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
Round the bend
Are you optimistic by nature – or pessimistic? When the rain is so persistent that even the ducks have...
Locks and cows, cows and locks
This is a favourite stretch of the Trent and Mersey Canal for the Cleddau crew: the industries of Northwich and...
Slowly through Middlewich
Why does the BBC weather site taunt the boater so? Why does it forecast some dark clouds, maybe followed...
Clock check
In the blog titled Anti-clockwise the start point of this Cheshire Ring cruise was described as...
Urban to rural
There was a distinct morning after the night before feel to the city centre this morning. Staff were righting chairs...
The Rochdale NIne
There can be no other title but the above, even though the day was in two quite distinct parts. Part 1...
Operation Ashton
You know what it’s like when you have to get up early, you wake periodically through the night. “It’s quarter...
Clinging to the contour
A short cruise: no locks, but two short tunnels and a safe mooring achieved by lunch time. This stretch of the...
Anti-clockwise
Could there be time for a last cruise in 2012? How many days could be squeezed before Meetings filled up the diary...
Basking in sunshine
The world basked in sunshine today, the world, that is, of the Macclesfield Canal. It is such a joy to travel...
Fairy tales
Still moored at Sutton on the Gurnett Aqueduct “There it is!” Boatwif had searched fruitlessly yesterday for the commemorative plaque
A fine day but forgive the cliché...
Tucked up last night on the aqueduct below Bosley locks all was quiet, the skies dark. There was no urban...
The tale of a bear and a Bible
Many times in recent years the Cleddau crew have crawled or whizzed past Congleton by car – but never...
A trip to Follywood
The great Cheshire Plain, on the western side of Cheshire, is well-known. How different though is eastern Cheshire where...