Bluebell waterway

We spent the sunny days last week moored along the way from Hartshill boat yard surrounded by the nature of rolling hills, bluebell woods, setting suns, horses and a new born foal.


The sun has been shining so hot we've done little but sunbathe and watch the mirror images in the water.


We have a floating friend here too...


and had our first bbq of the year! With our floating bearded and furry friends.


I knocked together some splendid salads too; parsley salad, feta and redpepper salad, spicy cucumber and radish salad and cougette with slow roasted toms and cannellini beans with a basil drizzle. Mmmm...

We were running low on water and decided to set off on Thursday to Atherstone waterpoint at the top lock. We had a convoy as Rupert and Dylan came too!








The sky cleared


and we were guided along the cut by shimmering water



We have moored at the top lock to access the local shops and plan to set off again in a day or so ready for the return to work.


The paintwork is looking brilliant...


and we have made a list of what is left to do...


including buying a pole holder for our nicely painted pole...

There are other items to buy too such as a sander to help speed up the sanding down of the bulkheads ready for painting up in blue and cream. And we need to get a new chimney.


We need to get some rope for the life ring and a hook to hang from the stern...


And the insides of the hatches need to be completed by lining with the plywood I cut last year! Never ending jobs it seems but so far all the work completed looks wonderful!

Spring planting

Oh my goodness it has been hot. Delia has hardly lifted a paw and has settled where the breeze came in through the hatch to cool her fuzzy belly.

I've been away for a few days working in the city so it's such a delight to be onboard in the sun in the countryside. I've been cycling along the towpath to collect some compost and walking in the other direction for food supplies.

We are once again in the region of Hartshill. This time we are further round the corner between two bridges overlooking a local farm and cow grazing fields. We have a good neighbour including Dylan again!


Woof Woof! Who I have recently discovered loves Chewits. That is the funniest thing, watching a dog eating a Chewit. Ha!

So this compost I mentioned earlier is for the purpose of growing some veggies. Having been spoilt in the flat with such a huge garden I must say the restrictions of the boat is hard to get my head round. I had a rockery, fire pit, lawn, holly tree and other large tree, fruit canes, space for rows and rows of veg - including once growing pumpkin which trailed along the lawn! I had a compost bin and water butt, pea frames and bales of hay for growing tomatoes on. How spoilt!


Given my own way the boat would equally be a jungle of hanging baskets, pots, trays... of climbing beans, brocolli, tomatoes, onions, garlic, sweetcorn and all other fruits and colours you can find. But the reality is (especially after the paint job) I've got to consider exactly what to grow, taking into account space, security (as I have had pot plants stolen before), how much we can actually water with a limited supply on the boat and placement of containers, as access around the boat is paramount.

So after all this I devised that the window opposite the bathroom is 'dead space' and could be used to house a trough. The shoes are on a rack below and this area is nothing more than a walk way from galley to lounge. So I found this lovely long planter and brackets at a local garden centre, fitted it up today and filled with a layer of gravel and then good compost, finishing off most importantly with the following: Parsley; Corriander; Chives; Spinach, Rocket, Salad leaves and Basil. This is the finished thing...


And on the stern I made space for a pot of King Edward spuds. They should be ready by the end of August. I can't wait, it is so much fun digging around to find juicy potatoes.



I have other seeds to plant but am not sure yet whether to utilise a top box or go for another collapsable pot as per the spuds. Still its great to have the herbs and salads on the go now.

The paint job - last bits

The wooden structure of the cratch (at the bow of the boat) has had it's second coat of wood dye and is looking like new!


It will have a light sand and third coat tomorrow and should be ready for monday's assemblage in time to move out of the tunnel.


The nose of the boat has had it's beauty treatment (much to Leigh's dislike) with a spot of orange. Well at least we will be seen coming in tunnels!


And I've painted the life ring, just one last red coat to do...


The mushroom vents are back on, cream as the roof...


