A float on Miracle - 20ft narrowboat

Nov 15

Dining El fresco.

Upon my arrival to the dock this a.m. the owner of the currently docked boat, who works for Greenpeace, informed me that Duckie was caught supplementing his diet with a rather large crayfish.
She, was mortified. All i could think to do was smile and pat the little dude sitting at my feet. It's a very cat like thing to do. Way to go duckie! Shortly followed by the thought – man, I hope it doesn’t make his farts stink!

What's good for the goose (or duckie) is good for the gander!

Follow this chap's advice and you can't go wrong - only be sure to leave the little sods without food for at least 2 days, to purge their systems!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/georgemonbiot/gallery/2009/sep/30/george-monbiot-crayfish#/?picture=353517508&index=0

Wait....did he catch this crayfish himself? Out of the water? If so, fucking respect.

I work on the Lea Navigation and we got caught putting traps out for the crayfish. No fine was issued but we had to apply for a licence to catch them. The only way we could get it was if we could keep records of everything we caught and we were capable of removing at least 2000 per quarter, or something like that. We never bothered. It should be easier from a boat to get away with it though.

If you need to get more gas Jacqui, let me know and I can collect your empty cylinder and get you a re-filled one near my work as I'm only a couple of miles away.

Looking forward to the day you sail past my office. I'll get the fire hoses out to replicate the big regattas.

^^ sounds like it was caught floundering in the dry dock. Still some clever cat-skillz though.

Wait....did he catch this crayfish himself? Out of the water? If so, fucking respect.

^^ sounds like it was caught floundering in the dry dock. Still some clever cat-skillz though.

Signal Crayfish are rock hard - they travel long distances across land to get to pastures new! This little fella probably scuttled in front of the wrong puddy cat this time.

Looking forward to the day you sail past my office. I'll get the fire hoses out to replicate the big regattas.

If she still has bother with that shower, she might be glad of the hosing down!

I work on the Lea Navigation and we got caught putting traps out for the crayfish. No fine was issued but we had to apply for a licence to catch them. The only way we could get it was if we could keep records of everything we caught and we were capable of removing at least 2000 per quarter, or something like that. We never bothered. It should be easier from a boat to get away with it though.

Duckie's in trouble for fishing without a licence, or has a lot of work ahead of him to fulfil the terms. :)

This thread needs pictures...

true that

Hi Jacqui, my girlfriend and I have been researching narrowboats and canal living for almost a year now whilst getting our finances straight. We are now in a position to buy and have been actively looking and making offers. It's great to hear of your adventures both inspiring and reassuring. Hope to be sailing past sometime very soon.

Can someone lay out how much these things cost, how they're financed etc? Not that I'm thinking of doing it, but I am curious about them. How much are boats? Can you get mortgages/loans? How much is mooring? Is it hard to find a place?

Google
http://www.ourproperty.co.uk/guides/buying_a_houseboat.html

http://www.canalworld.net/

This thread is lovely, will make sure to keep popping back for updates. Good luck jaqui!

Oh and did anyone watch "the boat that guy built" thing on bbc recently. Had quite a bit about doing up a canal boat. It was all a bit too "young lad tries to be dibnah, but fails" though.

That program was great. I thought is was a bit more hands on bloke with a bit of money has a lot of fun.

Aw I loved that program, he seemed like such a chipper chappy, so enthusiastic as long as he had "a brew". The title is misleading though as he didn't build the boat itself, he fitted the insides with industrial revolution technology. It was good though, and mildly educational.

I'll be coming to visit next week, Jacqui... Lemme know what you need*...

• within reason
  

I have a delicious solution to the American Crayfish problem... I'll need some cajuns, buckets of longneck beers, huge outdoor vats of boiling water, and a few other bits and bobs.

Sounds like a party!

I'm a big fan of Guy. You know he's a motorbike racer, the star of a fantastic film about the Isle of Man TT and a lorry mechanic who saved up for an Aston Martin and keeps it in a Lincolnshire shed? Good bloke.

http://www.evo.co.uk/features/features/260077/guy_martin_and_his_aston_martin_v12_vantage.html

He's just a very silly boy.

What you see in his hand there is a 'proper' mug.

Ah ok, have a bit more respect for him now.

Still not as good as this though
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuSW9kOBADo