En y Va

QISMA 2014 CRUISE 

I did put the gongoozelers to work! 

1 mile 2 locks ..... pacing ourselves 

Turn right or turn left ... You chose, no you chose

Against all odds, both sections of K&A from Newbury opened today - with caveats. Only the Oracle  at Reading has a recommendation NOT to travel. This is the last mile of our route if we head for the Thames. We wouldn't be there until next weekend so it should have improved. The risks to navigation are greater if we turn right as we'd have the Severn Estuary, River Severn and River Avon ahead. The Severn and the Avon have both delayed us on precious trips. Also, one of the locks between Bath and Bristol has restricted opening and there is always a risk if the work doesn't go well it will,close for repair.

Tomorrow we will move up,to Newbury. I'll take the car to Wales and come back by train on Monday.    We can turn at Newbury so the decision making is on hold!

Dusting down alternative escape plans

Arrived back to see that the flow was looking pretty good  and thinking that our escape plan might be in action next week.  But, but, but the informed word on the cut is that there are major silting problems at Woolhampton and other problems nearer Reading and opening that section, well it's not going to happen.

 For those not familiar with the K&A Woolhampton is .... well a bit tricky going towards Reading especially. Immediately after the lock a fast flowing section of river joins the stream from the right. This pushes you hard over to the bank on the left. Some 50 yards later you have to be back across on the right to get through a road swing bridge with a sharp angle to get to it.. At this time of year it's a bit of a white knuckle ride. So any additional problems  ...... I hope you get the message.

We know CRT are putting a new notice out on the Kintbury to Reading section this week but, as we still have the car and we were driving to/from Reading anyway, we decided to come back via Woolhamoton and  take a look.

Ouch. The silting IS really bad on the towpath (Rowbarge pub) side and going into the middle of the channel. Really bad. This would, for sure, stop traffic from going up towards Newbury as it's their line of travel and where they would moor before the lock. It's hard to see across to the far, non towpath, bank, but it looked  as if it might just be possible. Hands up anyone who thinks a 'just might be possible' is going to have that bit of river opened? I thought not.

To be honest, We were surprised that the lock gates weren't padlocked.  'Our' section of the K&A has been shut since 23 December but when did that stop traffic? A single hander and a work boat went down towards Thatcham last week.  Did they get through Woolhampton???

So, hope is not really springing, and it IS looking as if our options are going to be:

A. Sit here until we CAN get safely to Reading
B.  Leave and turn right and potter the K&A until we can etc etc
C.  Leave, turn right, go to Bristol, go up the Severn Estuary and onto the G&S at Sharpness and      
      make our way east from there.

There is an fourth way, known as the nuclear option, which is to have QISMA craned out and transported to the Fens at a cost of £2K+. You will see why it's not on the list.

Hmmmm,.  We do love the G&S. Alistair has always wanted to go up the Severn Estuary,. I'm seeing Curtis Stigers at Cheltenham Jazz Festival on 5 May.   Hmmmmmm.

Decision after the next CRT notice.

Understatement of the year competition entry

Back to QISMA today. Huge improvement in the flow past us ... We are officially
hopeful that we will get out next week. Even if we can't get past Woolhampton or through Reading just yet.

LJ booked in for a haircut on Friday and I'm taking the car back to Tyruched on Saturday so come next Tuesday morning we will be poised or on our way. I'm almost certain Pete and Vicki will hear the cheers in New Zealand.

Sods Law came into play whilst we were way - two sets of friends passing through Newbury tried to find us! Sorry to have missed both of them. Actually really sorry.

At Alistair's parents this weekend.  Their garden is starting to blossom

Invited to lunch yesterday by Alistair's sister.  Lovely for June to have both her children with her on Mothering Sunday. Long time since that happened.

LJ totally disgraced himself and shamed us by cocking his leg up against some curtains within 30 seconds of arriving. Actually,against some rather fabulous and no doubt expensive, brand new curtains. I think an Alpha male thing as they have a boy terrier.. Less than five minutes after that he knocked a glass over with his tail and it smashed on a cream carpet. Fortunately, in the loosest sense,of the word, it was empty,so no 🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷 moment. That came later and didn't involve him!  To say he was not flavour of,the month with me is a candidate for my annual understatement,of the year contest!

