Narrowboat Maid of the Mist Blog - April 2010

We hope you enjoy reading about our travels around the British Inland Waterways

1st to 4th - As explained last month, still sitting in Leamington Spa. Will be staying here until after Mum's funeral on the 7th and the scattering on the 8th. My mum was a very special person, living to a grand old age of 95. Despite her age she had many friends.

Fortunately/unfortunately the funeral is to take place on my youngest daughter's birthday. Zoe is ok with this as her twin brother was scattered at the same Crematorium shortly after he was born, and it is her wishes that some of her Nan's ashes be scattered in the same place to keep him company. We will do this on Thursday, 8th.

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Having returned to the boat to be with Graham, we have been spending our time here doing a bit of shopping (needed suitable outfits etc) in town and yesterday, we also visited the Museum and Art Gallery. Considering the size of the building the Museum only occupies a very small area. It tells of the development of the town and of the medicinal qualities of the spa water.

I have to say, we tasted the water at the fountain outside of the Museum and it was not a pleasant experience. It tasted a bit salty and left a very sour aftertaste. Not something we would recommend trying, unless you have something with you to take the taste away.

5th - No ill effects, so far, from drinking the water. So must be ok. Yuk!

10th - On the move again now, having had a lovely lunch at The Grand Union Restaurant and Bar at Bridge 40 in Leamington Spa. This is under new management and is newly refurbished, in a very tasteful manner, with access from the towpath. The bar and terrace is on street level, whilst the 50 cover fine-dining restaurant, is downstairs. Graham and I had lunch from the Bar menu and I have to say, it was delicious. Visit their website for more information.

11th - Did the Stockton locks today with the help of NB Jemima. Moored overnight at Kate Boats so we can fill up with fuel in the morning. The weather was a bit cooler today, with a strong wind, making steering slowly quite difficult, notwithstanding that the Stockton locks were quite heavy going.

12th - We did not fill up this morning as we are only due for a 90/10 split this time and Kate Boats fuel allowance is a fixed 60/40. Hopefully one of the boatyards in Braunston will allow us our self declaration.

Moved as far as Braunston. It's still a bit cold today, so I didn't stay outside for very long. Jack was being naughty today. He keeps walking along the gunwales out of sight. Having been in the water three times, he is obviously not too bothered about another dip.

It was also our 41st wedding anniversary today, but we are not in the mood for celebrations yet. We will probably have a meal out somewhere later in the month.

13th - Well it had to happen. Jack fell off the gunwales today. He went just that little bit too far and lost his footing on the backwards journey. Graham stopped the boat as best he could and I fished him out, none the worse for his ordeal. He's quite a good little swimmer really.

Stayed overnight in Weedon, and had a chinese takeaway - very nice.

17th - Still moving slowly along the Grand Union. Some strangely configured boats on this stretch of the canal.

Stopped in Leighton Buzzard to do a bit of shopping.

Bought some seeds for the planters. Hopefully we will get a nice display. Our favourite flowers are Osteospermum (a type of daisy). Other seeds we bought were Basil and flat leaf Parsley.

Jack with his new toy Jack now has a new toy - a rope side- fender attached to a length of rope. Graham swings it around and Jack runs after it. Fantastic for wearing him out.

This is Jack with his fender tied to a tree. It kept him amused for nearly an hour. What a star.

19th - What a day today. Travelled from just before Lock 37 passing both the Aylesbury Junction and the Wendover Arm Junction (Bulbourne) sharing the lock work between us, to Bridge 136 about 1/2 mile from Lock 46.

Jack ran off twice, deciding to do his own thing. Having been put on his lead on the boat for his naughtiness, he promptly forgets he is on his lead and tries to jump off the boat falling off the stern swinging from his choker lead. This gave him such a fright he spent the rest of the day cuddling me. I left him off his lead on the boat after that, and he didn't try to jump off once.

Graham had to walk into Marsworth to post Lea's birthday card, to ensure its arrival by the 22nd.

20th - I think this blog is becoming more about Jack than about us. We are in Berkhamsted today, moored at the Moor opposite the Railway Station. I was sitting watching TV and suddenly felt very alone. Wondering were Graham and Jack were, I went to the stern only to see Graham carrying Jack by the scruff of the neck and promptly drop him into the canal.

Horrified I asked him what on earth he was doing. Apparently Jack had thought he could walk on water and walked straight into a stagnant pond covered in green algae. Jack must have thought this was grass. Graham quickly pulled him out (by the scruff) and because he was all green and very smelly, dropped him into the canal to wash some of the slime off.

Poor old Jack didn't know what had hit him. As if he hadn't suffered enough indignity, I then gave him a bath.

We are now looking for the nearest mooring to a hospital as Graham re-broke his little toe rescuing him. How many times I have told him not to go out without shoes on I don't know, but boys will be boys I am told.

Before all this drama, Graham did manage to take a walk to the castle ruins, but despite taking a number of photographs, he has lost them. If they come to light I will upload them later. It was free entry to the castle and he says well worth the visit. It is managed by English Heritage.

21st - A tough day today, lockwise. Cruised from Berkhamsted to Apsley Retail Park, Hemel Hempstead. Locks very heavy, and some needing two or three people to open the gates. Seven hours cruising for such a short distance. Will need a couple of glasses of wine tonight.

Berhamsted Totem Pole One interesting figure we passed was this Totem pole. The Totem pole was carved by members of the Canadian Kwakwaka' wakw (formerly known as the Kwakiutl) an indigenous group of First Nations, numbering about 5,500, who live in British Columbia on northern Vancouver Island as a memento of the years of trading between the timber yard at Berkhamsted Wharf on the Old Grand Junction Canal and British Columbia.

22nd - Rest day today.

23rd - Didn't cruise far today, but just made it through the M25 corridor. In fact we can still see the motorway from our moorings. It's always fun to know you are moving faster than a motorway. The west bound carriageway was at a standstill for quite some time.

25th - Today arrived in Uxbridge and nothing much of note on route with the exception of the Egyptian Goose family we saw on the towpath whilst passing through Denham.

Desperate to get some reading books, so took a trip into Uxbridge town to scour the charity shops. A little disappointed as we only found one on the High Street. Still I managed to get a couple of books, which will stop me complaining for a week or two.

Whilst there we took a trip down memory lane and visited the RAF Station. This is where Graham and I met. We were both stationed there in the late sixties. Obviously we couldn't go in, but we could see from the gate the Queen's Colour Squadron's old headquarters, our old Pinn Inn Social Club, and our respective billets on opposite sides of the parade ground.

There are very few Air Force personnel there now, and it is currently occupied by a temporary Army squadron on Public Duties. It is believed the Station will be closing in the not too distant future, so I am glad we got to see it again before that happens.

30th - Well it's the last day of the month and we have been at Bulls Bridge Retail Park for a day or two. I don't think I have ever seen as many boats in once place before. The majority of them used this place as a meeting point as they are taking part in the Little Venice Cavalcade over the Bank Holiday Weekend.

I am sorry I wont be reporting on the event at Little Venice as we did not register for a mooring space. There will be at least 158 boats taking part. Most of them seem be trad style boats or working boats. I think it will be quite a spectacle. Having spoken to a couple of the participants I suspect for them the event is more to do with meeting up with friends and having a lot to drink.

Author: Jean Beven