Voyage of the Carey Ginger

Contents

The Beginning
Handling a Narrow Boat
Locks
Along the Canal
Canal Bridges
Pubs
Wildlife Along the Canal
Adventures of Tilly
Other Boats
Other Forms of Transport
Whittington
What Next?

The voyage was conceived last September, when Gordon and his sister Bunty discovered they both harbored a desire to return by canal boat to the village where they grew up.

So, Gordon and JoAnn took a train from Edinburgh (a separate vacation) to Stoke on Trent, in the center of the English Potteries. It lies at the junction of the Trent and Mersey and Calder canals. Next morning we explored the Calder canal to get a taste for the upcoming voyage, then took a short train journey to Stone, where we were to collect our own boat - the Lucy Ginger, we thought.

In Stone we took advantage of market day to shop for supplies, and waited for the arrival of Bunty and her husband Hiag, plus the fifth crew member, Tilly.

We discovered that the Lucy Ginger was not available, so we settled for her twin sister, Carey Ginger. Both are 60 foot narrow boats with beds for four people.

We found Carey Ginger at the end of a line of other boats. After some help getting under way, and a brief (all too brief!) tutorial* on how to handle the boat and the locks, the fearless crew set a south-easterly course along the Trent and Mersey towards our destination.

The Carey Ginger was a sea-worthy craft. The galley was well appointed, and the lounge was a comfortable place to relax. Relaxation time, it transpired, would be much appreciated at the end of a day's work.

We did not get far the first day. As evening fell, and the ducks on the canal tucked themselves in for the night, we found a lovely spot in the countryside where we could moor. Most important, it was within easy walking distance of a pub.

Next morning, well rested, we set off early on the rest of our adventure.

Steering a 60 foot boat sounds simple enough: To go right, push the tiller left, and vice versa. The trouble is, the boat does not respond at once, and having begun to turn it keeps on turning. Furthermore, as far as the bow turns right, the stern turns left, making accurate steering in a narrow channel very difficult.

By the end of the week, Gordon and Hiag* had become quite adept, but JoAnn and Bunty preferred to let the men take care of the job. JoAnn found the task is much less stressful if the boat remains tied up.

The narrow boat is 7 feet wide. The fact that in spots the width of the canal is roughly 7 feet 6 inches creates problems. The space under bridges is also typically very narrow. Even where the canal is at full width, navigating through a crowd of moored boats is tricky, and meeting other boats requires some planning to avoid collisions.

A particular challenge to navigation occurs when a sharp turn comes right after a narrow bridge, and another boat appears unexpectedly from the opposite direction.

Other hazards are presented by encroaching vegetation, and even by occasional canoes manned by school kids.

The worst problem of all was presented by a strong, cold wind that blew much of the time. The weather seemed to get colder as the week went by.

If one was not careful, the wind would blow the boat into the shallows. Extracting a stuck boat against the wind required much pushing with the barge pole, revving the motor back and forth, and loud cursing.

From time to time other chores would have to be handled. We had to take on water every day or so, and twice we had to turn the boat around at a wide spot in the canal known as a winding hole. Fortunately, we discovered that, by throwing the tiller all the way over, the boat can be made to rotate on its center - provided, that is, that the wind is not blowing.

The most frequent challenges to navigation are the locks - 26 of them on this voyage. Approaching a lock prompted a call for all hands to action stations.

The lock is just a few inches wider than the boat. The helmsman guided the boat into the lock, trying to minimize collisions. Other crew members worked hard to wind up the paddles that let water into or out of the lock, and open or close the lock gates. All this usually in a cold wind.

If other boats were in line to use the lock, some help was available, but on many occasions we were on our own.

With all this expenditure of effort going on, where was the helmsman? Taking it easy, waiting for the water to rise or fall, and admiring the work of his crew.

By the end of the week, though, the crew was working smoothly, exhibiting well rehearsed teamwork.

The real joy of a cruise on the canals is the unending variety of scenery that passes by. The setting is usually peaceful and bucolic. The borders of the canal provide a rich feast of wild flowers and other vegetation.

Since the boat travels no faster than 4 miles an hour, it's easy to get off and proceed on foot along the towpath. It's a perfect place for walking the dog, or, if feeling energetic, going for a run.

The canal itself offers several interesting features. This aqueduct crosses the River Trent. On one occasion we passed through a short tunnel. Near larger towns there were busy boat yards full of colorful boats.

One has views of stately homes, simple farmhouses, and some very elegant farmhouses. Several pubs along the canal have attractive gardens, while many private houses make the most of their fronting on the canal.

