Trip Report: Starting on the Macclesfield #2 (2098 Words)
Greg Chapman
===========================================
In which:
I reveal tips for investors and AutoRoute users.
I discover OwnerShips notes are out of date!
I ponder on the joys of Shared Ownership.
I buy another guide
I worry about why, a lot of water in the bilges
and I report a tragedy!
===========================================
So, on our way, at last! Having bought our share in Stolen Time back in
October, August had seemed a very long time off. I couldn't resist the
call and managed a short week-end trial-cruise back in February, but Liz
had made an excuse about gales being forecast so I had made a solo trip
on that occasion.
Liz is a great planner. I am not. Please let me know if this is the
usual state of affairs for man and wife. It might save her some
expensive legal bills! The planning had led to an enormous spending
spree in the weeks before the holiday. I shouldn't need to buy any more
T-shirts, shorts, or jeans for about 20 years. And here's a tip for
those who dabble on the Stock Exchange. Marks and Sparks should see
huge jump in profits in the next quarter! I did try to tell her that
they do have laundrettes west of Kings Lynn but to no avail.
Such was the size of the load that I had to strip out all the back seats
from the car and construct a special partition to stop the luggage
showering onto Zena and Charlie our two English Setters every time I
accelerated. They of course had the rear-most section of the car.
This was the first time in 25 years that we had been away from home for
more than a week, so there was some justification, I suppose.
In contrast, the result of my lack of planning is that I forgot all
previous experience and decided to travel from West Norfolk to
Peterborough then, via Thrapston, onto the A14, M6 and so to Junction
16, near Stoke, and Heritage Boatyard, between Hall Green and Boseley
Locks. This what Autoroute recommends. It should take 3 hours 50
minutes! Big Mistake!
We managed to leave half an hour earlier than Liz had planned (Needless
to say Liz-planned departure time bore no relation to Autoroute planned
times by which I was working, but then she can be so much wiser than I.)
With a target arrival time at the boatyard of 3:00pm, we also discovered
you do not miss the "rush day" around Birmingham! (There appears to be
no such thing as a "rush-hour" in those parts.)
Blissfully unaware of what was to come, we diverted off the A14 north of
Northampton and found our way to Pitsford Reservoir. It turned out
there was a very pleasant Country Park around the reservoir and, in
blazing sunshine and with almost seaside-like crowds, we ate the
sandwiches Liz had prepared, downed the drinks our and walked the dogs.
So much for Autoroute's suggested travel time of 3hrs 50mins. After the
crawl through Birmingham, during which Liz reminded me that we had a
very much more pleasant journey two years ago, when returning from the
hire boat at Stone, we had another brief spell of good speed. However,
with road signs warning of more hold-ups likely between Junctions 15 and
16, we abandoned the M6 before, the Autoroute suggested, Junction 16 and
headed through the middle of Stoke. The final part of the journey was
certainly made easier by the fact that, contrary to the notes provided
by OwnerShips, there are now a plentiful supply of brown tourist
signposts at several junctions along the by-ways leading the last mile
to the boatyard. No longer are the last few turns landmarkless, as
Ownerships suggested. We ended up at the Boatyard only half an hour
after our planned arrival time.
The boat was clean and tidy and ready to receive our mountain of
luggage. In spite of the report in the log which the previous owners
had left, saying that rain had stopped play, as far as brass-cleaning
had gone, all the cabin top brass gleamed in the sun light.
This caused me to ponder. One of the great troubles with shared
ownership is that you share the boat. In our contingent of owners we
have one or two who appear, from the log, to have developed a downright
competitive nature about the level of shine obtained on the brass. For
me brass is an abomination. Give me stainless steel and anodised
aluminium every day! I was horrified to read in the log that one owner
was threatening to polish the brass inside the boat! Even after our
fortnight aboard, I still assume that this is all lacquered, and while
not having that "just-polished" look is not what I'd call tarnished. If
the lacquer is polished away we'll have that to clean as well - and no
excuses about how rain stopped play!
But enough of this pondering. First out of the car was two weeks supply
of food for two large dogs! Then a stock of bottled water for the Dogs!
