Trip Planning (Sep 11)

Been thinking about next weeks trip and what was going to be straight forward has turned into a bit of a logistics nightmare. Initially the week was clear and we were going to cruise from Alvechurch, down to the new Droitwich ring and back.

Then my wife, Josie, had to go into work for three days, fortunately only for half a day each time and it is in the centre of Birmingham, but it was the Monday, Wednesday and the Friday. That was the first change, instead of heading for Droitwich we are now going to go in the opposite direction towards Birmingham and cruise around the BCN. On the positive side however it did mean that we would not be going down and then back up the Tardebigge flight of locks.
We have also invited a couple of friends to join us. Originally they were going to join on the Tuesday stay with us for the turnround point on the Wednesday and leave on the Thursday, when we got back to their car. Unfortunately they now can’t join us until the Friday. On Friday we will be in the middle of Birmingham, so no where to park their car for three days. Revise the plan again so that they are able to join us at a place safe to park their car.
It will be interesting to see if the plan works out, probably not, but that is the point of narrow boats – go with the flow, but not too fast.

WELCOME (Sep 11)

To the worlds gazillonth blog. According to something I’ve read on the web (so it must be right) , most blogs only last for one post and only a very small percentage last longer than a couple of months. I’m hoping to fall into the latter category, but only time will tell. The purpose of this blog is to record our trips and the pubs we visit on the narrow boat we have bought a share in. After waiting more than six months since we paid our deposit the NB Eos was launched in September and our first trip is in October – hence the timing of this blog.
Our first experience of narrow boating was 2 years ago (September 2009). After that first trip (a mid week break with friends on the Ashby Canal) we were hooked so much so that within a week of arriving home we had booked a two week holiday for the following June.

Ashby Canal

The two weeks in June (round the Stourport Ring, down to Lapworth and return via Birmingham) were followed the following March with another midweek break with friends (Market Harbrough & Foxton Locks). After this trip we were already beginning to think about future holidays, the Falkirk Wheel, the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct were just two trips we were already planning in our minds.

Tardebigge Locks - Stourport Ring

At this point we also started to think, like most people who get the canal bug, about owning our own boat. Unfortunately a small thing called work put paid to that (the ultimate catch 22 – you need to work to pay for the boat, whilst working you can’t use the boat, if you stop work to use the boat you don’t have the money to pay for the boat).

Foxton Locks

Whilst idly looking at boats we couldn’t afford we came across the concept of shared ownership. It didn’t take long to decide. The only real decision was whether to buy into an existing syndicate or to purchase a share in a new boat. After a look at some boats with shares currently available and a couple of boats that were being built, we decided to purchase a share in a new boat. The only drawback was that the boat would not be available until September 2011 and depending on our luck in the draw, for holiday weeks, we may not ‘get aboard’ until the end of the year.We decided to have one more ‘hire boat’ holiday. We combined it with a days training for the RYA Helmsman Certificate. The trip was along the Trent & Mersey in Cheshire so of course we had to visit the River Weaver via the Anderton Lift.

Top of Anderton Boat Lift

Anderton Lift - from the River Weaver

Our first trip on Eos is next week, I shall try to send updates from my mobile phone (new to this blogging lark so not quite sure how that will work), will update with fuller details when I get back home.

NB Eos, being lifted into the water in May (2011)

NB Eos Launch Day 4th September 2011

phone post

First post from my phone.With a picture