UK Canals - Journey reports

Back to Harefield

Today, Sunday, was forecast as "fine".  However, shortly after waking, with it still dark, it started raining heavily.   However, we were pleased, that by 08:00 it had stopped and looked as if it was clearing so axious to get home, we set off.  Stockers lock was first and I used the downhill method of putting the boat across the lock gates whilst filling the lock.  The water flow keeps it there and it is a simple process to reverse and turn the boat directly into line to enter.  At Springwell lock we did the same, but ominous dark clouds rapidly approaching fortold of heavy rain, so we both got the serious waterproofs on.   And rain it did.  The pattern of one heavy shower after another repeated itself until we reached Harefield.   Next visit will be a maintenance visit to put the boat to bed for the next six weeks.  Our first trip of the New Year will be for the parliamentary demonstration of the 16th January.

The general view of our weekend's work is good.  There seems to have been quite a bit of exposure in the media one way and another.  We just have to keep up the pressure.

DEFRA Waterway Protest

The promised overnight "hurricane" never seemed to materialise.  Well, there was some heavy rain, but it eased off by 10:00 and we went to explore Rickmansworth.  Not a lot to see really, just one short high street with small shops, no big chain stores.  We returned to the boat just in time for a big thunderstorm, then the weather improved.  At 14:00 we joined on the end of the blockade of boats at Batchworth as part of the agreed protest demonstration against the sudden and damaging budget cuts imposed in year by the Minister of State for the Department  of the Environment Farming and Rural Affairs.   Many people will be thrown out of work and the hard won renaissance of the canals will be jeopardised.   About 30 boats took part, predominantly belonging to local live-aboards and working boats - those with most to lose.   There were few representatives of the leisure boaters.  It must have been the threatened bad weather that put them off.   The gathering was attended by the local MP, Mr David Gauke who made a short speech in support, and the press.   By 16:00 it was all over and we dispersed to our original mooring of the night before, ready for a return to Harefield in the morning.   The music in the White Bear was too loud for us oldies, and the pub too crowded to get a meal, so we hit Tesco again for a couple of ready meals and a bottle of wine and returned to the boat for an evening in.

Rickmansworth

We're off to Rickmansworth to join in the canal blockade scheduled for tomorrow as part of the nationwide demonstrations protesting about the DEFRA cuts to the waterways budgets.  (See the saveourwaterwys web site for details).   We left home later than usual and as expected the cross river traffic at Battersea was horrendous.  On arrival at Harefield there were many small jobs to be done before departure, namely lighting the fire, fixing hooks to hang the new TV antenna in the centre cupboard, filling the water tank, and fefilling the coal scuttle and smokeless fuel "bunker" (front steps).   Then, to cap it all, the engine start battery is definitely on its last legs and at 10 volts was not enough to hold the start solenoid, let alone start the engine.   So I had to resort to my once before tried fall back of linking to the domestic batteries.  Eventually we set of at 12:15 and joined "Annie Charlotte" for the trip to Ricky.   No surprises en-route.  Lots of badly leaking bottom gates though.   Stopped at Tesco for food beer & wine, by which time it was almost dark.  Moored up behind a pretty dutch barge, then at dusk, decided to move as a nearby tree could have been a hazard with 75mph winds forcast for tonight.

Back to Harefield

The weather was a little warmer today and this brought out the boats and the towpath walkers, though even then, not many.  Mostly the boats were doing a few pounds to air the engine and charge the batteries.  We set off from our mooring following a community boat from Nash Mills down through Ironbridge Lock and passing them at Cassio Bridge Lock where they were taking water.   Stockers Lock is usually well decorated with gongoozlers and today was no exception, but the lockside cafe at Batchworth seems to be closed down as judged by the absence of tables.  We took a leisurely lunch at Widewater and I tried out the new Digital TV aerial which seems to work fine.   Its just a matter now of finding a way to quicky mount and demount the pole, and to hook up the connection reusing the existing bulkhead fittings to bypass the Omnimax amplifier.

Watford

Just our usual weekend jaunt to Watford (Cassiobury Park/Ironbridge Lock).  Summer ended the day before yesterday.  From shorts & T shirts in mild weather to frosts, clear blue high pressure skies and sudden concerns that the frost would affect the boat, as yet unwinterised.   Arriving at the marina at 7.am there was a heavy hoar frost, but the water in the canal was steaming.  So the boat sitting in this warm water would not have come to any harm.   Interior temperature was 2 degrees C and the stove was fired up in short order.   Some time was spent on chores, like refitting the front button fender which I had taken home for water proofing treatment, and returning the new pole and gang plank after painting.  Then we set off going north.

The lock gates were covered in frost to start with and I am unhappy about crossing them in this situation, so confined only to towpath side paddles progress was slow.   However, from Batchworth, locks were in our favour and our speed increased to get us to Watford at 12:15.  Lots of folk out walking on what had turned out a beautiful day in clear sunshine.  At Batchworth we came across a notice from the "Save our Waterways" group advertising a blockade at Batchworth on 25th November, protesting about the shameful act of the government in cutting back funding to both BW and the Environment agency in year.   Plans for maintenance have had to be scaled back and BW are making 180 staff redundant.  This spells doom & gloom for the future, and threatens the very existence of the Waterways as we know them.  All this seemingly for the personal ambitions of some Ministers, to cover up incompetance and mismanagement on a grand scale involving farmers subsidies and European Union Grants.