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
Third time lucky…?
It was nearly seven years ago when a very particular cruise saga started. Techno Son-in-Law announced that a birthday present...
Looking on the bright side
Liverpool – upbeat, lively, self-mocking, positive: that’s the impression gained of Liverpool three years ago – it’s...
Destination Liverpool
Only a couple of weeks ago Cheshire Mum and Cheshire One had driven from Macclesfield...
B words: the Bridgewater to THAT bridge…
B words (not swear words, just B-beginning words): Bridgewater, Burscough, bridge, baked beans...
Testing Conditions
Any readers of the previous post who got to the end may (or may not!) be awaiting report...
Southbound, on a north west heading
Home for three nights. Mail checked. Admin attended to. Grass cut. Light weight clothes selected…
High winds on the High Peak
So, after last year’s disruptions (the breach on the canal at Middlewich, the water shortages that closed Bosley locks)...
For the record…
So there Cleddau was, at the bottom of Bosley Locks on a Tuesday morning. A volunteer lock keeper was hovering...
Pottering on…
Onwards along and – up – the Trent and Mersey Canal. The four Meaford locks to the north of Stone are close together...
Swanning about in South Staffordshire
With Cleddau’s winter mooring period at Aston Marina coming to an end the exit had to be planned. First, what to do about the car…
Canals new to the Cleddau crew
Memories of early schooldays are at best patchy, perhaps disjointed. They do not necessarily follow a chronological sequence...
Boats Ancient and Modern
There was a day trip to London – the Cheshire One on half-term break wanted to see Cleopatra’s Needle. So, research done...
Miles and miles and miles
Miles, many miles, have passed under tyre wheels since the last Boatwif report. Back then, breathless and jet-lagged...
Final snapshots
When a good trip draws to an end the head fills with visual memories, each a reminder of more than the picture itself…