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**Cold and Warm Blankets **
Its Nov 8.
It’s starting to get cold.
Last night I brought a second blanket to the boat, probably just on time as well. Last night I was toasty. The six quid I spent last summer on the big 60’s bright yellow woollen blanket was money well spent.
If I needed any, last night was confirmation of that.I’m still waiting on my engine parts and my battery, and my stove. What I had naively thought would be a week has now been three. It’s a bit annoying that everything is taking so long. My engine parts are coming from the Netherlands, the stove from Devon, my battery from the German manufacturer. The only thing that showed up on time was my Solar units from Cambridge. It was less than 48hrs from order to arrival and for that small feat of logistic heaven, *I will always buy from Midsummer Energy. *
I’ve now deduced that my portipotti has a dial that tells you when its full. Simple. I’d not noticed before. It is really close. Unfortunately, until I have an engine I’m not going to be able to remedy that. There is a service that comes around however, and they may be my saviour this time round. I have their number now thanks to Leonard and I will be calling them to see when they pass buy Enfield next. (fingers crossed that will be today or tomorrow). Until they do I’m stuck going to the dock yard and using theirs, which is going to be difficult first thing in the am.
The dock yard toilet is, err, functional. In my first week here I was revolted by it and the years of workman’s grime that coated everything in a rusty brown layer. Now, that bathroom is white. I didn’t say anything when I cleaned it. They didn’t say anything when I came out and it was white.
Today is the day** Leonard is moving** on. He’s going to Stonebridge, about 6 miles further down the river. This saddens me, he’s been a really good person to know and so very helpful pointing me in the right direction at every turn over the past three weeks. It’s selfish of me to want him to stay, but I do.
Just before Leonard left he paid me a visit. He brought me a gift,** 6 big ash logs** for me to split and use in my wood burner – when it arrives. I watched him move off down the river.
I will miss his company.
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Cheap decathalon folder is ok, not amazing but then its now under a tonne!
Other cheap option is am old raliegh or bsa folder etc, could prob get an ok example for under 50 which us technically a better bike (and lighter) for about 50 to 75 quidi guess.
For storage put it on bank side walkway and lock to something solid (roof drain holes are good, or you could get a dedicated lock loop welded on at the workshop, you can use off the shelf crane/leggingfixings and about 30min to prep and weldOr I still have an Airnimal for sale (pending Clefty having a look at it). It's got it's sea legs after living with me on my boat... :-)
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Green means Go.
17.01hrs.
I am standing above the beige and brown rectangular piece of moulded plastic that is my loo. Half way down and just below its fashionable brown horizontal stripe in the left most corner the tiny window is bobbing green. Green means the tank is empty. It means I can use my toilet for another two weeks. I have accomplished what can only be described as a very humbling and frustrating exercise.
Today when I mentioned needing to call the portapotti people to come empty my loo Alan said i could just empty it into their septic. Great! Was my response, despite my fears of what lay in store i am aware that the a.m visit to the dock was going to cause [ahem], issues.
It wouldn’t be bad if they were open at 7a.m. when i get up; but their not. 9am is usually about the time the dock wakes and the doors get unlocked, erm, most days that is. Today they opened around 10.30am.
There is no option, I am going to have to sort it myself.
I have no idea how a porta potti works.
The previous owner showed me in about 10 seconds how to unhinge the two compartments in one of those briefest of moments when I was frantically trying to absorb all that there was to know about my new boat in half a day. I was always going to forget something, I knew it. The porta potti lesson didn’t stick.I know it comes apart. I stare at it. There’s the level pull that flushes, the hand pump that puts water in the bowl. Neither are what I am looking for.
Then I remember the manuals in the drawer. At the very bottom of the pile there is a 1970s looking booklet with a picture of my Thedford Porta Potti on it. I flip though the pages, German, French, Dutch. They all have diagrams. Where is the English? After a frustrating five minutes realising that my French isn’t good enough to work off, I start thumbing through again.
English “How to prepare your Porta Potti for use” Instructions 1- 12 but they seem to be for a brand new one, no mention if you can put it on its *“front face” *when its got two weeks of fermenting 1’s and 2’s in it. What if you can’t? What if I put it on its face and it leaks everywhere and I’m now standing ankle deep of chemicals and poo? Visions flood my head and I hesitate.
**I’ll do it outside. **
I lift the loo. Its heavier than I’d thought it would be and I immediately put it down again. It’s sloshing about and my face screws up just at the thought of what may be inside waiting to cover me if i trip. God please don’t let me drop this. I AM that unlucky. I will drop it if I try and everything will be covered.
The boat will be ruined and I’ll have to sleep in it. My stomach lurches. Breathe.
I’m not getting this out of the boat in one piece. I look at the manual again.
1. With the toilet on its front face, operate the quick release hatch with your thumb.
What’s the worst that could happen? I pause, the vision of being 3 inches deep returns.
Right.
I’ll do it in the shower tray. Brilliant.
Now, where is this quick release?Finally I find it, and the two pieces come apart easily. They both are full. I take the bottom out and get it onto my back deck. Now i have to cross two boats, the floating pontoon and climb up to the dock with 10kgs of sloshing shit in a box.
I cross the first boat. I hear clapping. Confused I look around to see 4 men leaning over a railing on the other side of the river. They’ve stopped talking to the boat owner moored near them and are watching me. Well at least if I fall in with the box of shit someone will know. I smirk.
Eventually I get myself and the box over to the dock. I don’t put it down but walk straight through and around as Alan had said. I don’t see where I am supposed to go. Do you see it? He calls. NO.
He comes out and walks along the building wall to a patch of weeds.* Here. The orange cap, I’ve turned on the water for you. *
*Thank you Alan. *I get ready to pour.
The moment i move the spout it comes roaring out and I nearly miss the pipe and get it in my face. I wasn’t expecting that. It slows a bit and i again tip the spout. It gushes again but this time I’m ready for it. I’m mesmerised and disgusted at the same time. The chemicals smell vile. The liquid coming out looks vile. I want this to be over but it seems to take forever.
I slip several times on the way back, the yard is overgrown maze of off bits and pipes from generations of yard use. My feet slide off hidden scaffold bars and ito mud, but I don’t drop the plastic box.
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Jacqui, when you get a chance please go to BBC iplayer and search for "The Golden Age of Canals" I'm watching it now and it is brilliant and you'll love it.
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It's just finished showing on BBC4 so should go on iplayer in the next 30mins. It was a very nicely compiled documentary. An eye opener as to considering the canal network has been pretty usable throughout my life but a decade or two earlier in the 50s, 60s and 70s it was for the most part unusable, filled in and in disrepair.
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Great thread, loving reading it.
I once managed to break the tiller on a 70' hire boat on a stag weekend. Calling for the waterways version of the RAC was not a highlight of the weekend.
I would however recommend The Water Road by Paul Gogarty as a great book about the joys and pitfalls of novice canal boating.
Springfield is nice, I used to have an allotment there...As someone else up there^ said: more power to your tiller.
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^^ It's a good look
goodhead
clefty
Aroogah
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BrickMan
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Sparky
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A float on Miracle - 20ft narrowboat
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@Jacqui
^ interesting in deed.