Bob and Jenny Narrowboat Infinity

Blog part two….

Well time has gone past so fast, after a days cruising its sometimes a bit much to sit down and write what we have been up too. Jenny is keeping a log as we call it the ‘The Skippers Twig’...(not the captains log !!)..so I’ll have to refer back to that for the main points.

We left the marina and headed south on our way to London, 15 months after we tried last time, as we were still working, we had to turn around at Kings Langley. The book reckoned we could do London and back in 3 weeks...Wrong !! Ok, we had a few problems the first time, breakdowns caused by shoddy workmanship by Calcutt Marina. But more time was needed. Not a problem now...we’re retired.

Filled up with diesel at Lime Farm Marina, waved bye bye, let the adventure begin. Cruising through Rugby...when... oh no !! The engine started to ‘surge’ and then...cut out. Doh !! I managed to get her to the bank and rang John.

Luckily enough he was out on another breakdown nearby and was with us within a few minutes, quick check and he ascertained it was a lack of diesel.

System bled, engine started, off we go again. Brilliant..until 10 min’s later..it stopped again. Right out side Clifton Cruisers...another phone call waited a bit longer this time. Again it was fuel starvation, John changed the diesel filter and off she went again. The filter was blocked. When we refuelled on leaving, the engine was running, we believe it stirred up the sludge at the bottom of the tank and the filter did its job..From then till now it has been perfect.

I hate the Braunston tunnel !!, why you ask ?...simples...its not straight!!.

Built by two Irish brothers, one started at one side of the hill and the other started at the opposite end. Things weren’t as technical in those days and guess what happened, yep they missed each other ...Leaving a big kink or rather a few kinks in the finished link.

Travelling through the tunnel, straining my eyes to see the way, I see two head lights coming towards us. What !! On both sides of the tunnel ??. I panicked.

Was it a wide beam boat coming through with out permission ?.

Emergency stop...after a few min’s, (it seemed like hours) the lights blended back into one. It turned out it was an idiot trying to overtake the boat in front !!!

It bad enough to go through the tunnel with out stupid idiots like that.

We need to cruise at least four hours a day to top up our batteries, surprising how much power you use on the 12v system. Fridge freezer..TV..radio...and lights in the evening. Running the engines for this time means we kept on the move.

We stayed over at our favourite stops, Stoke Bruerne for a couple of days. Mainly though, we are plodding on.

The TV signal in the Hertfordshire area is very poor, so we are getting used to listening to the radio or the I-Pod.

Met up with Jenny’s brother and sister in law, George and Pat, at a pub in Milton Keynes, The food was bad, the beer expensive, but we had a lovely afternoon, chatting and catching up.

Stayed in the centre of the city the next night, right outside of a flat where a lad was murdered last year. But it was an uneventful night.

The next stop was Leighton Buzzard. Pension day..also time to do the major shop. Food from the canal side Aldi and Tesco. Major stock up of wine and beer. The local ales here are £4.15 a pint but Hobgoblin is £1.25 from Aldi..quite a saving.

Next few days are uneventful, just making the miles to London, Cowroast, Berkhampstead .. Hemel Hampstead .. nearer each day to our goal..Little venice..Paddington Basin and the Regents Canal.

While staying over night at ‘The Port of Berkhamstead’ there was lovely boat moored in front of us..obviously a new one called ‘Sine Nomine’ an unusual name but there are lots of strange boat names.

We had a lie in the next day and left a bit later than usual, we aren’t in a rush these days so, why rush? A gentle 2000 rpm cuts Infinity through the water at about 3 mph according to our sat nav.

On turning a bend in the canal, we see a narrow boat in front .. obviously in trouble. The engine was running quite fast, boat not moving, although the propeller was spinning very fast !!

They were firmly aground and were going nowhere. Drawing along side, we shouted too them to throw us their bow line, tied it on to our stern, and pulled them free.

Our ‘good deed for the day’ !!..until we tried to move off.. DOH !!!...we were stuck on the bank as well...they were free. !! However if you reverse off the bank you normally pull free, as it was in our case. We both were able to continue our journey. The name of the boat...Sine Nomine..the boat that was moored in front of us the night before.

At the next set of locks we slipped in beside them trying not to scrape down their lovely shiny boat !!. We shared the water and the work, going into locks in twos makes life so much easier.

While chatting to the driver, (his wife was helping Jenny on the paddles)I had a memory of the boat being featured in a Canal mag a few months ago..He confirmed it was..

I then remembered who owned it..I couldn’t remember the name but remembered he was a politician.. I asked him if he was an MP?

...’Was’ he replied..retired I asked?..Yes...by the voter...he lost his seat..but now is in the house of Lords !!

Damn my memory !! I still couldn’t remember who he was..

So if in doubt..ask !!………...Lord Trimble…

David Trimble…. First minister of Northern Ireland. (was, now in house of lords)

For the next few lock we had lots of chats about politics and the state of the world etc. a great gentleman. They stopped for lunch at one of the canalside hostelries we continued on having a wrap ‘on the move’.

When we moored for the night a couple of hours later. They moored up behind us. Gave me time to Google the history of his career, also see a speech he made a few weeks before in Europe..Interesting hearing his views first hand regarding Brexit...Northern Ireland..etc.

By coincidence we both pulled stakes and set off at the same time next morning. He was on the ‘windlass’ opening locks..his wife was driver.

I quipped too her..Now I know who you are , do I have to say ‘My ladyship’ or is it Daphne..Big smile back No !! ...it’s Daphne...so it was David and Daphne from then on. What a lovely couple. No airs or graces. A pleasure meeting them both.

When we turned up the Paddinton arm of the Grand Union well that is another story..Enough for now...will hand over to Jenny to add a few photos and edit as needed …

TTFN

Bob