We have just returned to our mooring at Hopwas after a long weekend away. We left Hopwas on Friday and cruised up to Fradley where we met up with some new friends we had made at the National Festival. We then cruised together to Alrewas and moored up for the weekend. A nice meal was had at The Crown in Alrewas on Friday evening, followed by a fairly long walk to the National Memorial Arboretum on Saturday. We ended up walking right to the far end of the arboretum as we had just started our new pursuit of geocaching.
On Sunday we both moved back to Fradley where I met up with Bruce and Sheila from nb SANITY. They were on their way back to Alrewas for a few days.
On Monday morning Sandra and Paul on nb KANDAHAR left Fradley to return to their mooring at Stafford. We left later to return to Hopwas.
To most people KANDAHAR is the second city in Afghanistan. BUT....HMS KANDAHAR was one of several K class destoyers built in 1938 and commissioned into the Royal Navy in 1939. After a relatively short service in the Indian Ocean and then the Mediterranean KANDAHAR left Malta with several other warshops to intercept an Italian convoy off of the coast of Tripoli, one of the warships, HMS NEPTUNE struck a mine and started to sink. KANDAHAR went in to rescue the crew and also stuck a mine. NEPTUNE sank almost immediately and KANDAHAR sank much later. Other warships were called back from the rescue because of the uncertainty as to where were the mines.
HMS NEPTUNE sank with the loss of over 700 lives, only one person survived. This was probably, and still is, the greatest loss of life in one warship in the history of the Royal Navy.
Anyway, we left Fradley, found a geocache near Fisherewick on the way back, and are now moored up for the best part of the winter.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Monday, October 13, 2008
IWA Festival Site, Pendeford Park + 7 weeks
I needed a few bits from a chandlery today, and, being a nice day, I thought it would be nice to go for a little drive with the wife and the dogs. First stop was Pendeford Park, it was amazing how nature is gradually taking back what we did to the site in under 3 weeks. Obviously the bit where the funfair drove in is a little bit muddy still, and the main entrance area still has some way to go, but the rest of the site already shows little evidence that we were ever there. The dogs, Lewis and Afie, enjoyed a good romp around the park, and then it was back in the car and down to Limekiln Chandlery to buy the few bits we needed. The weather was lovely, and Pendeford Park was drier now that it ever was during the run up to the festival. Murphy's Law I suppose!
Not long now before we are off cruising for the weekend, can't wait.
Not long now before we are off cruising for the weekend, can't wait.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
BW spending more money.....
For as many years as I can remember there has been one of those sort of zig zag gates on the towpath by School Bridge at Hopwas. It is one of those things designed to stop motorcycles using the towpath. I really should have taken a picture as a picture is worth a thousand words.... It has however not stopped the motorcycles as there was a 12 inch gap (30 cm for the purists amongst us!) between the woodwork and the canal. Today BW have fitted a metal extension to the gate, protruding over the canal slightly to stop the motorcyclists? or is it for health and safety reasons? My point is though, how long will it stay there. How long before someone decides to try and forcibly remove it. I'll give it six weeks at the most! Anyone wishing to start a book?
Not long now before we set off cruising again, albeit only for a long weekend. It will be good to be cruising again. We need diesel and a pumpout. Plus I have just taken out a second mortgage for four new leisure batteries so I will be interested to see if they work alright as the existing ones seem to be a little bit tired. We are not going far, probably as far as Alrewas to meet up with some new friends we made at the National. There is no doubt about the fact that canal boating is a very social event, and despite the bad press regarding the modern canal boater being anti-social, there are a lot of people out there who still talk to other boaters and still want to make friends. So, to all the friends I have made over the years and to the ones I will meet in the future, good health!!
Not long now before we set off cruising again, albeit only for a long weekend. It will be good to be cruising again. We need diesel and a pumpout. Plus I have just taken out a second mortgage for four new leisure batteries so I will be interested to see if they work alright as the existing ones seem to be a little bit tired. We are not going far, probably as far as Alrewas to meet up with some new friends we made at the National. There is no doubt about the fact that canal boating is a very social event, and despite the bad press regarding the modern canal boater being anti-social, there are a lot of people out there who still talk to other boaters and still want to make friends. So, to all the friends I have made over the years and to the ones I will meet in the future, good health!!
Friday, September 19, 2008
National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas
Whilst not directly connected to canals, the National Memorial Arboretum, http://www.thenma.org.uk/, is only a stones throw from the Trent and Mersey Canal, and the River Trent flows through the grounds, so in my view, it counts as a canal orientated site.
I took the old folks up there this afternoon for a couple of hours, just to get them out in the sun and fresh air, and we could easily have spent four or six hours there. It was really interesting and anyone passing through Alrewas on the canal should put it on their must visit list. Entry is free, the car park costs £2, blue badge holders park for free, basically the car park charge is to raise money to tarmac the car park.
I was not aware the site has been open for the last ten years and is gradually evolving. What really amazed me was the scope of the memorials, we are not just talking about WW2, there are memorials before and after that, covering everything from the Boer War to the recent troubles in Ulster.
What really amazed me was the Armed Forces Memorial which lists every serviceman who has died in the service of our country since 1945. The inscriptions are current up to 2007, but what really worried me was the vast amount of space available for future inscriptions.