(At the annual owners meeting one had said that they didn't drink water
from the boat's tank. If it wasn't good enough for us to drink, it
certainly wouldn't be good enough for the dogs, argued Liz!) It was
already plain to me what would soon be coming. Two hours later, Liz had
finally stopped cursing and moaning about how there was nowhere for
anything to go. She had achieved a home for virtually everything. I
didn't dare attempt to pack anything, but I wasn't idle.
My task was to remove from the boat anything not likely to be needed.
So I was packing the car as fast as Liz was stowing everything on the
boat. Into the car went the stove chimney and tools, though after we
had set out we realised the coal scuttle, with coal, was still on board.
Into the car went two stools as we wouldn't have surplus diners aboard,
the 1ft extension for the fixed double mattress. We were to survive the
fortnight on a four foot bed. Next all the spare bedding was swallowed
by the car - quilts, double quilts and pillows galore. It all seemed
never ending. Though I did sneak into the reception area of the
boatyard and pick up the latest MCS guide to the Macclesfield and Upper
Peak Forest Canal, so there should be an update to the review on the
Waterways Guides site soon.
After two hours, we were ready! Engine started, cast off, and away we
went! Two years ago we had managed to do a little of the Macc. Today
we re-traced those steps. The liveaboard is still there, moored on the
off-side just before Bridge 86. We moored and had a cup of tea just
after the bridge.
Although the Macc has been dredged in the last three years, there are
still many areas where it is not possible to get close to the towpath.
I gather that is because, when built, it was assumed that boats would
only want to moor at wharfs and depth at the sides elsewhere was not
provided. We needed to get close. Our elderly dog, Charlie, had made
clear that he couldn't reliably walk the plank. He could not bring his
arthritic back legs close enough together to stay on while he walked the
few paces ashore.
You can imagine the scene.... Ah land and nice sniffs in the hedge! I
can do that!
Plod, plod!
The front paws make the plank.
Plod <null>!
One rear paw hits the plank the other does not.
Thump, Yelp!
With one paw in mid air, the rear part of the body lunges downwards
until it contacts the deck. Hence the yelp! Meanwhile, just behind him
I will have attempted to grab him.
Clap, Thud, Expletive!
My hands grab at thin air and come together with nothing but a wisp of
fur from his tail between them. This is not sufficient to hold him.
However, as I lunge downwards the boat moves slightly and the tiller
swings. As I attempt to rise to the vertical again I catch the small of
my back with the tiller. I yelp, for yelp I will call it! Caught by
the tiller and with Newton's law about equal and opposite reaction in
force, I am propelled downwards again.
Thump, Expletive, Splash, Crash, Expletive.
With knees bent, they impact the aft deck with some force. I "yelp"
again! Wondering at the commotion, Liz rushes to climb the aft cabin
steps. In her hurry she bangs her head on the hatch that's not fully
slid open. The splash? Charlie, now has reached the water.
Thump, Expletive, Yelp, Splash, Expletive, Cry.
Lunging upwards, and in pain, Liz manages to grab something, one of the
aft doors, but she still has some momentum and the door swings open to
where I am doubled-up clutching my knees. The door engages with my
right flank. I cry out, as I am projected to the edge of the deck where
my other hand slips off the edge. I now am in a similar stance to that
in which Charlie was earlier. Having no support, I too follow another
of Newton's laws. I make contact with Charlie. He yelps. I enter the
water. Another expletive from me. The cry from Liz concerns not her
own discomfort but is one for Charlie who is not ashore but looking
rather bemused and bedraggled and not a little wet.
None of this happened, but I could foresee it, if I allowed Charlie to
attempt to walk the plank. However, while he is used to being lifted
and won't struggle, I didn't fancy carrying 70lbs of dog across a plank
set on an uneven bank and potentially moving boat. The net result for
us we must be tight into the towpath when mooring.
The bank just beyond Bridge 86 is surprising deep for the Macc and none
of these foreseen problems occur. We do manage to get tight into the
bank and the kettle whistles loudly as it comes to the boil!
While sipping the tea, I realise that one of the things not transferred
from the car to boat was my mobile phone charger!
Horrors!
In spite of what was related in news:uk.rec.waterways about Liz thinking
that LapTops are strictly for work, she had relented and the laptop was
aboard, but with no charger, not only would I not be able to make those
"Reports from the Cut" to jealous friends and family, but I would not be
able to give everyone live newsgroup and e-mail postings! This was
indeed a tragedy. After debate about whether to attempt to buy a new
one in Macclesfield, eventually the decision was made to press on to
Congleton, where we could spend the night, wind, and return to pick up
the charger next morning.
