About us and our boat

We, Brian & Jane, live in Worcestershire and finally retired in 2011 after a combined 74 years(!) working in local government.

Having had a few hire-boat holidays and spent 4 years enjoying the canals on a shared ownership narrowboat, we wanted to spend more of our new-found free time boating. After much research, and touring many marinas and brokers, we decided to commission a brand new narrowboat of our own.

Bonjour is a 60ft semi-trad narrowboat built by Nigel Moore (NSM Narrowboats) in Worcestershire using a Colecraft shell built in Warwickshire - we like to support local business!

Bonjour was launched on 30 May 2011.

Sunday, 14 July 2013

Lazing on a Sunny Afternoon

It’s a bit hot.

Saturday saw us setting out “on time” (ie 30 mins late) after a night which Brian spent in the armchair as he’d gone to sleep in it and not woken until 4.30, by which time it wasn’t worth going to bed, so he just carried on sleeping… The upshot of this is he has lost all feeling in his left leg.  Still, he assures me he can still stand and steer, so off we go.

An hour later we’re at Stockton locks, which once again we descend on our own, though we met a few boats coming up so all were in our favour and we beat our previous best time by 10 minutes!

We thought – we’ll do the next 2 locks and stop at the next shady spot – only that turned out to be after another 4 locks.  So at 10 to 2, melting in the heat and desperate for lunch, we eventually stop above Welsh Road Lock, where it is actually sunny, but pleasant enough. (Memo to self – must find out if Welsh Road actually leads to Wales…)

After a temporary panic when we found we were without power (caused by battery isolation switch being inadvertently turned to “off”)  we had our lunch and stayed put for the rest of the day, and night.

Sunday we set off at 7.45 am to beat the heat.  Very pleasant.  It’s another glorious day, the countryside is beautiful.  3 hours later and we get the last mooring at Tesco’s. (Sad isn’t it?)  After stocking up with yet more provisions to add to our already groaning fridge, we carry on to the moorings by The Cape of Good Hope.  At the first of the Cape locks I was assisted in opening the gate by a spaniel! – as I “put my back into it” he leapt up and pushed at the beam with his front paws.

So, another lazy afternoon spent reading the papers, followed by an excellent meal at The Cape.  Very tough, this boating.

The young lady on the boat behind is quite glamorous, but doesn’t say a lot….

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