Isolation Tube

We have been getting some chores done over the past 6 days while in our steel isolation tube. Spring cleaning inside and out, brightening the brass bits and getting all those jobs done that are usually left on the back burner while out cruising.  I'd like to get some painting done but it's not quite the weather for that yet. We have had some glorious sunny days but frosts at night.

C&RT have advised only essential travel by boat is allowed, so we may be in the marina for longer than we intended. Some boats on the canal are moving out of necessity, to fill freshwater tanks, use the dumpable facilities and get fuel.

Boris has been slowly ramping up restrictions, but he doesn't appear to be getting through to the general public. In times of crisis, we need a statesman for a leader, big fibber Boris in his ill-fitting shirt, unkempt hair and bumbling manner just don't cut it.

People ignored the PM and flocked to Snowdonia.

Standing on the rostrum next to the intelligent Rishi Sunak and smooth Matt Hancock, Borris would be the last pick for guessing which one was PM.

NHS is battling at the sharp end of this emergency, our wonderful nurses are in there daily tending to the worst of the virus until they too succumb. It's about time they were paid there worth. How a part privatised disjointed health service would cope we can only imagine, with BJ and his backers at the helm I think we will find out in the future.

The irrational fear that caused panic buying is hopefully slowly subsiding, the delivery services of all the major supermarkets are creaking, it's very difficult to get a delivery slot, It took 4 days of trying to get a slot for Sues mum.

Here in the marina, we all remain healthy, the gates have been padlocked to prevent casual callers, the marinas extensive grounds are popular for dog walkers. The usual boater gatherings at the end of pontoons with chair and bottle are not happening, social spacing is being observed.

Stay safe - stay at home.

Right, I'm off for another game of ludo.

Big boat home.

Eight o'clock in the evening it seemed the whole of Bilbao were out on their balconies clapping their appreciation of the emergency services, Sue joined in from behind our hotel rooms locked window.

We got a late checkout and left the hotel room at 15:00 for the twenty-minute drive to the port for the 17:15 sailing.

Our boat, the Connemara, is BF no-frills economy service, I was impressed at how they handled embarcation so social distances were maintained, meal times would also be segregated but once in our cabin (all ensuite) we didn't leave it.

We were second to last off the boat and it took an hour to get through border control, which got us to Dunchurch hotel in Rugby gone midnight.

Any other guests must of been self-isolating.

Lonely breakfast.

In the morning I dropped Sue off at the supermarket while I went and jet washed salt of car, it had been on the open rear deck during the crossing. Sue got everything we needed but there were empty shelves where the pasta and rice should have been 😠

Welcomed back to the marina by staff and friends, sensible precautions are in place here to try to protect staff and moorers. The marina's bar and restaurant are closed in line with government orders, they are opting to do a takeaway service, last night we partook of the fish and chips for a fiver. Our daughter has ordered us a takeaway Mothers day meal for Sunday too.

So here we are back on the boat coals are lit, and we will self isolate here as much as is possible for the next two weeks.

Stay safe peeps.

Don't Panic

Since I wished you a merry Christmas we have been on our annual winter pilgrimage to the sun drenched Med.

Balcony breakfast

It was cut short somewhat as the authorities placed us all under house arrest so we could stay virus free, we were allowed to go bog roll hunting in the local supermarket and shopping for other essentials. To make sure we stayed in they have closed all gathering places - the beach, paseo, bars and restaurants, oddly hairdressers could remain open. The gestapo were patrolling the streets in loudspeaker vehicles hailing the balcony brigade to stay put or face the consequences.

Pre shutdown get together

In the Spanish supermarkets the first items to be bulk bought by scaredy cats were pasta and rice, the same happened in Britain. Why?! If I fancied going on a panic buying trip myself I'd head straight to the pie aisle, pork pies, cornish pasties, and Fray Bentos tinned pies, then on to raid the freezer aisle for fish and chips and Aunt Bessies Yorkshire Puds.

Hopefully all the selfish panic buyers will take excess stuff to the food banks after they realise food production/distribution isn't going to stop because of coronavirus. What happened to the British stiff upper lip.

As a result of the emergency measures we decided to bring our departure date forward to 'Paddy's Day'.  Listening to the panicked voices of Sky News presenters we heard of travel permits having to be sourced, borders closed, police blockades and the military turning folk back around at Madrid. We did the whole journey to Bilbao via Madrid in 9 hours and only saw couple of police officers, going about their usual duties. There were signs on all motorways saying only justified journeys allowed.

We stayed a night at the Ibis, no food outlets are open during the emergency, the kitchen made us a carbonara, pizza and a salad which we had to collect and take back to our room with a couple of bottles of San Miguel.

