From connie@interlink.co.uk Mon May 3 21:33:51 1999 Date: Wed, 15 Apr 1998 18:28:21 +0100 From: Connie Evans Reply-To: canals@blacksheep.org To: canals@blacksheep.org Subject: Trip report - Dave & Jane's BIG Dave Green suggested I post this to the newsgroup as a trip report. My apologies to those seasoned boaters who might find some of the descriptions and technical terminology fairly basic (or inaccurate, I'm no expert either!) but the account was originally intended for my friends around the world, some of whom have never seen a narrowboat. Anyway.. here it is, for what it's worth: When I left home on Tuesday afternoon on my way to my hosts home I drove through heavy rain and hail storms. This wasn't quite the weather we were hoping for over the Easter holiday as you can imagine! After loading our luggage, food supplies for 6 days and two dogs into their car we set off on our journey north, arriving at the boat mooring about 3 hours later. The boat was moored at Stephen Goldsborough's yard at Knowle where it had recently been fitted with a diesel generator. Stephen and his wife Sandra joined us for a few nightcaps (I hesistate to recount just how many, suffice it to say I was fortunate not to suffer a hangover next morning!).. We finally settled down for our first night aboard sometime after midnight. My cabin was in the stern, the 'boatman's cabin'. This would have been the only cabin on a working boat, the remainder of the 'accommodation' being open holds covered with tarpaulin sheeting, but of course 'Willy No-Name' is fitted out as a residential boat. It even has a system of central heating radiators to provide additional heating during winter. As well as the boatman's cabin where the bed is hidden away inside a large fitted cupboard the boat has a double bedroom, fully fitted shower room, kitchen and living room, complete with solid fuel stove to keep the whole boat warm. There's another stove in the boatmans cabin and it was my duty to make sure it never went out. While cruising the stern doors are open and the helmsman stands on a small platform just inside the doors beside the stove.. a very necessary comfort on cold windy days I can assure you! Between the shower room and the boatman's cabin is the engine room where a large diesel engine chugs away steadily charging up the domestic batteries, providing hot water, central heating (when required although the solid fuel stoves are usually sufficient) and of course propulsion. I was treated to the luxury of a mug of tea brought to my cabin by the 'captain' every morning... but I must point out that my bed crossed the gangway through to the stern and tiller so if he wanted to cast off and begin cruising it was more convenient for my bed to be packed neatly out of the way as early as possible! At about 7 a.m. on Wednesday morning we were preparing to leave the mooring and begin our cruise. Although the weather was dull and cold it wasn't raining...... yet! My position aboard was by choice a lowly one. Last year I was invited to try steering the boat but I have to admit I'm not much good! Rather than run the risk of running the boat aground I happily took on the job of galley slave, lock keeper and general 'dogsbody'! :) Even though it's sometimes hard work winding the paddles to fill the locks with water and the gates can be very heavy to push open and closed I thoroughly enjoy the whole process of working along the canal system. With a crew of three we were able to move quite smoothly through a series of locks, some of them just a few hundred yards apart with one member staying on board to steer, one filling or lowering the water level and operating the lock gates and the other member going ahead to prepare the next lock. I must mention the dogs at this point. They are a pair of american cocker spaniels (I think!). They are 'seasoned' boaters and very well behaved. While cruising they sit at the bow like a pair of figureheads, their noses pointed upward sniffing the air and their ears flapping in the breeze. Unfortunately the weather worsened as the day drew on and by the time we passed through the last flight of 13 locks to reach our destination in Birmingham I looked as though I'd fallen in the canal! That didn't seem to matter though and after a change of clothes and a hot mug of tea sipped beside the stove any discomfort was quickly forgotten. The main purpose of the trip was to meet several other boaters in Birmingham to celebrate my hosts 50th birthdays. A total of 10 boats were due to arrive over the next couple of days. The centre of the Birmingham canal system has certainly changed since my last visit! That was 19 years ago and the whole area was a derelict mess of abandoned warehouses in various stages of decay. Now the canals are cleaner, the old buildings either renovated or demolished and replaced by appartments, restaurants, theatres and shops, all accessible from the towpaths alongside the canals. The following day was taken at a slower pace. Another boat had arrived overnight and joined us on a 5 hour cruise to take on diesel. As there were only 3 locks to work in each direction I was permitted to remain onboard and take a rest for the day. I was heartily thankful for that because although the