Boatwif
The occasional adventures of the Cleddau crew
About Us
We are ‘The Captain’ and ‘Boatwif’, owners of nb Cleddau.
Cleddau was a five year old youngster when we took her on in 1994. She was built for cruising on the River Trent. Over time Cleddau has had internal and external adjustments but she retains her original hull, propeller, anchor and portholes.
When asked (frequently) “What does Cleddau mean?” our response is usually “In Welsh it means swords but Cleddau is the name of the river that flows into the Milford Haven deep water estuary in Pembrokeshire…”
We both grew up in Pembrokeshire; for some years we have kept a record of what we call ‘Monkton Moments’, those exchanges with boaters and non-boaters who recognise our Pembrokeshire connections.
This blog below is a record of our mainly boating adventures.
RECENT KEN & SUE LOCATION
A bit of splash ...
An 0752 start – so as to reach the bottom of Bosley Locks, to be ahead of any queues, to liaise with some...
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
“I’d like to go to America again,” pronounced the Cheshire One while travelling together in the back of Ketchup...
Puddles, Paddles - and Persistence
In the dark hours last night my mind turned to the need to prepare a Friday Blog. What would I call it? Back on the Cut?...
Blustery breezes - and gentle observations
Somehow we’d been expecting rain; there’d been rain overnight but today has been a day of high “blust”...
World wide communication
Last night a Skype call: California calling. “Where are you?” asks the son. “Audlem Locks – but really Haydn Locks,”...
From Perches to Purchases
The Captain had walked into Market Drayton to buy milk and a paper this morning; he came back with the same impression as mine yesterday...
Celebration - and occasional consternation
If you had wondered whether the Captain and the Boatwif fled the celebratory meal early last night – or stayed...
Salutes and Salutations
As a birthday treat (!) the alarm was delayed until 8 am, then tea and birthday cards presented to this...
Sunhats in September
Yesterday one of our additional crew, the Recent Bride, had asked about the purpose of the low wooden structures with roofs on...
Boat Carries Extra Lock Keepers
Had things gone according to plan today’s title may have been something like Pirates Board Boat At Dawn or Intruders...
Dog Days of Summer
I never quite understood that line in a poem “the last dog days of summer”, but I took it to indicate lolling about...
Good sport at Fradley Junction
There were musings yesterday on the forms of greeting on and near canals. There have been some more...
"You alright then?"
Greetings from one back deck to another is common on the canals. The Captain here tends to address a brisk “Good...
Coventry, its cathedrals and canal
I woke in the night – because it wasn’t raining any more! Nor has it since – and it is easier to see and to think...