Boatbird

So we leave Roydon, the Stort and join the Lea, which eventually flows into the Thames at Limehouse, with its proper size locks that will take two narrows side by side and, more importantly, allow single gate entry/exit. This is of course the norm, just strange lock sizes that don’t allow this on the Stort for some reason.

This makes John a happy bunny as means less running around for him, though I have been good and helped a bit by pushing closed the odd gate here and there.  We have had a superb run of set locks though, just about making up for all those times we haven’t, which is most of the time now I come to think about it.

This end of the river is pretty, yet still wide and deep, unlike further down where it becomes ultra straight, flanked by pylons and all the signs of its previous industrial life. That said, we like that part too but for completely different reasons, not least the Anchor and Hope. What a great name for a pub. We moored there briefly one beer o’clock, the year we did the Thames – you have to scale the railings to get in from the river.

But we’re not going that far today – just to Frogspawn. I lived here before for a day or several (also 2011 en route to the Thames) a good spot close to a pub that has, most importantly, a decent car park to moor the car.

And here we are..Its a busy spot for the leisure boater, with a boatyard just up on the bend that hires out electric boats, rowing boats and also operates the big trip boats. The towpath is well-used too, walkers, cyclists – even a unicyclist carrying a lock handle (failed to get the picture – boo hiss). People-watching heaven.

All this bothers me not – lots to laugh look at and once all the boats are safely back in, it goes really quiet. Like someone hit the mute button. No jets, no road and even the inevitable train line makes a pleasing sound – more like the old clackety-clack and not the high-speed whine that is usual nowadays.

There’s woods beside the towpath; great for a ramble. I wonder where this path goes…Why the pub car park! That’s handy, comes out right by the boat or the car, depending which way you are going, and lets me sneak to and from the car without being seen from the pub cuts the corner off nicely.

Across the way lives the whomping willow..The view from the kitchen window I like..See the bee right inside the flower?

And the sunsets aren’t bad either..Next day, left to my own devices as John is on the Combine, I take a stroll along the towpath. Amazing what you find there..There’s plenty of these about..But a special treat..Mr. Kingfisher, who obligingly posed for me and was in no rush to push off either so I got a good long look.

This hooned passed Hobo later on..Disco Betty, how very Essex. Although in Hertfordshire here, the border is close and they do stray across sometimes.

John popped down one evening and we went for a bit of a chug, by way of a battery charge. Took loads of snaps but mostly turned out rubbish. This is when we saw the unicyclist – failed to get it. Little dog in basket of bike speeding along the towpath with such a look on its face – also a fail. That leaves me with these then.

Towing activity..And a good brood..Another day, another set of rules for the weather. Chucked it down pretty much all day. Stair rods, cats and dogs – we had the works.

Whichever window I tried..the story was..exactly the same..But rain never stops play on the river and there’s always those utter nutters game for a soaking.

I didn’t like to point my camera at them though, seemed rude, so just smiled sweetly and waved queen-like from Hobo’s dry inner sanctum.

On our recent trip to Bishop’s Stortford John spotted a great little mooring, bollards and all, where we stopped for a cuppa. It’s just above the lock where Pig Lane crosses the river at Twyford Lock on the outskirts of BS; free of limits, noise, on a lovely stretch of the Stort, seemingly in the middle of nowhere. The mooring is completely enclosed by railings.. and even has its own gate..

Turns out it was the old lock landing, now superseded by a smart new bigger and better one..

And the real bonus, there is a huge (mostly empty) car park within spitting distance, so a stay here for me would work having somewhere close/secure to leave the car – for those times I have, reluctantly, to leave the river and brave the roads.

Decision made. Two stays of a week coming up – one in the middle of July and the other late July/early August.

A good place to work on the boat and work I did..
Not sure how well you can see the before (to the left) and after (to the right) in this shot but in this one it’s clear..
Nothing like some compound and good old elbow grease to bring the shine back to the paintwork. I know, still horrid primer spots but no green paint as yet. (Good news is I have obtained some since).

As much as I love my permanent mooring near Sawbo, it’s a treat to get off it. Having shot myself in the foot, cruising-wise, by getting a job locally, it means I can’t go cc’ing which is what I’d really like to do. One day, when I get that book written….

Don’t get me wrong, I like my little job and for now and am reasonably content to do some little cruises and weeks away around here. As I’ve no doubt said before, you don’t have to go far to feel miles away. So, until we find another way to keep BB moving and working and overcome the logistics of moving the car along (not to mention the cost of travelling), we shall continue to work on it.

The getting there and back was as enjoyable as ever with John, typically, employing some child labour..and some first class foraging..They love him really..We liked this..And this..And I was puzzled by these chaps..I was thinking radio-active but John assured me it was a routine thing – stunning the fish and counting them…?

Hobo likes Pig Lane.