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
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…
Shake, Rattle and Roll
On the Friday before Thanksgiving Break Cal Guy Jnr’s class went on a field trip to the Museum of Making Music in Carlsbad...
Out and About
You can almost get confused out here as to which season it is – is it Thanksgiving? or Christmas? (Photos taken on the...
Home deliveries to 33N, 117W
There’s been a huge expansion in home deliveries in recent years, Tesco and Ocado and the like buzz about delivering to houses...
So that was October...
For the Cleddau crew there always seems to be a breathlessness about October. You see, November follows October and again...
Into winter hibernation
Little did Cleddau or her crew know in early October last year that she was leaving Victoria Pit on the upper level of the...
Do you want … Paradise?
Slowly onward, Hopwas to Tixall Wide, 21¼ miles, 5 locks During the recent crop of warm September days there have...
Battling on
There had been a sharp right at Marston Junction off the Coventry Canal. High winds and poor weather drove Cleddau...
An end to things
Cruising since Braunston Summit has had a sense of finality about it. This (Braunston Tunnel on Saturday morning)...
Grand cruising on the Grand Union
Safely up and away from the River Nene, Cleddau and Tentatrice both had engines serviced at Gayton Marina on Tuesday...
Back to the canals
Cleddau had been climbing steadily since leaving Peterborough on 27th August. Peterborough is judged as 10 feet...
Bridges, boats, trains – and reeds
What are the characteristics of the Nen (as in hen and men, spelt Nene) between Thrapston and Northampton, a...
Never presume…
Along the Nene (rhyming with preen and mean) from Oundle to Thrapston, 8½ miles, 4 locks So what of Oundle then?...
Upstream strategy
Wet, wet, wet it was, when Cleddau and Tentatrice left Peterborough on Sunday morning. What strategy would...