#boatinglife

Never have I dropped a 🔑 key in the canal. Should it happen, each key ring has a cork ball to keep the keys at the surface of the water. Theoretically, that is. I have no idea how many keys one cork ball will hold at the surface. I suppose I should test it — I mean in a bucket, not in the canal. #CanalLife #canal #BoatingLife #boating #BoatLife #boat #narrowboat #key #keyring #float #cork

The boat is at a high point of the canal network. From here, all the locks descend. All the water from up here flows away — 100,000 litres (22,000 gallons) each time a lock cycles. Next to the boat, a pipe steadily feeds water into the canal. I don't know which reservoir feeds it — could it be the Knypersley wildlife refuge? — or whether it's being pumped back up from below. #CanalLife #canal #WaterLevel #BoatingLife #boating #BoatLife #boat #narrowboat #water #reservoir #wildlife #UK #drought

A lower water level of 2 inches (5cm) made a difference in the middle of the Harecastle tunnel. Even keeping my head down in the dark, I still scraped my raincoat hood on the ceiling. It was 40 minutes in the dark, with that pinpoint of light getting gradually larger. It's hard to estimate the distance. When it looks like 30 seconds to the exit, it's actually still four minutes. Toward the end I took this photo. #CanalLife #canal #BoatLife #boat #BoatingLife #boating #narrowboat #tunnel #CRT

Tomorrow another guest arrives for an overnight stay. Two weeks ago our guest took a famous person on a semi-private tour, and we're hoping for a full report of how that went. And if not, it's always good to have extra hands on board. We'll have some locks to do, and there's the water tank to fill. Of course, a lovely stretch of waterway to boat through, and some meals to share. #CanalLife #canal #BoatLife #boat #BoatingLife #boating #narrowboat #BoatHands

Green tunnel effect. The canal here is cut into the land, and the trees reach for the light. #CanalLife #canal #cutr #BoatingLife #boating #BoatLife #boat #narrowboat #UK

From the bow, I clipped a bouquet from a stand of staghorn sumac that's growing on the offside of the canal, only accessible by water. These plants are native to southeastern Canada, so were obviously brought to the UK for their ornamental appeal to gardeners. These ones are growing wild, gradually spreading alongside a short stretch of canal in Shropshire. #bloomscroll #CanalLife #canal #BoatLife #boat #BoatingLife #boating #narrowboat #flower #bloom #tree #plant #vegetation #garden

This ground paddle has been raised, as shown by the straight, toothed rack: it is all the way up. (A paddle is a door that holds back tons of water.) The shiny black parts are greased. Grease helps the gears move smoothly. Sticking out on the left is a steel rod, or spindle. A boater puts a tool on the spindle to wind the mechanism up or down. The tool is a windlass. #CanalLife #canal #BoatingLife #boating #BoatLife #boat #narrowboat #lock #GroundPaddle #paddle #spindle #gear #rack #windlass

Decoded to turn right and take the 5×-as-long route because the direct route is closed due to water shortages. Even the Canal and River Trust's own volunteers say CRT is "too reactive" —not even tactical — about managing canal water levels. #CanalLife #BoatLife #BoatingLife #canal #boating #boat #narrowboat #CRT #water #shortage #drought #climate #management

🧵 cont'd … friend on the Peak Forest Canal that the status of the stoppage up there flipped between Closed and Assisted passage, 3× in 2 days, as CRT tries to manage the water levels. A thankless job, no doubt. 💦 The CRT website says water levels are better now than this time last year. I'm ready when you are, CRT. I need 5 minutes to put on my shoes and hat. #CanalRiverTrust #CRT #CanalLife #canal #BoatingLife #boating #BoatLife #boat #narrowboat #water #shortage #drought #climate 🧵/end.

Windlass in hand for winding lock paddles, I hopped off the boat on the way to a lock. On the 50 meters (about 50 yards) of towpath, I passed under an apple tree, from which I picked three medium apples. Arriving at the lock, another boater said, "I thought you brought tennis balls." Nope, just apples and a windlass. The apples, with the addition of flour, butter, sugar, and spice, will later become tarts. #CanalLife #canal #BoatingLife #boating #BoatLife #narrowboat #apple #baking #cooking

I just wrote (emailed) Baroness Bakewell, who introduced the Rights of Boat Dwellers bill, aimed at closing a legal gap for 100,000+ people in the UK who live on boats. I asked her to include a clause that bans financial services (banks and credit agencies) from lowering the credit rating of boat dwellers based solely on the fact that their home floats. https://members.parliament.uk › member › 4285 › contact #CanalLife #canal #BoatLife #boat #BoatingLife #boating #law #BoatDwellers #NoFixedAddress

A half-day of nonstop locks is a workout for my glutes and shoulders. Glutes must get a workout when I use my legs to push open a lock gate that doesn't really want to budge yet. I could wait a bit longer for the lock to fill, but when you have 20+ locks to do, I apply "let's get this over with" tactics. Shoulders must get a workout when I wind paddles up and down. #CanalLife #canal #lock #exercise #BoatingLife #boating #BoatLife #boat #narrowboat #UK

A cast-iron milestone in traditional black-and-white paint, along the New Mainline of the Birmingham Canal Network or BCN. The letters are raised, so can still be read up close, despite the black paint having flaked off. Heading left, or southeast: • Northbrook Street. • Rotton Park Junction. • Gas Street Basin. Heading right, or northwest: • Winson Green Junction. • Rabone Lane. • Galton Valley. #CanalLife #canal #BoatLife #boat #BoatingLife #boating #narrowboat #CRT #UK #milestone #history