And today Leigh and I gave the stern and gunwhales a good coat of black gloss...


It has been a hard week of work, up early and finishing late at night. The boat looks even better in the real and we have given it a new life. Our painter has done a superb job and we hope to employ him again in the future.

As with boats there is always more to do and we are reminded of this by a marina worker quoting 'BOAT' Bring Out Another Thousand! But we've done the major painting and will finish off the final bits sooner than soon (bulkheads, final gloss coating on cabin sides, bow area) and this paintwork should last a good few years with occasional treatment when areas are scratched.

We will be sadly leaving Springwood Haven on Monday, it has been a delight here in this lovely place, and will decide where we shall go just as we leave the marina. And so the adventure continues...

The paint job - poly tunnel love

All has been going well. Whilst Nigel has been working hard at tidying up the body of the boat we have been working on odd jobs too.

The batteries have been on charge as whilst we are in the polytunnel we cannot run the engine and so cannot charge the batteries to use the internal lights and water pump. Fortunately we are plugged into shoreline electricity and have 24hour access - one definite perk in terms of marinas.

We begun our work at the stern, sanding away old flaking paintwork and rust around the railing...


and chiseling off paint on the deck.


This was a team-work effort where lots of elbow grease came in handy.


After priming the stern railings,


I have been painting it up in a semi-gloss orange to compliment our already vibrant colour scheme.


This is how it looks full colour, notice the black uprights too!


The edges of the windows have been taped up to allow for a clean painted edge...


The cabin sides are looking fabulous after a coat of primer...


and are sanded down for the next layer.


It is this gradual process of careful brush layering and sanding off that builds up to the mirror finish.

The doors have had a good coat of gloss, showing lovely reflections shimmering on it.


and the hatch too...


The chimney holder is due to be painted up in black gloss and we are having to consider a new chimney as the old one has become damaged from the heavy levering off before entering the poly tunnel.


This photo shows the bulkhead at the bow, with the 'mouse ears' paintwork still currently in burgundy. The plan is to work on these ourselves (with some paid help!) at a slightly later date.


The roof has had a coat of non-slip paint in cream which is practical all round.


And Nigel has removed the mushroom vents to give them a coat of paint...


Leigh has been working on the wooden structure of the cratch cover, sanding down and varnishing.


And we've managed to complete some odd jobs such as securing the lid to the gas locker and sealing off the wood at the stern doors to make it water-tight.


In addition we have lined up the gunwhales with masking tape ready to apply the non-slip layering.


We have already done this at the stern, a nice layer of primer dusted with silver sand, swept away and primed again ready for a coat of gloss paint...

The paint job - first coat

We returned to Springwood Haven today full of butterflies of excitement and anticipation.

We have had some different experiences with marina's and boat builders. It has felt good finding a marina who seem to do a grand job, make a welcoming environment and have reasonable rates.


Nigel is the decorator and having seen other boats he has painted (with a mirror finish I might add) we were well pleased to leave the boat in his hands.


Already he had grind down the boat to bare steel (the roof and cabin sides) and applied the first layer of paint.


The blue is fresh and vibrant and the cream gives her an elegance. Farewell burgandy! Thank goodness! Already she is looking like new.


We will have a matching hatch in blue and the side hatches including hatch roof is well in keeping too.


How wonderful! We both had beaming smiles taking in the 65foot of crisp charm.



The bulkheads which are still in burgundy/cream at either end will be tackled by Leigh and I at a later date. They are easy access and not showing signs of rust so will be manageable to work on.

It's evening now and we are back on the boat in the poly tunnel minus little Delia who has rented herself a nice little place to stay until the end of the week. They serve her tuna and treats throughout the day however she has complained about the other residents, particularly opposite and next door. I think it's the fact that they are feline too. Still at least she isn't in amongst the dog's kennels over the way. I do wonder how she will be after leaving boarding school... I mean borstal! No, sorry, boarding cattery, flattery, flat. Her cat's flat, Delia's flat.