After leaving the marina, I descended the four locks at Hurleston and turned left (north), heading for the historic and beautiful city of Chester. The encircling Roman sandstone wall was begun around 100 CE and took about a century to complete. It’s nearly 3 km long, and (nearly) completely surrounds the city centre. It’s well worth the walk around it… I’ve previously highlighted it in a blog post, although that time I didn’t take the boat through.

The canal was cut alongside a portion of the wall in the late 18th century, in places having been cut through solid rock with hand tools…

Heading north out of Chester, the canal wound through some lovely countryside. As I approached a likely spot to moor for the night, I said hello to another boater already tied up. He looked at me and said “Hi Doug!”. Wow. Turns out we had done a lock together about 3 years ago, and he remembered me! His boat had subsequently broken down and if we hadn’t stopped to chat he’d have been in the middle of nowhere but the delay put him right at a marina where it got fixed…so he had a reason to remember the encounter!

At the end of this stretch of canal is the town of Ellesmere Port, home of the National Waterways Museum. I had pre-booked a mooring in the basin of the museum, hoping to get a good look at the facility. I wasn’t disappointed! It’s a very well presented museum, with lots of displays and live exhibits. I particularly enjoyed the machine room where the volunteers keep the old engines alive.

It really is a good museum but the mooring system leaves a bit to be desired. Nothing to tie to (rings or Armco), no monitoring (nobody leaves on time), no signage whatsoever (not clear what spot has been booked). It was a quiet, safe location however, which makes up for small frustrations.

The museum had several ‘cottages’ set up as they might have been when the port workers were housed here:

I’ll be heading back southward to Nantwich for a visit with friends and to do some restocking. Hopefully the weather will stabilize soon so I can also get some painting done!

Here we are once again! I’ve made the long trip to the boat on the inland waterways of Britain. Just to catch things up, this is my fifth summer cruising my Narrowboat Cool Change, although the last couple of years were cut short (you remember the last couple of years, right?). I’m hoping to travel a bit more this season, and have some special guests aboard too!

The flights over were fine but the train/tube/train/cab to get to the boat was a bit of a nightmare. I’m going to be looking a a new route! The train from Gatwick into London was delayed, which meant that I missed my connection from London to Crewe. I rebooked on the next express (for twice the cost) but as the departure time ticked away, we got an announcement: “this train has been cancelled”. Seriously, as we all sat on the train, they told us it was cancelled, we’re on our own. I ran across the platform and jumped on the next train going to Crewe but it turned out to be a milk run. Stopped EVERYWHERE. Took hours… Finally made it though…and slept for 12 straight hours.

All systems had been started up and checked out by Mick, my awesome engineer and fix-it person. It didn’t take long to have things unpacked, have groceries delivered, and be ready to head out on the system. One of the first jobs, however, was to check out last year’s Damson gin (and vodka).

While I was preparing the boat, I had some fantastic visits. Wendy and her beautiful family took me out for a Sunday Roast at a nearby pub, it was truly lovely to see them all and reconnect. We even got out onto the canal for a bit!

I also had a great visit with Phil, my good friend from Nantwich. Another day, another pub!

I eventually got all the little jobs done, settled up my bill, and headed out! Stay tuned for my first destination, coming up soon…

Okay, so winter is still my favourite season. It’s really the only season. Spring, summer, and fall are just the long wait until winter comes again. However, since I’ve been doing the narrowboat ‘thing’, I’ve developed a new appreciation for the other seasons. I’ve actually begun to look forward to them. A bit. Well, quite a bit actually.

So, to recap. Winter (ski) season is now over. It was a strange one, as far as snow goes. In early December it looked like the skiing would start on a bit of man-made snow, just a couple of runs. Then, a few of days before the scheduled opening at Mt. Washington, the heavens opened and gave us the most spectacular December of snow we could have asked for. Light, fluffy powder, sunshine, all the good stuff. Then in early January, the spigot was suddenly turned off! Almost seven weeks of virtually no snow. But, and this is important, it was awesome too! Freeze-thaw (spring) conditions, where it’s cold overnight then gets soft and slushy during the day. A bit of a sleep-in, start skiing around 11 am and it was awesome! Sunshine and ‘hero’ snow. All good until toward the end of February, when the normal winter set in. Cold, windy, occasional dumps of West-Coast Powder (heavy and wet), all the usual. Kept the base up though, so as March ran on and the snowfalls ran out, we have been able to stay open. Limited runs and not much off-piste, but still loads of fun. Then a pretty momentous dump on the final weekend, which was predicted since the ski club had a big race scheduled. It never fails. Unfortunately for them, they had to cancel the dual slalom on Sunday…

People this winter has also been a bit of a change. I’ve seen all the usual characters, and have had a great time with them, but also have a new crew to hang with (does that sound cool?). Adam, Jessi, and David have been the daily, unavoidable team. Wow, we’ve had some fun.

