As lovely as it has been living in Devizes Marina for 4 months, we're excited to be cruising again on our narrowboat, Cygnet.
In many ways, setting off freely has been reminiscent of our narrowboat adventure on Badger; however, this time around, we're more secure in our boat's general competence, and we're familiar with the canal and river protocol.
We got used to the convenience of operating our electricity from the main electricity supply at the marina, so one of the biggest transitions is going back to only being powered by our solar panel on the roof. Right now, we have one solar panel that powers our 12 V refrigerator and USB sockets, and we charge laptops, mobile devices, lanterns, and other electronics on battery power while cruising. This is something that we need to upgrade with an additional power supply from a generator or a power bank to give us the freedom to work longer in the evenings after mooring up.
Getting into the groove
Hubby and I have been slowly getting back into the rhythm of boat life things, such as mapping out water points, waste disposal, and locating food shopping facilities along the network.
One of the experiences of being on the cut involves operating locks along the canal system that are designed to ascend and descend the hilly stretches on the cut.
Continuously cruising is fun and exciting, as we get to take in serene scenes of nature; however, it is also physically demanding, getting on and off the boat, walking back and forth locks, and crossing bridges to open and close paddles and gates.
The canal system dates way back, and some locks are better maintained than others. The neglected locks tend to leak, have broken parts, or are difficult to move, requiring all your might.
That note above was from a prior boater, who must have felt some frustration trying to open this paddle, which felt close to impossible. I managed to do it by stopping to catch my breath counting to three and repeating until I got the paddle up.
I look forward to toning up and building muscles, but for right now, I'll prioritise safety while navigating and operating them.
The canal network is beautiful, and one advantage of purchasing the boat from the marina was that we were on new territory in the southwest of the UK, making our way to the East Midlands.
So, for the first time, we will be travelling on the River Thames, navigating different currents from what we are used to on the canals. It sounds a bit scary, as water is powerful and you never know, but we have our life jackets required for all boaters on the river.
There are many wide beams on this stretch of the canals, and that's because the locks are wider to accommodate them.
A close-up view as this one glides under a bridge.
They are indeed a lot bigger than the narrow boats, which makes them ideal for boaters who are permanently moored at marinas. However, they are limited and sometimes confined to certain sections of the canals only, as the original network is narrow, hence the concept of narrowboats, designed specifically for the UK's narrow canals.
Every section of the canals is as pretty as a postcard.
The different designs and styles of boats jazz up the canals, and I'm always happy when I do get the chance to capture a few shots.
Life as a continuous cruiser means going rain or shine, as long as the canals are deemed safe for cruising by the River and Canal Trust.
I particularly like to see the different lighting reflecting from the waters and the change in the vibrancy of greenery whenever the sun pops out.
Seeing the fleeting trains that go by the canals reminds me how lucky I am to be cruising at the slow pace of 3 miles per hour. This speed allows me to absorb the beauty of the rolling hills, wildlife, and stunning nature.
As we make our way towards the East Midlands, we've set ourselves a daily goal of cruising for five to six hours, depending on weather conditions, the number of locks, or other delays. So, today we did several locks and decided to throw in the towel at about 4:00 PM, in a village called Great Bedwyn, that's still in Wiltshire.
My evening view as I dine.
These last four shots are my evening views for today, where hubby quickly nipped to the nearby shop to top up our food supplies at a Londis convenience store.
Not a bad way to end the evening and our third day of cruising, eh?
So long, and my journey continues in the AM.
What rocks my boat
My blog frequently features my minimalist lifestyle and adventures while living on my narrowboat.”
Irie love,
Milly
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Weird question, but I wonder what it smells like on the canals.
When I had a boat, the large Lake Erie north of Pennsyl-Tucky here in the US had a strong smell. The oceans salty smell and our pond at home smells... Well like a pond.
Do you smell exhaust fumes from other boats as they pass? Smells from farms nearby with fertilizers or animals?
Just curious. When you spoke of cinnamon at the end of your post it made me think of smells because I love me some cinnamon smells. That is my fave fragrance of fabreez deodorizer here at home for the litter boxes.
Hehe! What an interesting question.
The air is fresh when we're on the move and there's no smell of fumes from other boats unless there's a problem with an engine.
However, a few days ago when we moored up, hubby mentioned the lovely smell of the shrubs...
I don't remember the name, but it's the one that itches like mad.nettle. So I'd say there's a smell of plants and flowers. We pass by many farms with cows, sheep, and alpacas, but there's still no bad odour.Yesterday another boater walked by my boat and asked Cameron what laundry detergent I used because it smelled so fresh.
Yeah, intriguing question, but it's all pleasant (thankfully) because smelling is one of my strongest senses 😁
Oh, and yesterday we smelled someone's cooking at a distance and it made us hungry while we were going through the locks. I think it was bacon :)
Great answer to my question.
I expected nothing less as You are one of Hives best ❤️
Now imagine my world out here on the highway and the nasty Truck Stops full of pig 🐖 🐷 people. I wish my sense of smell was not so good 👃
My best as always to You and Cam.
