Here Come the Girls!

The blog has been quiet for the past few days for a couple of reasons. First, our mobile broadband dongle is away at the menders, hopefully getting fixed or replaced.

Secondly, I spent the weekend with four of my very good friends from university, Priscilla, Yun, Rhianna and Hanne. Yun lives in Cambridge now, but the other three have travelled from London, Yorkshire and Holland. We have not all spent time together since Rhianna's wedding in 2008, so it was wonderful to catch up and just enjoy each others' company in the city where we spent three years as overworked Architecture students!

Yun, Pris, Me, Hanne, Rhianna

We managed to fit a lot into the weekend. On Friday night we went for a meal and then out dancing until late. Saturday, we went shopping and punting, then went to a performance of Twelfth Night at Robinson College in the evening, followed by more drinking and dancing, and a late night stop at Gardies for chips.

On Sunday, the girls all came over to the Duck. Hanne had not seen it before, so I was pleased to be able to finally show her round. Sadly, she had to leave for Holland pretty soon after arriving, but James and I took the other three cruising on the Duck up to the Plough at Fen Ditton. We had a delicious Sunday lunch there, and then cruised back into town. Thankfully, after a grey rainy morning, the afternoon was brilliantly sunny!

Mooring up at the Plough

We were all tired after the weekend's excesses, but still managed to fit in game of Settlers (which we used to play all the time at university) before bedtime. The girls were staying in a B&B not far from the boat, as I simply couldn't put them all up!

We said bye on Monday morning, all agreeing that we should not leave it as long before meeting up next time!

On the Level

Due to all the recent rain, the river level is slightly up at the moment. Nothing too serious, its just a couple of inches. The EA have a flood warning system which works by text, although there was some kind of malfunction last time and it didn't work so I don't have much trust in it. So I had a look on the EA website to see if there was any way of keeping an eye on the river levels. And it turns out that they have a new system of publishing river levels at various locks and sluices in the area, including one for our nearest lock, Jesus Green.

The current data is a few hours out of date, but the level at 03:45am was just on the cusp between what's normal and what is considered a flood risk. But there is no EA Flood Warning on the Cam at the moment.

To be honest, if you're on the river, looking out the window would be far more useful, but if not, it may be helpful to see what the river is doing. Even when at home, this level monitor is probably most handy for seeing any trends in level change. It is also interesting to see how current levels compare to recent floods and highest recorded levels. But it could do with being updated far more often (river levels can change very rapidly here), and with incorporating some sort of prediction.

In the Bag

Living on a boat named Lucky Duck, it is perhaps unsurprising that we are often given duck related paraphernalia. At first, it was exciting and novel, then it started to become a bit tedious, and now, we have come to accept and embrace it, to the extent that I end up noticing and being attracted to duck related ornaments and patterns.

So, when I saw this lovely brocade duck patterned handbag on sale for £8 in one of my favourite shops, Ark, I simply couldn't resist. I have been vaguely looking for a smartish handbag for a while, as I often end up using old supermarket carrierbags or whatever comes to hand when I go into town. A nice canvas bag which I got from the library ( with the slightly odd slogan: 'You'll be surprised what you'll find in your library!') is useful but its open at the top and so not waterproof. This one, despite looking open, has a concealed zip inside to seal it up, as well as a little detatchable purse, and various useful pockets. And I just love the pattern.

I can see clearly now!

One of the things I was looking forward to when we got back from our cruise was picking up my new glasses which had arrived by post at work while I was away. My old pair had been stood on at a party this time last year, and I had been wearing a combination of my spare pair and the contact lenses I had left from when I used to have them delivered.

Eventually the contact lenses ran out. I tried the new type of extended wear lenses that you only change once a month but they didn't suit my eyes, and the optician advised that I shouldn't carry on with them. So I was back to wearing my spare pair, and decided that I really ought to get a new pair and relegate the boring black pair back to being spares.

