23rd Jan 2007 – Tuesday, Cruising south on the Leicester Line.
It has turned very cold, temperatures dropping to zero by the evening. Our usual one hour central heating boost in the morning was extended to two hours today. Usually an hour's worth of Eberspacher warms the boat enough to get me out of bed to stoke the wood burner whilst heating enough water for two showers. Minus 4 outside was obviously reaching me through the sprayfoam insulation.
The clouds are coming in from the northeast and we have been warned to expect the white stuff sooner rather than later.

‘Exeter Steve’ called in on his way back south and brought stories of snow on the Pennines which seemed to confirm the worst.
Treated to a meal in the Lock Inn (thanks ol’ mate) we had the place almost to ourselves. Just two other tables in use and so the waitress service was understandably very good.

24th Jan
By morning we were covered by an inch or so of snow. Ice had formed in the boat basin but not enough to worry us so we hit the canal trail and headed south.

Climbing the Foxton flight was a doddle because our lock keeper stayed with us all the way to the top. An extra pair of hands is a great help when the gates are stiff and the walkways slippery.

Sadly we learnt that not all the recent British Waterways redundancies are limited to head office staff, our lockie was told he’ll be out on his ear in March.

Once on the summit we ploughed on through white speckled countryside which brought to mind our arrival in these parts 12 months ago. On that journey we travelled the opposite way in blizzards with freezing fingers, toes and noses while everyone else was battened down.

Gorse bushes are starting to flower, which seems earlier than previous years, snow drops have been spotted but there were surprisingly few trees down on the exposed hillsides.

Ice came and went as we cruised between avenues of trees. The sunshine was doing its best to break the ice sheet into plates and where it was thickest we carved a channel and left open waters for the kingfishers to patrol.

25th Jan
Some things don’t seem to have changed since we last cruised this way. It’s always a sad sight seeing a broken boat resting on the mud, filled with water.

But we were amazed to see two teams of walking towpath trimmers attacking the hedges and grass, what’s left of it. One couple were raking the ground after the mower had passed. Not heard of this even in summer when there was grass to be seen.

Fortunately for us the tree cutting squads had been out and there was plenty of spare fuel for the stove. We found one pile of oak so tantalising that we couldn’t pass it without checking it out but after several attempts at getting close to the bank we had to leave it for the dog walkers, the shallows had us beaten.

Finally arriving at Crick we were very surprised to find the chargeable winter tow path moorings outside the marina half empty. There wasn’t a 60 foot spot to be had before Christmas, so we were told. But despite the straight piling and ideal towpaths we made for the handful of ‘free’ 14 day moorings before the tunnel. Half in a cutting and overlooked by trees we endured muddy paths, bird lime and lousy TV and ‘phone reception. But it was free and close to the services.

Talking of which, there’s a new notice on the bank telling boaters to stop performing self pump-out at the Elsan disposal point. Someone has been naughty. It seems as if they don’t like their manholes being lifted. Pity, lifting manholes can be fun.

The ducks are a lot cleverer or hungrier round here. They lurk next to the boat’s sink outlet waiting for tasty morsels to flow out with the washing up water.
The moorhens kept missing out at feeding time because the ducks flew straight to the rear doors as soon as anyone showed a face and so they were first in line every time.

Trying to make it fair I threw clods of cold porridge across the canal towards the moorhens and managed to get a dollop stuck on the muddy bank above the water line. Leaping up at the porridge kept moorhens and ducks busy for hours. They even tried sliding down the wet muddy bank from above, grabbing the gooey mess as they fell into the canal.

Kept busy today sanding down the porthole surrounds. Condensation on the aluminium window frames has dribbled down behind the woodwork, seeping under the varnish and staining it black. Scraping, sanding and re-varnishing preceded a thin line of silicone sealant and the problem was solved. Didn't expect to be doing this on a new boat.

27th Jan
Special visitors arrived today with mail and other goodies. Ter and Claire have come to stay the night and we’re booked in Edwards restaurant, just across the canal.

This is a belated 56th birthday celebration and an excuse to eat expensively. I would thoroughly recommend the venison for starters followed by pot roasted guinea fowl. This is the first time I’ve tried Lebanese red wine and found it exceptional, both in taste and price.

28th Jan 2007 – Sunday.
It is with great sadness that we received the news that our friends Mike and Pat on nb.Hyperion have sold up and returned to the easy life. It was more to do with health than with lifestyle choices and we know that they will miss boat life terribly. We and many others who have got to know them will miss seeing them on the cut, but we wish them well on terra firma.
No more comparing notes on engines, batteries and lock flights and no more tips on cruising the dodgy areas around big cities. We hope the next owner will care for Hyperion as Mike and Pat have done these past 18 months and that she sees life outside the marina and cruises for all to admire her.