Purrs and hed bonks from my co-pilot and best friend Sammi Jo 🐈 Also from her #1 Jax (our 2nd rescue a siamese)
That's quite the life living g on a boat. It sound like a lot of work to move through the canal systems but man, you get some great scenery and views! It looks like a fun and peaceful way to live
Yes, it's tremendous work opening paddles and gates due to them being so old. Plus, they are heavy by design to withstand the forces of nature that make the system work. The physics of it is fascinating... But overall, the views and feeling of being in nature constantly, outweighs all that.
hence my question, why won't you answer me??? :)
Are you referring to this question:
I thought that it was rhetorical 😆
Or is it a different question that I missed? I'm a little slow sometimes ha
No, not that question.
I sent you a question in Discord!🙃😆
Oh lol. I haven't been on Discord is probably 8 months now, if not more lol. My wife was using my laptop yesterday, maybe it auto opened for her
haha!
What can I say, but "oh"?!
😂
I wanted to know if you have more time on your hands, and if you are available in any way to help out in coffee.
There's a proper structure for the coffee team now, so you could help out in different ways and it would not be as rigid as b4. I ask you not to nag you, but because you already know how I operate...jumping off boat now. brb.
I see. Thanks for the offer but I have to pass on that. I've found different things to do to fill my time now and I just don't have any desire to filter through posts anymore. I'll still continue to provide a small vote for posts but that's about it at this point.
To be honest, I have never been on a boat, but I would love to try it sometime— perhaps on a narrowboat like this, rather than a traditional one without covers.The canal looks so calm compared to the oceans and it would be nice to cruise along.
The view is so beautiful, natural, and clean.
Enjoy your journey.
< Perhaps on a narrowboat like this, rather than a traditional one without covers.
I understand that.
Yes, it is completely different being on a canal boat on the canals (and even the rivers that would be rougher), that being in an open vessel on rough seas.
I'm not fond of boat rides at sea at all.
Chugging on a narrowboat is slow and smooth. There is hardly any disturbance and we might feel the boat rock slightly when moored up, if another boater passes by without reducing the speed of their boat to tick-over:)))
Sounds like a narrow boat cruise on the canals is much more my speed especially with this view. I love the idea of a slow, smooth journey where you can really take in the scenery without the worry of rough waters
Continue to enjoy your journey and nice chugging!
Thank you!
It's overcast and grey with far cooler temperatures than predicted. I'm about to hop off the boat right now to open a lock:)
Looks like a joyous ride. Sure work needs to be attended to keep afloat but oh goodness the scenery makes it all worth it. I'd rather be in a narrow boat to see all what the canals offer than be in one of the larger boats and be limited where you can go 😊
Hey, yes! It's amazing and I guess there's a trade off for everything.
Our canals go back to the industrial days, so we are not as lucky or modern as French canals with locks that are automatic... The experience is great, but it would be nice if we had a mixture, as operating the locks manually takes a long time, effort, and slows down the travel time considerable.
Also, there is an ageing population of boaters which make it even harder and risky for the elderly to navigate across the locks to operate them.
I am typing on my mobile, something that I rarely do...:)))
Just like on the road, eh? Almost always when I pass a super slow driver I look over and see an elderly person behind the wheel. I can't get mad but chuckle a bit. I can imagine them on canals, I'm sure them working the locks takes even longer and wouldn't be surprised if others go to their aid just to speed up the process 😊
The case on the canals is that you have older people who have been doing it since their teenage years (mainly driving the original vessels from the industrial times), who are know-it-alls. Then you have the elderly who finally achieve their dream of living on a boat, only to find that they underestimated the demands of the locks.
Yes, most boaters are understanding and helpful when faced with such encounters.
We are finding more young people choosing to live this way now, and it adds a great variety to the network:)
I can see that. See it here often with campers who buy mobile homes late in life. If I choose to ever get a narrow boat I better hurry before I get in this category 😂
Yeah!
The prices of narrowboats vary a lot.
We were after a particular boat for a long time and missed it. As soon as we got this boat, it returned to the market 2 weeks later. It's 15 feet longer for the same price. I count it as a blessing though, because our boat needed no work whatsoever, whereas that one might have needed some urgent TLC or bigger engine work.
We love this one and we're comfortable in this space, but still on the look out for a great deal so we could trade it in for a bigger boat:)
I hope you'll be sharing more of your narrow boat life with us, I won't be able to handle living on one but am very interested in poking my nose to someone else's life on it 😎
Yes, I do hope to share more. Now I have a mobile with a camera that works, and I have a cross body scrap so it doesn't fall into the canals... That reminds me, I need to order a waterproof mobile carrier and mail it to Leicester for when I arrive there.
Yeah, narrowboats and boat life as a continuous cruiser is not for everyone, but maybe you would enjoy living on a wide beam with a permanent mooring on a marina?
Hope your boat's only pleasantly rocked, dear one. Glad to hear you're out on the open waters again 💛 reading this made me feel like a vicarious pirate. :D
Hehe :)
Thank you!
