally moved on to his new floating home. Here’s his story
My comments about an encounter on the Oxford/GU section between Napton and Braunston sparked a debate about the pros and cons of wide beams on the cut.
Keeping dry – You don’t really need to limit your cruising to sunny summer days. There’s something very special about standing on the back deck in the pouring ran protected by a set of bomb proof waterproofs.
Do you really need a car? Living on a narrowboat is all about enjoying a simple and stress free life. Sally and I had a car each. Mine cost £2,000 to run in the previous 12 months so I decided to get rid of mine to see if I could manage without one.
An encounter with a wide beam boat and why they aren’t suitable for much of the canal network
An interview with the Trust’s head of boating. Sally Ash talks about the Trust’s approach to the thorny issue of residential moorings
Narrowboat fuel tanks – How much do they hold
Meet one of your legless canal side companions
The canal network’s largest floating hotel
Narrowboat blogs – My own first cruise, Our Nige takes his new home on its maiden voyage and a chance for you to have your very own blog section on this site.
The Trust target illegal moorers but just what does the Trust consider to an illegal mooring?
Identity theft – The ongoing saga of my hacked laptop
RCR engine servicing – River Canal Rescue (RCR) are well known as the waterways equivalent of the AA but did you know that they will also come to your mooring to service your boat?
The perils of exceeding your monthly broadband data allowance. Learn from my mistakes.
Narrowboat security – A spate of burglaries from boats and a break in at my former family home encouraged me to write this article
Case study – You need to committed to sell your home to fund the purchase of your narrowboat. That’s what Mick and Marlene have done.
Case study – Sarah lives on wide beam Antioch on the Leeds Liverpool canal. She can do man things with her hands. Here’s her story.
Be inspired – There are always reasons why you don’t make the move from bricks and mortar to steel and water. Here’s an anecdote which demonstrates once and for all that there really aren’t any worthwhile excuses.
Here’s an example of what happens when you really don’t understand how your narrowboat works.
Essential boating equipment – Here’s a low cost item which has paid for itself over and over again.
Whilton marina boat sales – Sometimes things aren’t what they appear to be. This alleged fact about the boat sales at Whilton has come to me from several different sources.
Where can you find residential moorings? Here’s a great place to start
Getting rid of unwelcome visitors – Geese used to regularly disturb a peaceful night’s sleep where I moor. Not any more. Here’s my solution
Know your narrowboat costs – Detailed costs for my own boat for February 2013
Half a dozen boaters now have access to their own blog section on the site. You can too. Here’s how.
James’ upgrade – Adding solar panels and replacing carpets with oak effect laminate flooring
Stove fuel test – What works best; coal, wood, briquettes or something else entirely – Here’s my own take on a Waterways World test
Essential stove maintenance – Here’s what you need to do to make sure that your stove always performs well.
Internet connectivity – I use the internet four or more hours every day. This is the setup I have on my boat to make sure that I’m always connected.
Detailed running costs for my own boat for January 2013
The real cost of going cheap. An in depth look at the cost of my 36 year old boat, and how much I spent (and still need to spend) before it will be a comfortable full time cruising boat.
Case Studies – I put together 21 of the best case studies and analysed and summarised the data in this low cost guide. If you want ton save yourself hundreds of hours of research and costly mistakes, you need to read this guide.
Case Study – Mike’s circumstances are similar to my own. He moved onto his boat after a failed marriage. He’s upgraded from a 27? GRP cruiser to a 50? narrowboat
Narrowboat electrics part 2 – The concluding article from Tim Davis
I asked newsletter subscribers to send me detailed breakdowns of their bricks and mortar expenses so I could compare them with the cost of running a narrowboat. Quite a few subscribers obliged. I added the breakdowns to my narrowboat costs guide and the budgeting application.
Understanding narrowboat electrics – Another excellent article from Tim Davis
Satellite television for narrowboats – Information from a system installer
Low cost narrowboat ownership – A low cost solution to the problem of funding your first narrowboat
Solar power – All you need to know about installing solar panels on your boat. Written by the inland waterways most popular solar system installer
Case Study – Mr. Solar Panel Tim Davis writes about life on board his own narrowboat
First tests and reviews of the budgeting application
The best aerial for a narrowboat television
The first release of the new spreadsheet based narrowboat budgeting application
An unscheduled dip in the marina prompted me to write about safety on the waterways
Living on a narrowboat – Through the eyes of a young lady who would clearly prefer to be somewhere else
I started to develop the narrowboat budgeting software. This newsletter detailed the concept and the progress to date
Practical flooring for narrowboat dogs
Case study – Mike and Mags use a double redundancy payment to pay for their new floating home
The best tip for a wannabe narrowboat owner – Advice from existing boat owners
I published my guide Living on a Narrowboat: The REAL Cost of a Life Afloat. When this newsletter was published it was only available as a Kindle edition. Now it’s available in both Kindle and PDF format and is bundled with Narrowbudget, the site’s bespoke narrowboat budgeting application.
