‍ ‍Boaters who moor at Crick Marina have a choice – be away, far away from the annual Crick Boat Show – or stay put.

Boaters can avoid it by escaping the marina well before mid-May, avoiding lock flight congestion at the southern end of the Leicester Line summit (Watford Locks) or at the northern end (Foxton Locks).

‍ ‍For the third year running, however, the Cleddau crew found themselves staying put.

Sunshine and flags over the Crick Show weekend

No longer Crick Show novices, they now understood the moorers’ drill:

Cars to be parked half a mile away on the Moorers’ field, fortunately this year not a muddy quagmire as it was in 2024

Bins (general waste, cardboard, mixed recycling, glass, food waste) get relocated to a non-public area

Moorer wristbands are to be shown at security checkpoints

‍VIP wristbands are to be used for access to the Aquavista marina chain customers’ “pub” and to the “Snug” marquee for shelter from rain /sun, a quiet space and /or a booked meal…

‍ Crick Marina has capacity for about 270 boats – during Boat Show time up to 50 of those moorings are used by visiting heritage boats, second hand boats that are on sale and new boats built by specialist boat builders. Weeks before the Show boaters are asked to declare whether they intend to stay - or go. Those boaters intending to stay but whose home mooring is in the Show exhibitors’ area have their boats re-located to another section of the marina.

‍ ‍ The Cleddau crew arrived back at Crick by road on the day before the Show opened. Here were the signs.

Temporary trackways had been laid across the Show and Music Festival site,

trackways laid in case of wet and muddy conditions (see mud from 2024!)

During this most recent show the PA announcer warned dog owners mid-morning against the very hot and rising temperatures underfoot on the trackways…

‍ ‍A grassy bank separates the canal from the marina and Cleddau’s mooring pontoon is immediately in front of the bank. Perch a couple of chairs on the bank (under a tree if there’s one nearby) and from there you can ‘gongoozle’ * action across the marina.

‍ ‍As ‘gongoozlers’ it was entertaining to watch the last Show boat arrivals. An impressive amount of skill is needed to guide a 70 foot long heritage boat alongside its designated mooring.

‍ ‍Late on the night before the Show opened to the public this unusual craft arrived.

It seemed to take a small crowd of folk to nudge it into position.

Then early on the Saturday morning there was a close up view of its stern as the boat was turned around to position the bow to the quayside and stern to the waterside.

Curiosity required an investigation: it’s a boat built as a holiday escape craft, based at North Kilworth Marina https://synewave.boats/ . The business model involves a “Door-to-Moor” arrangement; guest boaters will be able to enjoy a floating Airbnb style break or to cruise the boat for several days. Though stunning to look at (in a recall of one of Joyce Grenfell’s monologues** “What about the drains?”) a boater with all season experience would ponder: “what about a coat hook for the wet waterproofs…?”

‍ ‍When not gazing at the show boats (or queuing to view them) there was plenty to see quayside…

*An array of historic narrow boats moored at Crick*

Elsewhere you could see boat engines,

a couple of land-based boats close up,

talk to marina operators and waterway organisations,

be tempted by new products in the vast boating marquee, prowl round the Food and Craft marquee, sample some Food Court delights.

These long length garden hose pipe brushes proved a popular buy

and crowds of would-be boaters were keen to investigate the Compoosting toilets.

‍ For many the draw of the Crick Show is the live music:

There were folk singers and strummers in the ‘Aquavista Arms’ down by the boats and bands, soloists and duos (Luna Barge) in the large Crick Tavern on the field.

***Luna Barge (****Sunday performers) watching Saturday night perfomers* ***Slady***

The massive energy released by the four women Slady group*** was a strong reminder of the BBC drama Riot Women shown a few months ago.

‍ ‍Another and important aspect of the Crick Boat Show is the programme of talks and seminars. A First Aid course for narrow boaters during the Trade Day provided useful advice on dressings, anti-choking masks and resuscitation technique.

*In the limited confines of a narrow boat apply chest compressions from behind the head*

A panel in the Seminar Theatre wrestled with questions about the current state of the waterways, Canal and River Trust’s Head of Boating and Customer Service taking most of the boater ire about closed services and aging infrastructure…

‍ ‍Perhaps the most engaging talk was one describing the water transfer scheme which will direct Birmingham’s waste water (cleaned twice in two different locations) along the Coventry, the North Oxford and Grand Union Canals to reservoir storage near Luton. https://guctransfer.co.uk/ Two Water companies and Canal and River Trust are working together to make this idea happen…

So, this year’s Crick Show was a wonderful mix again of conversations with strangers, of boater and boating talk, of festival street food, of live music, of very high temperatures – and action on the water.

And after the Show closed the Cleddau moorers had a grandstand view of the 70 footers squeezing out of their moorings. It takes some patience and considerable skill to do this: