413 - A Great Cruise on the River Great Ouse to Great Barford

[@Leonard_Smith]

Best ending since Michael managed to remember the entire script! Well done on your bravery Jo!

[@MinimalList]

Haha, very brave!

[@bjbrown]

Watching George leap into the water to get his ball made me think back to when you first tried to adopt a doggie and you were turned down for living on the boat. I hope that they see the joy that George has everyday! He looks like a happy boy and his tail never seems to stop…that says it all. Cheers from Florida!

[@CM-kl9qh]

Touché, Jo! Touché! Very deftly played! 🤣 That said, I’m as much a puniferous malaprop as Michael and a big fan of repartee as long as it’s gentle!

[@johnataylor3616]

Always like the end conversation

[@Thrayps]

I thoroughly enjoyed the Vlog, especially the humour at the end.

[@MinimalList]

Thank you! M

[@borderreiver90]

You have certainly explored the area well...don’t think any other bloggers get down there....

[@ltrtg13]

Watching George jumping in to the river reminded me. A few weeks ago I was cycling along the Walsall canal. I'd just gone under the M6 heading to Walsall. I came up on a squirrel on the towpath. After a little while deciding where it was going. It jumped over some "undergrowth". At about 10 to 15 seconds later the squirrel was climbing out of the canal. I think squirrels and cats have one thing in common. They can swim if absolutely necessary. But will avoid with extreme prejudice.

[@MinimalList]

Oh poor squirrel!

[@Steve9357]

I live in the big thicket area of Texas.. We Have Spiders..Want some? just kidding . I love you two Now three, :) read your books .made me like you two even more. Well done and Mucho Respect!

[@MinimalList]

Thank you so much for such kind words!

[@terryrigden4860]

Nice bit of bollard lassooing. Great to be reminded of summer

[@bernardhilton3527]

The SLO-Mo dive into the river was beautiful. Love your dog.

[@MinimalList]

Thank you. We love him too!

[@navigator902]

Barford, is nice and your setting with George in the same frame... very nice trip for a Sunday... and He likes it.... such a cute little boy.

[@nazdagg2027]

you guys were really funny at the end. liked seeing Jumpin George.

[@rogerbond7811]

A few conkers dotted around the boat help to keep spiders away. Noticed a grease point on some of the paddle gear just hope it is used.

[@josephkerley363]

Beautiful river for a lazy cruise.

[@philipizzard2584]

Belated birthday wishes jo and a lovely vlog on the river looks beautiful late summer sunshine too

[@austinhallmark7060]

Happy birthday Jo. X

[@TheBadwolf456]

Lovely video. Finally, the pedestrian bridge at Roxton Lock is being repaired. That bridge has been closed for at least 2 years, possibly longer.

[@MinimalList]

Oh really? I hope it is all fixed now as this was a couple of months ago.

[@wattsonboard6931]

Happy belated birthday Jo. You certainly deserved your Chinese take-away. So looking forward to seeing the developments of your refurbishment. This will be development for Minimalist going into the world of diy. Take care.

[@nirgunapa56]

Nice one Jo!

[@brodie2711]

Good haircut Michael and with your shades on you both look so cool and laid back and what more could one ask for when passing through such a country idyll. All the best guys. Stephen

[@MinimalList]

Ha, I’m pretty sure we look far from cool but thanks anyway. Year this part of the river is really beautiful!

[@junco477]

Perfect. July in the end of October. George being George squared. Belated birthday wishes, Jo. Haircut.

[@MinimalList]

Thank you!

[@wilfamos7314]

Great video as ever, thanks for posting. Really enjoying the George action......I need to get a dog! :-)

[@lesmumford8426]

Happy birthday!

[@ddview3067]

Loved the ending!

[@nickcaunt750]

monk-ey island is the pleonasm. The suffix -ey (pronounced today /iː/) is common across England and Scotland and cognate with ait and meaning island, a term - as ait or eyot - unusually well-preserved on the Thames.

[@MinimalList]

Ahh, so it’s the Monk-Island Island? M

[@markattardo]

Happy belated birthday! Enjoyed the cruise👍😎👍

[@junco477]

Brilliant close. Made my day.

[@MinimalList]

Hehe!

[@rmk]

Belated happy birthday, Jo, hope you had a wonderful time!

[@MinimalList]

Thank you. Turns out Great Barford was a pretty good place to spend a birthday… even though it rained!

[@markgruenberg6277]

Great video. Nice seeing George enjoying himself. Be well and stay safe.

[@MinimalList]

Thank you. Yeah, I love seeing his little tail wagging!

