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
Day 20: Friday 16th July: QI (for gongoozlers)
So, at about 1pm Cleddau finally nosed into Bedford Lock, after a queue, a fair bit of rope-throwing – and absence of...
Day 19: Thursday 15th July: "There's no such thing as the wrong sort of weather..."
It had been our intention to lie alongside the meadow at Great Barford and gently tend our boat, an illusion shattered...
Day 18: Wednesday 14th July: The wrong sort of water
It still feels remarkable that we made any progress yesterday after the breakdown episode, and it was...
Day 17, Tuesday 13th July: No more spanners in the works, please!
Boat garb is usually casual, often grubby, chosen for messing about in boats. Last night’s Chinese Takeaway was brought...
Out of signal...
Martin (Son-In-Law) here, Quick update via answer-phone message from a well oiled (Red Wine apparently) Ken who cannot...
Day 16: In a bit of a jam...
Last night I was reminded that I needed to refer to Ken’s departure from the Ely Marina yesterday: surrounded...
... Day 15: Ely to Earith (Roots, Routes and Detours)
Back after the enforced break. Never would I have conceived of putting the words “happy” and “OfSTED”...
Day 14: Monday 28th June: "Creeping like snail unwillingly to..."
Last night we were moored in the village of Upwell, by the church, alongside the main street. We were in Norfolk, and as...
Day 13: Sunday 27th June: Lost down the Drain...
It has taken much research to ascertain the navigable route from Macclesfield to Bedford and the Stanground...
Day 12: Saturday 26th June: From Shire to City
Ken tells me we drew away from the Fotheringhay mooring at 0640. Each night he sets his alarm clock for whatever time decreed...
Day 11, Friday 25th June: Beer and bikinis, a beatbox and a bloodbath...
Cruised today from Denford to Fotheringhay, a shorter day than usual, mooring up at about 1400. The mooring last night was canine...
Day 10: Thursday 24th June - Bottoms Up
From Cogenhoe Lock to Denford: some fifteen locks, involving a great deal of hard work, and various attacks from nettles...
Day 9: Wednesday 23rd June: Regulation and Calculation
Moored up late afternoon at Cogenhoe Lock, on the River Nene, east of Northampton. The engine roared into life early (again)...
Six Locks before Breakfast ... and the Mystery of the Missing Boat
0640 departure from Braunston Turn to maximise travelling in the cool of the day (that was the theory!). It was...
Day 7: Mad boaters and Welsh folk...
Yes, mad boaters and Welsh folk Go out in the midday sun… We set off from Hawkesbury Junction (near Coventry) at...