We are off, armed with maps and a dongle

Easter cruise 2010

2nd April 2010

By the time you read this Jeff and I will have departed on our two week Easter cruise to the Chesterfield Canal.

We like to try and tackle something a bit out of the ordinary at the start of the season, and this year it will be a long treck down the Trent to West Stockwith, which will include aboiut 45 miles on the tideway. We made a passage between Cromwell (Newark) and Torksey a couple of years so I am reasonably comfortable with the Tidal Trent, but none the less it is the bit of the trip that makes me a bit nervous. 

Last time we ventured onto these waters the Trent had gone into flood. It wasn't into the red so it was still navigable with caution, but some of the narrows were flowing fast and it was a bit touch and go from a speed perspective. We are hoping for dryer weather in the Midlands this year.

I plan to try and post some entries as I go along this time and, having read all your advice, I have purchased a Vodafone dongle. Actually I bought two because the first from Tesco's was good on price but low on functionality - it wouldn't load it's software. A replacement was therefore bought from Maplins which seems to work a treat at home. I will wait and see if it performs as promised out in the field, so to speak.

I considered all the options, including 3's superior coverage, but was finally swayed by Vodafone's virtually limitless shelf life for credit - all the rest time out after a month which isn't much help for our intertmittent usage.

Being a belt and braces kind of guy, I couldn't risk leaving the blog potentially idle for two whole weeks so I have pre published a few items which will be auto released every other day (all the odd numbers of the month).

I'ts been a long cold winter and it's great to get back on the water for the start of what will hopefully be a satisfyingly boaty season.