One canal-side house had gone overboard with its collection of gnomes. We assumed they were intended as good luck charms. We never did discover the purpose of this strange statue gesturing to passing boats.

And every now and then we would encounter a discordant note in the otherwise charming countryside.

The canal is crossed by numerous bridges, most of them very attractive. Even though they might be a test of the helmsman's steering skills, they prevent one from becoming bored with the scenery.

Some bridges are quite elaborate, but most are simple brick constructions. We discovered that the road passing over the bridge is sometimes used as a flower garden by residents of the area.

The route was carefully planned so that every lunch and every dinner could be taken in a nearby pub. We found that with rare exceptions the pub food was very good, and the contents rarely needed identification.

Some noteworthy canal-side pubs included the Plough in Huddlesford, near Whittington, and the Tame Otter in Hopwas. We ate at the Star Inn in Stone on the last night of the voyage. This pub is notable for its presence in the Guiness book of world records.

We ate our best meal at the Moat House in Acton Trussell, a very elegant four star hotel and restaurant. Even though we looked like a gang of weather beaten old salts, we were treated well.

Meadows beside the canal, and the canal itself, are home to numerous animal species, both wild and domestic.

May is a perfect time for wildlife watching along the canal. Baby water birds and their parents are everywhere. These ducks were teaching their young the fine art of scavenging. Some families of ducklings came in a diversity of colors.

In water or in the air, and even while napping, ducks are graceful birds. On land, though, they look rather ridiculous, as do their young.

Feeding the ducks became a serious responsibility for crew members who were not otherwise occupied.

Canada geese and their goslings were numerous, as were the moorhens. There was no shortage of elegant swans, normally found in family groups. The young cygnets were especially cute. We were too late with the camera to catch one charming scene, a group of cygnets riding on their mother's back.

Other birds we spotted included a number of grey herons, this lapwing, and a pair of local birds eating lunch on the towpath.

Mammals were well represented by grazing cattle and a number of horses, including this magnificent shire horse. The pigs were not so impressive.

No-one enjoyed the voyage more than our rat catcher and chief engineer. On shore there was always something exciting to investigate, not to mention the possibility of chasing ducks. On deck, the ducks that were being fed presented a constant temptation.

There was one near disaster. On watch in her usual position*, but in a very narrow stretch of canal, she went overboard, and was at risk of being crushed against the side or dragged under the propeller. She was hauled in by the collar just in time. After that, she spent the rest of the time tethered to a harness. It still did not prevent her falling in twice more.

This kind of life is exhausting. Visits to a pub provided one of the few opportunities to take a rest.

Other boats provided some amusement. The names were sometimes as colorful as the boat itself, as were the boat's inhabitants.

The roof of a boat can be used for many purposes - as a flower garden or for a display case. The owner of this boat made a career of carving mushrooms, although he had decided not to use one particular log for that purpose.

The roof is a perfect spot for the owners' pets. Tilly, of course, was excited when she encountered another Jack Russell while she was similarly ensconced*.

Inevitably the canal exposes one to other forms of transport, all of them speedier than a 4 mph canal boat: Bicycles sometimes use the tow path. We would see an occasional horse rider nearby. From time to time the canal parallels a major highway, or crosses rail lines. At one point it is adjacent to a small landing strip.

The original purpose of the voyage was to visit Whittington, the village where Bunty and Gordon spent their childhood. We moored near Whittington twice, when passing in each direction.

We would moor the boat nearby, then walk to the nearest bridge that gave access. After parking JoAnn and Hiag in a local pub, Bunty and Gordon explored the village. We found it more gentrified that it was 50 years ago.

We stopped by St. Giles' church, which we had frequented when we were rather more devout than we are now. The interior had changed little. The overwhelming smell of old hymnals elicited powerful feelings of nostalgia.

We toured the graveyard, noting a number of familiar names. Bunty suddenly stopped and gasped in shock, seeing the tombstone of Nurse Darby. This was the person who had been the primary source of health care in the village for most of our childhood, and surely deserving of her M.B.E. award.

We returned to the boat yard, and Gordon managed to lay in the Carey Ginger right next to her sister Lucy in a perfectly executed docking maneuver. He and Bunty are ready to do this again. Whether JoAnn and Hiag could be talked into it remains to be seen.

And if anyone else is contemplating a cruise on the English canals, here are some web sites to get you started. (Links open in separate windows)

Canal Cruising Co, from where we rented the Carey Ginger.

Water Explorer Maps, an excellent map, and source of detailed information about locks, bridges, etc.

Canal and Riverside Pub Guide, an essential tool for planning a trip.

Canal Junction, a general- purpose source of information about canals.

* Photos by Bunty

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