I name this boat Zulu Warrior!

April 30, 2010 by Mike · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Canals, Zulu Warrior 

The newly named Zulu Warrior at Little Venice

Zulu is not one of the smartest looking boats on the cut, and like many older boats its a long time since a name of any sort was painted on the side.

However when I bought Zulu, the previous owner presented me with ready made sticky backed names for the cabin sides.  I had more imporant things to fix at the time and so they have remained in a cupboard until today.  Spurred on by overhearing a couple of walkers looking at the name on the licence plates and asking if this was the ex Royal Navy narrowboat I decided to investigate whether the old name decals would still be usable.

I originally planned to paint the cabin before using them, as they are green and the cabin is green too (nothing of course to do with the dozen shades of green) , but today I decided that painting the cabin sides has already taken over two years and is unlikely to happen this month.

And so out came the fairy liquid to clean off the grime and on went the decals – the first time I have applied these, and very successful it was too.  Within 15 minutes I had one side done, so quickly turned the boat around and did the other side too.  Why it has taken me two years to do this I don’t even understand myself.

So if you are in Little Venice this weekend, for the Cavalcade, then you will now have a much greater chance of identifying us!  See you there!!

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Uxbridge to Little Venice

April 29, 2010 by Mike · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Canals, Cruising Log 

Monday and Tuesday 26/27th April 2010

Zulu at Bulls Bridge Junction

Whilst the regulars have all desserted Little Venice, Zulu has deliberately made the journey into town, to be around and about during the IWA Cavalcade 2010.

We set off from Uxbridge after treating the dogs to a bus – train – bus journey from Burghfield, near Reading to Uxbridge.  I don’t think they minded too much but I was relieved that all three of us arrived intact just in time for another walk.  Exhausted, we arrived an hour or so after the walk, at Cowley lock where I decided to call it a day, fill up at the handy local shops and introduce the dogs to Cowley Park (well intoduce one of them, as the other has been here many times) and suitably exercised we all had dinner and collapsed into bed.

As a result of our early night we needed an early morning start so when the dogs decided to take me out at 5:30 I didn’t protest, and enjoyed a beautiful walk at this, the best time of the day (at least according to the dogs).

We left Cowley lock at 07:30 and arrived at Little Venice at 12:30 – its about 15 miles, so three miles an hour isn’t a bad average for Zulu.  The weather en route was superb – its hard to remember this is still April - and the thermometer inside Zulu’s cabin clocked 26 C this afternoon.

I was expecting Little Venice to be more chaotic, as the 14 day moorings between Brownings Pool and the footbridge opposite the Waterway Bar, and the 7 day moorings on the Paddington Arm up to the glass footbridge are reserved by the IWA between Monday 26th and Friday 7th.  Most noticeably all the regular moorers have moved back to Kensall Rise moorings, so in fact when we arrived Paddington was relatively desserted, and we found a 14 day mooring without a problem which is more than I could have said if I wanted to stay at Kensall Rise!  There was even one space on the 7 day moorings in Paddington Basin itself, but whilst very secure down there, it isn’t as nice for the dogs.

So here we are.  One of the reasons we are here for Cavalcade is that I am working on a trip boat over the weekend as well as being on duty today (Tuesday afternoon), so after a quick change and an hour of dog walking, I changed boats and went on a busman’s holiday down to Camden and back!

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Leaving London

October 3, 2009 by Mike · 3 Comments
Filed under: Canals 

How embarassing that my last post was on 11th August.  So much has happened during the last two months, most of which I have spent either in London or somewhere up and down the Grand Union between London and Uxbridge, including an exhausting and expensive visit to Uxbridge dry dock.

Jason's Trip (foreground) and Lapwing (background)

Jason's Trip (foreground) and Lapwing (background)

The main reason I have been so busy though is that I have been working.  Not so much on computers, which is still the way I earn a living, but a new boaty job. In August I stumbled upon a chance to do some skippering on the trip boats in Little Venice and grabbed it with both hands, as I badly needed to get some hours to log against my  licence.  With great pleasure I have been steering Lapwing for the last couple of months; the wonderful 96 year old former Fellows Morton and Clayton motor boat based at Little Venice, which led to several days steering Jason, of Jason’s Trip fame.  Two of the oldest surviving trip boats in the country – both Joshers but very different to steer, each with its own very strong character.

The Waterbus route from Little Venice to Camden must be one of the most interesting stretches of canal in the country, including Paddington Basin, Brownings Pool, the tunnel at Maida Hill, some of the most expensive and coveted moorings in the country at Blomfield Road,Lisson Wide,  the Nash Mansions of Regents Park,  Blowup Bridge,  London Zoo, Cumberland Basin, Primrose Hill, The Pirates Castle and Camden Market.  I have now covered this route dozens and dozens if not hundreds of times yet never tired of it, every trip bringing something new.  The route is absolutely ideal for boat trips.

I could not have been more honoured than to be accepted so warmly into the world of Little Venice, which has been an absolute revalation and completely changed my views about the whole of London.  Mooring at Paddington and Little Venice has also been a pleasure – not a hint of any trouble, and I envy those who are arriving this week to make it their winter mooring.

Sadly the season is now coming to an end and my next trip on Lapwing will not be until next Saturday, so I am writing this from the Thames at Hampton Court, well on the way home for the winter and somewhat sad that I am not a Londoner any more.

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