Brittany Ferries have just announced that they are stopping sailings between Spain and UK from the 20/3 till the 12/4, so lucky we moved when we did. BF have told us all outlets onboard will be shut, bring your own food and drink, we will self isolate in our cabin the whole 26 hour trip.

Breakfast get together

Girls just like to have fun.

A more serious pose bar the bunny ears.

Don't panic Russel.

On a serious note we planned to drop in on Betty my outlaw on the way home but have decided best not to, she is very relieved. Which brings home to me just how scary this situation is for the elderly.
She received a Tesco delivery today and a few essentials were out of stock!

Stay safe.

Happy New Year

Since my last post FL has been secured to her pontoon in the marina and wont be going on any outings until April.

Seen in Stone.

We went home for a few days over Christmas, we were well looked after by our daughter.

It was nice to be waited on by our hosts who prepared a feast for us all on Christmas day. During our stay we also had meals out at the Mona Lisa and the Forge.  We also took in the latest Star Wars movie at the Palace cinema.

Night out in Laxey.

I visited the Manx Motor Museum among the exhibits were three types of car I have owned in the past, which really made me feel old.

Humber Super Snipe

Ford Zodiac

Jaguar XJ

If I had kept all the vehicles I have ever owned (33) I could have my very own motor museum scrapyard.


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Back to a cold boat to see in the new year with hot chocolate and hot water bottles. 

It soon warmed up once the stove was lit.

Last week we took the Cap Finistere form Portsmouth to Bilbao, a nine hour drive got us to Mojacar.

Happy New Year to you all.

Taiko

Enthused by seeing the Taiko drumming at the start of each Rugby World Cup game Sue searched online for any touring ensembles, low and behold a group were playing at the Stafford Gatehouse Theatre.

Photography was not allowed during the performance, this photo is borrowed from the WWW.





We had an excellent time at the Mugenkyo Taiko Drummers Concert, the pulsating beat of the music from the energetic baton-wielding performers sent vibrations into every atom in the room. It sorted out my tinnitus too.

Great Haywood.

There's more water around the Trent and Mersey canal than in it at the moment, making the towpaths mucky but gloriously squelchy for anyone with a pair of wellies. 

This time of year continuous cruisers have to keep an eye on C&RT planned maintenance lock closures. We are at Great Haywood, the T&M has been barred at Haywood lock since the 4th November for gate cill and balance beam repairs, the 22nd being scheduled completion date

A lot of equipment has to be brought in to do the repairs including pumps, scaffolding and fencing using five vessels in this case. C&RT have a lot of knockers, I have never been one of them, in my view, they have a un-enviable task of keeping the canal system open while trying to generate the means to do so through boat licence fees and charitable donations. They do receive some government funding, this is due to be phased out over the next five years, C&RT is expected to be self-sufficient by then.. we'll have to wait and see. 

Support vessels at Haywood lock (west end)

East end

The River Trent runs cheek by jowl with the canal here.

Essex packhorse bridge dates from 16C.

Swollen river Trent

How many boots.

I watched the Barbarians V Fiji game in the Hogarth in Stafford with my pal Gordon, £1.90 for a pint of Courage Best. This particular beer reminds me of my teenage years of convincing barmaids I was old enough to drink one.

Loads of water.

The MCCC (Mojacar canal cruising club) arranged a visit to Elan Valley, a comfortable cottage was booked in Llandrindod for a couple of nights which just happened to be attached to the pub next door. 

Visitor centre.

Martin with Bev and Sue at Llandrindod Wells lake.

Some of MCCC enjoying a drink.

Modification to FL's bum.

During our summer cruise, I noticed that there was vibration in drive at just above idle speed. I suspected the engine mounts were worn, I also noticed there was a bit of play in the cutlass bearing when I tugged on the prop through the weed hatch.

I had already had conversations last year with Peter at Canal Cruising in Stone, (my go-to outfit for engineering work) about changing the water-lubricated stern tube for a conventional grease-lubricated stuffing box.

It is a big job but one they have experience of doing, I have confidence in their workmanship so scheduled the work for last week.

Cutting out of the old cutlass bearing housing is required to fit the larger diameter shaft and bearing.

How it was, the Vetus shaft is 30mms diameter. The new shaft will be 1.5inches (38.1 mms) 

The hospital silencer and fuel filter were removed for access. The metal step was also cut off.

Propshaft and Vetus gland removed exposing the bearing housing.

Charlie cutting a hole in FL

Cutlass bearing cut out. 

Best not fill the dock yet. 

New stuffing box installed, using an alignment shaft.

Thrust plate welded in position and Python drive installed. I'll need to get in there and repaint the bilge.

The Python drive plate takes all the thrust from the prop this frees the engine mounts to just dampen engine vibes.

New propeller 

Filling the dock

One coat of Bilge paint.

All four engine mounts were replaced with HI-Hush items, a leaking flexible exhaust pipe was also renewed.