Saturday 30 th May 2020 Another hot day. We have been having back to back sunshine and heat for weeks now. The heat became too much for me in the afternoon and I came on the boat, sat in the chair and promptly fell asleep. We called in on Susan and picked up the bedroom reading light and chimney roof flue plate she had ordered for us. On the way back we called on Alan on ‘Second Chance’. Alan is a single-hander who had bought his boat in Venetian Marina just before lock-down, came out of the marina, moored on the Venetian Straight, and has been there ever since. He had very little boating experience and had asked me to give him a steering lesson and how to use his bow thruster. I fitted the new light in the bedroom and, apart from that little else was done, it was too hot. We had a steak dinner, our first in ages, and then sat with Danny and Jemima in their cratch and later at the fireside. We were hoping to see the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket following the space stat...
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Friday 29 th May 2020 The boat moored in front of us moved off in the morning. We were glad of this as we did not feel comfortable with the couple on board. They were hardly off the boat at all, spending their time inside in all the heat. The dog was only off the boat twice per day for about 30 seconds each time, they were a dirty couple and seemed very untrustworthy. The bow fenders were fitted to the starboard side, requiring the boat to be turned twice. We are very pleased with the result. Hopefully they will protect the paintwork a bit more and not get fouled in the first lock we come to. Roger and Helen off Whiskey Mist called. They have been moored above Cholmondeston Lock for 2 months now, but are planning to move tomorrow. Another couple we have become friendly with, they are heading for the Llangollen Canal so maybe we will see them there. Jacob went back to his mother for the weekend, Danny taking him to Barbridge to be picked up, myself going with him and ...
Thursday 28 th May 2020 Brenda successfully connected the Fire Stick, so we now have TV. Not that we will be watching a great deal with all the wall-to-wall heat and sunshine we are having. But it is nice to have again, at one point we thought it might have been the TV itself at fault. Jacob seemed to spend most of his day sat on our boat watching the TV. He seems bored this week and missing his pals. I suppose a lot of people will be the same and you can only feel sorry for youngsters being confined to home, without knowing why. We spent most of the day lounging about and reading. Jemima’s daughter and husband visited from Altrincham with their daughter, it was nice to have outside company. A couple of guys stopped to talk and a boat arrived from the marina with people on board. It did seem strange being amongst, but keeping distant, from so many people. Brenda found it too much and retired to the front cratch. The boat from the marina had visited previously. Rich...
Wednesday 27 th May 2020 We had a planning meeting between the four of us. We have identified reasons we are reluctant to leave Syke’s Hollow. On the one hand, we are genuinely reluctant to start cruising again as per CRT’s guidelines. We would rather stay a further few weeks to see if there is any increase in Covid cases after relaxing the lock-down. On the other hand, we have become comfortable here and we have to leave at some time, but we will be sad to leave Danny and Jemima, we have all become firm friends. We decided to leave before the weekend and, after filling with water and emptying the loo, Danny would drive to Calveley with our rubbish, and we would then take a fortnight or so travelling down the branch to Middlewich, together, before parting company. Brenda then went up to the chandlery to collect shopping from Susan. When she mentioned our plans, Susan asked why we thought we had to move at all. One reason had been that we have been on what would normall...
Tuesday 26 th May 2020 The bow fenders were finished but we do not have enough shackles to fit them. This will have to wait until the chandlery is open on Wednesday. The front cratch looks good, but a further coat was applied to the beading as water can sit on this and it is more subject to weathering. Brenda carried out more troubleshooting with the Fire Stick but it will not work. A new one was ordered from Sainsbury’s in Whitchurch and Jemima ran her out there in their car. However, it had not been delivered and so Danny took me later in the day. Apart from walking to either Aqueduct Marina and the Chandlery at Venetian, this was the first time I had been away from Syke’s Hollow for a month and the first time in a car for over 3 months. It felt funny driving down country lanes at 50-60mph. It was surprising just how many people were about in Whitchurch, not exactly crowded but more than expected. We had to queue for 30 minutes to get into the store and then for ...
Monday 25 th May 2020 The front cratch was given a second coat of oil. Looking really smart but impossible to keep the bugs off in this nice weather. The top bow fender was finished and work started on the bottom one. Jacob helped with the pulling through of the ropes and we made a game of it. I taught him how to tie the continuous crowning knots and couldn’t believe how quickly he not only picked it up, but also retained it as he was still able to tie the knot in the evening. Remarkable kids’ brains are, like a sponge. It took me ages to learn. Gaia went up to the marina to empty their loo. There were a lot of boats moving and we were feared for them losing their spot. However, most boats had come out of the marina for the day and winded before reaching us. We reckon a lot of boats now, will be begrudging us stopping here. It is a popular spot, especially for the marina dwellers emerging for the weekend, and they will be wanting us to move on. We have been seeing m...