My spares had been bought online, so I decided to look at the various online glasses shops, and spent a long time deliberating over what to buy. I was looking for a dark brown/ burgundy pair with a small narrow-shaped frames, but couldn't find anything that I really liked until I came across Select Specs. There, I found exactly what I was looking for. And they were only £5, including prescription lenses, UV and scratch-proof coating and ultra-thin lenses. A similar pair in Specsavers would be over £100. I'd have been prepared to pay more, and the typical price for glasses online is about £30





















So I sent off for them, not entirely convinced that they'd be any good for that price, and while I was away they arrived. (They had to come from Hong Kong, which is part of the reason that they cost so little). And they're actually really lovely. A deep burgundy-brown, they are comfortable, the lenses are thin despite my strong prescription and I think they look nice.

Sorry, this post is completely un boat-related, but I just wanted to help dispel some myths about buying glasses online. Firstly, several companies eg Glasses Direct let you chose up to 6 frames to try on at home, to see if they fit, and if you like them. Most others let you upload a photo and try them on 'virtually'. My method involved going into various glasses shops to try similar colours and styles, and then picking something without trying it on. Several people I've spoken to also assume that their prescription would be too complicated to produce cheaply, but most companies do bi- and vari-focal lenses for only £20 extra, still totalling at far less than what you'd pay in the shops. Most companies also produce prescription lenses to -15 and +15.

Totals, and Thoughts on the Grand Summer Cruise

So, in the 31 days we were out, we travelled 485 miles, and passed through 316 locks and eight tunnels. Only the route out of the Fens to Northampton was duplicated. And once we were on the canals, the very vast majority of the route was bits we'd not done before.

We averaged at 26 lock-miles per day, with a few very long days meaning that we could also do some very short days, although we did move some distance every day.

Not a single thing went wrong with the engine, the starter sequence, the drive chain or anything else. The oil leak meant that we were continually topping up and emptying the bilge, but it didn't stop us. Once, the lights all went out, because a fuse blew, but that was easily fixed as we have lots of spares.

We met a few bloggers, and readers, for which I was glad to have the boat's name painted visibly, although not as many as on our 2008 trip. I suspect this is mainly because we simply didn't need to ask for help like we did last time!

It was also wonderful to visit all the places we'd heard so much about, whose names conjure up evocative scenes of canal history: Tixall Wide, Penkridge, Atherstone, Sutton Stop, Foxton, Shardlow.

Favourite places included the new pontoon mooring at Wansford, next to the Nene Valley Railway, the city of Leicester, the wonderful Art Deco cinema at Loughborough, the pretty village of Shardlow, the vast spaces and almost classical columns under the M5 in Brum, the BCLM as a whole and the pie shop in Atherstone.

Personally I feel much more confident with boat handling than I did before we left. I am now quite happy to moor up on my own, take the boat into any type of lock, and generally feel like my steering has improved.

But despite the fact that we loved being out on the canals, we're glad to be back. Lots of things to look forwards to, including a weekend with my best friends from uni, James starting his new job, lots of rowing (including the Boston Marathon), and catching up with friends.

New Blog Look

Admittedly its not very different, I just wanted to update the photo mainly, since it was taken over two years ago and looks nothing like the Duck does now. The current one was taken in Wellingborough. I was just nipping off to the Tesco when I looked back and saw the way the boat lined up with the warehouse beyond, and I've been trying to get photos with the signwriting in for a while. SHame its slightly distorted by the camera. Maybe I can fix that.

Day Thirty-One: Home

Old Mooring - Cambridge

Today dawned beautifully hot and sunny, despite gloomy predictions. We were delighted, since we had two friends joining us for the trip into town.

We enjoyed the final run into Cambridge, passing all the old familiar sights and the ever increasing quantities of rowers. It remained sunny and so we felt glad to be back as we cruised past our old mooring (now occupied by someone else, as is the way with our mooring scheme) and over to the waterpoint.

Now we are moored in an old spot which we used for a bit before we all moved for the fair and everyone shuffled around. It is in a gap between two trees so gets sun, and Lyra likes it because she can explore the yard behind Midsummer House. Its also very close to the Fort and the boathouses. Lyra is playing outside, enjoying her newfound freedom!

Day Thirty: Back To The Parish

Littleport - The Parish

Quite a few miles

We had been hoping to have a friend join us in Ely, but she couldn't make it so we had no obligations except to get to our old mooring aka The Parish sometime during the day and see everyone there.

