Best laid plans...

So tomorrow we were supposed to go down to the Witch and take her out for our first cruise. Rang the people doing the work on her today...probably won't be finished until Thursday. Very unhappy. More details next week probably...

The year ahead...

Now that we are now almost afloat on WW, and I have a few days off work, I thought it a good time to think about what we'll be doing on the old gal and where we'll be going during 2011.

This week, we plan to go on our first cruise on the Witch. She is still in Newbury, so we'll be doing a gentle trip westwards, probably only to Bedwyn, and then back. If we have time, we might do a day's there and back trip eastwards, probably only as far as Thatcham.

Next Sunday, we are handing her over to a boat mover so that she can be moved up to London - should take about a week. We shall then move her from Islington up to chez Water Witch on the Stort.

Over the Easter break we'll probably explore the Stort and the northern part of the Lee up to Hertford.

Over summer we'll be doing a big cruise - probably 5 weeks up to Cropredy for the Fairport thing and back.

One of my past times is playing the trumpet, and since it is an instrument which requires consistent levels of practice to maintain a good standard, I plan to be taking one of my instruments along to play whenever we tie up in a more secluded spot. So if you hear the dulcet tones of a trumpet as you pootle along the cut chances are it could be me.
I've probably posted this before, but here it is again; me on the Middlewich branch with my Bb cornet:

PAW 2011 - Week 7. Feb 12th 2011 - Feb 18th 2011

A bit early with the PAW this week as I won't be taking any more pics before tomorrow (it's almost dark already!). Last Saturday I took a little walk along the Kennet and Avon just west of Newbury, having visited Water Witch. During World War II, the Kennet formed a potential fall back line of defence against advancing German invaders. As a result, the north side of most of the bridges is accompanied by a pill box. Some of them are still out in the open, others have been hidden by the advance of nature, a bit like this one, which is not visible from the canal.



Canon 20d, Canon EF 24/2.8

Dry dock

Took a trip down to Newbury yesterday to take some stuff to Water Witch. She was still "out of the water" in the dry dock.



Having the last coat of blacking splashed on and the deck drains painted.

PAW 2011 - Week 6. February 5th 2011 - February 11th 2011

For some pedestrian users of the towpath, many cyclists are an inconsiderate, anti social nuisance. Just imagine the happy thoughts resulting from a watery end...



Bronica RF645 Zenzanon 45/4 with yellow filter. Kodak TXP320.

I have an actual follower...

...or rather, Water Witch has! Yes Brian is the first "follower" of this blog. Hello Brian! I say "rather Water Witch" because Brian is one of the former owners from when the old gal was a shared ownership boat. He and his wife are now the owners of Nb Harnser.

On slightly less ego boosting news, Water Witch was taken out of the water this week and blacked. She is also being dewinterised and having the fuel filter and gearbox oil replaced. Normally I would do these last two things, but I didn't want my first hours on board to be spent washing diesel off my hands!

I'm also hoping that the painter at the marina where she is currently lying has had the chance to paint the roof and signwrite her new home water on the side. Going down on Saturday to take a few things - duvet, linen, etc - in readiness for our first cruise over the half term break. Will post some piccies at the weekend.

PAW 2011 - Week 5. Jan 29th 2011 - February 4th 2011

I don't know if this is aimed at anyone in particular or just anyone walking along the towpath near Westbourne Grove and Portobello. Either way I thought it was worth a snap.



Bronica RF645. 65/4 Zenzanon lens. Kodak TXP320 film processed in HC110.

Staying in double digits

About three weeks ago I put in a link to the UK waterways rating site. I started off somewhere in the 130s and quickly rose to the lofty position of 93rd most popular waterways website. I'm currently at 99 overall, and 55 on the Blog ratings. Of course this becomes slightly less impressive when one realizes the website has to be registered by the owner. And even less impressive when you check out some of the sites in the 90+ positions, some of which haven't had anything posted for months...or over a year. In light of this, one would hope that having gotten up to 93rd, we wouldn't start going downwards...but we have.
So how does one keep up the hits momentum with a blog, and avoid falling into the pit of the couldn't be bothered. I guess making regular, frequent and of course meaningful posts is the main thing; and of course getting added to the blogrolls of other websites, which is more likely to happen if you keep up the first thing.

Waiting for the all clear.

So now we are the proud owners of Water Witch we have to start thinking about making sure she's ready to move up to her new mooring. Stoppages on the Thames and the Lee & Stort mean that we won't be able to move her until the very end of February. Between now and then we will be in the process that anything that has been arranged to be done is done on time...blacking...new stove...signwriting...dewinterising...new anodes...