This we did. As we approached Congleton I noticed the tidy little boat
nb Why Worry. This boat had stuck in my mind as it was the only one we
had seen on that trip two years ago, which sported a "CutWeb" pennant.
It was in exactly the same position as it was last time. However, this
time it was sporting a BCN Marathon Challenge number, so I knew it had
seen some decent cruising!
The moorings near "The Wharf", in Congleton, where we had had a pleasant
lunchtime meal last time, were fully taken and there would have been no
room for more without breasting up. We moved on and only after I had
made the attempt I then remembered that I had made the previous time to
moor immediately after the aqueduct, did I recall how shallow it was on
the long straight to the pretty Snake Bridge 76. We moored for the
night in the cutting beyond.
I stowed the tiller and lifted the aft deck board to get to the stern
tub greaser. "Arghh!", I cried, "We're sinking!". That was a bit over
dramatic, I know, but the water was coming in a continuous stream rather
than a drip. I turned down the greaser, but felt no resistance.
Neither did the water stop flowing. I made a number of turns, stopping
briefly after each one. Still the water poured. After about half a
dozen the water went to a drip and then stopped, but not before a huge
glob of grease had appeared at the end of the tube. At least we seemed
safe for the night. It was also the clincher. It confirmed we had a
good reason to return to the boat yard for some further advice.
=====================
An edited, illustrated, version will appear on the site in due course!
--
Greg
nb Stolen Time (12th Share)
http://www.waterwaysguides.co.uk/stolentime/
David Long
<gr...@waterwaysguides.co.uk> writes
>
>In contrast, the result of my lack of planning is that I forgot all
>previous experience and decided to travel from West Norfolk to
>Peterborough then, via Thrapston, onto the A14, M6 and so to Junction
>16, near Stoke, and Heritage Boatyard, between Hall Green and Boseley
>Locks. This what Autoroute recommends. It should take 3 hours 50
>minutes! Big Mistake!
>
lot of time, and is far more pleasant and interesting.
--
David Long
Sankey Canal Restoration Society http://www.scars.org.uk/
Updated January 2002 - with the Autumn issue of our magazine CANAL CUTTINGS -
illustrated
Greg Chapman
"David Long" <Da...@scars.org.uk> wrote in message
news:I6ykQXCK...@scars.org.uk...
> Quite right - the A50 from the M1 to Stoke would have saved you an
awful
> lot of time, and is far more pleasant and interesting.
Wait for the final report and you'll find that we did indeed return via
the A50, A6, A6006, A606 A1, A47 and so to Kings Lynn. It was, of
course, both quicker and more pleasant. Although he canalside pub we
stopped at for lunch, was no longer serving food. A bit of a
disappointment!
Bob Adams
<gr...@waterwaysguides.co.uk> writes
>My task was to remove from the boat anything not likely to be needed. So I
>was packing the car as fast as Liz was stowing everything on the boat. Into
>the car went the stove chimney and tools, though after we had set out we
>realised the coal scuttle, with coal, was still on board. Into the car went two
>stools as we wouldn't have surplus diners aboard, the 1ft extension for the
>fixed double mattress. We were to survive the fortnight on a four foot bed.
>Next all the spare bedding was swallowed by the car - quilts, double quilts and
>pillows galore. It all seemed never ending.
I really do not understand this part. With only two of you on board a
what, six berth 58 foot boat, why did you need to remove anything?
Bob.
--
Bob Adams - NB Ophelia. email to: ams...@ntlworld.com
Greg Chapman
"martinp" <mar...@wanadoo.nl> wrote in message
news:657dmucfudjf7qjbc...@4ax.com...
>
> unless you have suffered a similar experience you just won't
> understand. it's something to do with some women's ability to compress
> solids to 1/100th of their normal volume by forcing them into the back
> of a car combined with a deep desire to provide a change of clothes
> every hour to match all possible weather conditions, whilst taking
> enough food to last 200 people a fortnight and not forgetting the food
> and drink for the pack of hounds.
I couldn't have put it better myself! :-)
Two sacks of dog food were required. Charlie, the 13 year old is on a
special prescription diet, after his bladder stone operation a couple of
years ago - only available from vets after an expensive and, perhaps,
time-wasting consultation. The standard pet shop stuff will not do.