Sunday 24 th May 2020 We took the boat up to the marina to fill with water and empty the loo, timing our arrival for 10am when Susan opened. Unfortunately, just as we got to the railway bridge, a boat came out of the marina and onto the pump out stand, so we had to wait our turn. The rope had been delivered and Susan ordered a 6” roof flue plate for us, it should arrive on Thursday. It is always a gamble, leaving our spot here, should another boat arrive. However, once again, we moored in the same spot with our cut piece of grass against the back end. No sooner had we moored than Quentin and Sue off ‘Teasal’ turned up. We had seen them a few times last August while travelling on the Kennet and Avon Canal and again in Oxford and had got on with them really well. While I didn’t recognise them at first, no surprises there, it was good to see them. Also good for them, especially Sue, to see somebody. When we had last seen them in Oxford, they were staying there for Sue ...
Saturday 23 rd May 2020 After breakfast, the front cratch doors were removed and they, and the cratch boards themselves, were lightly sanded and given a first coat of Osmo Polyx-Oil. The result is very pleasing. We walked to the chandlery. The winds at Syke’s are still strong but nothing like the strength of wind once clear of the tree cover at Syke’s. We have been sat here now for over a month and, except for Beccles and Gaia, we had been the only boat. We cannot understand why nobody else has chosen to stop in such a lovely spot, seeming to prefer to be subject to the elements closer to the marina. Susan had a chimney roof plate in stock but, after carrying it all the way back, we found it is the wrong size, so a 6” one will have to be ordered. The wind made it seem quite cold and so we mainly stayed indoors, seeing Danny and Jemima just briefly. Unfortunately, the internet was so poor we could not watch any TV and so just spent the day quietly and had early ni...
Friday 22 nd May 2020 There had been a lot of rain overnight and, when we woke, there were signs water had been dripping from around the chimney flue. On inspection, the sealant around the joint between base plate and flue was completely detached. This had only been resealed in December so has lasted no time at all. Gaia is fitted with a much more substantial cast iron roof top flue plate, where roof plate and flue are integral. One has been found on the internet so we will ask if Susan can order one for us. It was Jacob’s proper birthday today, 7-years-old. Gaia has been decorated for him and we had a card and presents to give him. The lad was so excited. Jemima spent the day decorating a cake she had made and in the afternoon we were invited over to share in some before Jacob returned to his mother for the weekend. The boat licence and insurance were renewed. £994 for the licence and £581 for the insur...
Thursday 21 st May 2020 It had been 2 years on 17 th May since Bridge Street first took to the water and 2 years today since we moved on board. Quite a period. It had rained heavily overnight, the first substantial rain in weeks. There has been so little rain over the last few months that we joke, come the lifting of Covid restriction, we will have further travel restrictions imposed on us due to water shortages. There was more chasing and catching of butterflies and numerous other bugs with Jacob’s nets, before we, once again, walked to the chandlery. I had received an update from CRT regarding mooring restrictions that nobody else seemed to have received, including other boaters we spoke too. This update stated that, from 23 rd May, mooring restrictions on visitor moorings would be reinstated. As we are on 48-hour visitor moorings, this would mean we would have to leave on Monday 25 th at the latest. We have not had a TV signal for a long time here and the inte...
Wednesday 20 th May 2020 Brenda’s back was none too good, probably after carrying the shopping yesterday, so she stayed in bed for a few hours. A few items were ordered from Amazon for delivery to Tracey’s. Water flowmeters and magnetic USB chargers. Lord knows when we will be able to collect them. We witnessed a curious event in the morning. A baby rabbit crossed the towpath, dropped into the canal and swam to the other bank where it climbed back out. Never knew rabbits could even swim. We walked gently to the chandlery. Susan had done some shopping for us, arranged before Brenda went into Nantwich with Jemima. Susan had also collected the Osmo Polyx-Oil from Potters in Nantwich. I’m really pleased to have that on board and now, maybe, I can treat the front cratch. Jemima had friends visit from Eccles, who had travelled out by motorbike. With Jill being extremely vulnerable, social distancing was strictly observed. It was a very hot day and we didn’t see Harv...
Tuesday 19 th May 2020 Gaia passed over some magazines from the Kelvin Register, stories of Kelvin engines in general and restorations. They made for very interesting reading out on the bank, at the picnic tables, in the hot sunshine. It was a scorcher of a day. Danny also had a copy of the BSS (Boat Safety Scheme) which also made for interesting reading. We had always been under the impression that there were numerous issues with Bridge Street that would fail a BSS Inspection. Failure of an inspection would result in any boat licence application being rejected which would affect the boat’s insurance. We had changed many things on the boat since new build and improved many other areas, all to comply, but were under the impression that our solid fuel stove installation would fail. While the regulations in the BSS can be quite ambiguous and open to interpretation, it would seem we may fail on 2 points: We have 2 gas isolation valves, neither had any ID labels but we have...