[@terryjacksonberry4742]

Yeah Jo!

[@maggiekavanagh2801]

Lovely relaxed cruise, just what a Sunday evening needs. Can't agree with you about the arachnids, give me the shivers, but there does seem to have been an over abundance of them this year. Nice haircut, very belated birthday wishes Jo, hope you got your takeaway. Oh and gorgeous George, he's just too cute. Take care you three

[@MinimalList]

Thanks Maggie. Hope you are keeping well!

[@navigator902]

Uninteresting promotes fascination.... Sounds like George logic... Love it

[@MinimalList]

Haha!

[@leedavies3629]

Brilliant vlog

[@MinimalList]

Thank you

[@johncallaghan8854]

Beautiful stretch of River, great shots of George diving in

[@MinimalList]

He would happily play that game all day!

[@johncallaghan8854]

@@MinimalList I'm sure he would and so would I 😊

[@IIlIlIll]

Great vid,I remember seeing you swimming in the river pool! I didn’t realise you was filming I regularly fish that stretch as I live behind the Tesco’s you mentioned

[@MinimalList]

What a lovely area to live in.

[@junco477]

Had a vision of the narrowboat equivalent of a barn raising to gather the bodies for your renovation.

[@voodoo2882]

cattle prod is needed @ the end......smile......zap

[@btrowbridge8958]

Happy Halloween Mike n Joe !

[@johnnyc3298]

Happy Birthday Jo, my only complaint is... We saw George jumping in the water and crawling out like a drowned rat but where was the "slo mo" shot of him shaking all that water off? That would have been a nice ending to the George sequence! 🤪👍💕🇬🇧

[@CanadianCuttingEdge]

We would love please if you would state in the title or video description the date the vlog was filmed.

[@MinimalList]

The date is always in the first frame of the video but I’ll try and remember to add it into the description too!

[@robcowan7123]

Great vlog guy hey just wondering have you guys heard from the girls from narrowboat experience have not seen any vlogs from them and I Kno they use to sell your maps

[@MinimalList]

Yeah, they are doing well.

[@mrtnsnp]

A Great video.

[@MinimalList]

Thank you so much!

[@anfieldroadlayoutintheloft5204]

Good video on the cut thanks lee

[@christinegibbins6105]

Is it the Norfolk air Michael or the local tipple? dear George, bless him. Thank you both for a very pleasant cruise. Happy belated birthday Jo!!! Take care

[@MinimalList]

Thanks for coming along!

[@vivianewing7154]

You guys are funny!!!!!!

[@maobfh]

“See what I have to put up with?” I have one just like it, Jo. Not quite as tall, this one topped out at 6ft and he styled his beard differently. Word play can be really funny. And fun! But, occasionally, they (well, mine) comes out with a real dud. Mine doesn’t recognize it as a dud, and will assume that it was just too subtle for my simple mind (while I am thinking it was just too obvious to be funny) when I fail to bark out a short laugh or whisper a chuckle. He will then proceed to explain it to me, insuring that a joke that might become funny in a different circumstance has now been beat to death. It took me a few years to catch on to why he thought it needed an explanation and try though I might, I cannot fake a spontaneous bark of laughter. After some time, my grumpiness won out and I started telling him “Michael, the fact that I didn’t laugh does not mean that I didn’t get the joke. It sometimes means that it just wasn’t funny “. Yes, mine is also a Michael. Is yours as frighteningly fearless as mine was? Kingfisher? I recently decided to paint a kingfisher, not realizing that it is a common subject for a painting. So it won’t see the light of day. I have never seen one up close and personal! Lovely video and I am enjoying the different terrain….no, narrowboats tend to stay on the same terrain….yes, terrain that you have been passing through. You have such a lovely mooring AND there is Chinese Take Away within a few short walk? And no where you HAVE TO be? Yes! Stop now, please! Lovely video! Thanks for sharing! And for popping your head in!

[@MinimalList]

I wouldn’t say I’m “frighteningly” fearless, see also my intense distrust of heights and my hatred of flying… but in selective areas I do seem to worry less about my own well-being than others do about theirs. Hence why I’ve got a selfie standing beside an unexplored 40 year old bomb, and most people don’t! Also why I’ve been bitten by more things than most! And had more tropical diseases! M

[@claire4486]

"please ensure slackers are closed" On lock gate. Is it a different name for sluice gates on the river?

[@ScholarGypsyOx]

Yes. And they are called doors not gates in East Anglia.