morning dawned bright and sunny it very quickly turned bitterly cold and wet! The sight of snow fluttering down came as quite a shock at 6.45 a.m. on Friday morning! The boats and towpath were white. Fortunately we weren't planning any boating and our entertainment was all within walking distance. Throughout the day more boats were arriving to join us and very soon the entire mooring space was occupied. There was only room for 4 or 5 large boats alongside the towpath so latecomers had to 'breast up' alongside an inner boat. This is common practice and made for a party atmosphere as the occupants of the outer boat passed across to reach shore. For those interested, tickets had been booked for a performance of St. Matthews Passion at the Symphony Hall on Friday afternoon and The Rocky Horror Show in the evening. I chose the afternoon performance and kept the dogs company in the evening while my hosts attended the second entertainment. I didn't take my laptop computer on the trip but had my cross-stitch embroidery with me and spent several happy hours listening to the radio as I sewed. Saturday dawned clear and bright. The snow had ceased but we heard reports of severe flooding a few miles south which gave members of our party great concern as word came that the rivers and canals were breaking banks and boats were being sunk or floated into neighbouring fields. A few people who had planned to join the party by car had to stay close to their boat moorings ready to guide them back into place as the floods receded. A treasure hunt had been organised so after a very sociable late breakfast with another crew we set off on foot to solve the clues before coming back to prepare for the party. The evening party was held in the pub beside our mooring. The centrepiece to the buffet was a wonderful cake shaped like a narrowboat and 'butty'. The butty is a second boat, a sort of floating trailer, towed behind the main boat. Great care had been taken with detail, even the decorated cans and assorted boating paraphernalia had been crafted from sugar and the sides were 'painted' in the colours and logo of 'Willy No-Name'. The party was a great success and I met a few boaters who, like me, subscribed to the uk.rec.waterways newsgroup. Mike Wooding brought his digital camera and there are already a few pictures of the partygoers on his website. If you want to take a look you'll find them at http://vhfcomm.co.uk/cutpics.htm I appear several times, although you'll only see my grey head and red checked shirt and one side view of me on the right side of the frame flashing my double chin and toothy smile! :) Sunday was spent in a much more leisurely fashion. A breakfast of smoked salmon and scrambled egg, washed down with 'bucks fizz' was partaken on a neighbouring boat before an inter-boat darts match was held at the pub. After a delicious pub lunch we went back onboard to prepare for the afternoon cruise around 'the loops'. The idea was that we took off in different directions so that we passed and repassed each other as we navigated various loops off the main canal. That was great fun.. apart from the one time we encountered Julian and Tina in 'Slow Motion' turning right across our bows as we came out of a side turning! Thank goodness our captain was at the helm or we might have ended up in a remake of Titanic! :) The cruise ended when we moored up beside a steakhouse and prepared for our final gathering. We took over an entire floor of the tierred restaurant and enjoyed a noisy and laughter packed evening.. I just hope the other diners at the restaurant thought so too! :) Throughout the day on Sunday we'd been scratching our heads over a very well written quiz. The second part consisted of solving well known proverbs or sayings from the initial letters provided. Some very quickly came to mind but others were a total puzzle. We all came up with some pretty naughty alternatives which I won't repeat to save my own blushes. Inspiration came to us in fits and starts and we submitted our entry at the end of the day. We didn't win but were pleased to hear the following day that we'd managed second place. All too soon it was Monday and time for us to quit Birmingham and return to the home mooring which was a 4 hour cruise. There were no locks to work on this section of the canal so I wrapped up warm and sat 'up front' to enjoy the trip. We started out at 7.30 a.m. and although it was cold I wanted to sit outside to watch the wildlife alongside the canal. My birdwatching 'count' included a jay, a kingfisher and a party of newly hatched ducklings, all seen at very close quarters as they appear to be totally at ease with passing boats and don't fly off. We arrived back the home mooring at Warings Green Wharf around noon and started to pack up for the drive home. We took our final meal onboard and began to load the car as the snow returned! Fortunately it wasn't heavy enough to prove a problem and apart from passing through a couple of light snow flurries on the motorway the rest of the journey was passed in bright sunshine. I'm sure you can tell from this account of my holiday that I had a marvellous time and can't wait for another invitation to join Dave & Jane on 'Willy No-Name'! -- Connie (Lurker) Evans