The most important change however has been the addition of Rianne to my life. Along with her sons Cohen and Ayden, (and Zeus and Fishy) we settled into a relaxed, laid-back routine. I’m now known as “Rianne’s boyfriend”! Oh what a great season it’s been.

At present I’m starting to think about prepping for the summer on the boat in England. It appears to have survived the winter well (on the hard, as usual). The bilge pump had failed last year and has been replaced, but we can’t seem to source a new tachometer just yet. No big deal though, don’t really need one. New water filters installed, new mattress delivered, once there’s groceries aboard and she’s splashed, we’ll be ready to cruise.

The route this year is still very much under discussion. I’d like to go through the Standedge Tunnel (highest, deepest, and longest on the system), and I’m also planning on some touristy miles when Rianne (and possibly others) are visiting. We just have to do the Pontcysyltte Aqueduct! And up to Chester I think. It’s time to get the plans firmed up, right Guy?

Here’s a bunch of random pictures from the season, so much fun!

I’d just like to add a thanks everyone for an amazing birthday. Rianne and Troy for arranging a fun fire and party, Joye and Peter for the repeated (and repeated) renditions of “Happy Birthday” sung all over the mountain, and the whole crew for the amazing blanket commemorating the year. I was truly touched and am feeling incredibly loved.

I’ve been asked lately where I disappeared to, if I was still in England or where? I hadn’t thought anyone was still reading these posts but apparently someone is! So here is the season wrap-up, in preparation for the snowy posts from the mountain (for both of you still reading).

Having left Llangollen, with many a backward, longing glance, I made a fairly quick run downstream. I stopped in several of my favourite spots and spent a couple of days in Whitchurch…

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Leaving the Llangollen canal, I made the short run to Nantwich, one of my favourite towns in England. It’s pretty and quaint but also modern and bustling, has amazing architecture, and always seems to have some kind of market or event going on. And the always-awesome Phil and Angela live there!

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After a nice few days resting and visiting, it was time to head back to my winter mooring. I slowly returned up the Llangollen, stopping for days at a time at lovely spots before finally going into the marina. It was the same location as last year, they have been very helpful and it’s a great spot. And close enough to some pubs for some visits!

Once the boat was winterized and put to bed (prepared for pulling out of the water for the winter), I headed to Epsom Downs for a fabulous wedding anniversary celebration with Cate and Bob! I had met them originally (with Guy and Rose) on the Kennett & Avon Canal when we did the infamous Caen Hill Flight together. It was a murder-mystery, and TONS of fun. A great way to end a short but fun summer boating season.

While at Epsom Downs, waiting for my flight home, I hopped a train into London for the day and revisited some favourite sights. I’m not fond of cities in general, but London is always amazing and worth the time.

It’s now nearing Christmas, snow has started to accumulate (and get rained away), and I can feel the ski season on the horizon. I’ll likely post some pictures once the runs are open, and perhaps a Christmas message to all. In the meantime, thanks for reading, even though it’s getting a bit repetitive. I’ll try to start livening it up! Take good care of yourselves and each other.

I made it back into the historic and picturesque town of Llangollen. It’s a beautiful area and the town itself is a wonderful mix of tourist shops and local (real) stores and services. The canal runs along up on the hillside, most things in Wales appear to be perched on hillsides or the tops of ‘mountains’ (as someone from British Columbia, I use the term a bit loosely). It actually continues further upstream to where the River Dee splits off, or rather, where to the canal splits off the river. There’s a pretty park there, with a large, semi-circular weir to moderate the flow, called Horseshoe Falls.

