Narrowboat

I compiled Day 3 into a single video but as youtube has a 10 min max had to split the 16min video. I chose to render each half again instead of simply splitting the file, so I could add a proper end and begining to each part. I shall upload the second part today or tomorrow as I’te got it on a flash disc with me.

Each time I’ve gone into or from Birmingham taking a southern route , I’ve always taken the Stratford Canal route, which although longer does mean safe moorings are available a short day’s cruise from the city centre. This time I opted to take the Grand Union Canal route in, because we’re moving bases so it may be a couple of years before I go down the GUC again. The accepted wisdom is to stop is that Catherine de Barnes as the last real place before the city centre, to moor, save for some designated safe mooring sites. As I had booked in to spend the evening at the Waterman for Mothers Day, it meant that I was setting off from Hatton Top for Day 3, which is an extra 10 miles and 5 locks away, so extended the day somewhat (I didn’t really want to do just a short day again). Was I mad in trying to get to Brum from Hatton, or maybe I would only make it as far as the Camp Hill locks pontoon (a “secure” mooring as it has no way on or off to the rest of the world except by boat). It was, after all, only March and not a long summer day of July or August.
As this trip was to go through Birmingham and on to the Shropshire Union, I didn’t necessarily have to go via the city centre, in deed I preferred to go along the Tame Valley Canal because my camera broke last time I did it and really wanted another go at capturing that route. That at least meant I didn’t need to go right into the centre and I could go only as far as Aston Science park, where I’ve moored previously, or ideally to Cuckoo Wharf near Salford Junction as that would put me straight on the Tame Valley the next morning. Although I’ve been past Cuckoo Wharf before and it looks like purely long term moorings only, I had read that its okay for overnight visitors. So my plan, was to set off early and play it by ear hoping to reach Cuckoo Wharf before dusk and youths come out from the shadows like a scene from a zombie movie.
We got up, had breakfast, and set off at 8am. It was a bright, sunny, but distinctly cool morning. The canal was quiet and the sun was still half asleep and hadn’t risen far. We soon reached Shrewley Tunnel which welcomed us with a cool embrace and showered us with several water drips before bidding farewell. If I wasn’t fully awake before, I was now. We said hello to some lively ducks and we reached Kingwood Junction at 9.30. Last chance to chicken out and turn up the Stratford … The canal from here was all new to me, as I’d not done this stretch before. By 10am the wind had picked up and by the time we reached Knowle Locks there was a strong crosswind – not very good for a long boat at slow speed. After dropping off a crew member I backed up a little behind the shelter of the shrubbery until the lock was ready and open, then went ahead straight into the lock. As we were going up the first lock, another boat was coming down the second – perfect timing as it means we should both easily pass each other, if we set off together, and be able to do so with enough speed so that the wind couldn’t blow off course. We managed it, though I think I was travelling a little bit faster than I needed. I stayed in the second lock until the third was ready and open, although this way meant more walking for the crew, it did mean I was less affected by the wind. We made it into the top lock by 11am, so about 10 minutes a lock. After clearing detritus that had been accumulated by the wind across the top gate we carried on and an hour later we were approaching Catherine-de-Barnes. Lunch was being prepared so time for to moor for a quick lunch once it was ready, so that we could then continue. Was noon too late to be setting off from Catherine-de-Barnes? Here’s the video for the morning’s cruise:

I applaud Google’s taking over of Youtube, which I suspect some oppose purely because of the Google global domination strategy much like some people oppose Microsoft because of their market share. It is not because I love Google, though as I am a Gmail and Chrome user you may disagree that I’m not an adopter of all things Google, but because my timelapse video’s which have previously suffered under Youtube’s over compression techniques now shine under Google’s adoption of High Definition.
If you are uncertain of this claim, look at my Youtube videos and compare my older timelapse video’s with recent ones. I’ve always used a camera capturing 640×480 resolution (it’s just my March 2010 voyage I used a different camera that can capture quicker than 5 sec intervals), and used a similar compilation technique of turning the photo’s into video using a lossless codec and using Premiere to compile all parts and render into a HQ video with a 3k+ bit rate. Now at least everyone else can view the video’s as I see them before upload. Though I wonder if there would be interest in re-uploading older videos now they wont b over compressed.
I’ve strayed from my original premise for this post though. Youtube always had a 10 minute limit on uploads, so I’ve always kept them underneath this, but day 3 of my March 2010 trip took 9 hours, it exceeds this limit under my new rate regime. I just hope it keeps you all interested.