All in all, it is well worth a visit.
I took the old folks up there this afternoon for a couple of hours, just to get them out in the sun and fresh air, and we could easily have spent four or six hours there. It was really interesting and anyone passing through Alrewas on the canal should put it on their must visit list. Entry is free, the car park costs £2, blue badge holders park for free, basically the car park charge is to raise money to tarmac the car park.
I was not aware the site has been open for the last ten years and is gradually evolving. What really amazed me was the scope of the memorials, we are not just talking about WW2, there are memorials before and after that, covering everything from the Boer War to the recent troubles in Ulster.
What really amazed me was the Armed Forces Memorial which lists every serviceman who has died in the service of our country since 1945. The inscriptions are current up to 2007, but what really worried me was the vast amount of space available for future inscriptions.
All in all, it is well worth a visit.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Modern technology catches up with Guelrose
For the last 2 years I have accessed the internet world via a T Mobile datacard that cost me £20 a month and gave me a reasonable access to the web. Today, I bit the bullet, and have upgraded to a web'n'walk stick. Wow, what a difference, no need now for an external aerial (it cost me the best part of £70 - anyone want it?) and the new plan costs me £5 per month less. What a result! The new system seems to be much quicker and after 12 hours trial I have no complaints - yet!
Wednesday 17th September 2008
It is so nice to have a spell of fine weather at last even though I am suffering from man flue! This morning, Wednesday, we left our mooring at Hopwas and cruised down to Fazeley Mill Marina where we were taking part in a charitable cruise for servicemen injured on duty. The day was organised by Corrinne who manages the marina. Corrinne is actively involved in http://www.purplesalute.org/ a non profit making organisation giving the ordinary people of this country a different way of helping servicemen of all kinds. On our arrival a minibus had already arrived from the Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham, with three servicemen, Ally, Jim and Mike, together with an entourage of medics, nurses, and physiotherapists (these were also members of the armed forces) Three boats took part in the cruise, n.b. DIGITALIS (http://www.digitalis.org.uk/) , n.b. THE BLESSED BEE who may or may not have a website, and of course GUELROSE. We all set off in fine weather and cruised along the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal for about a hour as far as Kingsbury Water Park, where we winded and then moored up for a while, giving everyone a good chance to see the myriad of water birds on the lakes. Unfortunately one of our visitors was in a wheelchair and was not able to get off of the towpath to take in the views, a section of towpath having been washed away in the recent rains.
After a while we all set off on the return trip and just to make it all better the sun shone. Once back at the marina our visitors were transported to the Three Tuns pub in Fazeley, where the landlady, an active supported of The Purple Salute, lad on an excellent buffet. After a couple of drinks it was time for our visitors to board their transport and set off back to the hospital.
I am in no doubt that all involved, including the boat crews, had a very enjoyable day out. Our thank must go to Corrinne for organising the event.
After a while we all set off on the return trip and just to make it all better the sun shone. Once back at the marina our visitors were transported to the Three Tuns pub in Fazeley, where the landlady, an active supported of The Purple Salute, lad on an excellent buffet. After a couple of drinks it was time for our visitors to board their transport and set off back to the hospital.
I am in no doubt that all involved, including the boat crews, had a very enjoyable day out. Our thank must go to Corrinne for organising the event.
Friday, September 12, 2008
What's happening now?
GUELROSE got back to it's moorings on 31st August and has not moved since. However, in the meanwhile, Jenny and I have managed a two day trip to Dublin, staying in a hotel overlooking the Grand Canal, there was a lock to the left of the hotel, a lock to the right of the hotel, and a tram station over the canal, but where o where were the boats?
I spent several hours longingly gazing at the canal waiting for a boat to appear (okay, maybe a few minutes) over a period of time but no boats were to be seen. The canal appears to be navagable and the locks seem to be in working order but where were the boats?
On Wednesday 11th September we returned to the boat and were amazed at the water level in the canal. It was at least six inches above normal. Bearing in mind that the pound we live in extends from Fradley to Glascote locks and also takes in the Brirmingham and Fazeley to Curdworth Locks, we are looking at some 15 miles of canal, multiplied by the width of the canal multiplied by the 6 inch increase, then we are looking at a serious amount of water that has to go somewhere?
That's it for now, our next cruise will be next Wednesday, 17th September, when we will be taking a client of the military hospital based in Selly Oak for a days cruise, more of that later.
I spent several hours longingly gazing at the canal waiting for a boat to appear (okay, maybe a few minutes) over a period of time but no boats were to be seen. The canal appears to be navagable and the locks seem to be in working order but where were the boats?
On Wednesday 11th September we returned to the boat and were amazed at the water level in the canal. It was at least six inches above normal. Bearing in mind that the pound we live in extends from Fradley to Glascote locks and also takes in the Brirmingham and Fazeley to Curdworth Locks, we are looking at some 15 miles of canal, multiplied by the width of the canal multiplied by the 6 inch increase, then we are looking at a serious amount of water that has to go somewhere?
That's it for now, our next cruise will be next Wednesday, 17th September, when we will be taking a client of the military hospital based in Selly Oak for a days cruise, more of that later.
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