Canal life

[Mikbone]

Canal life

 

[Levina de Ruijter]

Are these all houseboats, Mick? I can't imagine anyone living on them in winter!

 

[Mikbone]

Are these all houseboats, Mick? I can't imagine anyone living on them in winter!

They are indeed, tough are the narrow boaters that live on the canal

 

[greatgrandma]

In the early 60's I started reading books by Emily Kimbrough. Several of her books dealt with canal boats, one in France, one on the Thames, and one was about a narrowboat hire in England and Wales. Ever since I read her books, I've wanted to do that. Finally in 2002, I got a chance. We rented a narrowboat with our daughter, son-in-law and grandson.

We had the boat tour including important lock information (don't leave the paddle winder in the lock mechanism - it will jump out and drown, as it doesn't swim worth a darn), boat running information (check the sump every day, don't let the rudder catch on the lock sill or the sill will damage the rudder - and cost big £££), stove running information(hold the stove knob on for 30 seconds), and toilet running information (don't put anything down the toilet except human produced waste and toilet paper).

Our Boat

Our boat (the shorter one)


At the bow, there were small seats on each side. There is a red hatch on the bow which gives access to stored equipment, and the water fill is there also. The folding doors to access the bow can be folded shut and locked. The doors have shades on the windows for privacy

Inside on the port side of the boat is a hanging closet, and next to that is a bench and a window over it.

Bench which makes a bed


On top of the boat there is a boat hook and a mop in addition to the orange life ring.

Mop and life ring


The steering platform is on the stern. There are two big steps down from the stern platform.Past the controls are a hanging area with a set of foulies (supplied with the boat) which we didn't need because we had excellent weather. They also supplied our grandson with a life preserver. One of the waste baskets is in this area

Looking up to the helm platform

 

[greatgrandma]

The stern of our boat did not have a place to sit, nor did it have any protective railing to keep you from falling off the back. There was enough place for two people to stand provided the helmsman didn't need to move the tiller too far to the side. Our double bunk was just past the stern steering station. This fixed double was pretty narrow. Bob and I almost had space to lie flat next to each other without overlapping. The person next to the wall (Bob) had to crawl over the other person to get up. The door between the bunk and the steering platform can be slide-locked shut so that someone can't come in via the stern (or to shut out cold air), or can be hooked open on the edge of the sink.

Sink and door to stern


The cupboards over the sink have the exhaust pipe from the engine going through them which keeps it warm in there, and on the stern side there are shelves, and a mirror on the inside of the door. There are storage drawers under the bunk. Next is the galley area - pots and pans, plates, glasses and utensils are supplied.

There was a 3 ring notebook of instructions in case we forgot what we were supposed to be doing. Past the table are the windows with curtains which are across from the double bunk. On the left is the head (toilet - fresh water flush) and on the right is the shower and sink. This whole area can be closed off by securing doors across the central passageway, or there is a door closing off the head separately which leaves the passageway open.

daughter in kitchen

Shower


When you shower, you have to manually pump out the water that collects from the shower.

Grandson riding on the roof

 

[JohnPD]

In the early 60's I started reading books by Emily Kimbrough.

Are these novels?

 

[greatgrandma]

Are these novels?

No they are accounts of her life and travels. A biographic trip report. Kind of like the blogs of today. Her first book was with Cornelia Otis Skinner "Our Hearts Were Young and Gay" about their trip to Paris. Now the Gay part would have a different meaning. - they weren't. That book has been made into a musical which was often given by high school drama clubs .

 

[Mikbone]

The stern of our boat did not have a place to sit, nor did it have any protective railing to keep you from falling off the back. There was enough place for two people to stand provided the helmsman didn't need to move the tiller too far to the side. Our double bunk was just past the stern steering station. This fixed double was pretty narrow. Bob and I almost had space to lie flat next to each other without overlapping. The person next to the wall (Bob) had to crawl over the other person to get up. The door between the bunk and the steering platform can be slide-locked shut so that someone can't come in via the stern (or to shut out cold air), or can be hooked open on the edge of the sink.

Sink and door to stern


The cupboards over the sink have the exhaust pipe from the engine going through them which keeps it warm in there, and on the stern side there are shelves, and a mirror on the inside of the door. There are storage drawers under the bunk. Next is the galley area - pots and pans, plates, glasses and utensils are supplied.

There was a 3 ring notebook of instructions in case we forgot what we were supposed to be doing. Past the table are the windows with curtains which are across from the double bunk. On the left is the head (toilet - fresh water flush) and on the right is the shower and sink. This whole area can be closed off by securing doors across the central passageway, or there is a door closing off the head separately which leaves the passageway open.View attachment 8474

daughter in kitchen

Shower


When you shower, you have to manually pump out the water that collects from the shower.

Grandson riding on the roof

thanks for sharing

 

[greatgrandma]

Other canal boats

Auto and pedestrian bridges

Raising the road bridge

Boat going under a road bridge

Boat coming to turning basin

Private Canal Boat with wind generator

 

[greatgrandma]

The Pontcysyllte aqueduct must be one of the most spectacular in Britain. The canal is fed from the River Dee at the Horseshoe Falls just out of Llangollen and the Dee runs under the aqueduct. The famous engineer, Thomas Telford, built Pontcysyllte Aqueduct near Llangollen in 1795. Today, it is a protected Grade I listed building, a Welsh National Monument and is one of the seven wonders of the British Inland Waterways System.

Aqueduct from the side

I wanted to hire a narrowboat for a week and do this canal, but could not due to time constraints. I had only a long weekend that that's not enough time to get from the hire station to the aqueduct and back. So I settled for driving up in a car and walking across. I understand that you can hire a boat for the day for up to 12 people at 2 local Marinas to travel on this canal.

Warning Sign at the entrance to the towpath

The aqueduct with canal boat at the end

Looking back -Man and dog walking along the canal path

Bob and our daughter as boat passes