Another wildlife day!

What a day for wildlife, deer, a Tern, cygnets, goslings and then mink catching a huge fish! Never a dull moment on this canal.

People never cease to amaze, in a good way

We have just had Andy Reid and his wife stay with us for a few days. Andy Reid has served for 13 years with 3rd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment. He is in rehabilitation after the severe injuries he received by an IED while serving in Afghanistan In October 2009. As a result of the explosion he lost both legs and his right arm.

Andy has the most positive outlook on life of anyone we have ever met. The way he lives his life to the full is inspirational, and his lovely wife Claire shares the same “lets do it” attitude. When you meet people with this kind of outlook it makes you realise just how negative we can be over such minor things.

Andy does inspirational talks to companies and  if I was still in the corporate world I would have him talk tomorrow. Please see his site http://www.andyreid.org and support ABF The Soldiers Charity http://www.soldierscharity.org/.

River and Water

Well plenty of water around up here. Our reservoirs are at 87.8% which is good for the time of year and in the last few days the river has been up in flood but is drifting back down. Lets hope the water situation improves for the southern network.

We saw a Kingfisher the other day, quite remarkable as it just sat in a tree within 10 feet of us, really lovely.

Ducklings and Goslings

The ducklings and gosling’s are starting to appear, though not as many in past years it would seem. The bluebells are starting to twitch to life in the woods with a faint blue glow spreading in the undergrowth. It all makes me feel quite poetic!

Mixed weather and plenty of rain at night so the reservoirs should be holding up ok. Whatever the weather its always lovely changing views up here in Yorkshire and Lancashire.

Another Day

Another day cruising and saw a Stork! Not what you expect in Yorkshire but today was a day for firsts with a tufted Duck and then incredibly a Stork, looked really big and we were all impressed with it.

Wow! What a week

We thought The Dales show was fabulous. Clearly so did a lot of other people as it brought our website to it’s knees. Apologise to all who had trouble getting to the information. We had around 5000 hits within a couple of hours. It has been a great week with many bookings for this year and next and a lot of enquiries.

We hope that there has been some knock on effect to hire fleets on the glorious Leeds Liverpool and for other hotel boats.

Sorting things out

Not long to the season start, heavily booked which is great, though not yet full. Finishing out all those little jobs and waiting for the weather to clear up so we can get some outside painting done. Never seems to end, but I think the list is getting shorter!

ITV-1 The Dales with Adrian Edmodnson

Lady Teal, Lady, Gina and I will be featured on The Dales on 26 March at 8pm! Scary thing is we have not yet seen it so it will be interesting how it is put together. Though we had the Premier of the series in Skipton this week, red carpet and champagne, really was a premier, and saw the first two episodes, it looked great so please do watch, only Eastenders on the other side anyway!

Let us know what you think of it when you see it.

Bingley 5 Rise

Had a wonderful day down at the Bingley 5 Rise today. They are replacing a number of gates so have it all drained down, an amazing sight. They have open days on the 28th and 29th of January, well worth going along. this link will take you to a Yorkshire Post video on it Bingley 5. There is also a good piece on the ITV site Bingley 5.

A few photos

Here are a couple of photos of our wedding, thank you so much to everyone who thought of us.

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We are married

This is our first day as a married couple! The weather was really kind us and we were married outside in the gazebo, which was so great. Minstrel Court treated us listening to what we wanted and making sure it happened. We also had a great live singer from Liverpool sing swing and motown stuff. It was a lovely lovely day and seeing the rain today we were so luck with the weather.

Thanks to everyone who thought of us.

Wedding Day

Well the day has dawned and it looks like the weather will be kind to us so we will be getting married outdoors, which will be great.

We have had a lovely breakfast, courtesy of Ginas son and girlfriend. Dogs have been groomed, bows in hair and diamanté collars are on. Clothes are laid out ready so best get off and get ready.

Thanks to all who have sent their best wishes to us, we will post pictures!

