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
Slow descent to the Weaver Navigation
A new day – and a new coolie hat for the boat, a replacement for the rusted specimen crunched in a skirmish with...
The best laid plans – and Mrs Claus
It was a difficult morning; amendment, it was a very difficult morning after a very rough night. Back...
The vagaries of April weather...
Scottish Sister (resident on the Black Isle, NE of Inverness, only about 100 feet above sea level) rang this morning...
Onwards to Middlewich
Gaiters and waterproofs were declared the garb of the day this morning. The weather was never too difficult...
As the crow flies
As the crow flies the distance travelled by Cleddau today (from just north of Scholar Green to just before Wheelock)...
Renewal and regeneration
Boatwif had woken up with a start on Friday morning: sunhats… don’t forget the sunhats! The assembling...
A waterway in the making
In October 1811 a group of businessmen met in Bedford to discuss the prospect of a canal connecting the (then) Grand...
Pole-painting and a pootle
It’s when the evenings grow lighter that the symptoms start, an itching to be out and about, tramping the...
Things found (and found out)
A “Grand” walk Recent events have included “a bit of turning out”. That phrase swam into Boatwif’s head...
Checklist Cruise
The Captain and Boatwif self-prescribed a cruise: maybe cool fresh Cheshire air would clear the...
A Trundle down the Tardebigge
It was a flawless, windless, blue sort of day, just right for a winter walk… The Captain and Boatwif...
Cold Expectations (Part 2)
Happy New Year! At 1230 am on New Year’s Day the Captain’s phone rang. There, clear as in a next door room...
Cold Expectations
‘Twas on Boxing Day, after a family walk of a couple of hours up in Lyme Park*, that certain Boat Stuff was...
Take only pictures, leave only footprints
Take only pictures, leave only footprints are the words on notices at Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve...
A trip into wine country
Drinkers of Californian wines will have heard of Napa Valley, an area about five hundred miles north of Cal Son’s...