- Details
The morning rain had cleared, and the high wind warnings were only apparent as a stiff breeze and so, after struggling to conduct the toilet repairs with a full holding tank, I cast off in search of a pump-out. After this, lunch at a Wroxham café and then to visit the boatbuilders Barnes Brinkcraft, who were very helpful. The slow process of packing up and securing Heronshaw and the boat before the journey home, dropping in at the McDonalds Drive Thru’ and Mum’s in Stanton to check she was all right with her back pains. Once home, I eventually cheered up a grumpy Diana, who I had left with the children, after arrival and had a nice time with her in bed before sleeping.
Ferranti's Radar Division had been taken over by GEC to secure their supplying radar to the Euro Fighter, Ford Motor Company workers are settling for an inflationary 10.2% pay rise, the stock market has fallen sharply (from 2450 to 2291 on the FT100 index) with jitters about inflation, huge demonstrations greet the rebel "Test Cricket Team" of Gatting in South Africa and the EEC is now considering a total 6-month ban for British cattle to Europe in view of infection by BSE, the "Mad Cow Disease".
I struggled on trying to repair the rear toilet but the level of effluent in the holding tank was high, making it difficult to work on the problem. Then, with the river level being very low, the front sea toilet started sucking up silt whilst being flushed and this made me decide to cruise off for a "pump-out". It had been raining this morning, and this had cleared up but there were warnings of high winds to come. At this time, I only a stiff breeze to contend with as I cast off on my own with some trepidation after deploying all of the fenders for safety. I cruised up and down the river for some time finding both the "Percival’s" and "Colin Tracey" yards closed and they had winterised and drained down their pumps at this time of year. Then I found another yard open and managed to edge past the moored houseboats and alongside to their pump-out station without incident. This achieved, I also filled up with water and then cruised back to the moorings.
** PRESS "Read More" BELOW for the complete story **
- Details
Tired after the last two days, I still awoke earlier at 8am and started working on the faulty bilge pump lights and then again struggled with the after toilet plumbing until lunch and a rest at the café in Wroxham reading the EDP. The evening making a list and transferring unwanted things from the boat to Heronshaw, starting to clean the saloon carpet there.
Slept even better after the efforts of the last couple of days but awoke slightly earlier on at 8.00am. This day I started working on the faulty bilge pump lights but could make little progress. Then I found that the aft toilet was filling with water and overflowing into the holding tank, so I tried to empty the tank through the macerator. No luck as the pipe leaked and soon the task became hopeless unless I could get some new hose. Also, I then suspected that the toilet had a faulty valve. At this point, I called a halt and drove into Wroxham, very tired.
** PRESS "Read More" BELOW for the complete story **
- Details
Another beautifully sunny and mild day working on my new boat, commissioning the battery chargers and remote-control panels in the quiet countryside with just a Robin and Radio Broadland for company. Jack Edwards visited me again this morning and gave me some more advice and addresses of builders as the rain came later
Awoke late at 9.00am on to the sound of a Robin singing proudly on an overhanging tree. It is so quiet there and the start to the day was beautifully sunny and mild. I thought Paxton was quiet until we bought Heronshaw. After breakfast, I spent the day commissioning the battery chargers, making a hole in the port saloon bunk side and fitting the remote-control panels. I worked whilst listening to "Radio Broadland" until about teatime and then broke off for a meal before carrying on until about 1.00am. I had a milky drink to unwind after clearing up and then sat back and enjoyed the results of my endeavours.
** PRESS "Read More" BELOW for the complete story **
- Details
This was the first of several days at Heronshaw in Norfolk, tending to my new boat and working on its outstanding problems on a mild day for the time of year. After making myself a meal and stowing everything away, I spent two hours finding the wiring fault that prevented my boat’s Port Domestic battery charging. My caretaker Jack visited on foot after contractors had made the road near impassable. I retired late and slept quite reasonably.
I had decided to leave early and was woken at 6.00am. It still took me an hour to get out, even though I had done much of the packing the night before, but I arrived at Heronshaw at 8.45am which was very good. I had intended to stop on the way at Norwich ring-road at the McDonalds "Drive Thru'" but it was not open at that time of the morning. I found both the property and boat safe and well and spent some time transferring all my tools and belongings aboard. It was quite mild for the time of year.
** PRESS "Read More" BELOW for the complete story **