Wedding plans

Less than a week to go now till our wedding. Gina has been and had her hair cut and Lady has too. Lady had a great cut at K9Cuts in Bingley. Lady loves going there and  they do such a lovely cut, she even had pink bows added into her hair.

British Waterways Change

Well BW’s new guise, the Canal and River Trust, is starting to surface. I have to say the new logo is an inspired piece of work, well done John Rushworth,  we love it.

Season Over

Well a big thank you to the weather gods and all the wonderful guests we have had this year. At times we were enjoying ourselves so much we almost thought we were on holiday as well. A big thank you to all our guests who have made this year a great one for us and we look forward to next season which is rapidly moving toward being two thirds booked.

As we move into preparing the boat for next season, with maintenance items and decorating to do, Lady Teal seems strangely quiet. We live aboard full time so it seems odd to have Lady Teal to ourselves, I find myself wanting to ask Gina if she would like another drink, or home made cookie.

But of course our big preparations now are for our special day in November, when we are getting married, so much to do and so little time. But as I am sure you can believe Gina’s organisational skills will make sure it will all go brilliantly.

Thank you to everyone who have sent their best wishes and cards to our Suffolk address. As promised we will post pictures of us in our finery.

U Boat spotted

Must be one of the most weird sights on the canal but today we saw U-8041, a replica u-boat. We will post some pictures soon but look at their  web site http://www.u-boat.co.uk/ . It is all kitted out as a u-boat inside and we had a look around. Fabulous thing and really interesting insight to what it must have been like to be in a u-boat. It is based at Thwaites Mill near leeds right now so if you get a chance go take a look.

Lady Teal to be a TV star

A new series of the Dales with Adrian Edmonson has been commissioned and Lady Teal, Gina, Lady and Nick are to be in it. The crew have been aboard filming and there are some great views and what promises to be a fun story line. We will post when we know it is to be broadcast so you can all watch it.

Thanks to the guests that were on board at the time.

2012 Schedules to publish this weekend

The 2012 schedules and pricing will be published on the site this weekend. We have some interesting new routes and some favourites.

Moving up again

Well we are off back up the canal now after after a few days on the Aire and Calder and Calder and Hebble. Morring up we were approached by Dave Sander of www.1clickphotography.com . He was taking some pre-wedding pictures with a couple and wanted to use the boat in the pictures, no problem.

Up the canal now be interesting to see how the ducklings and cygnets are doing.

Sorry been too long

Has it really been almost a month since we updated the news! We have been really busy with, as ever, a great bunch of guests from the UK and around the world.

We continue to get some great press, including a mention in the Sunday Mirror.

The canal seems to be holding up ok with its water, which is really good. The weather has been excellent with some very warm days and enough rain to go some way to topping up the reservoirs without me having to get too damp helming the boat.

We have had some great trips out on the river though most of our time is canal based and it is lovely every time we visit back to our home marina at Reedley. A trip boat is currently occupying our berth and doing well by all accounts.

We have been making a lot of use of the upper deck area and all the guests love the commanding view it provides. We have been experimenting with the safety of using it on the move and we think it will be very possible to operate it safely.

2012 routes are well on the way to being published so watch out for them as with almost the rest of this year booked and already a number of bookings for 2012 even without confirmed routes it looks like it will be a busy olympic year for us. We are also planning some interesting new 2012 cruises, so watch this space.

We promise to provide some more frequent updates so please come back.

The Tidal Ouse

Well it has been an interesting few days with our first foray up to York. This involves a transit of the tidal Ouse. Joining at Selby from the Selby Canal we entered at right angles into the incoming tide. You exit the lock and go straight out and are grabbed by the incoming tide, maybe 5 or 6 mph and your off! Never moved so fast against the ground, no need to turn the current does that for you. The technique for getting around the bends is quite entertaining because as soon as you start to turn the current takes control. A little bit of technique goes a long way and avoids brushes with trees!

