NARROWBOAT Living - Back to the CANAL … but it’s NOT Easy! Northampton to Gayton! Ep58

This week’s video sees us leaving the river Nene and returning up to the canal. We have a tough long day going up the Northampton flight on the Grand Union Northampton Arm. We take our NARROWBOAT floating home through 3 last locks on the Nene and then face the 17 single locks on the Arm. It was hard going having to set every lock twice and the water levels were so so low tha5 Rhapsody in Blue for stuck in one of the pounds and we had to send water down from the locks above to re float her. Between us and Nikki, getting the two boats up the Northampton Arm’s 17 locks was an achievement! Great teamwork, great friends!
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[@tteric67]

Seeing those swans wake up all together was so special! You are so Lucky to be so up close to all of this on a daily basis! ❤❤❤

[@JulieandMartinonRIB]

Hi Eric, yes, that was a lovely moment, always makes me smile. We are very lucky to be able to look out of the window and have nature so close, and to interact with them from time to time. 🥰 Those locks were tough going with two boats and just three people, certainly gave us all a workout that day! 🤪 Thanks Eric! xx

[@onedaymoreaboard]

Wow what a journey! We were exhausted just watching. Gave us a big laugh when Martin honked the horn and all the swans woke up 😂

[@JulieandMartinonRIB]

Hiya! Waking the swans was funny lol, makes us laugh every time 😂 That was a tough day, we were so glad to moor up. Thanks guys! xx 😘

[@chrismis2062]

What a marathon! Between the reed/weed-choked canal and the low water through the locks, you three have done a week's worth of work in just one day! Hopefully, the next part will be much less dramatic for you all. Take care!

[@JulieandMartinonRIB]

Aww yes, that Northampton Arm is hard work, but we are a good team and help each other along the way, with a few giggles too 😃 Thanks Chris! xx

[@DanOpdal]

Thank you for sharing your adventure! Thank you for taking me along. Cheers!

[@JulieandMartinonRIB]

And thank you so much for watching Dan, we really appreciate it and look forward to seeing your comments each week, thank you! xx

[@DanOpdal]

@@JulieandMartinonRIB You're very welcome!

[@user-ou8yg7yu8e]

Well what a task on that day .

[@JulieandMartinonRIB]

It really was, we were exhausted at the end lol 😂 xx

[@sollywa]

Excellent achievement, hard work but well done

[@JulieandMartinonRIB]

Aww thank you so much for your lovely comment, we really appreciate it xx

[@lilo7019]

Thank you very much for sharing gorges video take care

[@JulieandMartinonRIB]

Thanks Lilo, the river Nene was beautiful, but we were glad to get back to the canals xx

[@gingerbob]

Looks like you were boating on the Amazon 😂 shame its not used more, its a beautiful spot if we don't use it we will loose it!! Another great day of team work, looking out for each other and plenty of smiles 😊 great memories made thank you for sharing ❤ stay safe

[@JulieandMartinonRIB]

Aww thanks Bob! Yes it is a real shame, that Northampton Arm could be so nice if tended to. Like you say, it was good teamwork and we did have a giggle! It was a tough day, but such an achievement once we’d done it! Thanks matey! xx 😘

[@paulburgess324]

Good job guys.

[@JulieandMartinonRIB]

Thanks Paul! xx

[@susanhunt2739]

What a adventure through those locks. You two must of been exhausted at the end of your day, safe travels😊

[@JulieandMartinonRIB]

Yes, it was hard work, but we made a good team with Nikki and we got there in the end! Thank you Susan xx

[@EdSmith-wb6lx]

Well done you got a lot of miles walking back and forth. but it was good team work between the three of you but a lot of hard well done you all Have a good nights rest and see you on the next vlog Ed 40 S of Vegas

[@JulieandMartinonRIB]

Hi Ed, thank you for your lovely comment xx Yes, it was a hard slog, but we do make a good team, it was just one of those occasional days that test our stamina lol. It felt so good to finish that last lock 😃 xx

[@robinwatts7079]

Martins pretty handy with that hook! Enjoying your vlogs.

[@JulieandMartinonRIB]

Yes, he did a good job getting that shopping trolley out of the canal, it could’ve done some damage to a boat’s propeller! Thanks Robin, lovely to have you watching! xx

[@jimprescott8423]

Mismador is the flying beetle in west Suffolk, Billy witches in other parts of Suffolk,but I’m sure they have different names in all parts,

[@JulieandMartinonRIB]

Haha, I have known them also to be known as the May bug too, but believe it’s official name, according to Google is Cockchafer lol. Isn’t it funny how one creature can have so many names 🤣 Thank you Jim, I think I like Billy Witch the best xx

[@edwardhoughton2565]

Xx

[@JulieandMartinonRIB]

Thanks Edward! xx

[@cotcottage2788]

❤❤

[@JulieandMartinonRIB]

Thank you Ruth & David xx

[@landbk5015]

Thant one reminded me of the weed choked canal into Coventry. I was constantly delving in the weed hatch there. Very strenuous day for you, so a well deserved brew at the I suppose. Well done you three. Barry x

[@JulieandMartinonRIB]

Hi Barry, that was a long day, we remember it well, but we were a good team! It’s a nightmare when it’s so weedy, bet you deserved your cuppa too! xx

[@landbk5015]

👍​@@JulieandMartinonRIB

[@tonygoddard5919]

Done that flight a few times now. Always water shortage issues. My method now is to walk to the top and let lots of water down (the pound above the top lock is miles long, so can easily take it). Once the by washes are flowing well, we begin our ascent. Seems to work.

