Honey - Whittington to Rugby

Whittington to Rugby
May 2006
Coventry Canal, Birmingham & Fazeley Canal, Oxford Canal (northern section)

40 Miles
14 Locks

2 Days

With Florida looming, we decided we would divide to conquer. Belle would stay at home packing and studying, leaving me to complete the trip with Tilly and Jeff.

On the Friday evening Belle returned us to Whittington, where Honey was moored all safe and sound (prayers of thanks).

We were off with the larks the following morning, up through the slow Goscote locks and then the long Atherstone flight.

Honey behaved herself and the two days passed in a blur, burrowing under the M62 and then the M6 before emerging in Ansty and on to Rugby.

As we approached Rugby we received a phone call from Mr Truth wondering where we were. We soon realised that we were about 200 years apart and that he had found a good mooring in a park, opposite Tesco. Crucially, it was close to a beefeater pub and the next phase was clearly a booze cruise!

Mrs Truth swapped husband and two cronies for the Captain plus children, dropping us off at home and the prospect of two weeks in America.

Honey did indeed make it to Little Venice and this time without significant mechanical mishap. I am advised that one crew member went for an unexpected swim near Whilton but the less said about that the better.

The return journey was again undertaken by Messrs Whately Snr and Jnr who reached Stone as the closest achievable point to the Tatton Festival. Her stern gland problem reared its head again on the return journey, and I paid her a quick visit at Tamworth with Mr Whateley to apply remedial treatment, and pump out the many gallons of water which had found its way into her bilges.

That was the last I saw of Honey. Her engine seized and extensive work was required at Stone boatyard. I think she has since been sold on to a friend of Mr Primrose so if you see a very scruffy springer, now painted British Racing Green, clock her location and let me know if she is still afloat.

Honey - Calf Heath to Whittington

Calf Heath to Whittington
May Shuttle 2006 - phase one
Staffs and Worcester Canal, Trent & Mersey Canal and Coventry Canal (detatched section)

31 Miles
17 Locks

Honey was off on her travels again, returning to serve as accommodation for the 2006 Chelsea Flower Fesitval. A relay team had been sorted out, organised by the Captain. The bulk of the trip south would be undertaken my Mt Truth, supported by a variety of friends and conscripts.

Due to a holiday to Florida, The Captian's contribution had to be limited to two weekend shuttle trips, getting Honey as far as Rugby before handing her over.

Phase one, Calf Heath to Whittington, was undertaken by The Captain and Belle, whilst both Tilly and Jeff were elsewhere, a rare weekend alone.

Saturday started with a two car trip to Whittington and a mooring identified during the previous year's hire boat (Conrcrake from ABC Leisure) Black Country Ring trip. The first day way ideal spring weather, bright and fresh, but with a nip in the evening air. We made our way down the Staffs and Worcester mooring up below Gt Haywood lock, eating in the nearby pub. The night was particularly memorable as we lay snuggled under our duvet with the stove chugging away beside us.

As we started to doze off Bell observed what a perfect day it had been and how much she had enjoyed it. I think her actual words were " I am amazed, I have found this absolutely lovely and Honey is a horrible boat (a bit harsh in my view but not that far wide of the mark in reality). If I like boating on Honey how much better would it be in a nice boat of our own". With that she fell asleep and my mind went into overdrive.

The next way was cold and blustery. We made our way through Armitage and Fradley Junction, turning down the disconnected part of the Coventry Canal passed Seethay wher we refilled with diesel. During this stage we talked about buying a boat, what it would cost and what would have to happen to make the dream a reality. We concluded that it would need an income uplift of £200 pm minimum and left it at that.

We made it to Whittington and our parked car by 3.00pm leaving Honey securely moored and sheeted down. I left her with a prayer for safety.

Honey - Easter 2006

Easter 2006

Calf Heath to Stone and back

46 Miles

32 Locks

I had worked on Honey over the winter, readying her for her BSC and sorting out the practicalities of her dry docking with Phil Jones. As a reward, Mr Primrose agreed to let me use her for an Easter trip and the plan was to do an anticlockwise trip round the Four Counties ring in the company of Jeff and Tilly. Belle was poorly with a bad cold and leaving her to some peace and quiet after a difficult winter seemed like a good idea.