Once you have got food for one on board, then you may as well have the
more standard food for the other dog as well to save having to find a
pet shop while on shore excursions.
There is precious little floor space in any "non-carrying" narrowboat,
even with freestanding furniture. I had to create enough for their
large bean bag beds. That meant the stools had to go.
So it goes on....
arthur.marshall
from "Greg Chapman" <gr...@waterwaysguides.co.uk> contains these words:
> Two sacks of dog food were required. Charlie, the 13 year old is on a
> special prescription diet, after his bladder stone operation a couple of
> years ago -
> There is precious little floor space in any "non-carrying" narrowboat,
> even with freestanding furniture. I had to create enough for their
> large bean bag beds. That meant the stools had to go.
Judging by the canine problem above, no doubt they'll be back soon@-)
--
Arthur Marshall - Caller for Traditional Dances
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/barndancer/
nb Lord Byron's Maggot
Bob Adams
<mar...@wanadoo.nl> writes
>understand. it's something to do with some women's ability to compress
>solids to 1/100th of their normal volume by forcing them into the back
>of a car combined with a deep desire to provide a change of clothes
>every hour to match all possible weather conditions, whilst taking
>enough food to last 200 people a fortnight and not forgetting the food
>and drink for the pack of hounds.
:-)
Having survived 26 years with the same wife, I feel I have some of the
above mentioned experience. At least enough of it that after all these
years I have now deserved the right the say "No".
Sometimes... she listens, considers the alternative and on occasionally
accepts my point of view.
This usually means that my life is about to become hell, but hey, at
least I've been noticed! ;-)
Debbie Bashford
"Bob Adams" <ams...@the.address.in.the.sig> wrote in message
news:cuNEr3BS8$Z9E...@ntlworld.com...
> In message <657dmucfudjf7qjbc...@4ax.com>, martinp
> <mar...@wanadoo.nl> writes
> >On Fri, 23 Aug 2002 18:05:37 +0100, Bob Adams
> ><ams...@the.address.in.the.sig> wrote:
> >
> >> In message <ak3jn8$6nm$1...@newsg4.svr.pol.co.uk>, Greg Chapman
> >> <gr...@waterwaysguides.co.uk> writes
>
>
> Having survived 26 years with the same wife, I feel I have some of the
> above mentioned experience. At least enough of it that after all these
> years I have now deserved the right the say "No".
>
noticed? :-)
Debbie
Bob Adams
<debbi...@highgen.com> writes
>> Having survived 26 years with the same wife, I feel I have some of the
>> above mentioned experience. At least enough of it that after all these
>> years I have now deserved the right the say "No".
>>
>I don't understand, you've spent 26 years with Greg's wife? Hasn't he
>noticed? :-)
>
He probably will now.
Greg Chapman
"Bob Adams" <ams...@the.address.in.the.sig> wrote in message
> In message <akav8i$1hoffv$1...@ID-61498.news.dfncis.de>, Debbie Bashford
> <debbi...@highgen.com> writes
>
> >noticed? :-)
> >
> He probably will now.
>
And she's been telling me that she's been at work all day. What
inference should I take as she usually complains about how terrible her
day has been, Bob?
Greg
Bob Adams
<gr...@waterwaysguides.co.uk> writes
>
>And she's been telling me that she's been at work all day. What
>inference should I take as she usually complains about how terrible her
>day has been, Bob?
>
Molly
Greg Chapman (Greg Chapman <gr...@waterwaysguides.co.uk>) wrote
Depends on how she phrases it. If she says "Oh, it's been one long f*ck
of a day" it may be about time you got suspicious.
--
Molly
If I'd known I'd be this thirsty this morning, I'd have drunk more last night.
Greg Chapman
> and food that she took on holiday Greg?
Mmmm! I'll have to think about that! :-)
Greg
Steve Heaven
<gr...@waterwaysguides.co.uk> wrote:
> we also discovered
>you do not miss the "rush day" around Birmingham! (There appears to be
>no such thing as a "rush-hour" in those parts.)
There is sometimes a non-rush 10 minutes in the early hours of Tuesday
morning!
Paul E. Bennett
st...@thornet.co.uk "Steve Heaven" writes:
Good heavens, does it really last that long?
--
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