Monday 18 th May 2020 The second wrap-around fender was made for Gaia, boat bracelets Jemima refers to them as. She had to be turned twice to fit both sides and Danny allowed me to both start the engine, and turn her. A delight and such a wonderful experience, starting an engine of this type and handling boat of this design. Brenda baked yet more fruit scones, we are being well spoilt. Jemima did dinner for us all. With her being vegetarian, we had Lentil Curry with Basmati and Lemon Rice, Fresh Coriander and Cucumber. It was really tasty. More fire wood was gathered. The fire has now burnt continuously for 8 days and not a single live tree has been used. It is all dead wood that has been gathered. The days here just flow one into the other. Days spent with a bit of work, fishing, gathering wood and sitting around chatting. Since 4 th April, apart from the occasional run into Nantwich for shopping, we w...
Sunday 17 th May 2020 Beccles were leaving us today, bound for Tattenhall Marina where they had friends they had promised to do shopping for. It was a shame to break up the group but it had to happen eventually. We said our goodbyes to Terry, Sonia, Jess and Lauren. No doubt we will meet again in the future. We walked up to visit Lol and Jackie off Caramia, moored above the lock, and spent a nice hour or so with them. They are a lovely couple, great fun and entertaining. We called into the chandlery on the way back, my rope had arrived. Brilliant, now I can get on with some more wrap-around fendering. At long last we managed to get a phone signal and speak to Tracey and the kids. This is the only down-side of Syke’s, the phone signal is very poor and intermittent. It was lovely speaking to the kids, it had been a long time, and great to use face-time and actually see them. We miss them terribly but are determined not to venture into Middlewich and risk seeing them. ...
Saturday 16 th May 2020 It was a hot day. The brass plaques were refitted to one of the back doors, the other will have to wait until it is full of plaques to have the correct spacings between them, until then they are held on with Blu-Tac. After refitting the doors, it seemed every job I started went wrong, so I decided to have an hours fishing. The rods were in a mess, left from when the kids were last here, and took a while to sort. I then promptly lost the lure on the first cast. My favourite one too. Some days you just stay in bed. In the evening, Danny and Jemima ventured in to Middlewich and brought back fish and chips for everyone from King Lock chippy. They were such a treat, absolutely delicious.
Thursday 14 th May 2020 The outside fire had stayed in overnight and was soon rekindled back into life and then stayed alight all day. Terry and Sonia left just after 9am and cruised up to Venetian, Danny then taking them to collect their car at the Shady Oak, dumping everybody’s rubbish at Calveley en-route. They then went into Nantwich to do everybody’s shopping. We will be ever grateful for this. It saves us a shopping trip ourselves, an experience we haven’t been enjoying that has meant at least a three-day trip and a lot of carrying of heavy shopping. We ran the engine for hot water and had showers. Brenda then spent time with Jessica and her study with Jess staying on our boat to continue. She is in her final year of University and working on an essay. I gave the back doors a further couple of coats of Omron. They look and feel really good. More like the lacquer finish than a varnish. More foraging for wood took place with Danny and, once Beccles returned Gaia...
Wednesday 13 th May 2020 We walked up to the chandlery to collect shopping Susan had got for us. So good of her, she has been a lifeline. She told us of an e-mail from CRT regarding the easing of lock-down. As from today, non-liveaboards can visit their boats and cruise for the day, but must return home at night and not pass through any locks. So the canal now, may well become a free-for-all. Mooring restrictions are to be imposed on 23 rd May but will not come into effect for a further 14 days after. This means we could potentially remain here until 6 th June. However, the navigations are to be reopened for free movement on 1 st June. So we have decided to stay here until 1st June and then, if all remains as it is, start to move then and effectively end our isolation. The back doors were removed and prepared for varnishing. I would prefer to use the lacquer that was used on the internal woodwork when the boat was built, but do not know what it was called. Terry th...
Tuesday 12 th May 2020 We didn’t wake until 9am. Harvey, unheard of from him, had had an accident on the galley rug. We just couldn’t find it in ourselves to chastity him. The whole day, the only work I did was to refit the mushroom vents, we are well pleased with the result, and make a further bracelet for Sonia’s eldest daughter, Lauren. Brenda meantime, made more bread, a delight, and Jemima threaded braids into her hair, which looks really good. We came up with a great, mad idea and had everybody sign the underside of the dinette table. From now on we will have all visitors to the boat sign it, and those that have been in the past, will have to return. Before we knew it, it was 4pm. I went with Danny and Terry to collect more wood and, after dinner, we again sat around the fire. It was an evening of drinking, poems, songs, jokes, watching the stars and just plain bloody go...