We made it to Tixall on the first day, mooring on the wide with very little company. It was bitterly cold so we maintained a fire in the grate all the time. Tilly was in the cabin up front and I shared the cross bed with Jeff - all cosy and warm.

Our destination for day two was supposed to be Eturia in Stoke on Trent, but in the event I received a call from Belle just south of Stone. Far from feeling better she was much worse with a terrible temperature and her sister (Bag lady) coming to look after her. I spoke to Bag Lady - what should I do? Well, Belle is really ill, you really need to get back asap was her reply.

I agreed to rush back but the words rush and canals are not comfortable bedfellows.

I had to press on to a winding point just short of The Star and retrace my steps with all speed. We pressed on and on, finally running out of light and energy two locks below the top of the Gailey flight where we were forced to moor. An early start saw us back at the marina by mid morning and home by noon.

Belle was indeed really ill and was confined to bed for a week.

I have since made numerous forays around the Four Counties Ring, which is on our back doorstep. I have covered every mile, some bits many times, but to this day I have never actually made it all the way round in a single uninterrupted trip. Maybe 2009 is the year!

Update 10.1.2010 - 2009 wasn't the year and I still havn't done it!

Honey - Calf Heath to Grub Street

Calf Heath to Grub Street
October 2005 (3 days)

52 Miles
4 Locks

This trip represented my first Autumnal solo journey, which has become a regular feature of my annual calendar.

I am not sure of the exact date but is was very close to the end of October, sometime before the end of British Summertime. The reason the exact date has been forgotten was the circumstances that triggered it. For the previous year Tilly had been home educated as we struggled to accommodate her unusual educational needs, and she was becoming increasingly resistant to this approach. At the same time Jeff made his transition to secondary school and his then undiagnosed ADHD and dyslexia turned the experience into a nightmare. The combined impact was difficult for Belle and I reached breaking point myself. I came very close to losing it completely and called Mr Primrose to see if I could borrow Honey for a few days (I had been working on her and had a key). Mr P was his usual accommodating self and assured me it was fine - oh and by the way - here is a list of 10 things that don't work - can you have a go at fixing them while you are away! It want a trial and I was very happy to oblige.

The first day, a Sunday, was clear and mild, taking me through Autherley and on to Brewood where I met up with my brother, moving on to Gnosall for the night and a meal at the Navigation Inn.

The second day was cold and windswept. I took a slow trip through Grub Street cutting and, being in a fragile state, gave in to canal rage for the first and only time. A very slow boat was crawling through the cutting followed by another boat and then me. Both I and the boat in front would have liked to pass but the front boat wasn't about to oblige, to we settled down for a very slow passage and enjoyed the view. This wasn't good enough for a silly old duffer behind me. Oh no, he was all over my back end itching to press past. As I was stuck between boats I maintained a straight course but, lo and behold, after the "telegraph pole" bridge he started to ram on past. I admit to calling him a stupid old fool and somehow the combined effect of the two boats moving in parallel resulted in my stern coming round and giving him a huge knock - shame. I then watched in bemused amazement as he rammed his way past the next two boats, taking 45 mins to complete the overtaking manoeuvres. I never forget a boat and I am still on the lookout!

I winded a couple of miles beyond Grub Street, returning to spend the night on the embankment outside Wheaton Aston. I remember it as a clear but windy night and somewhere amid the silence and the gentle warmth of the stove, my equilibrium returned.

I completed the return journey under wintry squalls, reaching Calf Heath in mid afternoon and rejoining the battlefield called home in in a balanced frame of mind, able to resume the ongoing fight.

The canals hold amazing restorative powers for me, sucking be into their beguiling stillness and calming my soul in a way nothing else can match. They are my escape, a haven from life when things get too much. If I can't actually get on them I find myself away thinking about them, or perhaps in my workshop making something for WB. I may not be there in body but that doesn't stop me being afloat in spirit.