VAT on narrowboat sales
Dealing with pests on a narrowboat – spiders and swans
Posh boats – My personal favourite: S.M. Hudson
Repeat prescriptions, diesel heating systems and solar panels
Survey – Do you want a forum on the site? (You already know the answer to that!)
How to clean your stove glass – One of the real pleasures of a living fire is watching the flames on a cold winter’s eve. Here’s what you need to do to ensure you can actually see the fire.
Smoking on board – An alternative to smelly smoke
DIY narrowboat painting – I’ve broken down the complete cost of painting your own boat and
Dealing with wind on the river – A guest article from liveaboard narrowboat owner Alan Cazaly
DIY narrowboat painting – I spent three weeks in April painting my boat. Here’s the first of my progress reports
Life on the river Cam – A guest article on the pleasures of river life by wide beam liveaboard Luther Phillips
Case Study – Freelance writer Anne and her South African farmer partner John reveal all
Case Study – Toni cruises constantly with ex husband Allan. They cruise together but they live apart… on separate boats
As a result of the article about the downside of living on a narrowboat published in the 18th March newsletter, I asked liveaboard narrowboat owners to complete a survey to give a balanced view of the issues raised by Pauline. Here are the survey results and a much more positive article by liveaboard narrowboat owner and frequent forum contributer Peter Early.
The downside of living on a narrowboat – This was a very controversial post. Liveaboard Pauline Roberts wrote about the less pleasant aspects of life afloat… and attracted a storm of comments
Case study: The Woodsman – Pauline Roberts again giving an insight into the life that you may think she doesn’t like.
Reviewed: The Liveaboard Guide by Tony Jones. A great guide to living afloat
eBay Narrowboat scam (and a little bit of flack for me from another forum)
Case Study: Author Toby Jones on his own liveaboard narrowboat
A review of Debdale Wharf marina
Two more case studies. One of them waxed lyrical about life on the waterways and enjoyed every minute of her life afloat. Now (April 2013) she’s selling up to follow another dream in Spain.
The first four narrowboat case studies published
I’ll start with myself; Paul Smith, living on my own, moored in a marina and working full time. Narrowboat James case study
Meet Peggy. She has a husband and two small children, works full time and cruises the network during the summer months. Narrowboat Violet Mae case study
Fancy spending your retirement cruising the waterways of England and Wales? Meet Barry and Sue Horne. They’re living the dream! Narrowboat Adagio Case Study
Here are another working couple. Lina and Warren cruise the cut with their two cats.Narrowboat Olive Rose case study.
Article – Living on a narrowboat in winter
1th January 2011 – 1st Newsletter
Dealing with the coldest winter on record
Digital reading – A detailed review of the Kindle, the perfect solution for book loving boat owners
Comprehensive Site Article Listing
There are dozens of helpful and interesting articles on the site, but have you found them all? I thought you might appreciate a list of the more popular articles that you can glance through and click on the ones that take your fancy. Here it is.
Popular Forum Posts
There’s a wealth of information on the site in general, but if you’re struggling to find the answer to a particular issue, the forum is the place to find it. I’ve listed some of the more popular posts below but if you can’t find what you’re looking for, ask your question on the forum. If you don’t know how to create a post, or if you can’t log in, please let me know. I’ll be more than happy to get you up and running.
- Aluminium Boats – They don’t rust so why don’t you see more of them on the inland waterways?
- Ironing Board On Board – How do boaters manage a crease free life?
- Freezing Water – How to stop your pipes and pumps from freezing in the winter
- CRT & Continuous Cruising – The Trust and their enforcement of the rules
- Heat – Advice for the owner of a cold boat
- GPS Devices and Canal Mapping – Are there any decent ones available for your narrowboat and do you need them anyway?
- Battery Monitors – Replacing your leisure batteries is one of your more expensive maintenance costs. Here’s some detailed information about a device for looking after your batteries
- Survey Costs – How much should you pay to have your boat removed from the water for a survey?
- Battery monitors – Gimmick or essential boating equipment?
- Engine size and performance – Most engines are suitable for pottering about on the canal but what size engine do you need if you plan to cruise on rivers?
- A Big Inverter Or A Suitcase Generator – What are the pros and cons of either option?
- Who Owns Your Boat? – How do you find out if there’s still finance attached to your boat when you buy it.
- Boat Shares – A low cost alternative to outright narrowboat ownership. Advice from a current share owner
- Plumbing In A Back Boiler – Advice Offered
- Inverter Installation – What do you need and can you fit one yourself?
- Getting Rid Of Space Wasting CD’s & DVD’s – The solution is to digitise your collection. Here’s how to do it.
- Depreciation – How much does a new narrowboat lose in value as the years go by?
- The Cost Of Continuous Cruising – How much does the nomadic lifestyle really cost?
- 12v Narrowboat Washing Machines – Is there any such animal?
- “Chiggers” – It’s a mite you can pick up from the ever growing population of Canada Geese. Beware!
- Post & Postal Addresses For Continuous Cruisers – You need an address in order to receive post and open bank accounts, register for doctors and hospitals etc. How do continuous cruisers with no fixed abode manage it.