Into our routine

Being in Hay is as near to baiting as we can get ashore. We've got the  fab River Wye on our doorstep - well just down the hill, we have stunning countryside and a very relaxed routine. LJ is in his element with some swimming every day. We're on the move on Friday. Down to Dorset to see Alistair's parents - our pre cruising visit. Nice that we'll be there for Mothers Day.  Then we'll be back to Newbury on Monday and get ready to go .... Not next week though. In our heads any day before the 11th April will be a bonus.  I'll be bringing the car back here at the end of next week and then and then and then .....

So the last Hay photos for a while

This is an old friend. I bought him for Janie almost 20 years ago

Hope is springing

Latest news is that County Lock - the very shallow and lock with fiendish influence that lies between us and freedom might be open in two weeks. This is good news, well it is good news anyway, but good for us as that's what we've been planning for. Believe me we will be ready. Mentally, emotionally and physically ... Did I leave anything out?

Meanwhile, enjoying what the March weather has to throw at us.

Light Tunnel At End The Of

The Canal and River Trust have sent out a missive explaining why the K&A hasn't been able to open for boating. I know it seems obvious to any of us that have sat for months watching it flow at twice it's usual rate but not everyone has had that ...... What Is the word I'm looking for?

The good news is that they promise, sort of, light at the end of the tunnel, with the prospect of opening by Easter. Pass the Pearson's and let's get calculating. 60 hours to the Northampton Arm via the Oxford.

If we can't go boating .....

Then we like to be in Wales. And you can see why ... And the Wye (ouch!)

Cabin Fever

I really do hope all of you who are out there ... boating and those getting ready to go .... boating have a fantastic time. Honestly I do. But us poor boaters stuck on the K&A, with the river section flow twice the level it was last year at this time - well, we can't go ....... boating.  Realistically we can't even think about  going .... boating.  No need to feel sorry for us. We all feel sorry for ourselves and each other!

Breaking rules

One of the reasons my friend Janie and I have remained friends for over 40 years is that we are never together for the England v Wales or Wales v England 6 Nations match. Tomorrow we are off to Tyruched for a week. Fingers crossed.

Fortunately, the opposing  supporters don't have to be in the same room. 

All quiet on the a Newbury Front

In charge at the marina at the moment. Very quickly into the routine. Not as much work as last time because there are no leaves to collect which was a seemingly never ending task.

Emma and Derek are in the Canary Islands so enjoying some sunshine. Though we have had a fantastic day today - very Spring like.

One of the advantages of  our mooring is that we're at the end of the line for foot traffic so LJ can sit outside . Though for some reason he prefers to sit by Nick's boat and not ours. Go figure.

 I got sent this lovely close up of him yesterday by his Auntie Lil. Already a favourite,

Worth the wait? Well I would say yes wouldn't I?

We were delighted with our neighbours Stephanie and Pete from NB Maggie May who are also wintering here. First with Pete for providing me with these fantastic photographs of one of our resident kingfishers. 

Just stunning and have given me  11 extra Twitter followers.

Thanks also due for the,delicious chocolate brownies they provided yesterday afternoon. They were so good I felt inspired to finally cook the Hummingbird Cake. No connection with the kingfisher.  This was my first cake on QISMA - shameful I know. But, as,the headline says, worth the wait. Honestly.

Thanks Fiona aka @nbepiphanytoo

We were lucky last year, as we sat here wondering just how bad things were in Reading, Tom from WAIOURU posted a photo on his blog. This year we know things are worse and had been thinking of driving down to Reading to take a look. No need now thanks to Fiona from Epiphany. I am sure she is well known to most, if not all you.  We were able to move early March last year. That is SOooooooo not going to happen. The stretch from Fobney Lock to County Lock is white knuckle when the stream is running and then there is the joy of the Oracle and the bridge beyond.  We were the first boat off last year. Happy for someone else to have that honour this year! 

County Lock is under here somewhere!

The Oracle 

Thanking you

Like so many other bloggers, we started the QISMA website so family and friends could keep up with our travels. We moved to this site last year and have just reached 20,000 visitors. It's amazing.