Talking of trees the tidal piece has huge amounts of what is known as natural rubbish floating up and down in the tide and not leaving till a winter flood carries it out to sea. Whole trees and some huge branches make  up islands of debris, not so bad in a large steel hull but must be a bit scary in a composite boat.

As you near Naburn the tide slackens off and it is a gentle entry into the lock and then a nice run up the river to the centre of York. Nice friendly moorings, we shared with the Stickleback cafe.

Then it’s thinking  of the return journey which does sound a bit scary, having to enter a lock at right angles to the outgoing tide!  I have to say one of the key things is to listen to the lock keepers. Both Naburn and Selby are keeper only and they let you out when the tide is right for both exit and entry.

You leave Naburn with the tide against you so that you will arrive with the tide going out, but hopefully not too strong. Well we slogged against the tide barely making one and a half miles an hour for the first hour. Then the tide started to turn and we are off again. The swing bridges, huge operated ones not like the canals, are high enough so we don’t need to have them swung for us but we do have to make our way through the arches.

Then it is the final approach to Selby lock. Through the last bridge and then turn so that you are facing into the current then drift back with it past the lock and gently turn into the dead water at the face of the lock and gently into the lock. An exciting manoeuvre and I am pleased to say we entered cleanly into the lock without even a graze along the wall, the keeper was impressed, so was I!

A great trip, something really different to do, a trip down a little travelled  Selby canal with it’s interesting features, a fabulous transit of tidal waters and lovely York. This really is a great addition to our schedule and truly something different to do on a canal boat.

One thing I almost forgot was that coming around one bend in the river I was greeted by a high speed motor boat and a water skiier! No that is something I am definitely not used to having to avoid on the canals.

Geocaching

Recent Canadian guests had a great time visiting the geo caches along our route. Had not really looked at this before but it is fun and interesting, some good conundrums to solve sometimes. Check out this site http://www.geocaching.com/ to see what it’s all about.

All the Cygnets are appearing

We have just left Skipton behind, wow it was busy last week with the festival. We are now on our way to Barnoldswick before turning to head back down toward Bingley Saltaire and Apperley Bridge.

As we passed through Skipton we saw the swan we have been watching has now had six cygnets, yes Gina they are cute fluffy things. Also huge numbers of ducklings, and of course lots of lambs in the fields, spring is here.

We had an impromptu stop at Snaygill Boats new wide beam dry dock to fit a new prop, still not figured out what we hit to do so much damage to the old one, but we have a nice new shiny Axiom one now.

Kennet and the LLCS

Whilst at Skipton we had a chance to look over the fabulous Kennet, a 1947 Leeds Liverpool shortboat. Check out the LLCS site and Kennet and help support this great project. LLCS and Kennet web site

Where are we

We have passed through the Bingley Three and Bingley 5 Rise today, fabulous as ever. Passed up through the Dowley Gap pair which are not manned any more. The middle gate leaks like crazy and and half the paddles are faulty, a potentially dangerous first lock for hire boaters to do on their own, I do think it really should be manned. Enough of soap boxes. Lovely weather and a great run. Lots of boats had gone up earlier to the Skipton festival, so not so busy today.

Season Start

As all the hotel boats start the new season we wish everyone a very good summer. The weather has started well with some of those lovely mornings with mist rising off the canal, blue skies and sunshine. Gina has been busy making the home made chutneys and jams, so they are all stocked up.  Our first cruise will be from Saltaire to Skipton a lovely cruise up through the Bingley flight, 3 rise and 5 rise. Lady, the ships dog, has had her summer trim and Gina and I will go for ours this week.

Leeds Kitchen Opens

We were very lucky to get to the opening night of James Martins Leeds Kitchen in Clarence Dock Leeds.  A great addition to Clarence dock and a good night. Certainly will point our guests in his direction.