- Keeping Cool On A Narrowboat – How to keep people and pets cool in the summer
- It’s Official: There’s No Need To Pay Mooring Fees – Or so this Daily Mail article claims. You may disagree. I do.
- Overcrowded Waterways – More and more people are choosing a life afloat. Are the waterways becoming congested?
- VAT On New Narrowboats – Can you knock 20% off the cost of your new narrowboat?
- Lock Techniques – How do you handle a narrowboat in a lock on your own?
- Narrowboat Burglary – Two boats burgled at the same location. Where is it and what can you do to minimise the risk of theft from your own boat wherever you are?
- Insuring Your Car When You Live On A Boat – A boat owner had his car insurance cancelled when he told them he lives on a narrowboat. How does he approach other insurance companies?
- Remedies For Sooty Stove Glass – For me, one of the great pleasures of living on a narrowboat is a winter evening in front of a flickering fire. Here’s how you can keep your stove glass clear so you can see the fire in all its glory
- Visitor Moorings With Shore Power – Sometimes you need to hook up to the mains when you moor for the night. Where can you find these moorings?
- Steam Power – Are there any steam powered narrowboats on the network?
- Lightning – Is there a risk of your narrowboat being struck by lightning?
- Overplating/Replating – What’s the difference between the two and what’s involved in having the work done?
- The Logistics Of Buying A Boat – A fascinating account from a potential narrowboat owner as he tried to get a boat out of the water so that it can be suryeyed.
- Winter Stoppages 2013/2014 – The Trust carry out essential scheduled repairs during the quieter, cooler months. Here’s their planned stoppages for the coming winter.
- A New Narrowboat Dog – Alan recently moved on board his own floating home. He loved his new boat but something was missing. Now he has a new best friend and he’s in love, although his new best friend has proven a bit of a challenge.
- Electric Boats – What do they cost to run? Why would you want one? There’s a huge amount of information for you here if you’ve ever considered an alternative to a diesel narrowboat engine.
- Pram Covers – “Pram cover” is the term for a cover over the rear deck, usually on a cruiser stern narrowboat. Here are the pros and cons.
- The difference between cruising on canalas and rivers – This is a very popular thread for very good reason. It’s packed with advice if you’re new to river cruising.
- Checklists – What do you need to check before you set off on a cruise? There’s some very detailed information including a very useful post by fellow Calcutt moorer Graham who has issues with his mobility after an RTA many years ago.
- Television Aerials – If you can’t live without your Corrie, you’ll need a decent aerial for your boat.
- My New Life – I urge you to read this forum thread. If you dream of living on your own narrowboat one day, reading this post, written by a new liveaboard boater, may well prove the catalyst you need. It’s essential reading for any aspiring narrowboat owner.
- Narrowboat Ownership – How do you prove that the person offering a narrowboat for sale is the real owner?
- Tips For Continuous Cruisers – He’s making a bit of a habit of it; Pearley’s back with some great cruising tips
- The Llangollen Canal – One of the country’s most beautiful canals discussed
- Deliveries to your boat – Excellent information from regular forum contributor Pearley
- Mobile Broadband – All you need to know about internet connectivity on board
- Internet Data Theft – Did you know that fellow boaters can steal your internet data allowance?
- Boat Planning & Design – Is there any free software available to hel you plan your dream boat?
- A Narrowboat Checklist – What checks do you need to carry out before you set out on a cruise?
- Tunnels – How do you navigate them? Who has priority?
- Windows Or Portholes – Round or square, which is best? Is it just a matter of personal preference?
- Day To Day Questions About Narrowboat Life – How can “newbies” find out the answers to questions about day to day life on a narrowboat? The answer is simple. Find out by reading this post.
- Beds – The pros and cons of fixed doubles and cross beds. You need to read this if you are taller or slightly wider than average.
- Flushing Out a Toilet Waste Tank – Emptying your pumpout toilet holding tank isn’t just a case of sucking out your unmentionables. You also need to flush water through the tank to remove the built up solids. Here’s how to do it.
- Narrowboat Knots – Do you know your bowline from your buntline hitch, your cleat hitch from your clove hitch or your poacher’s knot from your square knot? No? It’s about time you did!
- Free Narrowboat Heating – Is there any such thing? Read this post to find out
- Narrowboat Furniture – Not everyone wants fitted furniture on their boat. Here are a few ideas if you want to add your own.
- Weight on a narrowboat – How many people can you carry on a narrowboat, and how much luggage can they bring with them?
- Narrowboat Finance – A Canadian hoping to move to the UK, buy a boat and cruise the network.
- Internet Data Theft – Did you know that you can have your boat’s broadband allowance stolen? Here’s what you can do to prevent the theft.
- Problems Powering An Inverter With A Generator – Why didn’t it work and what’s the solution?
- Diesel Costs – You need it to run your boat and maybe your heating system. How much can you expect to pay for it?
- Stove Top Fans – Are they worth the money?
- Mooring Pins and Piling Hooks – What are they and when do you use them?
- Water Pump Problems – What to do if your water pump appear to have a life of its own
- Fuel Contamination – How do you know if you’ve water in your diesel… and what do you do about it when you have?