An outing to Yorkshire ... Best with nowt taken out

A couple of days in Yorkshire visiting sister Sue, hubby Sid and my Dad who will be 92 this year - enshala.  Supposed to be a last visit before our 2014 cruise but I might  have time for one more. Our chances of escaping the clutches of the K&A anytime soon seem to get more remote by the hour. I'm not complaining as we are fine here and there are so many who can't say that. We could see some,of the devastation as we drove up. In places, the A34 had huge new lakes on both sides of the road. Chilling really just to see them.

Today's phots are from our Yorkshire walks. My sister lives close to where we grew up and it really is grand to walk LJ in what was our summer playground. These days we wouldn't be allowed to roam so freely or so far from home.  I recall on day when a group of us were flashed at. Truly. Home we ran and the local 'bobby' sent for. Can't remember how long we were banned from 'the wints' for - or if we paid any attention!  The local artwork isn't meant to be significant 😀

And the winner is ..... drumroll

Peter from Auckland with WAKA PIRAU .... I'll leave you to do the translation!

The prize

 And, with the benefit of time travel -'it's being enjoyed in Auckland!

Checkmout the sunshine!

Caption Competition

A bottle of wine to the blog reader who comes up with the most appropriate name for the owner of this boat. @Nbthegreenman may have a slight advantage here as she has been thinking of appropriate form of words since yesterday!

I call it the Spanish Galleon 

After sitting, to my knowledge for the best part of two years on a half mile stretch of the K&A, on Thursday, on a river section that has been closed since 23 December, he decides to move. I found him soaked to the skin trying to get out of Greenham Lock. As I walked LJ late afternoon. The gates are chained and padlocked. For a reason.  His female companion had obviously been despatched to the car for a toolbox. Still couldn't unlock the chains.  So, like the most irresponsible, stupid, boater on the system, or certainly a contender, he let the water out of the lock and left. Boat abandoned in the lock. Please don't let my rant influence you! It seems ludicrous that there is no penalty for this behaviour. Did I mention the licence on display expired last July?

This morning, Derek and Emma from Newbury Boat Company notified CRT and went to investigate. They found the padlock damaged. With CRT blessing they cut the chains and pulled the boat onto the lock mooring. Then sorted out replacement chains/lock. It seems ludicrous that there is no penalty for this behaviour. Did I mention the licence on display expired last July?

First sign of Spring but hopes not being raised!

Whilst the coast is still being pounded by waves of record height Newbury is just getting rain, rain and more rain. I suppose I should be grateful as we haven't had strong winds and although the river is going past at a tremendous speed we are still OK.

In fact, there are signs of Spring in the marina,and thankfully, all the leaves are down.

Outings are confined to the absolutely necessary. Walking LJ and resupplies.  We're tucked up with the fire on. Alistair is heavily involved with his new passion, war games on line. He is, I think, in the 10th century AD. I have my head in,a book - if you can say that when you're reading it on the Kindle ap? Also enjoying splurges of chat with Tweet buddies (you know who you are and thank you) and have the headphones on listening to music, more specifically to Jason Isbell, who has just settled into my head and cannot be shifted. I know, in this, as Mr Stigers might say, I am not Alone.  In fact I have blog buddies in New Zealand also #spreadingtheword and they are going to see him play in Auckland in April. If I lied on the blog Zi would say not the least bit jealous but ........

Don't mess with us

Back on QISMA and although there is very little likelihood of escaping from the clutches of the K&A for the foreseeable future our thoughts have turned to the start of our 2014 cruise.  Alistair has been having his annual technical update. This year it includes a rather swish alarm system. This partly brought on by reports, from what we believe to be reliable sources, of a considerable number of boats      being broken into on and around the Fens.

So, meet the deterrent

Any technical questions should be addressed to Alistair. I can tell you it is loud. Extremely loud. 

Hay hay ........... Extending the holiday

We said our goodbyes to Green  Cottage and Newport and 'enjoyed' a wet drive across Wales.

We didn't really get chance to make use of this

But had a last run down the hill to the beach.

Now at Tyruched  with Janie and John so extending the holiday by a weekend.  Of course, start of the z6 nations.  1 x Welsh and 3 x English supporters. We don't come for that match! Too much shouting altogether for LJ. Poor boyyo.