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Llangollen is a convenient spot (like Ellesmere) to catch up on domestic stuff. Groceries, laundry, hardware, etc. The basin is a good place to moor if there’s space and even though it costs a tiny bit, it includes electricity and water. The plug-in mains is nice when it’s a bit too cloudy to be completely reliant on solar. However, I’m usually fine with an hour or two of running the engine if necessary, which also provides another day’s worth of hot water.

While in town I was blessed with a visit from Juliett, whom I met in 2018 on the Kennet and Avon Canal. It was fantastic to catch up and hear about her exciting theatre life!

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Once leaving Llangollen, it was a pretty fast retracing of ‘steps’ back toward Ellesmere and points eastward. I took my time getting there so no reason to dawdle returning. I ran into an amazing person though, please think about supporting his causes. Graham Wilson is walking/running a marathon a day for 120 days, consecutively! He’s endeavouring to raise 500,000 pounds for various causes, please see his blog and social media posts under 120MarathonMan. What an inspiration!

I’ve been getting into the rhythm of canal life more each day. Taking it easy but still finding new sights and learning new things. I’m heading upstream (there’s a significant current on the Llangollen) so it’s slow going, relatively speaking, but I’m certainly not in a rush. I’ve stopped at locations I remember from my previous trips up this way, it’s nice to know what’s coming along. There’s a fear of passing a good mooring spot hoping for a better one, and not finding it!

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Along the way I stopped at a great spot, there were a couple of picnic tables and bbq stands just off the canal (so nicely private). However, the best part was the Damson (plum) trees that surrounded it. In just a few minutes I picked enough to make several litres of Damson Gin and Vodka (only made one of each though). They should be great by the springtime! There were some regular plums there too but the ripe ones were out of reach. The story of the Damsons in this area is that they were imported and cultivated for their use in making purple dye. Market Drayton (not far away) was apparently established primarily to trade in Damsons and dyes.

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The run between Ellesmere and Chirk was really nice, even had some blue skies. I stayed a couple of days in Chirk but didn’t manage a Sunday Roast, everything was booked up. It really is amazingly busy this year with the difficulties of overseas travel. Lots of people to meet and talk to though, like Tom and Louise! First time hire-boats, and fantastic people. I so enjoyed meeting them and sharing a pint or two.

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I stopped just short of the Pontcysyltte Aqueduct as I could tell the traffic would be horrendous. Sure enough, when I walked ahead to check things out, I ran across my artist friends from Ellesmere and they told me there had been dozens of boats lined up to go across. So I waited until early the next morning and managed to time it pretty well. A small issue at the lift bridge (nobody would let me though, just kept coming through against me) but from there it was clear sailing. Even the narrows after the aqueduct were clear, and I got a spot in the basin for a couple of nights. It’s one of my favourite places, so will deserve a post of it’s own.

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Now that the dreaded quarantine is finally over (and the partying) I have embarked on my fourth season cruising the inland waterways of England and Wales. It feels so good to be cruising again, to be free to travel left or right, wherever the canal points. I have chosen to stay on the Llangollen Canal, it’s familiar and truly my favourite part of the system so far.

I’ve been travelling for a few hours each morning, then mooring in a choice spot and staying for a couple of days. It’s very relaxed not having a planned route or destination, I’m loving it. I’m pretty sure that I’ll eventually make it to the upper end of the canal (at the town of Llangollen) but there’s no rush.

I’ve been getting some exercise, running along the towpath. I’m not much for running but it’s my best option right now to get ready for skiing. And at my age, I’d better be ready! I’ve also been working on making my new guitar sound less like a screaming Banshee. Now it sounds more like an annoying baby that needs changing. But it’ll come. I can almost feel the end of my fingers again, the callouses are coming along nicely.

I’m also very happy with the piano installation. It’s well out of the way, it sounds terrific (the tone, NOT the tunes), and has been a big help with learning the guitar. Running scales is easier with a known reference if that makes sense. Once my fingertips are fully recovered it’ll be easier to play… Lol

I’ve had some amazing and idyllic mooring locations, even though the canal has been very busy with so many people are doing the ‘staycation’ thing. But it’s not been a problem, they tend to be moving all day so my choice of moorage is wide open early on.

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I even managed my first Sunday Roast of the trip. The pub was about 30 minutes walk away but well worth it. Amazing food, such a treat. The stuffed portabello was incredible.