Tomorrow we're off south again, through Crick Tunnel to the empty fields just above or just below Watford Gap. We're planning on meeting nb.Megan during the week and cruising with cousin Rog and Babs back down Braunston Way.

15th to 17th Jan 2007
No.1 son David visits us at Market Harborough. We catch up on news (How is Bournemouth? Alright. Seen any of our old friends? Nope. Job OK? Yep. New car? Yeh, great, goes well, got this and that in it, wanna see it?)
Haven’t seen him for months and we waste hours playing a £5 TV games handset I ordered on line from Maplins. We both love gimmicks and his dual screen Nintendo caught our attention too. A supposedly useful function, the “mind improver”, rated his mother’s mind-age at 20 years old.
I found the program very frustrating and failed the memory tests - can’t remember my score.

16th – 17th Jan
Cruised up the Arm to Great Bowden and back down to Bridge 14. Good to see David at the helm, means I can hack the brambles as we pass through bridgeholes. Used to point out Kingfishers but they’re so common on this stretch that you can’t help noticing them.

Got carried by car to Leicester, how fast people drive and so close to each other, making no allowances for the wind or other cars approaching bridge holes from the opposite direction.
Didn’t take long to adjust to the ‘other’ life and it was fun doing shops, the market and fast food.

Veg cutting contractors are out and about on the approaches to Union Wharf which will please everyone who’s done battle with the dense overhanging willows on the bends and narrows before the official moorings.

Talking to nb.”Paws 4 Thought” has cast doubts on the wind generator effectiveness. Seems we’ll not get the use we thought we would and there’s the stowing considerations. Conversations with Chas on nb.”Moore 2 Life” re solar panels also come to mind.
Back to the drawing board again.

18th Jan
Said goodbye to David after a shopping run into MH (thanks ol’ chap, lovely to see you again) just as the wind and rain hit us.
Sue and Vic on No Problem sound like they’re having a right old time planning their galley and dinette. Why not mount the lot on rails so you can adjust to accommodate visitors? These people with two narrowboats, what are they like?

Tested Maplin’s MR16 LED light (1.3w, 18 LEDs) but it’s not as bright as the 12 LED cluster from Midland Chandlers. Fitted 12 volt regulators to the remaining LED lights as some don’t like the 14+ volts from the engine charging system.

19th Jan
The storms brought plenty of new water to the canal, I refrain from using the word fresh, the colours that run off the fields would fill a paintbox.
Today it’s upsticks and head west into the wind.
Nearly got away in front of a veg cutter but too slow getting off the bank and he passed us and plodded on ahead. Grateful ten minutes later because he cleared up a fallen oak branch near Gallows Hill and we took on several logs, enough to clutter the stern deck.

Further up, next to the Black Horse, we were waved down and spent two hours watching the veg cutter crew demolish an ash tree that had fallen across the canal. This time we filled the cratch with logs and felt pleased with ourselves for waving on the workers.

20th – 21st Jan
Another treat – Mr Ter boat sits while we take four wheels to Bristol. Thanks T & C for the change of scenery and thanks MiL for a proper bed and a bath and lights we can leave on and water that never runs out. Aren’t houses quiet, no pumps whirring, no engines running. Apart from the sirens going outside every hour or so.

22nd Jan
Back onboard we cruised north to Debdale Wharf, two trees down on the way, both passable by all but widebeams.

Diesel at Debdale is still 45p/ltr and coal £7.60 a 25kg bag - lovely place. Wonder what people are paying elsewhere.
Funny how the day just goes by with very little done. Alright, we split logs and write a couple of letters and topped up tanks but no projects attempted. Couldn’t do much outside – the temperature has dropped to zero. Not a cloud in the sky but it’s coming they say, snow seen up north and heading our way. The wind has changed to the north which means we can’t hear the Gumley church bells. It’s not all bad then.

A pair of Redwings seen in the bushes, not supposed to be very common according to our little book, but it’s definitely them. Local blackbirds have paired up and are raiding the bushes for red berries and ducks are paddling a lot slower than normal, bet their legs are cold.

Balmaha’s engine has reached its 1500 hour milestone. If our cruising pattern remains the same this year then we’ll double that by next January. Someone compared 1500 canal hours to 36,000 miles for the equivalent road engine. Should get another five years use then. That's 36 oil filters and 72 gallons of oil for servicing. Could be worth buying in bulk after all (£1332 at today’s prices).

