Magazine of IWA Lee & Stort Branch Autumn 2014 Cavalcade 2014 Another triumph for the IWA, with a truly successful Cavalcade, with their 130 boats, it is almost beginning to rival your own Ware Festival for popularity? Local branch members scooped two awards i.e. The Mike Stevens Memorial Trophy, for the 'Best Boat' at Canalway Cavalcade, ‘selected from all the boat entries at the event, awarded in recognition of Mike's outstanding contribution to IWA and Canalway Cavalcade during his lifetime’, went to Nimrod, owned by Craig Haslam. This of course must not be confused with the Mike Stevens Spanish Knot Board that is awarded annually at Ware. The second award was not so prestigious, but was still welcome, the ‘Marcus Boudier Trophy, for the best decorated privately entered boat in Saturday's Pageant’ went to Muttley owned by Michael and Marion Birch. So they’re not local members, but the runners up were, viz the Tara Croft. Yes I know the boat is, and has been, called the Tara Rose for decades, but you will have to take that up with the incompetents at IWA who issued
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Magazine of IWA Lee & Stort Branch
Autumn 2014
Cavalcade 2014 Another triumph for the
IWA, with a truly
successful Cavalcade, with
their 130 boats, it is
almost beginning to rival
your own Ware Festival
for popularity? Local
branch members scooped two awards i.e. The Mike Stevens
Memorial Trophy, for the 'Best Boat' at Canalway Cavalcade,
‘selected from all the boat entries at the event, awarded in recognition of Mike's outstanding contribution to IWA and Canalway Cavalcade during his lifetime’, went to Nimrod, owned
by Craig Haslam.
This of course must not be confused with the Mike
Stevens Spanish Knot Board that is awarded annually at Ware.
The second award was not so prestigious, but was still welcome,
the ‘Marcus Boudier Trophy, for the best decorated privately entered boat in Saturday's Pageant’ went to Muttley owned by
Michael and Marion Birch. So they’re not local members, but
the runners up were, viz the Tara Croft. Yes I know the boat is,
and has been, called the Tara Rose for decades, but you will
have to take that up with the incompetents at IWA who issued
the mooring permit to Tara Croft. The editor thinks
incompetent is a trifle harsh, she feels it should read ‘inability
to read the Tara Rose owners illegible incomprehensible scrawl
on last years’ entry form’ should be allowed for? Pah! I say and
double tish-tosh, it’s the last time I shall pen an article for this
tawdry rag then. Even the official picture only captures the
By 1977 they decided to buy their first boat, Felis Catus, jointly with
a couple of friends. By 1982, the boat needed a lot more work doing
than they had the resources to carry out, so they went back to hiring
boats until 1990 when their next boat, Felis Catus II, was built for
them.
Designed as a holiday boat for long-distance cruising, it was
always their intention to replace her eventually with a larger boat, on
which they would live and cruise continuously. Mike benefited from
an inheritance that enabled him to commission his pride and joy,
Felis Catus III.
Wendy and Mike had begun their life of cruising the canals on
board this boat, when sadly, he died on 2nd
October 2007, on board
their boat. As well as canal boating, Mike also had a great interest in
Thames sailing barges.
M
Our regular monthly meetings take place at the New Inn, Roydon. Always a Monday, always 8.00.
10th November Speaker to be advised 8th December Our annual, traditional, Mince Pies & Mulled Wine (cost £4.00ph) 12th January London’s Waterways, by Jeremy Batch 9th February Speaker to be advised 9th March Branch AGM
Inland Waterways Association
hile Mike was teaching and doing voluntary work for the trade
union, he didn't have time to be much more than an armchair
member, but after a change of job he became a volunteer for
the IWA London Branch.
He started as its Minutes Secretary, and later became Branch
Chairman, Publicity Officer of the South London Branch, and Region
Secretary. He served on IWA London Region Planning and
Navigation Committee, and organised the towpath walks which are
run in conjunction with The Original London Walks.
He retired from all Branches and was the proud recipient of
the IWA Richard Bird Medal for services to the Association over a
number of years. His knowledge of the system was encyclopaedic
and his photographs are legendary.
