How do we get going again when they let us? If you are a UK boater, you've probably had an email from CRT asking you to complete a short survey about your post lockdown boating plans. As soon as I started to fill in my response I quickly realised that we might have some hard decisions to make.
Regular readers may recall that we abandoned Herbie's move from Cropredy Marina to Kings Bromley Marina part way and that she now rests pro tem at Wigram's Turn.
CRT asks whether we would first just go to visit the boat where it is, or perhaps venture out locally for a couple of days, or whether we would plan to make a longer trip. Hmmm. Good question.
Let's say that sometime in June, they allow non essential boat trips. Certainly we'd want to go and check over the boat and collect a few things we left there that we find we need at home. I'm thinking that, given fine weather, we might pop out and moor up in the sticks for a couple of days. Presumably social distancing rules will still apply, so we'd have to find a quiet spot. But would we carry on up to Kings Bromley (taking a week or so)?
Well, we'd need all the food for the journey because the pubs would be shut and I still don't feel ready to go into shops if I don't have to. Then what would happen when we get to the other end? We'd need to get back to our car at Wigrams. I can't imagine feeling ready to use public transport for quite some time. No, I can't see us completing the journey in the early days of any relaxing of rules.
We'll just have to wait and see what unfolds I suppose, but I'd be surprised if we got to Kings Bromley before August or September. Actually, just to go out to Herbie and spend a couple of quiet days on the towpath in the sticks would be enough of a treat for a while.
I'd be interested to know how other boaters plan to emerge.
HERBIE! Journeys on our narrowboat and the trials and tribulations of maintaining her.
6 comments:
My basic position is that I'm not leaving home until I can do so unconditionally. But on the other hand, I have just requested three weeks' leave in August, just in case...
We had planned for our first long trip to be to Calcutt, but hit the same issue as you - getting back to the car. I'd forgotten about the shopping issue. So we're still thinking.
stay safe,
Debby
I sense the possibility of a plan between Herbie and Chuffed - Wigram's Turn and Calcutt are quite close, so maybe a mutually beneficial car shuffle could be arranged?
We are still here in NZ and likely to be so for this year and next, so it'll be motorhoming around the country for us when Jacinda says we can!
Cheers, Marilyn
PS When hiring from Black Prince at Wigram's Turn back in 2007, I organised an Ocado delivery there - perhaps you could do that?
Cheers, Marilyn
I too completed that survey. We are moored in Droitwich Spa Marina and should be on a BCNS cruise as I type and then heading off up to Lincoln and then York. None of that will happen this year. Chris is vulnerable, so if we go anywhere it will be very local. We could certainly do with visiting the boat if only to collect all the things that we find we need only to say in unison 'we have one on the boat'!
A couple of days in the sticks sounds lovely. Who needs more at the moment. We're all still in recovery of a sort!
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