All the way from OZ

Paul and Floyd

Yesterday we had a visit from a fellow blogger, but a blogger all the way from Australia, Paul of NB The Manly Ferry.   Ok, Paul hadn't flown all the way from OZ to see little old us; he was here for his Mum's 80th birthday bash, (you can read about that in his blog), and to see family and friends but we were on his list!

We spent a pleasant and easy four hours together talking, boats, and houses and dogs and life, you get the picture.. 

Paul and his wife Elaine, and their dogs, and their cats, are planning to sell their home  in Australia, buy a narrowboat here and join us liveaboards on the Cut.  He travels back to Australia on Saturday, so best wishes, safe journey and we will see you next year on a canal somewhere near by...

And this meeting was all because of blogging, don't you just love it?

A day at the IWA festival

Brewery drays giving a demonstration in the arena

We arrived at Shobnall Fields Burton-upon-Trent (having had a argument with the SATNAV when it couldn't find Burton; until we realised that Burton-UPON-Trent was not Burton-ON-Trent.doh) and were walking into the IWA Festival site just at it opened.   All the usual exhibitors were there, displaying engines, central heating, windows, furniture, brokerage etc. but very few boats.  I only noticed one boat on the show ground though there were a few more along the cut for people to look over.  It was a shame not to see more boatbuilders and their boats but I guess that the cost of exhibiting at the primary narrowboat show, the CRICK SHOW, wipes out the budget for most boatbuilders.

Perhaps the IWA could offer an incentive to boatbuilders so they could afford to get themselves and their show boats to the IWA festival one year.. who knows it might challenge the stranglehold of the Crick event.

Stuart Harper busy speaking to prospective customers

Barnowl Narrowboats, Caxton's builder, had taken a stand and I also saw Mel Davis busy chatting to people.

Riley 1.5 or 2.5 -

My brother Robert is about to buy one of these and I have my name down to drive it!

Doing battle, and keeping the customers satisfied

A one-man-band, Chucklefoot, entertaining the crowds.

We had a lovely day, glorious sunshine and lots going on even it most of it wasn't 'boaty'.  The organisation of the event was top notch, take a bow the IWA organisers and volunteers, everything very clean, very tidy, plenty of essential amenities to hand, well done!

Just a few jobs

Yesterday morning, with the dogs walked and crossword completed we set about a few tasks aboard Caxton.  I washed and waxed the oak flooring, cleaned out the fridge blacked the stove.  That done I showered and sat back with my book while Joe set about finding the cleaner we bought last year to clean the cratch cover. 
However, finding the cleaner involved emptying the hold and that involved me abandoning my reading to help...
Joe then set about giving the cratch cover and tonneau a good brush and then applied the cleaner and hosed it all down, another job done.
After lunch we drove up to see how the new boat,Yarwood, was doing and took a few photo's of the progress, here.

One bad apple....

I received a comment yesterday on my post relating to  the Petty and Malicious behaviour of Ben Harp of Ben Harp Narrowboats Ltd and their appalling treatment of Tom and Jan of Nb. Waiouru.  I have taken the liberty Bob, of publishing your comment here because the likes of Ben Harp can do untold damage to reputations of all boatbuilders and that is simply NOT fair and not justified. 
Read Bob's comment below...

"When we were looking for a boatbuilder at Crick a couple of years ago we went to see Ben Harp as he was "on our radar screen". He couldn't even be bothered to get off his chair to speak to us. And he told us he was moving on to Dutch barges as he'd "done narrowboats" (about 6 of them, if I remember rightly).
Instead, we found ourselves a very nice man called Stuart Harper (Barnowl Narrow Boats) to build our boat. Never had the slightest worry that he would come up with the goods.

But then you know that already.
Regards, Bob".

And thankfully we had found the same 'very nice man', Stuart Harper, who built Caxton.
 
Our experience was pain free.  The boat came in on time and on price and Barnowl Narrowboats were always prepared to go the 'extra mile' to get things right for us. 
There are any number of talented trustworthy boatbuilders out there and they mustn't be tainted by the awful antics of one very bad apple. 

Furthermore, we were so impressed by our first experience of a boat build that Barnowl were the natural choice for boat number two, Nb.Yarwood and that says it all really...

Shobnall Fields day

We are off to Burton-on-Trent this morning to The IWA (Inland Waterways Association) annual show.  Photo's tomorrow.... 

A Nervous Passenger

Time to hang up the car keys?

My Brother David sent this to me and I just had to share it...

Hear the beat...

I heard Hadar's engine as Keith and Jo crossed the basin at Stourport yesterday lunchtime, I was inside Caxton blacking the stove and not in a state to herald their passing.   When I came to take the boys for their afternoon excursion Hadar was moored up near the service point so we stopped have a chat and catch up with each others news.  Floyd was keen for their dog, Paddy, to 'come play' but Paddy was not impressed with this great black dollop bouncing around making himself look silly.

Paddy, Keith and Jo, aboard  Nb Hadar

Playtime in the river

We set off south along the river, where the dogs were able to cool themselves by taking frequent dips and then chasing past me and shaking themselves, lovely...

Signs of a past industry

All through this stretch are signs of a former riverside industry and activity.  Bollards and the remnants of wharves semi hidden amidst the growth on the riverbank.

A heavy duty bollard, scaled against Fletcher

And then a bit more buried 'treasure', a capstan?

Severn and Gloucester Company?  Another bollard half hidden in the undergrowth.

Perhaps a 100 years ago the river scene would have been very different.  The size of the forgotten bollards and the height of the abandoned wharves and landings indicate they would have secured sizable boats.