Planning ahead

It will soon be time to prepare n.b. GUELROSE for cruising...... all being well we will set off around the end of April for our annual 'day trip' where we meet up with friends who have hired day boats on the Ashby Canal, whilst we are away I will have to programme in van hire to transport all the bits and pieces that need to go from Barton Turns to Little Venice for Canalway Cavalcade, then back 'home' for a few days before we have to take the boat to Curdworth so our son and his mates can have a few days on the boat taking it into Birmingham and down to Warwick where we shall take it over again. Then, it will be down to London, water levels permitting, where I, with others, will be managing boats attending the Olympics, on berhalf of BW, and hopefully earning some much needed revenue for the IWA. Once we set off, I will publish regular blogs and photographs of our travels.

Back on line.......

I have not been able to access my blog for months...... and, as I am due to start serious crusing again in May this year I thought it would be useful to start blogging again.

Guess what, the access problem was all my own fault, I was using the wrong account to log into blogger. Doh!!!!!

Anyway, watch this space.... a little cruise up the Ashby Canal in May, then at the beginning of June I am setting off for London and the Olympics (where I will hopefully be able to report every couple of days), that is, if we have plenty of rain and fill the resevoirs on either the Grand Union or South Oxford Canals.

And back home for a few days.....

What has happened to the weather, gales, rain, and then sunshine. Trying to steer the boat in the wind over the last couple of days has been hard work!

We made it up onto the Ashby Canal, met up with our friends, had a very good day and then battled back throught the winds and are now back home... In a couple of days I set off again with the 'lads' for the BCN Challenge.

It has however been an interesting few days...... BW have obviously been active in the Fazeley area as all the continuous moorers have moved on from Fazeley... although the usual 'culprits' can still be found not too far away, however, boaters now passing through have plenty of space to moor overnight before continuing on their journeys.

The Ashby Canal has not changed one bit, it is still shallow and it is till a lovely rural canal. But it too has its problems.... for instance, on the way up there was a boat moored where it said 'mooring for water point only' and on the way back the boat was still there... maybe it has a big watertank but I could not see the hose connnected to the water tap... A few yards away are 48 hour moorings, I could have sworn that one of the boats on the 48 hour moorings was there last year, and the other one was definitely overstaying the 48 hours.

In other areas however the 'rules' seemed to being obeyed.

GUELROSE is on the move again!!

Would you believe it. GUELROSE has not moved since September last year, and as soon as we set off, it starts to rain. It has not rained in Hopwas for the last couple of months so why today?

Anyway, we are off out for 6 days, meeting up with some friends on the Ashby Canal in a couple of day boats! You will be sure to recognize us as we will all be wearing the same T-shirts!

A simple cruise today, Glascote Locks, no queues for a change, then on to moor in the countryside between Polesworth and Bradley Green, and only 65 metres away for a geocache!!

Tomorrow, it is Atherstone Locks, then on Friday it is onto the Ashby Canal and meet our friends on Saturday morning before doing it all again in reverse.

Then it is back home for a couple of days before the lads and I take on the BCN Challenge! We have not done it since 1999 and the format has changed somewhat, but, never mind, discounting me the average age of the crew is 34 so they can work all the 65 locks on the first day, I'll co-ordinate!!

And so to Beale Park....

I have now safely arrived at Beale Park which will be my 'home' for the next 3 weeks.

Up early this morning and had my shopping done by 8 a.m.! Then it was time for a Tesco 'big breakfast', 8 items and an orange juice for £4. I definitely will not be needing lunch today!

As I left Tesco's mooring nb SANITY AGAIN, with Sheila and Bruce pulled in and took over my spot. Then it was up to Better Boating for a bit more diesel at 80/20 split. Caversham Lock was my first ever river lock to be cruised solo - I had previously managed narrow and wide locks solo, but never a river lock. All went well and I was on my way up to Mapledurham, here I had to hover above the lock, with the wind blowing, waiting for the jetty to clear so I could get in to take on water, pump out the loo and dump the rubbish. Whoever designed the location of these facilities is obviously not a boater - they are far too close to the lock and create many problems!

Whitchurch Lock came and went, and then the approach to Beale Park - so many boats here already and lots of 'old' faces to meet again. Then it was time for coffee with Sandy (nb JACARANDA) and blue Sheila, (n.b. FAIR'FA) with her new name RACQUET!! She and Sandy's other right hand helper (sorry - I forgot your name!! from nb BRIAR ROSE - I know your husband is GEOFF - I even know your car!!!) are now to be known as UNHINGED and RACQUET!!

A walk round the site - it is surprising how much equipment has already arrived. TARDIS was there (our trailer that stores so much equipment hence it's name) and the tea tent was already erected and the Carpenters workshop marquee was in the process of being erected.

Then it was back to the boat to set up my 'office'. Our real office does not arrive until Monday and until we get electricity in it we cannot start to use it... Tomorrow morning at 0900 hrs is the Elf'n'safety lecture then we start for real.......

See you soon

Business as usual

I have now taken up residence on GUELROSE again. The children have now left after their week aboard (children!!! they are in their thirties!)

As is usual, I now cannot find anything in the cupboards as it has all been moved to different places. Tomorrow it is restocking in Tesco's at Reading before cruising solo up to Beale Park and starting work on Saturday.

Fuller reports re the site building will follow in due course......

A short day... and handover

A leisurely start to the day today, cruising from Beale Park to Tesco's at Reading.

Saw yet another Kingfisher today on the outskirts of Reading. We also noticed that they have already started building the site for the Reading Music Festival, but, to give them their due the Festival does open a few days before ours.....

Once at Tesco's it was time for a handover of the boat to our son, his family and friends. GUELROSE is now in his 'capable hands'. I shall be returning to the boat next Thursday so there will be no blog update until Friday 13th!! when I arrive on site at Beale Park and the work starts in earnest.