New Storage Box

We have new storeage box for the roof courtesy of Heritage Sheds in Nelson. We will post a photo shortly but we are really pleased with it. They listened to what we wanted and did it at a good price, and on top of that they are such lovely people, a pleasure to buy something from. Be so good to store some more stuff away from inside the boat.

More Press!

A centre page spread in the Craven Herald. Some great pictures. We hope to be able to get some of them to put them on the web site.

Moving on

After a winter spent in Clarence dock we are about to move off up the Leeds and Liverpool, be funny to be back on the narrow canal after the broad navigation.

TV

Hot on the heals of all the other coverage we have appeared twice on television recently, BBC Look North

Radio Leeds

Radio Leeds onboard today and hopefully got the TV coming aboard tomorrow, all go!

Yorkshire Evening Post

In the Yorkshire Evening Post Today. Nice article and pleased with the pictures

Outdoor Show over

Well the outdoor show is now over. We have enjoyed talking to a lot of lovely and it was quite fun spending 4 days staring across at Ben Fogle. I have to say his range of CÀRN shoes and his socks are great!

Outdoor Show

Much activity at the Outdoor show. Lots of great people and the boat show is there too and that is amazing. Ben Fogle selling a great range of socks and walking shoes opposite us.

Outdoor Show

Nick & Gina will be at the Outdoors show in london from the 13-16 of January, http://www.theoutdoorsshow.co.uk/, on the Welcome to Yorkshire, http://www.yorkshire.com/. Come see us

Freezing in Leeds

Well interesting weather in Leeds with lots of snow and ice. Clarence dock has even partially frozen over!

Bookings take off

With the 2011 schedules published we are starting to get booked up, which is great.

Daily Mail aboard

We had an interesting evening meal cruise with the Daily Mail on board, looking forward to the article coming out.

River trips

Had some interesting trips up the Aire and Calder and lovely with the snow on the banks. Really interesting working the boat in the depth and currents of the river.

Engaged

“It’s about time”, lots of people keep saying when I tell them. Gina and I are engaged and are planning to get married at the end of next years season, trying to keep Gina concentrated on planning for next season, not just the wedding!

2011 Routes Published

We are pleased to announce our 2011 routes. We have some interesting additions this year with river trips up to York as well as this years favourites through the dales and the amazing Bingley 5 rise of locks and Foulridge tunnel.

Yorkshire Post

We had a brilliant visit from the Yorkshire post and are very pleased with the lovely article they did on us, 4 page spread that was a surprise.

Coming soon 2011 routes!

We will soon be posting our 2011 schedule, book early to get the route you would like and to get an earlybird incentive!!

Leeds and Liverpool is to re-open on 22nd September

British waterways say they will be reopening the closed section of the Leeds and Liverpool on the 22nd of September.

Leeds & Liverpool Canal Closure – Western Section

WE CONTINUE TO OPERATE

Due to severe water shortages the western section of the canal, from Wigan to Gargrave is to be closed from the 2nd of August.

This is a huge dissapointment to us but we still have the wonderful eastern end of the canal to operate on. That is Skipton, Saltaire, The Bingley 5 and 3 and Leeds itself. A quick re-jig of our routes and we will press on. An interesting first season.

What would life be without a few challenges thrown in.

No change to the great boat and Gina’s superb food, and the drink will not dry up!

Nick & Gina

Lady Teal now in Operation

Lady Teal has now run a number of cruises and we are pleased to say that all our guests have been very positive about the experience. It is always a worry starting something new so to have such positive feedback has been great for us.

We are really looking forward to our summer on the L&L

Nick & Gina

Lady Teal successfully launched and is now in the water

June 5th at around 8 in the morning Lady Teal took to the water for the first time at Reedley Marina Pendle.

It was lovely to see her settle down into her natural environment.

To see the launch on YouTube go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTBIv5L9G3o

July 2- We have now undertaken some trial cruises and she goes through all the bridges and the Foulridge tunnel, never doubted she would!

All the trial guests seem to think she is great and that Gina’s cooking is outstanding!