I managed to reach Ellesmere, my first ‘goal’. It’s a great little canal town, with lots of amenities. I’ve been here in the past, in fact, some might remember the horrific night I had here two years ago. I’ve had that on my mind almost constantly, having to walk past the spot every time I leave the boat. A rather strange coincidence happened when I arrived…I was sitting in the evening and thinking about it so I walked down to where it happened. At that precise moment, I got a text that I had received the commendation from the Royal Humane Society in the mail. As I was standing thinking about what happened. Almost got shivers…if I believed in stuff like that.

Otherwise in Ellesmere…

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I’ve been thoroughly enjoying my time back here on the boat and just pottering along at my own pace. I’ve said it numerous times, it’s a wonderful and relaxing life, full of freedom. I miss lots of things (and people) back home, but that just makes them all the more precious.

I’m free again. That was the fifth ‘official’ quarantine I’ve done since the madness started. I’m not complaining, they’ve been mostly due to travel which is completely elective on my part. It’s a small price to pay in order to live the life I’ve tried to make for myself.

Life in the marina was relaxed and pleasant. It was actually a good transition from home to boat since I had power and water (and deliveries) right at hand. Now that I’m out on the cut it’s back to water rationing, planning shopping forays, and monitoring the solar/battery situation constantly. It’s not been as sunny as the panels would like, but the batteries (and hot water supply) should be fine if I move the boat every couple of days.

There is a woodland area near the marina with some trails through it. It has a very ‘old-world’ feel to it, like someone on horseback is about to trot by or a horse-cart loaded with hay is around the next bend. There are also some of the largest oak trees I’ve ever seen. And a lot of holly bushes, but I’ve no idea if they’re wild or not. They make going off the trail a bit dangerous!

The area around here is very beautiful, so rural and tranquil. However, as with much of Britain, the roads are narrow and the cars go fast. Most of the roads have been here for hundreds of years, from back when horses were the fastest mode of transport. The hedgerows often come right to the road’s edge as well, so it’s not great for walking. I’m getting better at looking in the right direction for oncoming traffic though, that has taken a bit. The neighbours are all very friendly and there’s the occasional stand selling produce. The local eggs are delicious.

As the quarantine came to an end I had a great (mostly socially-distanced) visit from Wendy, her daughter Kate, and granddaughter Emily. What a wonderful family! I’m planning on cruising up toward Chester in September so it’ll be closer for them to visit, hopefully I’ll get to see more of the family…

If you need further proof that life is returning to normal, I had my first pub visit with Phil and Ang at ‘our local’. So good. So cathartic. So full. And the best mushy peas ever.

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I’ve been thinking about an addition to the boat for a while, and have finally managed to get it done. Thanks to help from Mick (my go-to guy for everything narrowboat), it’s mounted! Before anyone asks, no, I don’t play (much), I’m trying to resurrect my Royal Conservatory skills from a distant youth. The guitar is totally new but I’m starting to figure it out. I had one lesson before leaving the marina, from Steve off a boat several slips away. He’s a professional musician, check out his band, Nearly Dan (a Steely Dan cover band). they’re great!

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On the last night at the marina, they hosted a BBQ for all the moorers. It was a great night, felt good to be doing something like that again after all the restrictions and lockdowns over here. Great turnout, lots of fun…

Returning to the boat and the canals has been a great reminder of what the world used to be like and will be again. We will all have stories for our grandkids about what these last many months have been like and the inconveniences we’ve experienced. Of course, our parents and grandparents would laugh at us, comparing these little things to what the war(s) or the Depression were like. It’s been bad, but not <that> bad (not forgetting of course the many people we’ve lost and the sacrifices so many have had to make). It’s not over yet, but the light at the end of the tunnel is in sight. And my headlight is on and the throttle is pinned.

Okay, so I’m finally away. There have been several delays again this year, partly my choices and partly WestJet. The situation in the UK (covid-wise) wasn’t looking like it was heading in the right direction which gave me pause. However, the main reason for the delay was the weather; both on the Island and in Britain. It has been an amazing summer in BC (often much too hot) and I had almost forgotten how beautiful and fun it could be.

I did some 4x4ing around the Mt. Washington area and found some waterfalls and other interesting and wonderful spots.

I swam in the ocean for the first time in a surprising number of years, had a wonderful weekend boating with Steve and Adrienne, went skinny-dipping in a cold mountain stream, and had some great mountain bike rides with old friends. Back when I still ‘worked’ I was often away at sea during the summer or had other obligations and had stopped doing things like that. It was really fun to rediscover what had been a big part of my life years ago.

