Lower Heyford to Thrupp I
I have however managed to download some pictures from my camera from the great move of NB Bones from Lower Heyford to Thrupp on saturday.
I was very lucky this time because Grahoom and Matlida came along as crew. Grahoom is going to get his own boat if the survey goes well, and needed to get some hands on experience, and as Maffi and I were moving we decided it would be great if they took one of the boats themselves - nothing like a baptism of fire to enhance ones boating skills! Maffi took Grahoom to start with, and I took Matilda. I have only ever taught two other people to drive my boat. One, lock boy, took to it instantly, and the other, Weeping Cross, is still learning 2 years later (but suddenly seems to have got the hang of it!). With this 'extreme' experience I was not sure how well Matilda would grasp my instructions; there is a lot of information to take on in one go.
I was not at all worried about Matilda taking charge of the great ship and I think I managed to drum it in that her life and health was more important than the boat, and as long as she found it funny when she sank it we would get along just fine. Matilda was a fantastic pupil and I spent most of the time gushing with pride as she moored up and took it into the lock - the paintwork remained unscratched and she seemed to be having a good time.
After 2 locks it was time for her and Grahoom to take my boat onwards and eventually we lost sight of them. After sometime we made it through Enslow and saw them moored up just before Bakers Lock - it was lovely to see they had managed to navigate through the chaos of Lower Heyford, were still talking to eachother and hadn't abandoned ship!
Grahoom and Matilda are excellent company, not only are they both faciniating individuals but they came armed with a picnic including smoked pigeon!
Here are some pictures from my phone. I have some more on the camera which I will download in time.
Grahoom loooming up on Milly M:
Maffi Locking Matilda through on Bones:
Matilda leaving the lock:
Maffi and Grahoom looming up:
I was very lucky this time because Grahoom and Matlida came along as crew. Grahoom is going to get his own boat if the survey goes well, and needed to get some hands on experience, and as Maffi and I were moving we decided it would be great if they took one of the boats themselves - nothing like a baptism of fire to enhance ones boating skills! Maffi took Grahoom to start with, and I took Matilda. I have only ever taught two other people to drive my boat. One, lock boy, took to it instantly, and the other, Weeping Cross, is still learning 2 years later (but suddenly seems to have got the hang of it!). With this 'extreme' experience I was not sure how well Matilda would grasp my instructions; there is a lot of information to take on in one go.
I was not at all worried about Matilda taking charge of the great ship and I think I managed to drum it in that her life and health was more important than the boat, and as long as she found it funny when she sank it we would get along just fine. Matilda was a fantastic pupil and I spent most of the time gushing with pride as she moored up and took it into the lock - the paintwork remained unscratched and she seemed to be having a good time.
After 2 locks it was time for her and Grahoom to take my boat onwards and eventually we lost sight of them. After sometime we made it through Enslow and saw them moored up just before Bakers Lock - it was lovely to see they had managed to navigate through the chaos of Lower Heyford, were still talking to eachother and hadn't abandoned ship!
Grahoom and Matilda are excellent company, not only are they both faciniating individuals but they came armed with a picnic including smoked pigeon!
Here are some pictures from my phone. I have some more on the camera which I will download in time.
Grahoom loooming up on Milly M:
Maffi Locking Matilda through on Bones:
Matilda leaving the lock:
Maffi and Grahoom looming up:
posted by MortimerBones at
5:36 PM
3 Comments:
How about my lesson? It went like this:
"Hold on to this; steer the boat. I've got to go down below, I think the engine is about to explode."
This scanty tutorial was followed by the now notorious incident in which I was felt up by the Environment Agency poet. It's a wonder I have ever deigned to darken the doors of nb Bones since then...
ah yes.... Hmmm... Of course... hmmm.......
I think you were a complete triumph and a total natural!
ah - bones you and maffi were great teachers! helped me loads!
luckily you missed taking any pictures of when the hire boat decided not to move and plough straight into us!
thanks again for the wonderful trip!!
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