Continuous Cruisers around Gayton

With the deadline for the return of the forms to British Waterways on 30th September, it was no wonder that on the last few miles of the River Nene and here close to Gayton it is on people’s minds.. and much of ‘meeting at the lock’ conversations dwelt on the subject.

One chap we met on the Nene was most incredible and does the true continuous cruisers like Vic and I no good whatsoever.. He boasted that he has not had a licence for 9 years out of the ten he has been cruising.  He is off to the London area for the winter, not having a mooring though.. he didn’t say if he was going to keep to the mooring rules, and I didn’t ask.  He has a new boat now, not registered with any authority yet.. well spose if his boat is not registered then no need to licence!  He has no intention whatsover to pay the extra 147% more that it is proposed by British Waterways for boats that have no mooring as such.  I doubt he will buy a licence at all next time anyway!

At the first couple of locks of the Northampton line I met up with a retired couple, pensioners..

 “I have returned the forms, I cannot afford to pay an extra 2 and half times what I am paying now.  I have told them my pension only just about covers what I have chosen to do for my retirement, what with the threat of the diesel being 3 times more than it is now in a couple of years it is impossible for me to pay.  I have told them I cannot pay the extra for the licence and have also told them that I will not be paying any licence fee if it is increased that much.”

British Waterways are making a grave mistake proposing this unbelievable increase.  Very few boaters will declare that they are continuous cruisers when they next licence their boat. 1300 boats are believed to be in the continous cruiser category this year, I dread to think what that figure will be for next year if it was published. 

Anyway enough banging on about waterway politics for now…

As you see the smilies are back!

It sure has been a serious culture change coming back on to British Waterways.. but to help us back John Sinclair joined us at the bottom of the Rothersthorpe flight on Thursday.  It was great to see John again, the last time I was in a state of disorganised chaos having just picked up Wendie’s two dogs for their annual holiday.. there were tins of dog food, blankets, mutt towels, dog baskets etc etc all over the place.. gawd knows how John managed to step over everything.. this time was much better and we all had a great day together working slowly through the locks.

John helped me through my post summer blues… I was sorry to leave the Nene, River Gt Ouse and all the little tributaries.. Wicken Fen.. Burwell Lode.. ah memories.. but here we are back on the system.  Lots of boats around!

I think I have all my stuff back on the computer safely now.. gawd I didn’t realise how much stuff I actually use.  So many programs to reinstall.  

We are meeting Chas and Ann on NB Moore2Life next week in Braunston..  that will cheer me.