A couple of highlights of staying later were the class reunion that Don and Lance put together and Abigail’s graduation! It was really a blast seeing some old friends after many (many many) years and catching up at the reunion and I was so proud and honoured to be able to join Abi and her family for such a momentous occasion.

In addition to all that, the weather ‘over there’ was rather strange. As usual, I missed the lovely spring in April, and they were then hit with alternating heat waves and torrential rains.

Put all that together and I just kept putting it off. It’s now early August and I feel good that this is the right time… I don’t plan on staying longer than a couple of months, just enough to give the boat a workout, see some good friends, and rekindle the romance of the canals. I’ll likely stay in the Llangollen/Chester area as it’s familiar and easy to return to the marina in case of sudden changes in the covid situation (like last year).

Speaking of Covid, here’s my first rant: What the hell is Boris Johnson thinking by allowing (fully-vaxxed) Americans in without quarantine but not Canadians? They can even travel through Canada! Is the Queen not on our money? Are we not good enough Commonwealth members? Are our vaccination rates not higher and our case numbers lower than in the US? Maybe we should pitch some tea over the side of a boat… If there’s anything that would convince me to join the ‘to hell with the commonwealth, let’s become a republic’ crowd like Australia, this might be it. Just incensed. Our own government isn’t blameless, they bowed down and accepted it like the subservient suck-ups they often are in international affairs (no matter what party is in power at the time). Rant over (for now).

The flights over were fine, all things considered. However, you’d think with all my years working in government that I’d be better at sleeping sitting upright. Just can’t do it. The food on board has improved marginally since last year, at least it wasn’t a cold sandwich tossed at you from the aisle. I’m not completely sure what it was though, “chicken” apparently. I managed to get to the lounge in Calgary and had an actual meal before boarding so I didn’t much care about the onboard food anyway. And the wine was adequate.

A couple of days later now and I’m on the boat getting her squared away. She survived the winter admirably, with no significant issues. The solar panels kept the batteries topped up so they’re in great shape. She stayed dry inside, no mildew. The spiders enjoyed themselves but have now (mostly) been evicted. All in all, just fine.

My food delivery got messed up a bit, a day late but I was able to buy farm-fresh eggs and homemade meat pies at the marina office so I’m not starving! Lots of leftover cans and packaged food from last year too.

I sent my Day 2 covid test off, I have another to do on Day 8 (although, if I pay MORE I could get a Day 5 “Test to Release” kit – not sure why I can’t just use the Day 8 one that I have already??) Did I mention there might be more ranting?

That’s it for now. I don’t expect much to happen until I’m out cruising next week. If something does occur that’s blog-worthy, both of you will see it!

I know this blog is supposed to be about narrowboating, and that’s why many people have subscribed. However, due to, well you know…I can’t get over to my boat in England just now. Or for the foreseeable future. I’ve become pretty convinced that there will be some sort of “Vaccine Passport” pretty soon. As British Columbia, and Canada in general, is lagging far behind on vaccinations, it’s not likely I’ll get a shot (or a jab!) until at least June, more likely July or August.

As I am each winter, I’m presently up on Mt. Washington here on Vancouver Island. I’ve been so fortunate that I have such an amazing winter pastime, since (as I’ve talked about in previous blog posts) I can only spend six months in the UK at a time. So, I thought I’d keep up the posts, as much for my own amusement as anything. It acts as a diary of sorts, and hopefully a few will enjoy me sharing some thoughts with them.

In addition to the blogging, I’ve made a couple of short videos lately (‘vlogs’ I suppose) and uploaded them to YouTube. I’ve had a YouTube channel for a while and have posted a few videos, just for fun. And guess what? It’s called Canuck on the Cut. You can either search that on YouTube or go directly to it by clicking on the link.

And to that point, the reason for this post is to tell you about the latest video… Bear Lodge Deck Yak. It’s nothing serious, just some blathering and saying hello to everyone. Oh, and after I did it, the rest of Vancouver Island got hit with a pretty major snowstorm, so I take some of it back…you’ll understand if you watch it.

I hope everyone is keeping a positive outlook and maintaining their good cheer. Please take good care, feel free to contact me any time if you just want to talk or unload or bitch about the state of the world! I have the time to listen…