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
Ever so slightly frustrating
Shortly after breakfast the Captain prepared Lock 33 ahead, untied the ropes and pushed off. Up ahead...
Little acts of defiance
Motto of the day: be prepared for the unexpected… With just about a three hour trip expected today there...
Slothful in Slaithwaite
Top news story this morning was the flooding in parts of Lancashire and West Yorkshire, “five inches...
Deluge day
There had been a moment yesterday when the Cleddau crew contemplated delaying departure from Huddersfield...
Midsummer monsoon
Back to the good ship Cleddau yesterday to ready her for a Thursday morning departure: as the crew peered...
Wild boating into Huddersfield
It was always going to be a long trip, direct from the moorings at Slaithwaite to Aspley Basin in Huddersfield, a distance of 4.77...
The right sort of water in the wrong sort of place...
‘Guess what tomorrow is about? Locks!’ So Boatwif wrote naively last night. If only… this is the tale...
Passage through the Standedge Tunnel
Readers puzzled by the term “Fairlead” yesterday may recognise it now as a cleat, the purpose of which is to keep a rope running...
Chasing trains...
Diggle is the top, so to speak, of the western side of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal. Two hundred...
Trash cans and rushcarts
For the canal enthusiasts here are several other Huddersfield Narrow curiosities to start...
Plastic ducks and the pink fishing net
“What’s missing?” said the Captain just after dawn this morning. “What can’t you hear?” True, the Webasto was busy...
Cleddau on new waters
At 1424 on Saturday afternoon Cleddau cruised into previously unknown territory, a Welsh named boat...
Fact and fantasy
Boaty bits and fairy tales, or when the diesel got polished and how Tattercoats found her prince A long weekend...
Crowded footpaths...
Falklands Friend had dropped by for lunch and a long afternoon’s catch up before heading south on her last weekend. A 20...
A walk up a rare Incline
Cleddau is moored far from home but on Saturday Boatwif and the Captain were craving boats and a breezy walk. Why not Foxton...