The wind didn't let up, but it was a pleasant enough cruise with only a couple of short showers. The only low point was when we were approaching Bottisham Lock, we saw the gates were open, only to close dishearteningly as we came closer, despite sounding the horn. "We were there first" the woman said, when James went up to the lock to help. Pah! That's hardly the point. If there's someone who can come up as you fill it, it doesn't matter who got there first. Ah well, we weren't in a hurry. There aren't enough asterisks to describe what John had to say about the matter!

We spent a lovely afternoon on our old mooring, and have had a delicious dinner with John and Jackie. Jackie and I made Portugese custard tarts and frangipani jam tarts from Jamie Oliver's recipe book. The meal was delicious, and we are still on board. Tom Kitten has just come in, but he has been unwell all day poor thing. It will be the vets for him tomorrow if he carries on looking so under the weather.

Day Twenty-Nine: Against Wind and Tide

EDIT: the camera was the right way up when I took the photo, don't know why it turned upside down when I uploaded it!

March - Littleport

23 miles, 3 locks

Middle Level, River Ouse

We are feeling somewhat windswept after a very blowy cruise through the fens. We began in March where the navigation is sheltered but once out into the Fens with no buildings to shelter behind, the going became much tougher.

Mostly we took turns at the tiller except through the villages of Upwell and Outwell where it was again sheltered. In Outwell, we passed nb Caxton and exchanged a few words (nice to finally meet them!) before heading to Salters Lode to catch the tide. We arrived a little early and had a bit of a chat with Paul the lockkeeper and his wife- they've just bought themselves a narrowboat and we helped them move it. While the other boats were coming and going through the lock we stayed and watched. The strong wind made the passage between Denver and Salters Lode even more exciting!

When it was our turn we said our farewells to Paul and headed for Denver. This is always fun, involving lots of throttle to get headway against the tide. We shared the lock with nb Sarah B whom we'd seen at Ashline.

By the time we were through, it was 5.30. We made it to Littleport in 2.5 hours, even against the wind and the current. Just before the town I was at the helm and passed nb Pas Mèche who called that they read the blog! Always fun to meet readers.

Mooring up in Littleport was tough in the wind. We saw a spot but had to ask another boat to move up slightly so that we'd fit. So I had to leap off and politely ask a couple who were eating their dinner if they'd mind moving back. They did so very obligingly especially given that the woman was in what I can only presume were her nightclothes!

Now we're off for dinner in our favourite Indian restaurant, in Littleport, the Indian Garden. We booked a table while at Denver, to give ourselves something to aim for!

Day Twenty-Eight: Return to the Flatlands

Peterborough - March

16 miles, 2 locks

River Nene, Middle Levels

Our appointment with Tina at Stanground Lock, onto the Middle Level, was at 9:30. We were soon through and onto the 'boring bits'! The first part, to Whittlesey, and around Brigate Bend are not too bad actually. The Potato Factory (where McCain's chips are made) is visibile from miles away, and dominates the landscape. Here, the drain is above the level of the farmland surrounding it so you can actually see what's going on around you. We saw lots goats and horses, and had several tractor drivers give us a cheery wave.

Of course, one of only three boats we met going the other way was just before Brigate Bend - the notorious 90 degree angle with high concrete walls - in the middle of Whittlesey. At Ashline Lock, on the edge of the village, there were three boats waiting to go through. As the lock is only 11' wide, we had a bit of a wait! We helped the other boats through and gave out advice about navigating the Fens, and one of the boats was new to the area.

Beyond Whittlesey, it gets really dull. A corner is cause for excitement. The banks are high, and there are numbered markers for fishing competitions (a secret ploy by the fishermen to drive boaters mad). I did a bit of this on my own, as James was inside, and so I turned the music up loud and actually quite enjoyed it! Eventually we reached March. We stopped in Fox's Marina, and have chosen to moor there for the night, despite the cost of £7.50. We think it's worth it for the security. We walked into the centre of March and checked out the town moorings, which are full, so it was the right decision!

Salters Lode at 4pm tomorrow, and then back onto the Ouse and Cam!