Waiting here at Trent Lock until the Dry Dock is ready to take us, we saw a sight I didn't think we would ever see. BW arrived as well as a Community Police officer and told us that a derelict boat had been seen about 1/4 mile from the lock. It had been reported to the police as the person on board was causing a disturbance and so they were on there way to see if they could do something about it. We saw the boat in question when we went to wind round yesterday. It had a big notice on the window saying "Broken down.Sorry for the inconvenience" As normal no licence was displayed and what appeared to be a very drunken fellow, swaying and talking loudly, occuping the boat. He and the boat made a good pair, both being as shabby as the other. It was about 15 minutes later when we saw the boat being dragged by BW towards us. As there were a number boats moored along the section just before the lock, one of the BW guys had to climb over every boat pulling the boat past each one. Eventually they arrived at the lock and we were told that they would fetch their tug and take it upstream on the river to impound it at Sawley. Wrong. They locked down with it and moored it on the river just below the lock. Now the question I ask myself is how long will it stay there for and what will happen to the bloke on the boat if they do impound it?
After the boat had disappeared down onto the river, yet another BW bloke appeared. This time pulling a rowing boat. Ian went along to help and found out that it also belonged to the "dosser " boat. Getting it past the moored boats was going to be difficult and the boat was to heavy to lift out of the water. So Ian produced some wood to make a paddle and the BW guy got in and paddled it to the lock. This to me was the funniest sight I had seen in ages. As the oar was made from any old piece of wood, he couldn't seem to make it go in the direction he wanted ending up heading straight for one of the house boats moored opposite.
Priceless!!!!!
3 comments:
What will happen to it and the 'dosser' as you call him? He will now be officially homeless and will be housed in B&B accomodation at huge expense to the tax-payer. All those anxious to hound off the shabbier boats from the waterways shoild bear this in mind. There are millions of casualties of the capitalist society we live in: the abused, the addicts, the mentally ill, the physically disabled, the poor. They live any way they can and need our support not continued harrassment. Solidarity between ALL boaters!
Carrie
Hi Carrie,
I appreciate your comments and I am one hundred percent with you on not wanting to see anyone homeless. I am assuming you are a fellow boater and pay your license fee the same as most of us do. We contribute to the upkeep of the waterways. And this allows us to moor pretty well where we like with the use of all the facilities. Exactly what do the so called “ dossers” do? They take up prime mooring sites overstaying by months if not years. They expect to use all the amenities and pay not a penny. A few leave the towpaths in a disgusting state even letting there dogs defecate where they like so the next time we pull into a mooring the ropes, shoes etc are covered in it. I am not against the boats being shabby. So long as they are licensed they can do what they like. I am all for helping a fellow boater but when I’m sworn at because I have asked them to clear up their dogs mess I take exception. Everyone can try and better themselves but most don’t want to because they choose to believe that the state owes them every thing. Yes, agreed. Solidarity to boaters, but even so, sometimes there are exceptions to the rule.
It would be sad if there was no place for older and more individualistic boats on the canals, however we all have to pay licences, whether it be for cars, boats, TVs.
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