[@JulieandMartinonRIB]

That sounds like a good idea, rather than us going back and forth filling as we needed it, we’ll remember that next time! Thanks Tony! xx

[@nickwood4003]

Well done. I thought that the Northampton branch of the IWA was 'looking after' the arm. Nick

[@JulieandMartinonRIB]

Hi Nick, it’s definitely C&RT that tend to the Northampton Arm, we met a CRT volunteer initially on our way down who was filling the pounds first thing in the morning. It probably used to be the IWA before the CRT. Thanks Nick, really appreciate you commenting xx

[@stewartscales1564]

Good vlog I have just viewed it whilst sitting on top of a cliff overlooking the sea in Norfolk. It looked like a real struggle through all the weed, see you both on the next one 😊

[@JulieandMartinonRIB]

Oh Stewart, that sounds lovely where you are! Thank you so much for your lovely comment! xx

[@geoffmower8729]

Hi guys well done what a magnificent effort. That's the most locks I've seen done in one day. I'm so glad you were able to find a mooring at the end. You were so clever figuring out how to let water through to raise the level for the boats well done. Does Nikki's boat have a lower hull than Rhapsody's? All in all a really enjoyable episode with challenges along the way. I say enjoyable, for me that is, sitting here watching it on the laptop, bloomin hard work for you.😂😂 Stay safe guys catch you on the next one.👍🏻👍🏻

[@JulieandMartinonRIB]

Hi Geoff, that really was a tough day! Nikki’s boat is much deeper draughted than ours, so we really needed to get more water into the pounds. We got there in the end and it was good teamwork! Thanks Geoff! xx

[@tonybason1885]

Hi Julie/Martin just watched you latest Vlog I live in Northampton and just to give you a little bit of history... I used to fish near Rushmills lock when I was a kid (I'm 76 now) there was a pub there called The Britania Inn, then you mentioned Northampton Marina which is in Beckets Park... Avon Cosmetics used to be where the marina is now along side 2 massive cooling towers.... all gone now but it still looks nice

[@JulieandMartinonRIB]

Wow, we didn’t know that, thank you Tony, I wonder why Avon Cosmetics moved out 🤔 We really enjoyed our time on the Nene, it’s a beautiful river xx

[@tonybason1885]

@@JulieandMartinonRIB I believe Avon moved production to Turkey cheap labour.. btw opposite the cooling towers there was an outdoor swimming pool heated by the water from the towers

[@JulieandMartinonRIB]

@@tonybason1885 oh wow! How clever was that, using the towers to heat the pool water! Brilliant! xx

[@mishkawp8200]

Wow, that was an epic mission! Between the weed, the reeds, the low water and all those locks….congratulations on getting through it! It must have been really hard work and would have been very difficult for Nikki if you guys hadn’t been there to help. Tag teaming the two boats worked really well even though it meant a lot of work. Have a great week 😊

[@JulieandMartinonRIB]

Yes, it was a tough day, but we do make a good team! Nikki did really well. Thanks Mishka for your kind words xx

[@domwilcox8242]

Wow, a great vlog and I didn't realise just how much hard work it is managing some of those locks, well done. I don't know how lone canal boaters manage what with the water levels needing managing too. Where are the CRT who should manage this and the weed issues too?

[@JulieandMartinonRIB]

Aww thanks Dom, yes, some days it can be hard work, but having a good team really makes a difference. It is a shame that CRT don’t seem to maintain the Northampton Arm as much as we’d like, but they are a charity and apparently don’t have the funds. So a canal that is not used very much will unfortunately fall by the wayside, what we need is more boaters using it to get the numbers up and make it more of a priority. As you said, single handed boaters, like Nikki, would really have a struggle on their own. Thank you so much xx

[@user-ou8yg7yu8e]

Well that take the blacking off your boat.?

[@JulieandMartinonRIB]

No, it fine, there’s only really two things that will take blacking off, breaking through ice, and a diesel spill on the water. We have two-pack epoxy, which is a bit more hardy, but w sill take care xx

[@robertknight5435]

Open one lock ata time and not three.

[@JulieandMartinonRIB]

Thanks Robert, but that really wouldn’t have worked on this occasion, we got there in the end though 👍😃 Thanks! xx