Monday 11 th May 2020 Terry and Sonia’s friends arrived. Danny and Jemima with Danny’s 6-year-old son, Jacob, on Gaia. We had last seen these when we were moored at Tattenhall when the lock-down was first imposed. A lovely couple, Jemima is completely off the wall and Gaia is a lovely boat fitted with a Kelvin J2 engine. The canals are a great leveller and we came to the conclusion early on in this life not to judge. In the past, I would never have given Jemima a second look with her dreadlocks and hippy style clothing. Sonia commented on my Portuguese Sennit knots and asked if I could make a bracelet. We played about with designs and managed to make one, but then finished up making bracelets for all the girls, which they much enjoyed and appreciated, commenting that it had brightened up a dark time. Brenda had managed to get yeast and flour from the chandlery and made bread w...
Saturday 9 th May 2020 The day was very hot. Far too hot for much work. Brenda went up to the chandlery for bits and pieces but primarily for another 5ltr bottle of drinking water to supplement our supplies. At some point we will have to travel to the water point but do not want to lose our mooring here at Syke’s. The paint has now dried sufficiently for the Turk’s Head decorations so these were started. The poles are looking good and we are well pleased with the result. On and off over the last few weeks, we have been at Syke’s for 20 nights and had the place completely to ourselves. However, today another boat arrived. Terry and Sonya on ‘Beccles’ whom we last met at Tattenhall, a nice couple. They came with gossip from Tattenhall Marina that showed just how small a world the canals are; the system is known as the longest village in Britain, but reinforced our choice of not wanting anything to do with marina’s where gossip, hierarchies, one upmanship and bitching could...
Friday 8 th May 2020 Harvey has a routine in the mornings that we say falls into five definitive stages: Stage 1: he wakens us by pawing away. Stage 2: breakfast. Stage 3: out for a short business walk. Stage 4: plays with Penguin and his ball. Stage 5: back to sleep. Very occasionally, less than a half dozen times in his 9-year life, he is naughty, but it is so out of character, it is funny. He will then stand looking at you as if to say “it wasn’t me, honest”. This morning he picked a piece of kitchen roll out of the bin and ripped it up all over the rug. The fishermen left at 10am after fishing all night and have left a bit of a mess, debris from a fire and a BBQ, but at least they took their rubbish home with them. The day fell into what has become our daily routine. The poles were given a second coat of Grey paint, there was just enough left, and the mushroom vents also another coat of ...
Thursday 7 th May 2020 Hallelujah! The photos of other documentation of our lives, have finally all been put into albums. I seem to have been doing this now for months and am very glad it is now completed. It is one of those jobs that is rewarding to have done though. Now perhaps, I can move on to the Family History. Brenda had been noticing a black gunge occasionally hanging from the bathroom tap. There is a filter fitted in the tap so this was removed and found not only to have gunge sticking to it, but also a number bits of hard lime-scale. No doubt this had been causing the problems with the water pump cutting in and out. The filter was washed and soaked in a solution of Dettol and the kitchen tap also checked and cleaned. The black mushroom vent was refitted and we both agree that we like the colour, so now it is on with the remainder of the coats of paint. The French Grey paint for the poles had a ...
Wednesday 6 th May 2020 Another Groundhog Day. 45 th of the lock-down. Boats passing by have been few and far between, but this morning we had three pass in a few minutes, two passing each other while passing us. No other traffic for the rest of the day though. However, by the late afternoon we did ask ourselves if lock-down had been lifted and we hadn’t heard. Over the day there must have been well in excess of 50 people pass by. Normally there would be no more than a dozen per day, mostly locals walking their normal route. The mushroom vents were given a few more coats of primer undercoat and one painted black as a trial. Brenda continued with the seat covers and the port side bow fenders were renewed with a new one made to sit above the gunwhale. Brenda walked to the chandlery for some shopping and to pick up our mail which Susan had kindly agreed to hold for us. Other than that, we sat on the benches and read before coming onto the boat. We had lit a fire...
Tuesday 5 th May 2020 Grondhog Day, 44 th day of lock-down. While painting the poles early this morning, a boat passed, only the second we have seen since returning to Syke’s Hollow on Friday. “Peggotty” had been moored above Cholmondeston Lock for over a month and had been one of four boats looking after each other, one having a car and shopping for them all. However, they just passed us by and, despite waving and calling ‘Good Mornings’, they completely blanked us, not even acknowledging our presence. We can never understand people like this, especially fellow boaters. It costs nothing to be at least, civil. The miserable get. The poles were given a final coat of red paint and the mushroom vents given a few more coats of primer/undercoat. Brenda continued sewing the chair seat covers and the port side wrap-around fenders were finished on the back end and we are well pleased with the result. Hopefully they will protect the paintwork a bit more and not foul in the firs...