- Anchors – What’s the best size and weight anchor for narrowboats on tidal rivers
- Single Handed Boating for Ladies – Can a lady on her own pass safely through locks?
- Different Types of Mooring – What’s the difference between residential and leisure moorings? How long can you stay on your boat with each type?
- Which Ropes To Use? – There are so many different types available. Are the more expensive ones worth using or is it just a case of money for old rope?
- Windows – Why do narrowboat owners tolerate condensation? Why don’t they have modern uPVC windows fitted?
- Best Ex Hire Boats – Are you considering buying an ex hire boat to live on? Should you? Here’s some important information for you.
- Liveaboard Conclusions – Mel Davies has been doing plenty of research into her hoped for lifestyle afloat. Here are the conclusions she’s reached and comments from a few existing liveaboard narrowboat owners.
- Handling Floodwaters – How safe is a river mooring during and after heavy rain? Can you stay on a river when the level rises? What can you do to minimise danger?
- Narrowboat steel thickness – How thick is your boat’s steel? How long does it last?
- Retro fitting a solid fuel stove – Where’s the best place to put your stove and what’s involved in fitting it?
- Converting from a cassette toilet to a pump out – A pump out toilet is far more convenient to use than a toilet with a portable cassette but how easy are they to retro fit in a narrowboat?
- Gas free boating – If you don’t fancy heaving unwieldy gas bottles into a difficult to reach bow locker, a gas free boat might be the solution
- Winter on the cut – Are you able to cruise all year on your boat or should you find a mooring for the winter?
- Transporting your boat – Sometimes you may want or need to take your narrowboat by road rather than cruise along the canal. Here’s an idea of the cost
- Bike types and preferences – If you don’t have a car parked near your boat, you’ll probably want a bike, but which type of bike is best?
- Towing a butty – I’ve upset someone. I didn’t mean to. Wainbody wanted to know the best way of towing an unpowered second narrowboat (butty). I came across as patronising when I replied. It was unintentional but to make amends I thought I would ask anyone with boat handling experience to reply to his thread with some constructive advice. If you can help him, please reply to the post.
- The best flooring for a narrowboat pets – What’s the best way to protect your floor from a dirty doggy?
- The best time of the year to buy a boat – Is there a deal to be done by buying a boat in the winter?
- The best length for a liveaboard narrowboat – What’s the best length to buy? What are the pros and cons of different length boats
- ONE tip to offer a potential narrowboat owner – If you are already a narrowboat owner, you can share your experience. If you haven’t bought one yet, you need to read this thread.
- Powering your computer on a narrowboat – Can you power your computer/laptop from the boat’s 12v supply or do you need mains power?
- Must-have gadgets and necessities – The most useful/useless gadgets for life on a narrowboat
- Choosing a stove for your boat – Are domestic solid fuel stoves as good as the ones designed specifically for boats? Which is the best one to buy?
- Diesel heating for boats – How important is a solid fuel stove on a liveaboard narrowboat? Is a diesel heating system OK as a primary heat source?
- Computers on boats – Can a computer be powered from your boat’s 12v system or does it need to be plugged into the mains
- Receiving post on your boat – How does the postman find you when you’re cruising? How do you apply for a driving license, a TV license or a bank statement when you have no official address?
- Bikes on board – Many boat owners do not have cars so they rely on bikes to get them to the shops (or the pub). Some use bikes to collect their cars after a day’s cruising. There’s a huge selection of bikes to choose from. Which are the best for your boat? To tell you the truth, I don’t know the answer. Can you point forum member Ainslo in the right direction?
- VAT on narrowboat sales – Does the price of your narrowboat contain a VAT element? Can the VAT be reclaimed?
- Internet access – How do you connect to the internet when you live on a boat?
- Living off property rental income – Do you have a property that you indend to let while you cruise the waterways? Read this before you work out your budget.
- How to find a narrowboat to live on – Here’s an article about choosing a liveaboard narrowboat, and a question about finding a narrowboat with a steering wheel.
- Vertigo – How to deal with walking over lock gates if you’re frightened of heights.
- Long term narrowboat hire – If you aren’t ready to buy a narrowboat yet, what are your chances of hiring a narrowboat for more than a few weeks?
- Residential moorings and single handed boating – How do you handle a narrowboat on your own? What do you do about a mooring if you live on board and only want a mooring for part of the year
- Too tall for a narrowboat? – Is a narrowboat suitable for you if you are above average height?
- Dealing with condensation – Do all narrowboats suffer from damp? What can you do about it?
- Solar panels – More information about portable and fixed solar panels
- Heating systems – Hurricane and Mikuni heating systems discussed
Useful Links
Living on a Narrowboat: The REAL Cost of a Life Afloat – Narrowboat costs explained in detail. My own maintenance and living cost on narrowboat James for a full year. Use this information to work out your own costs.
CRT (Canal & River Trust) maintain the waterways. Here’s their site.
Find out what parts of the canal are closed and for how long. Essential cruising information for you.