[@MinimalList]

Really, I remember how much flack we got for calling them doors when we first started narrowboating! 😂

[@markthomas2441]

I enjoy your vids guys but George is the star because he so reminds me of my springer spaniel who is sadly now in doggy heaven😢. I have a small boat (yogurt pot😀) on the non tidal Thames and hope to say hello to you all in the future if you venture out this way again.

[@MinimalList]

George is a star. Sorry you lost your pooch, heart breaking

[@Mlucas47]

Great haircut

[@BarneyLeith]

I hope Jo had a good take-away for her birthday!

[@MinimalList]

I did. Thank you!

[@warrenmadden2586]

Michael: "You can edit all that out" Narrator: "She, in fact, did _not_ edit any of it out" 😃

[@narrowboating]

I’m sure you’ll find some tranquil, idilic spot for renovation works…

[@MinimalList]

Err…. 😂

[@jillosler9353]

The last few locks on the Bedford Great Ouse are not guillotined because the risk of tidal flooding no longer exists - they are just locks like you get on the canal system. The electric guillotine option is not for ease of use for boaters; it's for tidal control. If you only travelled 2 miles that is half an hour plus lock time. You really sound fed up so why not just turn around and make your way back to the Grand Union and onwards??

[@MinimalList]

Because we are going to Bedford!

[@jillosler4282]

@@MinimalList If you don't like noise or aggro, you will HATE Bedford. Local narrowboaters stay out of Bedford Town because of the troublesome few who will try to vandalise your boat.

[@MinimalList]

This was filmed in July! We had a great time in Bedford. Not much noise, No aggro, no vandalism to the boat, just happy friendly people who were pleased to see a boat visiting. We didn’t hate it at all. We’ve learnt over the last four years not to listen to people who tell us to avoid a place, if we had we’d have unnecessarily avoided most towns and cities on the system. All the waterways of Bedford need is more boats visiting to make them thrive!

[@ScholarGypsyOx]

Jill Sorry, but that's not correct. There are four locks (Roxton, Barford, Willington and Castle Mill) with V-doors at both ends,. They were all built in the 1970s as part of the final push for restoration, and with big (fixed) weirs to pass the water downstream, and this method of construction was preferred to using guillotines. The guillotines further upstream at Cardington and Bedford, as well as all the others downstream, are still there. The tide doesn't reach any further than St Ives. The river certainly floods at the top end - can easily rise a meter or two when there has been a lot of rainfall inland.

[@navigator902]

Yes, perfect call Micheal , away from the noisy kids and close to a Chinese take out, Criteria for a perfect landing.

[@navigator902]

George play makes my day.... Love me some Georgie.

[@MinimalList]

We love him too!

[@rossrowntree5905]

Off grid . Grid everywhere 😟

[@wam2610]

👍

[@MinimalList]

😊

[@marjoriejohnson6535]

Loved Mike's hair ...it will grow back but..what ihead of hair. And I would kill to have the wavy hair jo has....my white hair came in fizzy yet straight...go figure. I am so going to miss crusing the cut with you both. This makes the 3rd of my top 5 narrowboat channels to either stop or seldom vlog...boo hoo. Thank you for keeping me company as I lay in this d*** bed. XOX... give George a scratch on his belly form me....

[@yta6765]

Just have to ask to settle an argument here: Was the Keep calm le the Rookie win T-shirt a gift inspired by Michael or self chosen?

[@MinimalList]

He designed it himself. You can buy one here www.teepublic.com/user/yawpitchroll

[@jamesayers5182]

Oh Jo! Really love the way that you try to wind Michael up, (Sorry Michael, I support the ladies more than my own gender), please give George a tummy rub for me.

[@sandrablackmore9610]

Micheal you look great with your hair cut, now how about having your beard trimmed again so we can see how handsome you are. (Smile)

[@leannsanford906]

😂😂😂😂

[@chazzyb8660]

I see the attempt to join Bedford on the Great Ouse to Milton Keynes and the Grand Union died a death a few years ago - what a shame? Seems they'd rather build houses than waterways on the flood-plain. Of course there is also a hill in the way. Hmm - if each of your subscribers chipped in a quid…

[@MinimalList]

Yeah, that is a huge shame. It would be great to close the loop. It would make the Ouse much more accessible too

[@trendtraderx]

uk rivers are full of raw sewage. So watch out for infections etc

[@MinimalList]

Yeah. Thanks!

[@veronicaroach3667]

I would get very tired of the locks in no time - would end up going nowhere - just find a delightful spot & STAY there - way too much work !

[@MinimalList]

But then you would see the same thing every day.

[@navigator902]

Thunder stolen....