About Us

My photo
In 1977 we hired our first narrowboat from Anglo Welsh at Market Harborough.From that moment our destiny was set. In 2006 we finally purchased our own brand new 57' narrowboat which we named 'Free Spirit'. Our aim is to travel the length and breadth of all the navigable rivers and canals of the UK. This will be our story as it unfolds.

Thursday 16 June 2016

Part one of the Liverpool link and we have an alien attached to the boat.

Wednesday 15th

Blooming 'eck!, 6.30am what a time to wake up and with no reason either. So time to put kettle on, have breakfast and do the final bits round the boat. 8.30ish and started the reverse back to the locks. No breeze to hinder us so it went like a dream. Not long after we were joined by Nb Quiet Women (is that possible I hear you ask!) and then C&RT 5 minutes later. 4 boats came up out of Salthouse dock and the first two arrived top lock around 9am. As soon as the last one had cleared the lock approach we were told to enter the lock and wait for C&RT's return at 12.45pm.



Nearly there.

This was a horse escape route, which, so we were told, was often needed in the days of horse pulled barges when they fell in.

Us with Quiet Women next to us. We stayed tied together all the way down the flight.
Another 5 boats arrived by midday one of which was a wide beam. You should have seen the look on Sid's face (C&RT) when he saw him arrive. "Now where are we to put him"? says he. "Two spaces taken when there should have been one". "I do wish they would write it on the form that they have a wide beam and not just turn up expecting a berth."


Down through the locks

Still breasted with Quiet Women
Sid.
At 1pm we were on our way. Staying tied to Quiet Women worked a treat and not once did either of the boats hit the side. By lock 4 we separated and, as lead boat, Sid asked for a lift to Prince's Lock. Only to happy to oblige as now we had our very on Pilot on board showing the way.

So many photos of the journey that tomorrow I will add the rest. Until then must show you this weird creature? on the side of FS. No idea other than it looks like an alien.


Waiting to descend the locks I went bug hunting.




And my good deed for the day,



4 comments:

Adam said...

Is that the Quiet Woman which has a picture of a headless woman on the side (which might explain the quietness)?

Halfie said...

Hmm. Interfering with nature? Fantastic photos, as usual. And how big is the "alien"? I'm guessing about an inch across.

Ian and Irene Jameison said...

Hi Adam, Yes the same one. The present owner bought her back in November from somewhere up North. Swears blind it has never been moored on the T&M by Dove aqueduct. I wasn't going to argue!

Ian and Irene Jameison said...

It was at least that big. Ian reckons we will return to the boat one day to see a great hole eaten in the side (:

Blog Archive