Waterways History
rom the beginning of his boating years, Mike started developing
an interest in waterways history, and reading everything about it
that he could lay his hands on. Around 1980 he spotted the need
for a set of synoptic maps, showing the waterways of Britain as a
complete system evolving through time. He started doing some
research from his bookshelf and compiling the information for this
project.
Twenty years later this resulted in a series of web pages,
comprising over 200 detailed maps, which were published on his
website. These are now republished on the London Canal Museum
website.
So why knot a not board?
hat better way to remember him than our ‘not only not’s’ knot
board? Well one reason was, it had become a little tatty over
the seven years we have been competing for it. But help was at hand
W
F
W
in the shape of the Ware BBQ Queen Bee and Mark from Knot
Normal. While this may be the first, maybe not the last knot board
he has restored, IWA does owe him a huge vote of thanks for the
many hours he spent restoring the trophy to its former glory.
Once again, Illusions (2008), Ammonite (2009), Golden Ivy
(2010), Blue Crystals Tender Nos
2 (2011), Sherienne (2012), Toodle
Pip (2013) and last, but of course not least, 2014, Seanchaidh.
So next time you need a quality joiner, stop and ask Mark if
he can fit your job into his busy summer schedule.
Oh yes, I forgot, the
answer to the first
question is: a resounding
why not?
He deserves to be
remembered for all he has
done for us.
(can anyone see Banny & his camera reflected in this picture?)
What is becoming our annual ‘Tidy Up Ware’ day, took place towards the end of June, in preparation for the Ware Festival.
Once again we are indebted to the 5th Ware Scout Group
for their enthusiastic hard work, and once again it was so disappointing that ONLY our committee members
turned up to help! We look forward to seeing a number you at the next one.
We as a Branch are fortunate to be closely associated with one of
our country’s most important rivers, the River Lee. We are also equally
fortunate to be located near one of our most important
forests – Epping Forest – perhaps not
closely enough for some
of us.
The Corporation of
London’s Outreach team
produce a free publication,
‘Forest Focus’, from
which this article has been
copied.
As we,
as
boaters,
are well
used to
slow speeds as a matter
of routine on the waterways, most
of us will find the article to be of
interest, even though it is non-
related to boating, especially the
paragraph relating to pollution
levels as a result of traffic speed.
This extract has been reproduced with kind permission
from the City of London
A Cruise on the Caledonian Canal
(16th – 22nd August 2014)
The Caledonian Canal, engineered by Thomas Telford, was built between 1803 and 1822, linking Fort William in the west to Inverness in the east along the Great Gen. It comprises 22 miles of excavated canal and 38 miles of loch – Lochs Locky, Oich, Ness and Dochfour. It was sized to enable 32-gun frigates to cross the country while avoiding the hazards of the Pentland Firth and the North Atlantic.
Carol and I travelled the length of the Canal aboard Ros Crana, a 1962-built Dutch barge originally used to carry cement. It has been shortened by 3m to fit in the locks, equipped with six comfortable, en-suite double cabins, a saloon and dining room and is operated by a crew of four.
We had travelled up to Fort William on the Caledonian Sleeper and joined Ros Crana at 2.00pm on Saturday. Summer had clearly left Scotland, though the morning rain was drying away. We met the crew and our fellow guests and got under way. The 5 mph pace would be familiar to any narrow boat
owner, but the space on board threatened us with agoraphobia.
The cruise lasted seven days, an average of only 8½ miles per day which gave lots of time for the various activities, there being opportunities to walk or cycle the Great Glen and, weather permitting, canoe or sail in the lochs. All meals were provided and the quality was excellent, from the breakfast porridge to the after dinner cheese board. Chef Martin was perhaps the most important member of the crew!
All crew members were friendly, knowledgeable and enthusiastic, and did their best to ensure everyone enjoyed the cruise. Which brings me to the feature which distinguished this holiday: the eleven guests blended like long-lost friends and developed a real team spirit.
So would I recommend the company? Yes, of course - although we didn’t see Nessie this time. More information can be found at: www.caledonian-discovery.co.uk
following morning (this was in the days when the flight was only
open a few days each week), and so asked other boaters, already
waiting or arriving during the evening, if they would like to share the
locks. One by one each person said that they had already paired up
with another boat, so I was left with the daunting prospect of the
Caen Hill flight, solo, the following day.
