From toptrees@email.msn.com Mon May 3 18:15:58 1999 Date: Fri, 13 Feb 1998 22:48:45 -0000 From: Peter Waite Reply-To: canals@blacksheep.org To: canalnews Subject: TRIP REPORT PART 1 (LONG?) OK for Val, Peter and Hamish and anyone else who really is interested: TRIP REPORT ^Ö THE FIRST (PROPER) VOYAGE OF JAMYJOSIPIPE (THE NEW ONE) Crew: Admiral Pippa Skipper Peter Able Seaman James - the Younger (when not asleep) Crew Amy ^Ö (when no parties at home) Muscle Power James ^Ö the Elder (cheered on by Sarah, when there is no work in the pub) Visitors Grandparents who can find a pub, but not a boat; Friends with CAR to find pub serving food! Dates: December 28th 1997 to 9 February 1998 (Long pause January 4th to February 8th ) Port of Embarkation: Stenson, Derbyshire Route: Trent & Mersey Canal to Fradley Junction; Coventry Canal to Hawkesbury Junction; Oxford Canal and River Thames. Saturday 27 December 1997 We had been given a short trial, and manoeuvring practice on the 6th December and then undertaken a short cruise on Sunday 7th December (from Stenson to Swarkestone Junction and back) but this was our first proper journey in the new boat. The trip to the Midlands (or North depending on your orientation) had been very smooth. All the trains were on time and we found the taxi ride from Derby to Stenson quick and economic for four of us. Would the boat trip back south go so well to plan? Would the weather hold, or would there be more rain? After unpacking and stowing away everything we could, we turned in reasonably early for our second night on-board, ready for my customary early start. Sunday 28 December 1997 Awoke at 07:30 to a grey, overcast, cold morning. Ran the engine checks and started up at 07:50 ^Ö just about light enough to see everything clearly. Cast off at 08:00 and moved slowly out of the marina, after winding between the boats. By 08:10 had greeted the first two fishermen and started to feel comfortable in the steerer^Òs position. Going up the Trent & Mersey, in the first half hour we saw two kingfishers by the canal, a heron in an adjacent field (catching frogs?) and several magpies. At the first lock we met our first ^Ócharacter^Ô; harmless probably and very helpful with the gates but scared young James a bit. But soon settled down to look around at the stretch of urban canal, skirting Burton-on-Trent. Well before opening time, I began to feel thirsty whilst passing the well known channel markers: Bass to port and Marston to starboard (non-conventional buoyage). Shortly afterwards we came across the first signs of bad weather, a tree had blown down almost blocking the cut. Young James tried his hand at steering but unfortunately moved the tiller the wrong way for washing the stern away from the towpath at the bridge hole. The bump put him off steering for three days (or was it the expression on my face when I though about the new paint?) I soon stopped worrying about the paint below the gunwales. For those monitoring the cable installation, the towpath resembled a ploughed field between Burton and Branston Lock. We reached Barton Turn just after one and definitely thought it was Sunday lunch-time when we spotted the pub ^Ö excellent timing. Excellent beer, but our first disappointment, no food on Sunday! Whilst enjoying our drink however, we noticed that most customers were leaving with a little parcel after a short transaction at the bar. What was this? Illicit sandwiches? Beef on the bone? It seemed a little secretive. Indeed the pub had a great secret, really excellent cheeses could be had for a very modest payment. We promptly bought two packets (one not so small) and immediately felt ourselves to be cognoscenti. Sensing willing customers the hard sell began ^Ö would we like some special bacon (special because it was extra fatty), or (wait for it) some pork dripping? Now my mother had brought me up on nothing but the best beef dripping, so I had to decline. (Pip felt a little queasy). ^ÓWhat^Òs dripping?^Ô asked our ignorant, brought-up-in-the-south children! Thoroughly enjoyed our bread and cheese lunch, but must find a shop soon, perhaps tomorrow? Between Wydmor and Alrewas locks we had the river section to negotiate, the first test of my requirement for an engine that would be comfortable in a strong stream. No problems, the Beta 1903 in a sixty footer seems to have plenty of power to spare and we were able to maintain a good speed and course against a fairly strong current. The fall over the weir below Alrewas was minimal and exciting enough for the hard looking canoeist who said he was going down to play on it! Our first major problem occurred near Hunts Lock just as it was getting dark. A horrid noise from the propeller. Yes I had checked the weed hatch operation and it came up easily enough. However there followed a heroic struggle with some very heavy gauge wire and other assorted bits of metal. (I must buy some bolt cutters, I thought. But how do you operate a large enough pair in the confines of the weed hatch). My arms were anaesthetised by the time muscle power had straightened the wire to remove it and dark had fallen. We went past the BWB office, etc in the dark and struggled to find somewhere to moor at Fradley Junction with the aid of the tunnel light. We turned into the Coventry and tied up just through the swing bridge. Rather naughty because we were probably too close to the bridge for anyone else to get through. However we were staying on board and planning to get away early so hopefully no-one would complain. (Was anyone else crazy enough to be boating at this time of year?) We had only seen Meteor on the move although many boats we had passed were inhabited, and we had many friendly greetings. One of the things I love about the canals that nearly everyone you see actually says hello or waves a greeting. OK as this is the first attempt at a trip report I had better stop here (after Day 1) and try to be more brief for the remainder, if anybody is still there! Part 2 (and more to follow). Peter Waite At home: At work: toptrees@email.msn.com waitp@entecuk.co.uk Caversham & Entec UK NB Jamyjosipipe Safety & Environment Those who make a big splash have probably gone overboard