A float on Miracle - 20ft narrowboat

I've gone off trying to use coal. My burner is a wood only model and after the initial attempts with coal which were only marginally successful I spoke with someone knowlegeable who mentioned that my particular burner may get dammaged if continued coal heat was applied. I love my burner, Jon at Windy Smithy makes beautiful and well designed stoves that are fit for purpose and I don't fancy ruining it.

Apart from the heat issue coal smoke/residue is acidic and when combined with the water vapour generated by combustion it can corrode the inside of your burner and flue unless both are designed for mixed fuels.

Apart from the heat issue coal smoke/residue is acidic and when combined with the water vapour generated by combustion it can corrode the inside of your burner and flue unless both are designed for mixed fuels.

you know I'm going to memorise this ^ so I can impress people.. :)

Hope you're warm and cosy in this cold, Jacqui.

Nicely put Oliver, i hope she is too.

Fair chance i reckon, I was on my boat last night and was warmer than I am tonight in my house!

I love reading this tread and thought I should finally join in.

Gareth n/b Lucy Alice

you know I'm going to memorise this ^ so I can impress people.. :)

I'm the butt of all of the jokes at Union Cycle Works at the moment because I keep coming out with things like that.

With great geekiness comes great derision. You have been warned.

Jan 12 - Dark places and community

10.35pm.
A woman screams.
They must be drunk, I roll over.
Then the scream takes a more desperate tone.

*Help,. Someone help me. Get away! Someone! Helllpp. *

I am struck by how closely the noises she's making are to those I heard when duckie was drowning. Then the realisation:
**This is real. **
My light is on. I'm reaching for my doors.
As I'm wondering what to put on my boat sways and I hear the norwegian's heavy door slam closed.

I wait dazed, in confusion.

People in the canal flats are yelling.

He's in the parking lot!
A man's voice booms across from above.
Peoples lights are on. They're on their balconies.

Police are coming! Another voice, a woman this time..

Is everything ok? A third meeker voice.

I'm at my door but I've missed everything. I just stare out into the blackness and listen.

Its 10.42pm. I call the norwegian.
**I want reassurance. **
I want him to say what I fear, hasn't happened. His phone rings 3 times before he answers.

*Are you on your boat? *
No.gasp. But its ok, go back to bed.
*What happened? *
*A rather violent theft.gasp. *
*Are you ok? *
*Yes, just got to catch my breath. Go to sleep. Its ok. *

I hang up and stand stunned.

I go outside and check the norwegians boat; its unlocked.

I wait.
**I can at least wait. **
It seems a lifetime passes but its only minutes before I see him walking back.
What happened?
I came out and saw only the American had chased the guy.
I thought, what if the American catches him and he's alone?
He could get hurt. Everyone else was just standing there. So I went after the American.
We cornered him.
We got the bag back seems with everything.
It was just a kid, maybe 15.
He was cornered but he had a knife.
He was probably scared to find himself cornered by 2 men.
We let him get away, we're not getting stabbed.
The girl?
She's shook up, but she'll be ok.
There are about 10 boats in the area of the Wick where we are. Most are men. Only the Norwegian and the American went after the attacker.

Tonight it's clear to me who the actual men are.

Wow, glad everyone's OK. But I'm not sure it's fair to criticise people for not giving chase. Is a bag worth being stabbed over?

To be fair Jacqui its not beyond the realms of possibility that other people were slow to wake up or realise what was going on too. Amazing efforts from the Norwegican dream team though.

Wow, glad everyone's OK. But I'm not sure it's fair to criticise people for not giving chase. Is a bag worth being stabbed over?

I disagree, Matt. It's not 'just a bag'. It's about helping someone out, and taking stand.
I've been in a few tricky situations and I've had to make a decision whether or not to get involved, and for me there is only one right choice.
I'm a little ashamed that it was the Norwegian and the American who helped - where was the Londoner, or the Brit? If those two could get there butts out of bed to help someone in distress then I'm sure others could.

If I'm honest, I'm starting to get a bit of a man-crush on the Norwegian...

