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
Celebration - and occasional consternation
If you had wondered whether the Captain and the Boatwif fled the celebratory meal early last night – or stayed...
Salutes and Salutations
As a birthday treat (!) the alarm was delayed until 8 am, then tea and birthday cards presented to this...
Sunhats in September
Yesterday one of our additional crew, the Recent Bride, had asked about the purpose of the low wooden structures with roofs on...
Boat Carries Extra Lock Keepers
Had things gone according to plan today’s title may have been something like Pirates Board Boat At Dawn or Intruders...
Dog Days of Summer
I never quite understood that line in a poem “the last dog days of summer”, but I took it to indicate lolling about...
Good sport at Fradley Junction
There were musings yesterday on the forms of greeting on and near canals. There have been some more...
"You alright then?"
Greetings from one back deck to another is common on the canals. The Captain here tends to address a brisk “Good...
Coventry, its cathedrals and canal
I woke in the night – because it wasn’t raining any more! Nor has it since – and it is easier to see and to think...
Sent to Coventry
Mid-afternoon I may have been sent to Coventry: the fact that we were approaching it was the reason. ” Whose...
HEADLINE: SUNK BOAT REMOVED FROM LOCK
Readers of yesterday’s blog (apologies for getting the date wrong) may recall the late entry of an accident that had occurred...
Sloe, blow, lock, lock, slow
An idea has just struck me: you know how at Christmas time you come across cheery little books on specialist subjects, such as tractors or...
Out of signal again - Braunston
Quick update from Son-In-Law here. No blog post tonight due to lack of 3G signal near to Ken & Sue’s current mooring. As you should...
Fast Trains and Frisky Dogs ( and the mystery of the missing holes)
Was it an omen that just as we were about to cast off Wandering Star (owned by residents of Congleton) sped by?...
Flags, flowers and a flotilla
Picture if you can those scenes of a great ship’s homecoming, passing the Isle of Wight maybe, the ship...
Breakages and brokerage ...
Apart from the slight leak from the waste water pipe under the bathroom washbasin (a broken seal) and...