From dominicfam@proweb.co.uk Mon May 3 18:25:20 1999 Date: Fri, 29 May 1998 16:23:33 GMT From: Brian L Dominic Reply-To: canals@blacksheep.org To: canals@blacksheep.org Subject: TRIP REPORT: The Voyage of the Doris Katia (LONG) Part the First - in which the Crew visit a Boat Show, make like Mrs Beaton, load up and cruise off into the sunset. Cast: Brian Susan - Wife & car driver Tristan - younger son (17 and built like a brick s***house) Paul - Tristan's mate Normally when you take a hire boat over, you get shown round the boat and learn where all the vital taps and equipment live. When you've got your own boat, you KNOW where everything is....... When you get to move a boat for Ian-the-Builder, he chucks the keys at you with the instruction "It's up the top of the Braunston flight - it's painted green - it's a nice half hour walk - you'll have to wind her - and by the way, can you put the shower pump back together??" Before we did that, a good look round the Show - a gig and mini-GIG with Jeff & Benny, with Joe as roadie (only had to carry the CD's for sale) and the Woodings. Bought a few bits and bobs (including a couple of Pearson's Guides for our route home) and had a towpath meeting with a certain Californian couple - nice to meet you at last, Judy & Stan! Left the Show whilst the historic boat parade was on, on the basis that by the time we got down all would have quietened down. Bought a cork keyring from the Bottom Lock Shop (nobody at the Show seemed to have any for sale) and headed up the flight in pleasant sunshine to make like Mrs Beaton "first, find your narrowboat." Sure enough, there she sat, all waiting to go in the wrong direction.... We winded (at the second attempt) in the only possible place just before the tunnel and locked down the flight (in the rain) (and with me the only one with a waterproof) in company with a hireboat from "Canaldays"? (never heard of these). Needing to speak to Ian-the-Builder, we navigated slowly and carefully through the Marina, only to find that Ian and the boat had already gone, so we made our way to Midland Chandlers (or at least the field next to them) so Susan could bring the car round and we could transfer food, bedding, clothes, beer, beer, beer........... Whilst filling the water tank, we finally suused the right combination of bottle tap, master tap, cooker isolation tap and anti-flame-failure device and managed to light the stove for a coffee before bidding Susan goodbye and setting off up the Oxford. I have always enjoyed evening cruising - a throw-back to "getting the most out of the hire boat" days and the evening was very pleasant with sun, blue sky and fields full of young animals. We arrived at the "Old Royal Oak" at Hillmorton to the not totally unexpected sight of "Coronation" moored up - the beer and conversation flowed.......... 10 miles 6 locks Web Sites: (Golden Valley Light Railway) http://www.proweb.co.uk/~dominicfam/ (Canals) http://www.proweb.co.uk/~dominicfam/boat.htm