8th Jan 2007 – Monday
Balmaha slipped gently off the concrete ledge back into deep water. Oooh, it’s so nice to be level again.
Pulled into Foxton’s boat basin for water and to check out the vegetables at Mary’s shop.

Stepping off the boat onto the bank both feet sank into a thick porridge of mud. There was no way to avoid it and our boots, ropes and water hose were covered in the stuff.
What’s worse, I nearly slipped backwards into the canal with a loaded loo cassette.

Unfortunately for the BW manager, who arrived just as I‘d reached the disposal point, I was still hopping mad. He got it in the ear while it was still fresh on my boots. I flung words like deplorable and shameful at him as I recollected six months of site work aimed at keeping visitors’ shoes clean on the touristy bits around Foxton Locks while boaters fought through Flanders mud outside the one and only water point.

That little episode ruined my day and I don’t doubt ruined his too. Things had better change by next week.

Spun the boat without clouting nb.Kayos outside the Locks Inn (another Mark - such a popular boat owner name) and headed in the Leicester direction. Found the piling at Bridge 64 completely empty and was about to settle down when we were buzzed by a helicopter. Why is it always us? Relieved to see it was the boys in green not the boys in blue this time.

Logs cut, coal brought to the fireside and slippers warming on the hearth, this is the life.
Outside it’s blowing up a gale and the rain clouds clip the trees as they head straight for us. We could have left the ropes stowed on their hooks for all it mattered, the wind was so strong that you couldn’t get a ciggy paper between the boat and the steel piles.
That night the south-westerlies rocked us to sleep.

10th Jan
BW’s new work boat “Sence” (from Kilby Bridge) passed us this morning with Richard at the helm, heading for the Foxton flight. Guess trees must have fallen during the night up there on the summit.

In the fields opposite us flocks of fieldfare have landed, flying furiously into the wind they fall back in the same spot. Had to use the bird book because we hardly ever see fieldfares from one year to the next.

Made a note to get one of those fancy cameras that take close ups without having to leave the boat.

Even on the canal the water level seems to have risen. There’s hardly an inch of clay between us and the fields below us but it stayed that way until the water receded. Although we saw flooding in the fields it was draining slowly into culverts below the canal and forming a stream on the other side, heading towards the busy A6.

11th Jan
It was a stormy day and had been even worse last night. Looking out the window while stoking the fire this morning I saw our chimney hat in the bushes. Went out to get it an hour later and it was gone! Thinking some thief had pinched it we sent out for another from Foxton but needn’t have bothered because a walker had posted our chimney hat in the cratch! Feeling totally humbled (not easy for me) I put the old one back in place on the chimney only to see it lift up and fly towards the trees. Fixed it good and proper with a cable tie. Yes I know cable ties are plastic and the chimney is hot.

12th Jan
The wind has abated and we’ve got ichy feet. The boat is pointing north, so north we must go. It’s only 20 minutes to Debdale and our first winding point.
On the way back south between bridge 64 and 63 we met our first fallen tree. It’s a trap. Laughing as we pulled left to miss the tree we heard that awful scraping sound that said we’re touching bottom. Making smoke and wriggling along like a snake we eventually grind to a halt. Remembering Tony Matt’s instructions on the Boat Handling Course we do the opposite of what makes sense and we’re off in minutes, chugging happily south again. Phew.

Back at Foxton we moor outside the Bridge 61 pub (Matts’ freehouse) next to the only working water point this side of April.
On the down-side the tow path mud is worse, on the up-side fresh vegetables are on sale again and the leeks are too good to miss. Leeks in cheese sauce – yummy.

Foxton’s inclined plane arm still shows no sign of completion. Reinforced concrete is going down where the trees were pulled up. Trees can perform a wonderful service stabilising the ground. We mess with them at our peril.

Further on - yippee - the swingbridge worked first time.

Dredging is a slow business but the digger guys are moving steadily onwards towards Market Harboro’ and close to Gallows Hill Bridge. They’re a friendly bunch, shifting their barges as soon as they see you and always quick with a wave and a smile.

And it’s good to have the veg cutters down this way too, it’s wonderful to see the canal turning back to full width again.

A short stop for us in the middle of nowhere and several beech branches clutter our stern deck. This creates a steering hazard so no one is allowed anywhere near the drinks cupboard until we’re moored up and the branches chopped ready for the fire.