I think you'd love the narrowboat lifestyle.
I'm typing from my mobile tonight... Something that I never do 😳
Ha, same! I typed that comment from phone, too, even though I hate it :D Yeah, I think I might. Some day maybe? ;)Have a great Sunday!
Thanks!
Have a nice day too:)))
Narrow boat lifestyle sure sounds fun and interesting. Moving through the canals, opening gates is a lot of work but then having a beautiful view like this makes it all worth it.
Your writing made it seem like we were there with you, enjoying life on open waters. We hope to see more of your posts as we go on this journey with you 😍😍😍.
Hello there.
Thanks for your lovely comment. I'm pleased that you can live vicariously through this writing because it's an experience that I wish I could take the world on.
Yes, it gates are heavy to keep the water in and out (strong currents) as well as the paddles to lock the gates. In the photo above you can see the weight of one of the gates, 2500 KG, so together it's 5000 KG of pushing and pulling for the gates. It's tiring to do several of them while cruising. Some days I might do 12 locks or more.
Still, it's a fun experience and the stunning nature is soothing:)
Happy Sunday!
I'm honestly most curious about your solar setup. I am thinking about converting my car into a mini-camper with solar on the roof and a LiFePO battery with an inverter in the "boot" as you say over there. And a fridge would be a nice addition for comfort.
It would be ideal if another solar panel was added to the roof. However, that's a investment that I would make if I intended to keep the boat forever.
I think a having a fridge is a must for a boat or camper as it helps to preserve food and prevent waste between replenishment.
You should definitely go for the campervan for some great adventure:)
This would be more like a car I park and then pitch a tent.
Oh, how interesting. It's a whole community of sailors. Yeah, I think you should work on improving the electricity issue step by step.
3 miles per hour is a really slow pace of life.
Hugs!
Hey there!
Yeah, I will be more relaxed when I have more electricity covered.
It's sound funny when you think of it that way, but yeah, you're right 😁
Thank you and a hug to you too. Have a great weekend:)))
Yes, I am having a wonderful time. See a little bit in my last post.... come on... hahaha.
By the way, what book are you reading these days? Do you have time to read, right?
I will check your post right now.
That's the best question. I ought to get into the habit of reading more and I'll use this as a reminder.
There's one called Violeta that I have here with me, that I've been meaning to read, and there's also Hearthender by our own author honeydue that's on my agenda:))
honeydue... I'll go visit her. 🙂 Thanks for the heads up. Enjoy your time, life is beautiful.
She published her first book last September: Heartender by Catrina Prager, that I've been meaning to buy. I would prefer to get a hard copy but I have nowhere to put it after, so I might get the Kindle version.
Gosh! This is amazing. Like we say in my country, "Imqgination wan finish me here" lol. I was so into reading and the pictures that it felt like I was boat cruising myself. It was when I got to the end of the post that I called my brain back from Dreamy Land. Lol
I feel the pain of the guy. His frustration toward the canal opening that he had to write something just to pass out his point. Haha. It is very interesting.
I like that.
I'm pleased that I took you on such a realistic journey with me, because travelling this way and being able to see the magnitude of the beauty of the UK countrysides is truly amazing. :)))
Haha... that is nice.
It truly is...it sure is amazing. Thank you.
🤗😊
Slow living 🙏❤️🙏 how wonderful to see all this beauty around you. And probably much more quiet then cruising the open sea!
Enjoy dear 🙂
Thank you 😊
It is stunning, indeed, and the only thing we can hear are the sounds of nature. Occasionally we might moor close to a train line, but that can be easily avoided:)
❤️
there are a few narrow boat shows on tv, and I love them
so glad I now have one to follow on HIVE!
Thank you!
Yes, I was hooked on watching narrowboat shows on TV before we started the journey ourselves.
We have been doing so for a while now and this is our second boat that we will be continuously cruising on.
I hope you'll find more of my content useful.
Have a nice day:)
It is very nice the site, beautiful landscapes, I congratulate you for being there. From Venezuela I wish you success.
Thank you for your lovely wishes, and I'm pleased that you liked what you saw:)))
It is a beautiful site. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Greetings from Venezuela.
🤗😊 Greetings from the canals :)
Thanks for the support:)
Wow, it seems that this place is very comfortable, naturally you are excited in Devizes Marina
Hopefully always healthy yes there
Yes, I was excited at Devizes marina, but ai am no longer there :)
beautiful
Indeed, thank you:)
The place looks sooo serenading! Yet, I wonder how does it feel to ride on that cruise???
The boat goes at a slow pace of 3 miles per hour. On the canal the ride is smooth, and now that we are cruising on the river, the current is much stronger, it pushes the boat a little faster if going in the same direction. The river is more of a challenge for the driver because he has less control or the boat responds differently with the current. Therefore, it is required for all boaters and passengers to wear life jackets on the river:)
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Thank you!
Yes, it has been fun so far, and a completely different feel from being on the marina:)
🤗