Back at home marina for winter

It feels like we have had 2 weeks holiday. The Ashby canal is 22 miles long a dead end then 22 miles back. The best part there are ….No locks ...so Jenny has had a very easy time for a change.

We kept seeing the same people days in and day out , all going to the end at Snarestone. We couldn’t get too the very end sadly because the winding hole, (turning place) was only 58ft wide

Approach to Snarestone tunnel

as we are 62ft. We would get stuck. Also is hard work trying to reverse a narrow boat for a long distance.

End of line for us on the Ashby canal

We have really enjoyed the experience, through Hinckley and a few new estates. The architecture is very good. We are moored outside some new houses they have a look of the old warehouses which years ago would have been here. Its great to see the new properties, not cheap, but has bought the canals back to life. However some people moan about the boats being here. Having to run engines, to top up batteries, also burn fires to keep warm. Mind you nowt so queer as folks, we had a family who lived near me in Northamptonshire, moved from London and complained about the smell of the pig farm in the centre of the village. .. I won’t put here what the farmer said when they complained...but he did tell them, the pigs were there first.

New canalside development

Its been lovely cruising over the season, seeing the countryside change, the crops growing, the corn ripening, the tractors and combine harvesters gathering all the produce in. Seeing the baby ducks growing from little fluffy chicks into big ducks. I keep looking and saying to them…’how do you fancy being my dinner tonight?’..you can’t beat a bit of crispy duck.

Lovely countryside

The baby swans all grey and downy with what looks like dirty feathers, starting to turn into beautiful white birds. Two sights which still makes me wonder is the fantastic sight of a full grown Swan….taking off. The frantic paddling from its little legs below the waterline, the flapping of those great wings trying to get airborne, and failing at first. Running across the surface of the water until….at last ...lift off !!! The flop flop of webbed feet is a sound to be heard...the sight is only beaten by the sight of the birds landing ..so graceful. I can see Concord in the way they land. Wings out, feet down, and gently does it.

Mum and babies....

Our lovely friend Janice Smith commented the other weeks about our ‘idyllic lifestyle. Well yes in lots of ways it is idyllic but ...it does have its problems. Not like when we were working but still things that need to be done every day. Just living life will always throw up difficult things in some ways. We had a lot to learn in the early days. There are the ‘daily chores’ which are important.

Basic maintenance, check oil and water on the engine also check alternator belt. We have a cruiser stern on our boat which means when it rains the rain goes down into the engine room. Not a problem but Jenny likes to keep it dry so, every morning she puts the mop around and its a 5 minute job. If it gets too deep it can be pumped out with the bilge pump but, it never gets that bad.

If, when we were living on the land we needed to get shopping, ...jump in car, straight to Aldi or Sains/Bugs and that was it,10 min’s later we had supplies.

On the ‘cut’ (canal) we don’t have transport, no car ...no local shop.. and canal side supermarkets are few and far between. On the Ashby no shops at all. When we were still in the marina, we tried out Tesco home delivery, had an order delivered and thought we had cracked it..no more worries about supplies.

We always carry about two weeks provisions on the boat. Two to three weeks meat in the freezer. Frozen veg in same. Fresh veg is purchased on a weekly basis. On our first major shop requirement, we found a pub right by the canal side, Tesco van would be able to reverse virtually up to the tow path. So, we set too doing our shopping list, quite a big one, took about 2 hours. Everything was going well until we came to pay..it wouldn’t accept our address xyz...It was a public house and the post code. So we rang head office to be told ..They don’t deliver to business addresses ...err excuse me … we are not a business, we are moored next door to the buisiness...Its the nearest post code..The clown at head office still said ...Or rather like ‘little Britain’ used to say...The computer says no…..Grrr….

We had a major panic while moored at Snarestone...We ran out of wine !!!! so.. we rang or rather ordered on line. Ocado the on line supermarket a small order to be delivered to The Globe car park..(permission obtained from pub). Well impressed with the service..order confirmed with in 10 mins ..delivery next day...txt on the Saturday morning to say who the driver was and estimated delivery time. This was confirmed by a phone call 10 mins early saying ‘I’m here’...when he realised we were not a young couple he offered to deliver right to the boat. About 500 / 600 yards up the tow path. We declined but the service was great. Just done our next order for tomorrow. A problem solved.

The main need on a daily or two day basis is water. If on land you just turn on a tap...jobs a gud un as they say ...Well on a boat its the same..we turn on a tap and get water. The only difference is ..after 800 ltrs ...it runs out !! We have a saying ‘never pass a tap’. On the canals every few miles they have ‘service points’ where we can top up and empty as required.

When the boat had a major refit last year we had a stainless steel water tank fitted so we can get a supply of clean drinkable water straight from the tap. We used to have a 25ltr plastic water carrier to carry drinking water. The old tank was steel and was covered in rust when it was removed. So glad we didn’t use it for drinking.

I won’t dwell on the subject of toilets but, it does or can cause problems and it is the most talked about subject on the Narrow boat users group..( A facebook site were we can ‘chat’ about any problems we have) There a 3 types of toilet systems in operation. Each have there advantages and disadvantages.

1/….A holding tank under the ‘throne’ which is pumped out as and when you are near a marina or pump out station. Very much like a home unit, ceramic and it flushes. Average cost £15.00 to £18.00 to pump out and refill with chemical.

2/ . . .Composting toilets are coming along these days..The water and solid matter is separated as you use the appliance, the wee is poured under the nearest bush and the solids are disposed off in the refuse .?? We are not sure about this type ...enough said. Had one on a hire boat..not really impressed.

3/ . . . We had a Thetford cassette system fitted on the boat when we bought it. Having been caravanner’s for years it was just like being on a camp site again..so...It has stayed.

Along side the water taps are Elsan disposal points. Every couple of days as part of the usual ‘maintenance’ its water and bog days..we have 3 cassettes which last for about 2 weeks. One extra in case some clown has blocked the disposal unit. Believe it or not, some people think its OK too put disposable nappies down the chute. ..oh dear...they walk amongst us..

On the way back we planned to stay over for a week at one of our favourite areas, Newbold-on- Avon just outside of Rugby. The local pub ‘The Barley Mow’ is a watering hole we found on the first cruise we had. We got on well with the landlord and landlady and I play and sing there on the times we pass by. Sometimes we feel more at home there than our own local. When we are there the regulars make us really welcome. When we stayed over on the way out to North Wales we were invited to Simon and Kelly’s wedding..They wanted me to play in the bar in the afternoon but it was changed at the last moment, I ended up on Sunday afternoon instead which I believe was better.

Good easy going music and NOT the heavy dance music which the reception turned into.

The mooring on the canal, just outside the pub is only allowed for 48hours...We stayed for 8 days before turning around and heading to Lime farm marina for the end of year service and the prop-shaft to be re-packed, it was leaking water into the bilge. As usual John did a great job.

The run back to our home marina was fairly uneventful and I managed to get her..Infinity. . through the gate off the canal first time..the last couple of times, I’ve managed to mess it up.

The gap is only a couple of feet wider than the boat, so you need to get the nose just past ‘the pivot’ point. Turn in ...then give it full throttle...the boat should turn and glide in gently…

The last couple of times going in, I managed to cut the corner, ended up on a sand/sludge bar just too the right of the entrance. Mind you there was a good wind blowing ..(my excuse) Hee Hee.

A very slow run down the marina, working out the berth we were aiming for. . . which...is only about 6 inches wider than the boat each side. . Saw the gap… judged the distance . . turned in ...the nose dead in-line with the end of the jetty..slight reduction on power as we glided towards our friend Mike Hussey who had come to welcome us home and help mooring.. then !!! the blasted wind blew !!! moved us side ways and bashed the back side of the boat next door. Th announcing thing is ..he normally wasn’t there on board ..today ..he was ...Doh !!..

‘I was just putting my baked beans on my toast and an all mighty bang and the boat rocked’...Quote from Phil next door.. Never mind can’t get it right every time..

The wind here at Yelvertoft it quite strong and getting in and on moorings is a heck of a job sometime. Well that’s it for this year. We’ve had a great time, hope you have enjoyed reading about the antics of a couple of ‘ole pharts’. Back into a bit of village life for a few months..Plan for next year what we would like to do ..where we want to go .. growing old disgracefully (if possible)

God bless….. TTFN ...over now to the editor to do what she does ...add the pictures and if she’s done it a little video of the 12 week cruise