Magnetic or True

With a delivery calling to be done ones thoughts turn to a smooth crossing. With gale after gale, the need for the old prayer mat calls a pleanty. Prayer mat in hand, now so as not to displease him up there the placement is very critical so as not to offend. Right now is that Magnetic or True. It is quite a difference you know and with todays current high winds the I must have got it wrong yet again. See I told you, "God Hates Me". No matter where I point the thing all I get is rough seas. Surely he knows by now that Dutch barges have flat bottoms and do not like it too rough, besides which I hate it when the crew revolt. Cancel those flight tickets Hassle, looks like I'm staying at home for a bit longer. Probably her prayer mat works better than mine. Now all I need is another crossing like the one in the piccie

New Generation Marine Dating Agency

Seems like there is no rest for the wicked I got rid of him years ago and now he returns like a 38 year old homing pidgeon. I've put him on the laptop to try and gain a little experience at chatting to strangers, never know he might stumble on his life's dream. Who is kidding who. It seems we are now looking for a partner for a 38 year old homing bird, and there was me thinking we would have our home to our selves in the start of our dotage. Doesn't matter where we move to I am sure he will find the way. "Hassle the boss" says he is our baby, being the last born, I suppose it is only natural, he is all of 2mtrs tall and built like a brick sh-t house, very strong and does not mind grafting, see picture below then to top that off our engineer Brian declares he is now looking for some company, probably a code word, so I think we need to set up one of those online dating agencies, probably easier to find both of them jobs on some tramp steamer going to the far east on a one way voyage, Blooming cheek, baby Austin has nicked me razor, only had it a week and now it's gorn along with my shaving foam and refill blades. Looks like I need a new razor. If there is any one out there looking for a gentle giant with appetite to match, please contact him and save this old fart some hard earnt

Just to keep some dreams alive

Just to prove a point there are still bargains available. Here is my next job being put through it's paces, with a newish Daff fitted, capable of 9 knot's, a really good example of a Luxemotor a Slight hold up after a cold winter. On starting up it was noticed that the exhaust was a bit wet, low coolant in the header tank.......HEAD GASKET.... going going gone. Job delayed...Owning a Klipper makes me pick up a camera just at the thought of one, so for those of you who love to dream........Einkhousen (wrong spelling)is a great place for the camera, and a good overnight stop over for tired crew, early morning camera action alwaysAnd a few more

Bargeing the cold way

Sometimes it takes a little invention to solve small problemswhen steering on an open deck and the icy wind is cutting into all those delicate places you might just need a windshield. Good old grinding helmet may not fit over all the protective headware but stops that cutting wind dead
At night there is always the chance of a rogue wave and even though we were using a safety strap, no one likes to be dragged behind a barge going five knots, so with a little bit of cord attached to the tiller, around the mooring bits and back to the companionway and attached to a couple of sticks, in this case a broom and a mop. Now it is simple push on right stick and pull on left and barge turns left simple.
The new half owner of this little barge enjoying steering and learning enough to manage a life afloat, Both halves made notes but they do have our telephone numbers, just in case.
Engineer Brian giving a good oppertunity for an early morning shot, and finally how to fly the simple way, how graceful to be able to hold in the sky in quite a breeze without even a moving feather.Bootiful

Brrr...rrrrrrrrrr....rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Not exactly the ideal time of year for one of these type of deliveries, but, the customer needed it delivered down south as they needed to live somewhere, and although Thorne is a nice place near Doncaster commuting from there is a long slog, and with all the furniture down south, needs must. Running the Aak down the canal to Keadby lock on the river trent we had to pass a number of road bridges most of which are handraulic, we noticed that the nav lights were a bit wrong,,,,,No Steaming light, so we had to stop overnight to buy a new light the following morning. As you can see it is not the largest of barges and the temperature on night one was minus 5c. even the tiller was covered with frost.

Joining the river trent and running down the Humber to the North sea was totally uneventful but we were one hour late inleaving so it was 1.5 knots slog to finally clear the river. Brian and I once at sea managed a 15 minutes on and fifteen minutes off, that was about as long as one could stand the cold. Fingernails turning blue and very painful when warming up. We managed a run south down to Lowestoft where we were meeting the owners other half who joined us for the rest of the voyage. Running south again a decision was made to make a short detour to Paglesham our home base for a quick break rather than sit on a mooring at Gravesend for over 12 hours, so Paglesham it was, and your scribe was so pleased to grab a few hours in their own pit.

36 hours later and we were back underway round the Maplin sand and into the Thames proper with Southend Pier nearing but for some reason still freezing. On arriving outside Gravesend basin we had a two hour wait out in the river, and finally passing through the lock into the basin where this old Aak will have its new home. We hope Tim and Sarah will enjoy life afloat and we all wish them well in the new venture

Back to the wet stuff

Early morning post of a change. We will be away at sea for a few days and I will be taking the new camera so hopefully some new pictures. Not too sure on the delivery, it may be Dutch and about 100 years old but she has no wheelhouse and no wheel. Perched on the aft deck with tiller steering this time of year, whatever next. Packing check, Life raft, emergency radio, thermals, Life raft, thermals, Brrrrrrrr