Narrowboat Maid of the Mist Blog - June 2011

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

1st - Left Whittlesey today and travelled along the main route as far as March. It had been our plan to move off the main route and visit some of the other levels, however, we fell foul of this at the first turning point as we could not get under the bridge.

We have an extensive garden on the roof of our boat and it would have been too difficult to move it all off. We understand from the literature that there are numerous very low bridges on the levels, so anyone wanting to make this journey should make sure their roofs are completely clear from the onset.

We moored in March at the new moorings by the park. It was very quiet and enabled us to give Jack a good run and play.

2nd - Stayed in March to give us an opportunity to walk round town. We had fish and chips from Stotts Fish Shop on the High Street and they were beautiful. Nicest cod I have had since Shifnal Odyssey.

3rd - Having spoken to another boater in March, we decided to cruise along Popham's Eau and Sixteen Foot Drain. There are very few features along this route apart from a wind farm. I was quite awesome being so close to the wind turbines which were very close to the waterside.

We had no trouble getting under the numerous bridges, despite some of them being a bit low.

We have tied our boat to the bank just after Honey Bridge on the Sixteen Foot Drain. There is a road running alongside, but I don't expect to be bother by noise as it is still very much a country road.

4th - Continued on towards High Lode and Ramsey. Nothing really to say about this journey. The drains are rather featureless, and in fact I am getting all drained out really. We finally arrived in Ramsey on the understanding (according to the literature we had) that we would be able to turn our boat at the terminus. Not so. Being 60' was just a couple of inches too long.

5th - Tried again today to turn our boat by moving the front fender, but no joy. We ended up reversing the half mile or so back to the marina entrance where we were able to turn.

Whilst in Ramsey, we found a Tesco just 200 yards from the water. We had planned to have our shop delivered and felt quite daft having asked a local landlord if we could use his post code for that purpose. He New moorings at Benwick pointed out the local shop just a short distance away. Stayed overnight on a new mooring in a small village called Benwick. The mooring was so new, some of the concrete was still wet. We understand from a local councillor, seen doing a bit of gardening around the mooring, that there was to be an official opening of the mooring next Saturday.

6th - Moved back to March today. We had yet another uneventful cruise, but knowing it was only a short distance from Benwick, we didn't set off until about 1pm when the rain stopped. Instead we did a bit of sorting out and cleaning, knowing we would be able to get rid of some rubbish in March.

7th - Having to stay over again tonight as we have sprung a leak on the calorifer in the engine compartment, so no hot water. Graham has spent all after noon trying to find the leak inside the boat as the only indication we had was that the water pump kept activating. As a last resort he checked the calorifier and found it. Will have to find a plumbing supplies tomorrow to effect a repair. During the night Graham was cogitating to find a solution and decided an option would be to use a copper patch with some epoxy type resin as a selant.

8th - AM - Went to the local plumbing suppliers in March who advised replacing the tank as it was likely that any repair involving welding or brazing would not be effective on a modern thin copper tank.

PM - Deciding to opt for his own original solution, which the plumbers said would probably work, he purchased a length of copper piping (to be split and flattened) and some resin to seal it with.

11th - First attempt at curing the leak failed as did 2nd and 3rd, however, we have tried one last time and are leaving it to cure for 24hrs before testing the pressure.

We have moved from March and made a decision to head back towards Peterborough. We have been listening to the news for the last few days and have decided that the reported drought could affect our journey in Cambridgeshire and we do not want to get caught anywhere because the waters are too shallow. We have quite a deep draught so its not worth taking chances.

We are moored tonight back at Whittlesey.

12th - Still not solved the problem with the calorifier, so it looks like we will have to buy a new one. We are now on the wharf in Peterborough and hopefully, once we are able to get the old one out of the engine compartment, we will be able to see what size we can put back in. It is not as simple as like for like, as the original calorifier was put in before the engine and the extraction of it looks like a big job. We are not working on it today as it is raining. So we could be here a while.

Oh the joys of boating. Not a good week.

14th - Left Peterborough today having, hopefully sorted out the leak in the calorifier. Cruising now back towards Northampton to re-join the Grand Union.

15th - 18th Arrived in Northampton and moored at the Beckets Park moorings, near the flats just after the lock. It was quite a treck and some very long days. Normally we wouldn't cruise that fast, but our eldest daughter Lea wanted to come a visit her Daddy for father's day, and Northampton is the easiest place for her to get to.

That is a consideration you need to think about - family visits -you are not always in the right place at the right time. On reflection, had we thought out the journey a bit better, she could have come to Wellingborough. But hindsight is a wonderful thing.

19th - Family now left and we have moved onto the Grand Union just through the first lock. It was a bit noisy last night with revellers still around after midnight. No both to the boat however.

21st - Still moored in Northampton. Been doing a little painting, tidying up the gunwhales and stencilling our name on the side(just one side at the moment).

Grand Union Canal

22nd - 24th Back up the Northampton Arm and now on the Grand Union heading in the direction of Brentford. Yesterday (23rd) Graham to the dog for a walk along a country walk pathway and came upon a hedgehog. Jack was very curious but chose not to touch it. What a good boy.

Moored tonight in the country just before Cosgrove. Planning to go into Cosgrove on Monday to the Post Office.

27th - Well moored up to go into Cosgrove, only to find no Post Office. Next chance is Wolverton. Obviously the internet has not been updated as that is now two towns which are supposed to have a PO that don't. Missed our chance now of getting a Premium Bond in the August draw. We moved through the Cosgrove lock and have moored just a little way down the canal where we can get satellite to watch the tennis. Andy Murray is doing really well, and is through again to the next round.

28th - Well we didn't get very far today before the rain set in. The forecast said about 7pm and it started a 1pm, so we have moored up in Milton Keynes downstream of bridge 79b, instead of our planned mooring the other side of MK. I believe we travelled just 5.5 miles.

We don't cruise in the rain unless we have to.

30th - We are now just outside Leighton Buzzard. The heavy rain forcast for 4pm did not materialise, for which we are thankful. We are moored in the countryside for a peaceful night. Graham has put his crayfish pots out in the hope of collecting a few for our fabulous ocean pie and it is looking good.

Author: Jean Beven

The first draft of the proposed 2011/2012 Winter Stoppages programme is now live at www.waterscape.com/winterstoppages and British Waterways is welcoming feedback via the website until Friday 3 June 2011. All comments will be taken into consideration and a revised programme will then be published in July, with the final programme following in early September.