The start of Spring

I haven't mentioned how we rely on NBAlton and last weekend,  we had friends Onboard when Brian and Anne Marie arrived, they were most impressed with how everything flowed we do - diesel, coal, Elsan all bought within a short time. Coalboats are a lifeline to liveaboards - use them or lose them!

It was oficially the first day of Spring on Thursday - i had booked a half day holiday and went to collect my bike - the government in the UK do a cycle to work scheme - you buy a bike and get tax relief on the cost - pay over 12 months as well. So am now the owner of a red hybrid bike and a rather natty helmet with its own rear light! Watch out on the towpath for me!

Spring has definitely sprung - daffodils are out, ewes in lamb and even the sun has made an appearance.

Finally had my leave authorised - i am not sure why it has to go up.the management line if you want more than two weeks off at a time, or why it then takes nine weeks to authorise; but am now off from the second of May until the 28th May and now the cruise and holiday planning starts - Stella's eldest is over from New Zealand for that time and wanted to go.through Manchester, so.we thought we would finish The Cheshire Ring and go up the Llangollen Canal returning up the Bridgewater Canal through Manchester - the beauty of this is that she can join us and still see family and friends whilst here.

At present we are moving up the Peak Forest Canal towards Whaley Bridge and hopefully Bugsworth Basin will be open for Easter. It is typical Spring weather, brilliant sunshine one minute and pouring with rain the next. At least here the towpath is tarmac and not a mudbath as it is in Marple unfortunately.

We had an.eventful journey to Whaley Bridge - there is a swing bridge at Furness Vale and I normally get off Gracie at the previous bridge so as to have the bridge ready. Chris slowed her down; Shiva jumped offood, but Simba wouldn't - i grabbed hold of his harness to lift him off; his back.legs went in the canal, buy I got him.up and then slipped as I was getting off and fell heavily on my right wrist. Very sore .and grazed hand, got a tubular bandage and painkillers today, which are helping, but it's amazing what makes it twinge. I cycled up.to New Mills this morning as I managed to leave my bank card in the Co-op yesterday; slight flaw in my plan on my return - a headwind and changing gear was very painful! 

This is the view at New Mills - a lovely walk down to the River Goyt and along - it is a shame there are no visitor moorings here, as it . Is a friendly town with some nice shops and an indoor market. 

Once again, though the engine is playing up and so we have.a.call into River and Canal Rescue as Gracie will not start again! 

HopeFully we will be up and started soon as the engineer Is on his way.upupdate to say that the engine now working - lever had jammed owing to a frayed cable! 

Three Month Anniversary

Yesterday marked three months since we moved aboard Gracie - it seems much longer in some ways and in others a short time. We have learnt a lot and are now moving into late autumn - we haven't experienced a true frost yet, although there was one when we moored in Furness Vale on the Peak Forest canal.

Originally, we had planned on a marina life but this felt too much like a horizontal towerblock and they didn't like dogs - moral of story - if you have a dog don't moor at Macclesfield Marina (next to Hovis Mill). 

We have had an invertor fitted to generate 240 volt electricity and if you want work done; we can certainly recommend that marina. We will get solar panels fitted early next year; which will mean we don't have to run the engine when we run the washing machine (finally purchased last week - a twin tub). We have had a cratch cover out on the bow and a dodger and tonneau on the stern; which gives us a dining room/porch and a storage area when not cruising. 

We get coal, diesel and pretty much everything else from the coal boat, NB Alton, fortnightly and although during the winter we will use a lot of coal; next summer we hope to be able to get some wood and this will save that cost. We have to get Gracie blacked and get a licence. We are joining the association of Continuous Cruisers as well as the National Boat Owners Association. 

We are now meeting other liveaboards that live on these canals; old travellers - canals now being the only place left you can legally travel and stop for 14 days before moving on. Some are, like us, relatively new to canal life; but others have lived and worked on here for years. The canals are pretty empty now and peaceful - it is the start of the long winter nights and we are going to enjoy our first winter aboard.

It should be interesting over the coming weeks as it appears we might experience our first ice and snow - bring it on! 

As we are moored in Marple; I took a walk up to Marple Ridge today - what a lovely view - if you get a chance - walk up to the church from the Brick Bridge just past Marple Marina and walk the Apprentices Walk through and up to the church

The Cratch Cover

This week they are coming to fit the cover/board/Dodger & tonneau in stone - cannot wait as we will finally have cover on the bow & a cover for the stern. We're travelling pinto Whaley Bridge so Chris can move Gracie to Bugsworth Basin on Wednesday so they can get close with the van - it'll be nice to be able to have our meals at a proper table again as they are also fitting a drop down table to the cratch board.

Continuously Cruising

We have decided to give notice at Macclesfield Canal Centre and continuously cruise - this is comparatively easy to do around here & still enable me to go to work four days a week,  we came up to Marple on Friday and decided that we won't be returning to Macclesfield any time soon - moral of story - listen to  Chris's inner voice and buy a PO Box number. We are currently moored on the Peak Forest Canal just down from Marple Canal Basin