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
Taken by surprise
It was Baby Sis who sowed the seed – “I’m just telling you that I’ve decided to fly up to Inverness as a surprise for the 70th...
A Serious Dose of Hiraeth
Double jabbed. Booster jabbed. How fortunate we are to be living in times when scientists have developed Covid vaccines...
A bit o’ boating
The weather would be good next week, they said, ‘they’ being the BBC Met experts… A plan was formulated: north...
Trouble at t’ locks
”Best be ready for quarter to 8…” the Harecastle Tunnel Keeper had said...
Tunnels – love ‘em or leave ‘em
Cleddau‘s been down the Caldon Canal, (nearly) to the end and back again… The Caldon Canal was opened in 1779...
Round the bends - and a couple of rescues
Predictability – and unpredictability: these are the dual components of an interesting cruise...
Let’s go! Let it go! Letting go…
For many boaters this year’s season has been determined by the level of restriction – both coronavirus restrictions...
When the journey’s nearly over
If it weren’t for other matters this final post might be titled: The Tale of Three Bosleys . By mid-afternoon...
Incidents and Breakages
Breakages seem to have been a recurring theme in recent days. Remember that bit in Tales of the Unexpected about the aborted...
Completing…
It was a wet Saturday in Northwich. Mooring at Northwich can be incredibly easy (as on Tuesday morning, 10th August)...
Tail End Charlie...
Would it be right or left on the river at the bottom of the Anderton Lift? The owners of Ruby Ann, the little boat...
Time to go
A three night mooring at the Bridgewater Marina at Boothstown (on the Leigh Branch of the Bridgewater Canal)...
A new garden from an old...
Something had been going on at Worsley when Cleddau passed in 2019 en route to and from Liverpool – but what?...
Tales of the Unexpected
Before leaving the teeming hordes of boats and people in Middlewich on Sunday there...
Back to boating…
Home moorings to Middlewich: 37 miles, 48 locks Cleddau is heading south (down the Macc), then north (down the Trent...