Do you need to find a home for your boat? Here’s a comprehensive list of the narrowboat friendly marinas in the UK
Do you want to see where these marinas are on a map? Here it is.
Here’s a map of all the canals on the system to help you plan your route.
Newsletter Archive – Browse through a wealth of useful content in the newsletters over the last year.
Find out more about narrowboat central heating costs here.
Steppin’ Out; World tour 2014, Day 5 Sat, Cannock chase to Grt Haywood
Good evening folks I’ve just had a really good day as I’ve been joined by a couple of friends and their eldest son, who is off to live in America very soon and it’s been lovely.
A gentle start and it really is a lovely place to moor between Rugeley and Little Haywood with the Chase open on your left, lovely. I set off to meet up with Tom, Julie and Richard and meandered up the canal just enjoying the countryside, the birds and life in general. When I got to Colwich lock I pulled over on the lock moorings but someone coming down so just held her there for a few minutes and straight in. A couple coming down so I didn’t even have to get off the boat or do anything. Lovely people and many thanks.
I’d arranged to meet them at Shugborough lock but then changed it to the canal shop for ease of parking and dropping them off after a day out. When they arrived we had a look round the farm shop and bought some 
things for lunch. It might not be the cheapest place but local veg, good butcher and they bake their own pies and cakes and bread. I have a fondness for real faggots and love the different taste from one butcher to another, provided they do their own. Faggots are some times called savoury ducks too. The faggots at Great Haywood farm shop are excellent. We also had a free range pork pie which was excellent as well. If you like quality food it is a great place to shop. The ice cream is worth a try if you like that sort of thing.
We pottered up the Trent and Mersey my friends loved the views and the pace and Tom was picking out the places to fish as he’s a keen angler. I had to do a little reversing again meeting another boat at a bridge with not a lot of room but no problems. We only went up to bridge 78 then wynded, is that a real word or not I ask, and came back down. Just a thousand revs most of the time and some good conversation. We turned into the Staffs and Worcester and turned back again at Tixall wide. Then moored up opposite the new cafe next to the farm shop.
Time for a spot of dinner now so we walked in to the village where the Fox 
and Hounds is boarded up so we ended up at he Clifford arms where I called in last year but wasn’t too impressed. Two good things this visit. The main course of steak, mushroom and ale pudding was fine nothing special. The pint of Spitfire was excellent and for a starter I had the creamy garlic mushrooms. Absolutely fabulous. If I call again I might just have two portions of the mushrooms and leave it at that, they were gorgeous.
A walk back up the side of the canal and waved my friends goodbye. So I’m afraid not that much to tell you about today. Oh I’ve just remembered. When I got to Shugborough lock this morning a boat came by and they said something then said they read livingonanarrowboat and occasionally blog so I said I would give them a mention. I hope they won’t be offended if I get the names wrong but I think it was Phil and Wendy on narrowboat Top Notch. It’s really nice when you get to meet other site users so if you see me out and about please speak up and introduce your selves. They were heading south as I was going north so I wonder if I’ll see them again on my way back.
God bless you all.
OurNige
Photos, I’m sorry they don’t always appear alongside the words that relate to them, I try but with out going mad it’s not feasible. Photo 1. This was last nights mooring I may try to get there again on the way back. 2. garden at the side of the lock. 3. the lovely people and their boat that helped me through the lock. 4 and 5 some lovely scenery. 6 I’m sorry. I know I may get excommunicated for this picture but I just love the look of wooden cruisers. This one moored at Tixall.
Steppin’ Out; World tour 2014. Day 4, Friday Armitage to Cannock Chase.
Good evening to you all and a lovely day it’s been. I haven’t travelled far but have got one of my jobs done that I wanted
to do in fact maybe nearly two. If you count swabbing down the side of the boat on which I was moored, I might do the other side in a bit or tomorrow as I’m moored on the other side now if I’m making any sense.
I officially changed my boat name at the beginning of Aug when I renewed my boat license so it is now on my license things you have to display and I’d sanded and scratched one side off and learned how to remove transfers and sticky letters eventually so now I’m out and can 
get at the other side I decided to get Forty Winks removed all together. A much easier task now I know they are sticky letters and transfers and about an hour of scraping and peeling and the name is no more. A little sad perhaps but Forty Winks meant nothing to me so now she is called “Steppin’ Out” I did consider others but I’ve stepped out in a few ways again lately so it really had to be that and of course all my blogs from the start have been Steppin’ Out so that’s what she’s called now.
After breakfast and coffee I moved from the Plum Pudding down through the Armitage tunnel, which has no roof?, then moored up opposite Hawkeshead Priory while I remove the stickers and sanded a 4 or 5 bad rust blebs and gave them a spot of primer. I rang and confirmed my booking for bottom blacking in November at Shobnall marina, tidied things up, had a quick shower then went and filled up with water and we were ready to roll.
I’m not sure I can keep this level of excitement up but I’ll try. Nasty little bend with bridge as you pull of the water with the Ash Tree pub just on the other side of the bridge. It looks quite nice, a bit modern, theme pub type I think, Brewers Fare or Hungry Horse or something but looks nice.