The next morning the boats left, two by two, to ascend the
flight, and just as I was gathering the willpower to proceed, a hire
boat approached. “Do you mind sharing the flight?” I asked, “of
course not” came the reply. I then explained that I was single-handed
at which point this band of willing, helpful, experienced hirers told
me to stay aboard and they would do all the lock work for me. This
they proceeded to do with gusto, trotting up the hill with windlasses
swinging in all directions, communicating with one another by two-
way radio, a couple lock-wheeling to be as efficient as possible. And
all the while helping boats ahead, behind, or coming the other way.
As if that wasn’t enough every few locks the young lady
steering, popped down below, to re-emerge a few moments later with
two cups of coffee, one for her and the second for me. Thanks to
their efforts we managed to ascend the flight in a little under three
hours – is this a record? Having reached the summit I then pulled
over, with the intention of thanking them, and perhaps buying a drink
or two, when they cruised past with a friendly wave, and a cry of
“must dash – we’ve got a tight schedule”.
Of course some people are not so helpful, and I have also
come across the unhelpful boatful, with half a dozen people aboard,
who simply stand and watch while I operate the lock on my own, not
showing any inclination to offer help. In those circumstances it’s
amazing just how slowly you can work a lock, if you really try! I’ve
even been known to stop and close the exit gates (even though the
offending boat is clearly about to use the lock), and when challenged
simply say that “Sorry, I thought you were moored as you didn’t
seem to want to work the lock”.
Let’s keep the friendly, helpful approach – it’s much better for
all of us in the end.
Les.
Having given
Springfield Marina a glowing
write-up in the Spring edition,
it would seem they are not as
bright and shiny as they were
made out to be.
On separate occasions
within the last few months,
two of our boaters attempted
to purchase diesel from them.
One of them was heading for
a run on the Thames.
They were told,
“We don’t sell diesel in
the afternoons” and weren’t
served.
It appears that the
Marina closes at 4pm, and in
preparation for doing so, they
begin to close down shortly
after 3, and stop doing
anything which might take
time or become too involved.
So boaters BEWARE.
If you are likely to require
fuel, think in advance!
This cutting was found in an
old newspaper, some 30-odd
years ago.
With reference to the recent
resignations of Les Hunt and Bob
Dunkley, the following is a
snippet from one of John’s last
Newsletters. I will leave you to
ponder!
The closure of the Hertford Branch was made necessary because, in spite of many appeals, no
members came forward to join or replace those Committee members who had kept the Branch going long after it had been reasonable for them to expect to hand over the reins. Let’s hope that we can keep the Lee and Stort Branch going strong without encountering a similar problem.
Our regular monthly Branch Meetings are once again under way, having begun on October with a talk by Ian Shacklock - yes, he is John’s son - an Islington-based volunteer who runs the ‘Friends of Regent's Canal’.
Ian talked about some of
their recent campaigns, day-to-day issues and challenges, as well as opportunities for improving things. Boaters in the audience complained that they rarely get to experience the canal or towpath in London because there are no guaranteed places to pause or stay.
Recent campaigns include the protection of Holborn Studios, Bow Wharf, and the Bethnal Green gasholders, all of which are under threat of demolition and could be replaced by characterless modern housing. The Friends have worked jointly with the London branches of the IWA on some of these projects and are looking to extend their reach to other parts of the boating world.
Anybody can become a Friend - by attending quarterly public meetings, joining the mailing list, following the Twitter feeds or engaging in the new Facebook group - and there is no cost involved. The central source of information is their website: http://friendsofregentscanal.org/ and contributions are always welcome. The Friends are in a strong position to campaign for better facilities along the Regent's so it makes sense for them to reach out to boaters outside London as well as engaging local people. Watch this space for news about ways you can help yourselves and others.
If you would like to engage with the Friends, please send an e-mail to: [email protected]
Copies of Ian's slides are available on: http://friendsofregentscanal.org/events/2014/2014-10-13/IWA-discussion-p1.html