13th
Sun came out, at least we presume it was the sun. Spent hours in the engine room on a 1500hr service. Jolly glad we had splash covers fitted below the taff rail. Keeps the wind out of the engine bay.
While I laboured down below Vanessa burnt off calories on a four mile walk to Great Bowden and back. Reports of an excellent general store, deli, post office and café nearly did it for me and I almost promised to take the tour myself next time. Almost promised.

Apart from a very shiny nb.Samuel from Napton passing us, nothing much happened.

14th Jan 2006 - Sunday
A much quieter day, the wind has dropped from gale force overnight to a fresh westerly and the temperature is on its way down. The bird feeder is well used, great tits, blue tits, Mr and Mrs Robin and an unidentified bird not dissimilar to a thrush hopping about under the bush picking up the corn thrown out by the birds above.

It’s half past eleven and we’re off. A cruise into the sun passing through a beautiful cutting between conifers and deciduous trees.

Fishermen are out – it’s a match day so no swerving in and out and no full throttle.

One space left in MH, just outside Union Wharf. Why is this place so popular? We’ve heard that usually there are only one or two boats here over the winter period but it seems to have caught the attention of those who want to stay for months at a time.

It feels strange sitting next to a busy towpath again. The sun is streaming into the saloon but walkers cast a shadow as they pass and it’s a bit unnerving at first. I suppose we shall soon get used to seeing human and animal legs passing our portholes every two minutes.
The swans, the swans, they’ve found us. There will be no sleeping late tomorrow.

No.1 son joins us tomorrow for a few days, that’s what happens when you work over Christmas. As soon as the swans wake us we’re off to town for supplies and when he arrives we’ll head off back to the countryside. Can’t wait for summer.

Christmas and New Year went off like a rocket. Time passed so quickly this year that is was a surprise that nothing important was missed. Visitors came and went like clockwork and sleeping arrangements, though squeezed at times, worked perfectly, though a wide beam boat would have been really handy. Cards, emails and texts flooded in over the Christmas period wishing us well, for which we thank everyone, it was very touching.

All that remains is to find the screwed up wrapping paper, cracker toys and empty bottles in dark corners and we’ll be ready again for winter cruising.

Holiday highlights included our own bunny girl serving up a full sized turkey, winter veg and traditional pudding running with double cream or (“and” in my case) brandy sauce.

Lunch was hot on the heels of our usual smoked salmon, caviar (substitute) and champagne breakfast.

Yes, we ate well, very well, sometimes onboard and sometimes shore-side in posh places. Got called “Sire” in Market Harboro’ and “Hey you Gringo” in a pub up the road.

On the downside we put on a few pounds, on the upside there was less washing up to do.

Mike and Pat travelled miles and miles to join us in celebrating our first anniversary on the boat, bringing real champagne and a sack of wood for the fire. What lovely people, what sensitivity to our needs.

Number one daughter brought pressies, suitcases of make-up and Maisy the cat to stay for a few days whilst MIL helped swell the crowd and booked into the ensuite while we slept best we could in the saloon – three plus a cat.

Ter and Claire spoilt us in the Three Swans (very expensive, very nice altogether !!) on the occasion of someone’s 21st birthday (her 33rd time around) whilst MIL treated us on her 87th (first time around) at the Yews along with a table full of “family” from these here parts.

We’ve always had our differences when it comes to deciding on a Christmas tree but this year was an exception. There was only one size possible and only one place for it and that was on the dinette table.
We didn’t skimp though, the tree was adorned with lights (LEDs of course) and chocolate hanging things.

The next problem will be deciding where to store the thing until next Christmas. That’s another opportunity for a lively discussion – “on the poop deck, mince pies at thirty paces”.

The 29th was a memorable day in more than one way, it was MIL’s 87th birthday (congratulations mum-in-law), the Union Wharf pump-out machine was on the blink and someone got dunked.

Whilst returning to our towpath mooring with a full waste tank I spotted Tim and Jill waiting for us. Tim was here to arrange a mooring swap and as I leapt off with the centre rope, pulling hard against an offshore breeze, Tim kindly reached out to grab the taff rail.

But encumbered with an umbrella and standing on a slippery towpath he decided to dive head first into the canal, performing a graceful pirouette in the process. Time stopped and events blurred as Tim was pulled out of the freezing canal and rushed down Balmaha’s steps into the bathroom.

As always on these occasions there was no camera handy at the time so you’ll have to use your imagination.

