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
Drop of brandy, anyone?
Have you groped in the back of the cupboard over these last few days for a bottle of something special for that...
Last snippets from California
“Look! England’s flooded!” exclaimed Cal Gal. It was Sunday, the last night of the Cleddau crew’s Thanksgiving trip...
Pelicans, pastimes and a pier...
Oceanside on a holiday weekend is a good place for people watching. The lifeguard huts might not be manned (after...
Whose time is it anyway?
To Heathrow, for a transatlantic flight. How many hours ahead of take off do you need to be there? How much time do you need...
Work party
When you live a three hour drive away from your boat you can become concerned, indeed obsessed, by Jobs That Need...
The Last Ascent
just two days’ cruising lay ahead when Cleddau pulled away from Biddulph Aqueduct on Tuesday morning. To Bosley...
Back to the Macc
Stone (Staffordshire) to Congleton (Cheshire) Stone in Staffordshire is a canal-minded town. The bottom lock (of four)..
Sliding into Staffordshire
From Atherstone to Stone The Coventry Canal tumbles down the 11 locks at Atherstone, weaves its way past open fields...
Know your junctions...
After 89¼ miles northwards from the Thames at Brentford (or so the Norton Junction sign says) the Grand Union main...
Waiting at Weedon
There’s been a hiccup in the Cleddau Final Leg Cruise. Three days out from Milton Keynes the domestic alternator...
The Final Leg: northbound from Milton Keynes
Cleddau had been tied up in Milton Keynes Marina for two weeks, recovering, as it were, from her summer adventures on the...
Twos – and a downward Three
It’s Numbers Time – end of Phase 6 of the Summer Cruise. When Phase 7 starts it will be a solo operation as Cleddau...
Up, up and over the top...
Up the Grand Union – on a mission. 2nd September: “0830 start then.” With so many locks and so many miles (27 of the...