As lovely as it has been living in Devizes Marina for 4 months, we're excited to be cruising again on our narrowboat, Cygnet.
In many ways, setting off freely has been reminiscent of our narrowboat adventure on Badger; however, this time around, we're more secure in our boat's general competence, and we're familiar with the canal and river protocol.
We got used to the convenience of operating our electricity from the main electricity supply at the marina, so one of the biggest transitions is going back to only being powered by our solar panel on the roof. Right now, we have one solar panel that powers our 12 V refrigerator and USB sockets, and we charge laptops, mobile devices, lanterns, and other electronics on battery power while cruising. This is something that we need to upgrade with an additional power supply from a generator or a power bank to give us the freedom to work longer in the evenings after mooring up.
Hubby and I have been slowly getting back into the rhythm of boat life things, such as mapping out water points, waste disposal, and locating food shopping facilities along the network.
One of the experiences of being on the cut involves operating locks along the canal system that are designed to ascend and descend the hilly stretches on the cut.
Continuously cruising is fun and exciting, as we get to take in serene scenes of nature; however, it is also physically demanding, getting on and off the boat, walking back and forth locks, and crossing bridges to open and close paddles and gates.
The canal system dates way back, and some locks are better maintained than others. The neglected locks tend to leak, have broken parts, or are difficult to move, requiring all your might.
That note above was from a prior boater, who must have felt some frustration trying to open this paddle, which felt close to impossible. I managed to do it by stopping to catch my breath counting to three and repeating until I got the paddle up.
I look forward to toning up and building muscles, but for right now, I'll prioritise safety while navigating and operating them.
The canal network is beautiful, and one advantage of purchasing the boat from the marina was that we were on new territory in the southwest of the UK, making our way to the East Midlands.
So, for the first time, we will be travelling on the River Thames, navigating different currents from what we are used to on the canals. It sounds a bit scary, as water is powerful and you never know, but we have our life jackets required for all boaters on the river.
There are many wide beams on this stretch of the canals, and that's because the locks are wider to accommodate them.
A close-up view as this one glides under a bridge.
They are indeed a lot bigger than the narrow boats, which makes them ideal for boaters who are permanently moored at marinas. However, they are limited and sometimes confined to certain sections of the canals only, as the original network is narrow, hence the concept of narrowboats, designed specifically for the UK's narrow canals.
The different designs and styles of boats jazz up the canals, and I'm always happy when I do get the chance to capture a few shots.
Life as a continuous cruiser means going rain or shine, as long as the canals are deemed safe for cruising by the River and Canal Trust.
I particularly like to see the different lighting reflecting from the waters and the change in the vibrancy of greenery whenever the sun pops out.
Seeing the fleeting trains that go by the canals reminds me how lucky I am to be cruising at the slow pace of 3 miles per hour. This speed allows me to absorb the beauty of the rolling hills, wildlife, and stunning nature.
As we make our way towards the East Midlands, we've set ourselves a daily goal of cruising for five to six hours, depending on weather conditions, the number of locks, or other delays. So, today we did several locks and decided to throw in the towel at about 4:00 PM, in a village called Great Bedwyn, that's still in Wiltshire.
These last four shots are my evening views for today, where hubby quickly nipped to the nearby shop to top up our food supplies at a Londis convenience store.
Not a bad way to end the evening and our third day of cruising, eh?
So long, and my journey continues in the AM.
My blog frequently features my minimalist lifestyle and adventures while living on my narrowboat.”
Irie love,
Milly
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