Boatwif
The occasional adventures of the Cleddau crew
About Us
We are ‘The Captain’ and ‘Boatwif’, owners of nb Cleddau.
Cleddau was a five year old youngster when we took her on in 1994. She was built for cruising on the River Trent. Over time Cleddau has had internal and external adjustments but she retains her original hull, propeller, anchor and portholes.
When asked (frequently) “What does Cleddau mean?” our response is usually “In Welsh it means swords but Cleddau is the name of the river that flows into the Milford Haven deep water estuary in Pembrokeshire…”
We both grew up in Pembrokeshire; for some years we have kept a record of what we call ‘Monkton Moments’, those exchanges with boaters and non-boaters who recognise our Pembrokeshire connections.
This blog below is a record of our mainly boating adventures.
RECENT KEN & SUE LOCATION
Playing your cards right
There’s been a dash back home, just for three days and four nights, enough time for haircuts, grass cuts and...
Broken bits and boats in queues
Cruising along the Shropshire Union: 10½ miles, 25 locks No, Cleddau isn’t broken, nor any of the crew. But somehow broken...
The big, the bizarre and the beautiful
Calf Heath to Goldstone Wharf Within a couple of hours of leaving the Calf’s Heath mooring on Saturday the...
Hurrah for Staffordshire
Though Staffordshire doesn’t always get a good press its canals deserve a rousing cheer. It’s not been new...
Memories along the T and M
Is your mind startled by a location trigger? Back in Cleddau-land in far West Wales there’s always a smile brought...
Transitions
River, city, canal, suburbia, river, marina, completion of another phase, river, canal… The story of the last three days is one...
White water
Congratulations to the sharp-eyed readers who picked up on the afterthought (the Llareggub boat name*) in...
Lincoln - Torksey - Newark
Thursday was Moving On Day: time to leave Brayford Pool’s marina electricity, the waterside eateries...
Passage of time: Lincoln
Three stints of Lincolnshire living (amounting to about eight years in total) make Lincoln a hometown...
Boston and beyond
“When in Boston…” When in Boston climb up the Stump and look out to sea. After last Tuesday’s thrilling...
Cleddau goes to sea
So often the Captain jokes that the alarm clock is set for quarter past six in the morning. On Monday night at...
Downstream to King’s Lynn
Plans for the Wash Crossing began firming up in Ely. Moored nearby was Chouette, her crew booked too with Daryl Hill...
Time out in Ely
Some places you are just glad to return to – Ely is one of them! In high summer the lesson to learn on the rivers...
Keeping ahead of the March Navy
Post festival on Monday there was much to be done – the packing away of a gazebo which despite its missing...
Spectacle at Bedford River Festival
So on Friday after six months of planning, seven weeks of travel, 141 locks negotiated and 310 miles of...