It was a cold day and this guy is about ten years my senior so instead of laughing I was consumed with zeal and efficiency, drying out the poor fella and setting him on his way with a dodgy mix of clothes and shoes in various sizes.
But he was a good sport allowing me to mention it on the Blog and later returned everything washed and ironed. Even recovered the umbrella using that treasured magnet on a rope.

New Year was quiet. We could hear fireworks some distance away but the towpath was deserted. One year went and another arrived and we felt just the same. Resolutions were kept to ourselves but one of mine was to eat enough to burst but not enough to cause the dreaded heartburn.
We quit Market Harboro’ for the peace and solitude of steel piling between bridges 9 and 8 on the way to Foxton. Apart from weight watchers exercising off their Christmas pud we saw very few walkers on this stretch of canal. Boats peeked on the 1st and 2nd of January, perhaps three a day, so we had the place virtually to ourselves, which was nice.

There was one boat that was worthy of note, a BW tug and barge went empty one way and returned full of weeds a few hours later. Wonderful, it gives you a warm feeling knowing they care. Wonder if the photo of weeds blocking the canal that I handed in to Union Wharf had anything to do with it.

Jan 4th 2007
So quiet, only one boat passed us – Canaltime from Mkt Harbro.
At last, the birds have found the bird feeder. Blue tits chuck out all the corn until they get to the sunflower seeds while the resident robin watches from a safe distance, content to nibble the brown bread stuck on the thorn bushes. Owls hoot at night very close to the boat and I heard a scrambling of feet on the boat pole above our heads one night which was probably them watching the mice eat the corn in the bushes under the bird feeder.

Jan 5th Friday
All good things must come to an end - we set sail for Foxton to fill the water tank and chug on up to Debdale for diesel (still 45p/ltr, eat your hearts out you K&A’ers).

There’s still plenty of space at Foxton even with resident’s boats out of the Inclined Plane Arm. We thought it would be a squash getting us all in over the Christmas holidays but it wasn’t. Even with the 8 or so hire boats out of Harboro’ and the weekenders from Debdale Marina there was room for all.

The cut off inclined plane arm has been steadily filling with water since the contractors went home for Christmas. No doubt they’ll be back on Monday sitting on their backsides while the pump clears a foot of water.

The only messy towpath in these parts is outside the shop at the bottom of the locks and is a shameful reflection on BW treatment of the public that they so want to attract. Towpaths above the locks have been repaired and resurfaced, walkers having nothing to complain about up there but there remains this 100 foot mucky section next to the lower locks.
It’s adjacent to the winter water point and the lock waiting area and the visitor’s seats.

Why this has been left in such a deplorable state is any one’s guess but this picture is going in the post to BW HQ this week with a strongly worded letter. Alright then, a moan.

Cruising the Harbro Arm we were fortunate to pick up several tree branches for the fire and these have kept us warm these past few days. What a heat they give off, even with the windows open it reaches 30 deg C on an evening and we are compelled to strip off. This is obviously helped by the mild spell of weather but all that will change from tomorrow because I’ve cleaned the brasses again.

7th Jan 2007
It’s remarkably quiet at Foxton these last couple of days, we see the usual walkers dressed in cross country boots, long socks and fancy all weather coats, sporting walking sticks that could double as clothes line props.
Cameras of all shapes and sizes, some on tripods slung over the back or hanging out of rucksacks tell us the bird twitchers are upon us.
Boats are few and far between, giving the lock keepers an easy time on the Foxton flight.
The weather is kind most of the time, a wandering cloud hovers over the boat every time I approach the brass vents with a cloth, otherwise it only rains after dark.

There’s a funny concrete ledge beneath the boat that keeps catching us out. It always happens in the morning that we are sat on this ledge and listing terribly to one side. Running down the saloon in socks and skidding at the end results in colliding with the wall panels and stubbing toes on the pipe covers that run between radiators. First job of the day is to push the boat off the ledge and ponder how to make a 3 foot diameter fender to stop it happening again.

Starting Monday it’s more of the same, maybe wander down to Harboro and see who’s there. Cousin Roger and Babs called in yesterday to talk boats and now I’ve got to visit Woolies to buy an LED head torch, just the ticket for working down the engine room. Other activities include planning this year’s DIY bottom blacking and getting hold of a wind generator.

K stop reading at this point.

Not counting the diesel boiler, the fuel used over the last 22 days gives us a consumption of 0.9 ltrs/hr, for which we were static 90% of the time, charging batteries and heating water as a by-product. Something tells me this is not the best use of a 1900cc engine so my thoughts are in the direction of finding the smallest diesel engine that will drive a 90 amp alternator for 5 hours a day. Anyone got any ideas?