Dawdled up through Brereton where I was nearly involved in a head on crash but they stopped and I stopped with only 
about 12 feet to spare, my nerves were on edge, my life flashed before me and OK I might be exaggerating a little to raise the viewing figures. I did the gentlemanly thing and reversed back and we all passed pleasantries and we went on our way. Just after this there is someone who keeps birds and he had a couple of Falcons on stands at the bottom near the canal so I took a couple of photos. They are lovely birds, great to see but I’m never quite happy to see things in captivity but they might have been rescued I don’t know.
The canal meanders through Brereton, as canals have a habit of doing, and at 2 mph everything looked quite nice and all felt right with the world. Nothing of outstanding beauty just good old canal type corridor through a little suburban area. Then comes a new bridge straight on top of a high arched old stone bridge which marks the start of Rugeley.
As you go through the bridge and negotiate the corner the canal narrows a little and boats normally moored all the way into the town centre it can be a bit of hassle if there are oncoming boats. There were plenty of spaces to moor today and no one coming the other way so an easy passage for me. A good place to stop here if you want to shop as there are a couple of good sized supermarkets only 2 or 3 hundred yards from bridge 66. Again it is a pleasant passage through the town centre with an array of different houses backing onto the canal. Up past the graveyard then there is a stretch of houses all high up with gardens running down to canal. probably about 40 or 50 foot drop and I found it very interesting to see how each one had tackled this problem and how pleasant it made the last northward part of Rugeley.
The last thing before you leave is a wonderful old Weeping Willow tree on the waters edge where the canal turns 90 
degrees and you pass over the river Trent on a good sized aqueduct and out into the country again. Under a road bridge then round a corner, a little canal bridge and as you pass through turn left and the view just opens out in front of you. Apparently all this on the left is Cannock chase.
There are some nice mown and planked single mooring spots here at nicely spaced intervals. I stopped here for a cuppa last year when I came up this way so I’d decided to overnight here this time. There is another boat in the next one down from me but a good hundred yards and half hidden by the reeds so no problem. I’m sat here writing this and it is so lovely and peaceful with just the odd train passing. The railway line is only a few hundred yards away but again not a real problem.
I shall sit back and relax, a glass of something, a strum of the guitar maybe, a few pages of a good book, a nice salad for 
tea and perhaps an early night and a second glass of something. They don’t write edge of the seat dramas like this any more you know……………… and pleased we all our about that aren’t we boys and girls.
A few words of wisdom I picked up recently which hit a chord in me.
Everything you hear is an opinion. It is not a fact.
Everything you see is a perspective. It is not a truth.
God bless you.
OurNige
Photos 1. how it was. 2 how it is. 3 how it might look next year when painted. 4. A bird of prey. Not really sure which. 5. a nice view and bridge Brereton. 6. The rather nice stone bridge. 7. the bit up through Rugeley. 8. The Chase opens up.
Steppin’ Out; World tour 2014 day 3. Thurs. Alrewas to Armitage.
Good evening or morning depending. Day 3 started and finished well but had a little hiccough in the middle. A friend of mine joined me for today and he arrived at about 8.30 so we had a coffee and a bit of a chat to catch up on things. I also tried to explain some of what we would be doing with locks and things. We set off about 11.00, good job it was only a little chat. We negotiated Alrewas top lock and set of at a dawdling pace just to enjoy the scenery in the lovely 
sunshine. Nice and warm again and the world seemed good. We reached Fradley bottom lock and those coming down held the gates for us and we sailed straight in. I’m explaining as best I can about locks and how we do things as it was his first ever day on the canals. Through the second lock and we decided it would be unfriendly not to stop and sample the beer in the White Swan so we moored up.
It is an old country style pub with a proper bar and best side and a fine selection of real ales and a landlord with a sense of humour. We sat out side in the sunshine and watched a few boats go through and a couple of very nice old motorbikes came past too. A BSA and I think the other one was an AJS if my memory serves me right. Both in really lovely condition and sounding just beautiful. A couple of pints and then head back for the boat which was moored opposite the CRT cafe from which came the smell of bacon. My friend had brought some bacon with him so we had a couple of bacon butties to soak up the beer. We had brown 
sauce with the bacon which is the only sauce you can have. None of this tomatoe sauce malarky, not on bacon. It’s perfectly al right to have red sauce on sausages, mushy peas, chips or anything else really but bacon has to be brown sauce. I’m not trying to start an argument, I’m just right.
After consuming the correctly condimented, afore mentioned sandwiches we set off on our travels. We passed through the next two locks and at Fradley top lock we had our little incident. My friend went up to see if the lock was empty while I held the boat and he let the water out and opened the gates and I was half way under the bridge in front of the lock when I could a strange voice shouting and threatening to knock my friend into the lock and a few other things. As I got nearly into the lock so I could begin to see what was happening I shouted up “there’s no need for this” but the chap was marching off still effing an blinding and my mate was stood with the lock gate looking calm if not a little non nonplussed.