On Sunday 14th March it was Mothers Day, we had spent the night in Warwick and was travelling a short distance today, just 4.5 miles, as we were booked into the Waterman pub for an evening meal. Under 5 miles, sounds like a short day? Well there was the case of doing 23 locks – Cape’s two and Hatton’s twenty-one. We’d also arranged to meet some new owners wanting to find out about the boat.
It was a lovely sunny morning with a bright blue sky, but very few boats on the move – still early in the season I guess. There was a cold wind blowing too, so although it was sunny a jumper was needed to keep the chill off. Cape locks were empty when we got to them – does this mean Hatton will be too, or that someone had spent the previous evening moored at the Cape of Good Hope and had set off down before us? the first two locks of the Hatton flight were full, so it looked like maybe someone had gone up in front or not come down. We then met a boat coming down so sailed into lock 28, and the rest may well now be empty?
John had telephoned just before we started into the first lock saying he & Brenda had arrived at the Waterman pub and were walking down to meet us, and had now arrived. It was still early and we took our time, and we still flew through as the locks were now empty. We passed another boat in the pound before lock 33, an old canal carrying boat, also out enjoying the weather – two boats in one day makes this our busiest day so far! Of course the downside of going slow is that the wind can seem to effect you more, though this was mostly when we were in the locks, blowing us across, but a quick tug on the centre line brought us back ready to set off through the open gate.
Hatton is an interesting place and there often is various walkers and families out. We had help from such a group of kids for lock 39, though they didn’t seem to be going upwards so no help through the next lock, ah well. Lock 43 was full when we got to it, so I guess it must have been at this point the canal carrier coat had passed a boat in front of us (possibly, all purely a guess of course). Passing in short pounds should be a relatively painless process, but sometimes there’s a confidence/ability issue or a level of brinkmanship that may change how you handle the manoeuvre. So when the crew of the on-coming boat close the gates when the boat leaves, what do you do? I suppose one option is staying in the lock entrance until my crew got up to open the gate, but that would have been unfair to the obviously inexperienced hirer, and progressing slowly forward may have been okay, but the cross wind would most likely have blown me into the path of the other boat, so I just went tow-path side and got off with the middle rope. This should have meant they had a straight run into the lock, which somehow they cocked up and came to an abrupt stop as they found out the boat couldn’t go in sideways – still two locks down and they may have it mastered by the end of the lock flight.
Once through the top lock we moored up on the spaces after the long-term mooring (or there about, it might have been before the visitor moorings started, but there was plenty of space).

Our March trip on the boat was going to be a one-way trip from Stockton to Norbury as the boat is moving bases. We arrived at the boat late on Friday, or later than planned, so we decided to just go through Stockton locks and find somewhere to moor (we had only planned to go as far as Long Itchington anyway).
Saturday 13th March we were up early-ish and raring to go. It was a bright and dry morning – the previous week had been wet (we’d brought wellies and waterproofs – we often do anyway but were expecting to have to use them this week) so it was a nice surprise. As we set off I noticed the boat in front was decked out with balloons, had we missed a party? We went through lock 12 with just a jogger or two for company along the tow path. On approaching lock 13 there was a boat inside, going our way, and they waited and we lock shared. It turned out to be the Ownerships boat Compton.
The next locks were a mile or so off, and started with a staircase lock pair, Compton went in first and I followed with a helpful nudge to one side as they’d strayed from the lock edge. We progressed down Bascote locks fairly quickly, before I took the lead and set off. I’m not sure whether, for video purposes, its better to follow a boat or be in front. On one hand following a boat does give something to focus on, but avoiding it does mean you get to see the canal more. Today was the first day with my new set-up. I had tried the camera last year, but had got a 12v adapter for it to run off the boat’s 12v system, unfortunately it only output 3v when the camera needed roughly 3.2v. I did have an official 240v adapter, but didn’t take it then. This time I did, so my camera was running off the inverter, but at least it meant I no longer had to worry about changing the battery regularly.
After going down Fosse locks and Radford bottom lock we parted company with our lock-sharers as we were stopping for lunch. After lunch we set off for Leamington. There are a few supermarkets around this section of canal and we had purposely only brought a day’s worth of supplies with us (there’s enough things to bring without having to bring too many supplies too!). We opted for stopping at Tesco store just before bridge 46. Although we initially intended to go further we ended up deciding to stay here, or more accurately moving to the moorings bollards on the other side of bridge 46 and going off into Leamington Spa.
Below is the video of the day’s journey taken images shot every 2.5 seconds and turning into a 15fps film.