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In 1977 we hired our first narrowboat from Anglo Welsh at Market Harborough.From that moment our destiny was set. In 2006 we finally purchased our own brand new 57' narrowboat which we named 'Free Spirit'. Our aim is to travel the length and breadth of all the navigable rivers and canals of the UK. This will be our story as it unfolds.

Thursday 18 February 2016

Just a slight trip hazard!

I was inches of falling flat on my face! Walking along the towpath with the sun so low that looking ahead was almost impossible, I only just saw this in time.

This is the photo looking back at it.
 No one on board the dredger and I was a little unsure as how I should proceed. Should I stay with the boat and warn other walkers? or just walk off. Then from the side of the bridge came this chap. Not C&RT but a contractor.


In his hand was a broken broom handle. After I mentioned how idiotic tying a rope across the towpath was, he apologised and said he had no means of securing the boat. It was being taken to Potters lock to aid in the replacement of the piling ...well it was until he found the digger on the front wouldn't fit under the bridge! So he went on a hunt for a stake of some sort and came back with the broken handle. He then pushed it into the bank and wrapped the rope round that. Goodness knows what he will do now. Take the digger apart bit by bit?, 'cause that's the only way it will go under Anchor bridge!

As the day was sunny and clear Ian touched up the rubbing strake on both sides of FS. That's the beauty of being in moored in the old dismantled Nottingham lock by the swing bridge, we just push her across to the other side. Gave me an opportunity to clean the windows and dig the moss out from inside the galley window track. The hull blacking also needs touching up (will wait for another good day) as last year we didn't do our usual dry docking. That will have to wait now until September.

More birdie photos from the walk this morning. Mainly of the lovely little long tailed Tit.






4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I wish I could get a picture of a Long tailed Tit like that. I hav tried and tried.. Well done , great picture ... Gary nb Inca

Ian and Irene Jameison said...

Thanks Gary. They seem to be in abundance here at the top end of the Erewash. Xx

Marilyn, nb Waka Huia said...

Hi Irene, Interesting that he didn't put the digger arm down into the cut to hold the barge in place as I have seen other CRT barges do. Can't the arm be extended forwards so it is lower to fit under the bridges?
I do hope you and Ian have scheduled at least a night in Waikanae with us in your itinerary - we are not far from Nga Manu wild life reserve which I am sure you would enjoy. Check it out on line. And have you looked at doing a trip to Kapiti Island just off the coast here?
And don't wait until you have seen the consultant to see an osteopath - do it now and see if you can get some relief. Look up osteopathy and see what it can offer for your particular problem - I think you'd be pleasantly surprised. I have just looked on line and there are plenty of osteopaths to choose from in Long Eaton and Nottingham (the only two places I looked). Sorry to nag, Irene, but having suffered from back/hip/neck pain I know how debilitating it is and how wonderful the relief was when I got sent (yep, I was ordered to go by a colleague!) to an osteopath. I now go for a 'tune up' every few months or more regularly if I put my neck out or strain my back or hips - mostly through lifting things that are too heavy for me ...
Cheers, Marilyn

Ian and Irene Jameison said...

Hello Marilyn. Your quite right, CRT would have put the arm down but this was a contractor. I don't think it was the digger bit that was the problem but the height of the cabin top. As the boat had gone when I walked to the bridge this morning I assume they must have dropped the water levels.
We will definitely be stopping for a visit with you. We know when we go to NZ, 4th January, and we go one way with a camper van, having three weeks in North Island and 3 weeks in South Island. Timings are yet to be agreed on but will let you know nearer the time. That Island seems a definite though.
I really appreciate your thoughts about an osteopath but I don't think an osteopath will help in this instance. The nerve running down my leg is being trapped because of a degeneration of the spinal canal only fixable by an operation. My hip problem is caused by bursitis and I have now sought a second opinion as the consultant told me nothing more could be done including seeing an osteopath. So I await the appointment to see what this consultant can offer. Thanks again for your invite. Both of us are getting very excited. Roll on October when we set of for our holiday of a lifetime. Xxx

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