It appears what had happened was my mate had seen two boats moored up just up from the lock and this other chaps
boat was well back from them and he’d assumed he was pulling in so had let the water out. This guy had then come down threatening and swearing and had a right go at him, which I’d heard some of. Once the lock had filled up a bit so I could get off I started walking off towards this guy and the angry man’s wife who was helping my mate with the locks said best just leave him he’ll calm down. I told her I wasn’t going to have a go at him and he was talking to two women coming down after him to come through. I apologised to him and explained it was my friends first day on the canals and though it wasn’t my first day I’d been explaining as we went along and that if he’d have explained to my mate what he’d done wrong and what he should have done it might have been more helpful. He had calmed down a bit by now and I went back and we bid Mr Angry’s wife farewell and even Mr Angry too. Apparently he had been moving other boats and this was the second time today it had happened.
Makes me wonder though if some of the breaches of etiquette that we may get upset about are just because people 
don’t know what should be done. Maybe we should enquire if they know what the right way is and if not to explain to them instead of either saying nothing or getting a bit angry inside. Shouting, swearing and threatening to drop somebody in the lock isn’t really the right way to do it. Or is it?
We poddled on amidst the lovely scenery and past Ravenshaw wood which I think is a lovely spot to moor up at if you like piece and quiet away from anyone. Through more lovely countryside which runs up past King’s Bromley marina all the way to Handsacre. The canal through Handsacre is quite pleasant even under the railway bridge and up past the factory and a little industrial estate. Just before the railway bridge there is another bridge and as there are a couple of turns too we met another boat coming the other way. He was up to the bridge and I’d just got my nose there when we saw each other. We both just about stopped and I started to back up as I deemed I was in a straight enough line to back up onto the side of the canal to let him pass when he waived us on. Both boats moved forward very slowly and a little gentle nudging and we both on our way none the worse for anything. Attitude is a wonderful thing.
Anyway we trudged on a little further and there gleaming at the side of the canal was our planned destination. The Plum Pudding watering hole. After mooring up and another coffee we decided to try a beer while we waited for my mate’s wife to join us. Inside it was nice and tidy with one side decked out with tables ready for eating. I asked for a couple of menus and the waiter also pointed over to the specials board. We went we looked, and we found out later both had the same though, shoot. The mains on the “special board” were all 5p change from a £20 pound note. I’m showing my class now, or lack of it, but I don’t normally pay that sort of price just for a main course.
We took our beer and the menus outside and perused. Not all the meals were that price and it was an Italian restaurant. I had moored on their bit which is reserved for customers so I felt obliged to eat there and the menu descriptions certainly sounded appealing. The young lady arrived and we ordered our meals. I had fillets of beef in a port, brandy and peppercorn sauce which came with sautéed potatoes and vegetables, my friend the lamb shank and his good lady a pasta dish. Everything was delicious if not over the top in size of the portions. Often the case it seems in the more up market establishments. So if you’re passing and want something a little special, they do Tuna steak and Swordfish steak and a good selection of other dishes oh and that includes calamari, or squid if you like. It is worth a look. Quality of food excellent, value a little pricey for me but I think it’s on a par with other Italian restaurants and similar standard places. Good service too.
Time for bed said Zeberdee, aah the voices return said OurNige and headed for the gin bottle.
take care
OurNige
Steppin’ Out; World tour 2014 day 2, Burton to Alrewas, nice people.
Hi it’s been a warm and lovely day with a few people restoring my faith in the human race.
Rudely awakened by the building site, opposite where I moored last night, at 7.30 but hey ho it’s a nice morning. A cup of milky coffee and grapes, yoghurt and honey for breakfast. After which I trot off to Shobnall marina and purchase a couple of the chains with rings on for mooring up. Inquired about boat blacking and he has a slot in November which should suit. Must remember to ring him back tomorrow to book it.
Off up the jolly old cut and Branston lock where a boat was moored on lock moorings but he’d come through and I’m sure he was just getting on board and he went back and opened the gates for me. What a 
gentleman. I thanked him profusely. Only about 1/2 mile further along and a father with his two kids were fishing and the young lad about 10 or 12 thanked me for slowing down. Some nice youngsters about but we don’t always notice them like we do the others.
Through Tatenhall lock where I was helped by the guy coming down and then down to the noisy part where the canal runs alongside the A38. It’s quite strange how the wildlife and the plants and trees still seem serene, gentle and soothing even though the noise is loud. You can still hear the birds and the ducks just pay it no mind at all.
Through Barton Turns lock and then on to Wychnor lock which if you look as you approach it you can see the water getting clearer as 
this is the last lock before the river Trent which feeds the lowest bit of the Trent and Mersey. I like the bit after the lock as the water is clearer still. Some nice linear private moorings top side of the lock. Then the dangerously exciting bit as we cross the Amazon river. Oh sorry it’s the Trent and actually not a problem at all apart form me having a blond moment as I’m crossing and had a momentary panic attack as I couldn’t see where the exit from the river was. I shouldn’t really be out on my own.
