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
Cleddau on a test cruise
Techno Son-in-Law and Physicist Friend had campaigned to do a third annual spring cruise to Bugsworth. Diaries...
A Dawdle for a Dinner
The list of jobs to be done was long: second airing cupboard door to be fitted; first airing cupboard door to be varnished;...
From waterbus to waterhogs...
Contracted to care for the Cheshire One during the remainder of the Easter break we drove her south on Tuesday...
Messing about on a boat
Messing about on a boat gives an impression perhaps of those Three Men in a Boat, struggling to complete...
Trains - and boats - and trains ...
Cal Son and Techno Son-in-Law had conspired between them to ensure the Cleddau crew kept a vow...
Back on our boat for a brew …
Four carloads of boat stuff, three barge poles beside me, two trips to the rubbish dump … and one little Cleddau cruise on the Macclesfield Canal!...
Distance, scenery - and some gongoozling
My sisters have no need to crave hills and elevation: one drives to work alongside Cromarty Firth and gazes straight across...
The State of Things...
The Captain and Boatwif had travelled to Macclesfield on Saturday afternoon. “Play with me, Granny,” the Cheshire One had pleaded...
Boatwif turns detective...
Disguised as local land-based residents Boatwif and the Captain took a morning stroll to the village post office...
Speed Check
Faster than waddling ducks, slower than spinning cyclists or earnest joggers we walked at an average of 2.7 mph...
Boats built by the mile...
“Here in Dudley wooden boats were built by the mile and cut by the length” – such was the claim of the of the Dudley...
Big Ben - and bedlam on a boat....
A plan was hatched to take the Cheshire One on her first trip to London. Fast East Midland train to St Pancras...
Trains, gasometers, boats and bikes
Boatwif and the Captain had driven south on Friday afternoon to weekend with friends in West Sussex. Slowly we made our way...
Ghosts and Transformations
It was in the first Ice Age after we had come back from California that the Captain said ” I suppose you’ll be...
Cleddau Crew Fly Home
It was a 0520 start from San Marcos on Wednesday morning – and by jiggling with the plus 3 hour...