I'd give him one.

By the sound of the Norwegian, he'd be the one giving.

You better just hold steady and try relax.

Repped.

I totally disagree. If I came around a corner and saw someone in danger, sure, I'd jump in. But if the attacker had run off and the victim was in no imminent danger, no, it's too risky.

I really believe that the general public need to take more of a stand against anti-social behaviour, but this bloke had already shown he was desperate and willing to commit acts of violence. Chasing him into the darkness with no backup is not a smart move.

It's impressive that they got the bag back, but we could easily have been reading headlines about two have-a-go-heroes who were stabbed and bled to death on a canal path for a handbag.

Pfft. No fuckers gonna win a fight with the Norwegian!

Chuck Norris shits it when the Norwegian's in town!

I live in the flats opposite, and my neigbour was the one who started yelling from the balcony opposite.

This has now happened several times in the past 3 years along that stretch of towpath - there are no lights for a several hundred metre stretch. Lots of girls walk home along there from Hackney Wick station back to Fish Island, and many walk alone, late at night.

Apparently, British waterways were given a budget allocation to put lights along there, but decided against it as they did not want to be responsible for maintenance costs.

Will they reconsider if someone gets stabbed?

Glad to hear the Norwegian and our colonial friend were able to assist, but if there was adequate lighting and a better designed route to the station, I think this may not have had a chance to happen.

I'm not sure anyone knows what they'd do in that situation. What got me was that there were people standing about when the American gave chase. They were there and didn't move. The Norwegien made it clear, neither of them were up for being heros or risking getting stabbed. He also was very clear that he didn't go after the attacker so much as go after the American fearing that no one would be there to help if he did get stabbed.

@luci - I will be sure to pass on your admiration. :)

@mobi - i didn't know about the funding. that's shocking. I was in a meeting the next morning with BW as it happens. I mentioned the attack how that area is so isolated and dark and that I was going to write about it. They're disolving BW by the way and my meeting was about ways to engage and bring positivity to the new charity replacing BW. (they were pretty up for my ideas)

Good to hear BW is being done away with.
If you've read anything about the history of the canals, their overriding priority has always been to stop anyone using them for pleasure. There still people restoring their acts of vandalism from 50 years ago.

Perhaps the replacement charity will actually concentrate on making them safer and more enjoyable.

I love reading this tread and thought I should finally join in.

Gareth n/b Lucy Alice

Hi Gareth! where about is Lucy Alice? I've been cycling about the towpath this weekend and meeting lots of interesting and nice people. Would love to make your acquaintence.

Bit surprised to hear about the mugging - I've never seen anything even remotely threatening in the area. I did however see a man with silver trousers and a top hat laying in the gutter once.

It was probably an art piece.

Sorry to hear about the mugging,glad to hear all are unhurt.
I am dubious that lighting would have a positive effect on crime in that area.
Locally,problems seem more common on or near the few lit sections that exist.
Crime or not,it is a navigation not a street.

Good to hear BW is being done away with.
If you've read anything about the history of the canals, their overriding priority has always been to stop anyone using them for pleasure. There still people restoring their acts of vandalism from 50 years ago.

Perhaps the replacement charity will actually concentrate on making them safer and more enjoyable.

God that sound overly optimistic, but fingers crossed nonetheless

wow

Hi Jaqui

We lived on our last boat at Three Mills for 5 years so know the area well and often cruised up to/hung out in Hackney/Walthamstow marshes but are now back in a house and p/t boaters. Lucy Alice is currently in Northampton (near my work)but next summer we will be in Hackney for 3 months for the Olympics - also looking forward to making your acquaintance.

Gareth

Sorry to hear about the mugging,glad to hear all are unhurt.
I am dubious that lighting would have a positive effect on crime in that area.
Locally,problems seem more common on or near the few lit sections that exist.
Crime or not,it is a navigation not a street.

That is very true. Contrary to what people might expect, muggers don't like hanging around in darkness any more than victims do. The problem would be more related to it being a known late-night walking route.