I hadn’t been under way much more than 3 hours and I could feel myself wanting to nod off. Moored up and went up to the lock and started opening one of the paddles to let the water out and never noticed a boat coming down. Good job he shouted. I just wasn’t with it. Obviously I closed the paddle and helped them through. So remember don’t shout at all the numpties as they 
might just be having an off day or it might actually be me.
Alrewas is a very picturesque village with some nice and expensive houses overlooking the canal. I found a mooring next to the church and graveyard so should be quiet over night. There are 4 pubs in Alrewas I believe and I’ve sampled the beer in 2. The George and Dragon and the William IV both are nice and friendly pubs. They have a good, proper butcher on the main road through along with a post office and a couple of small supermarket shops. Not a bad little place to stock up if your provisions are low and you’re down to a couple of cream crackers and a sliver of dry cheddar.
That’s it for tonight as I’m tiring now and need to grab a bite to eat and early night.
Take care
OurNige
Photos; 1 approaching Tatenhall lock. 2 approach to Alrewas bottom lock. 3 a lovely part of Alrewas. 4 my mooring for the night Steppin’ Out being the one with the hood. 5. Looking down towards Alrewas bottom lock.
Steppin’ Out; 2014 world tour, day 1, Tuesday. Willington to Burton.
Hi to all of you. Sorry I haven’t been on as much as I aught to be really but I’m having a couple of weeks out and about as I’m on holiday from work. How Paul manages to post every week and work is quite amazing. Dedicated.
I intended to set out about 12 noon or 1 o’clock ish. However I didn’t crawl out of bed till 9 this morning. I opened the back doors and leant on the steps and saw blue sky and a mirror like surface to the waters of the marina. Doesn’t get better for the start of a cruise. But I have a few things to do before setting out. Coffee and cheese and garlic on toast for breakfast. Lovely. Check my account to make sure the first quarter of my mooring fees have been taken out and how much that leaves me. Too much money in my account. Now that is an expression I hardly ever use, so using my super Shirley Coombes power of deduction and logic I realise “shuuuugar something is amiss” and as sure as eggs is eggs it is my mooring fees that haven’t come out of my account. I check my mooring ropes in case the office have been round and cast me adrift for none payment but no I’m still firmly attached to the jetty.
New gas bottle required as I haven’t replaced the empty one from about 3 months ago. Bad habit. Change gas bottle as soon as it is empty so you never run out of gas, simple. So I pop round to the shop and office and part with just over £500 in the space of 15 minutes. I’m sure it takes me longer than that to earn it. The office staff are great here and I write them a cheque out for this quarter while I get the standing order sorted, which I thought I’d done but obviously hadn’t.
It is still a rather nice morning and getting very warm. I’m even working up a bit of a sweat just wheeling the gas bottle back and dropping it back in the gas locker and screwing everything back together. It is now gone 11 am and slowly creeping towards noon. Right time for the monthly shower and then off to Aldi to purchase all manner of goodies.
The plan for the day is to meet up with my neighbours who have left the marina and are heading off shortly to live in New Zealand and this was why I was hoping to leave by about 1 o’clock which really was not looking likely. Returning from the shopping it was now 2 o’clock so a possible 3 o’clock start. Fill the water tank while storing all the provisions in fridge and cupboards. Tighten the stern gland greaser then drop the pram hood. Boy do spiders like pram hoods and windscreens. A nice variety of them too, some rather large and some a bit smaller and a variety of marking too.
Now to say goodbye to the neighbours which takes up another 20 minutes at least. They are good neighbours though.
Then “Cast off fo’ard, cast off astern me hearties” and away we go round to the pump out which is at the exit to the marina to keep a watch on what once went in but is now coming out. You have to watch what’s coming out to somehow make sure all the lumpy bits get removed from the tank, don’t you. Sorry if anyone’s eating. You will be glad to know I don’t have any pictures of this.
So, finally under way at about 3.30 and it feels good to setting out on my holiday even though I have a few things to do. Willington had a few boats moored up which it always has but was very quiet really for Willington. The sun was shining and it was nice and warm too. Not too many boats moving so made good time.
I saw something I may never see again just before the aqueduct over the river Dove. There was a good size splash in the water about 30 yards in front of the boat and I though oh is it a heron diving for supper but as I got nearer this sodden little thing climbed out of the canal and ran off up the tow-path. It was a squirrel who I can only think tried to leap from the trees one side and had miss judged it. Obviously squirrels can swim. Brought a smile to my face.
No further excitement and just enjoyed the pleasure of cruising in the warm and sunny weather. Finally got to Burton and John and Em’s boat was there but they weren’t. Well I was about 3 hours late so a nice salad and when they returned shared a bit of wine and a gin and tonic or two and passed the evening in a very pleasant way by actually talking to each other. I have noticed that boaters do tend to use this rather old and out dated form of entertainment more than some of younger and land bound folks. It’ll not catch on again though.
I shall try and add a bit more watery content to tomorrow’s blog.
God bless you all.
OurNige
Photo’s are; my back yard at Mercia. 2 is leaving the marina just before entering the canal. 3 is the centre of Willington. 4 is Dallow lane lock and 5 is a nice stretch in Burton close to where I moored for the night.