228. Wider canals, robot geese, and top-notch planking
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ก.ย. 2020
- #narrowboat #narrowboats #canal #canals #liveaboard #cruisingthecut
I continue east along the Trent & Mersey canal from Willington, re-discovering that from that point it's a wide canal and that means sharing (wide) locks with other narrowboaters. Video also features two dogs, a horse, some strange noises and a little bit of calm.
Start point: goo.gl/maps/WL1YzyhxqWXy9MJU7
Swarkestone: goo.gl/maps/zwRo9QdenHZ8AV6U8
End point: goo.gl/maps/eUJp8Lc9hJPvHcMDA
Derby canal restoration: www.derbycanal.org.uk/
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Theme music: "Vespers" by Topher Mohr and Alex Alena, from the TH-cam music library
Why wouldn't one turn the rudder the opposite way when reversing? I know you wouldn't get much help since there's no thrust going past it, but I think it would help bring the back around a little. Educate me.
There’s effectively no steering in reverse due to negligible water wash over the tiller, so it makes no difference.
I beg to differ. Yes, some narrow boats aren’t the easiest to reverse but, if you get up a reasonable amount of speed in reverse, the rudder will push the boat the way you want to go.
@@CruisingTheCut have you considered usering a trolling motor as a maneuvering thruster
@@CruisingTheCut also the embarrassment of having the tiller pointing the wrong way when you've reversed a 'little' too close to the bank and can't swing it back when you engage forwards again...
@@CruisingTheCut back in the "old days" did the tow horse walk the bow or stern around from the shore?
It makes so much sense to manufacture the Canada Geese locally instead of importing them.
Yes, totally
I got goose bumps following this discussion.
By the way they were straw bales not hay, made from the afters of the wheat or barley crop.
And the sound from the woods was the pip squeak.
I think you'll find that, under European law, if they're not manufactured in Canada, they can't be called Canada Geese. They have to be called Canada Style Geese.
I believe the squeaking is the mating call of the wild blue-crested shopping trolley.
Those geese are a real problem for the farmers up here on the east coast of Scotland. If you get up early enough you can catch farmers sneaking up to them, flipping them over and right quick taking the batteries out to try stop them eating all the grass in spring.
the problem with Canada geese here is the copious amount of very realistic excrement they deposit everywhere.
Here in the North East of England we are faced with some hard Covid19 restrictions. Thankfully I can open up these videos and just head off into a world that so far has changed very little. I believe you have saved many people's sanity David, thankyou.
Perhaps a redesign is in order for the robot geese. Engineers should concentrate on making their byproducts less objectionable. Also, the self-replicating function appears to be set on overdrive.
Wonderful boat management captain....! And, all done the hard way, without a bow thruster... Thanks for the relief from the crazy world of today. Such a welcome and enjoyable experience. Thanks again.
Bow thrusters are for wimps, a strong motor & good tillermanship suffice. The tubes get blocked, and have been known to perforate & cause sinkage!
Yes, it is isn't it?!
Thank you for creating and posting these. We look forward to each new video. Your videos have become our COVID travel escape, and give us something to aim for when travel restrictions are lifted from US. Anytime we feel cooped up we say, "We should buy a boat," and proceed to spend a few hours looking at canal boats for sale. Being wide Americans, we're leaning towards a wide beam, perhaps a barge. But still, it gives us hope which is so clearly lacking in these crazy days. Thank you for that.
That sign at 7.45 was actually letting you know how bad the roads are around here to make you grateful that you are on a boat =))
I hope you know how much good you're doing for my calm and mental health in these insane times.
Another excellent video, thank you. Also thank you for not having mid video adverts. So many TH-camrs are going down this route now and nothing makes me unsubscribe faster. Such an irritation. I always watch all the ads at the beginning to contribute my tenth of a penny!
Don’t blame the TH-camrs (much) - TH-cam itself suddenly made (lots of) mid roll ads the default a few weeks ago and now a youtuber has to specifically turn them off (and do so for all their old videos too!!). I enable only pre and post video ads. Thanks for watching them 😀
@@CruisingTheCut Ahh that explains the sudden explosion in mid roll ads! Thanks for explaining :-)
I've upgraded to watching your videos at 1440p on my 32inch screen instead of my laptop of 17" persuasion. Even more enjoyable to watch. Thanks.
David a very good story on the Canada Geese but as a Canadian I can tell you its not true. The fact is we ship them all over the place to reduce the amount of pooh in our public parks LoL.
John Clapperton same as those dam pigeons
What gets me in the USA - a bird that migrates is not wanted - they go where they want - just odd thinking on our part to me
Yes David, do you wish for more? We can get you them or Snow Geese, especially Snow Geese (otherwise known as 'vermin of the skies').
Best wishes, stay safe
🤣🤣🤣🤣 so very true ....🇨🇦👌
Totally agree with you about power stations and their wonderful cooling towers, I find it sad that many are just being demolished and lost forever.
I always remember driving up the A1 and seeing the mass of cooling towers to the left of the A1 at Ferrybridge power station... was always a sign that I was getting closer to home.
You can imaging my surprise the last time I drove north and found the whole power station, cooling towers and all had been moved across the A1 and were now on the right! Quite the feat of British engineering! ;)
I'm sure it's different when you're trying to relax and looking for a nice quiet place to do so, but as a U.S. resident I _love_ the sound of high speed electric passenger trains whooshing past. Really, really wish we had a nation-wide network of modern passenger rail here.
I actually like hearing the trains too, I find it oddly reassuring, I’d definitely have a mooring in Willington if there was one available
"Imagine if you actually did that in your car!" I used to love those signs when I was a kid; always tried to imagine what would happen. XD This might be why I love amphibious vehicles.
😂👍🏻🖖🏼
Someone has spent the time in planting Dahlias at 3:18 and is one of my favorite flowers.
we reckon they were being grown for shows? lovely big blooms
... Zen-like calm in a world gone mad ...
Summons up your vlogs rather nicely !
👍🏻🤗🖖🏼
Thank you, again !
David: *seriously explaining how to turn the boat*
Me: *seriously listening like I'm going out to sea tomorrow* 😭 I dont even DRIVE much but I pay so much attention to this stuff, I feel like I could pass a course
I used to regularly ride my bike (pedal type) from Findern to Willington and back. Foot bridge 22 was handy when I wanted a shortcut home. When the trains got cancelled, I tried using the canal towpath from Burton on Trent to Findern, but the surface was far too rough for a Brompton's 16 inch wheels.
Willington Power Station is long gone - demolished in the late 1990s. The cooling towers remained because peregrine falcons were nesting up there. There's no accounting for taste. The huge site would be a great place to build a Tesla car factory. Toyota have their car plant just over the hill and Rolls Royce Aero Engines are a couple of miles away to the North East.
"...Zen like calm, in a world that's gone mad." 👍
Being a pedant, (and an ex agricultural engineer!), I'm unable to stop myself saying they're STRAW bales (residue from a cerial crop, post harvest) as opposed to HAY (grass crop cut, and dried in the sun, prior to collection as fodder for next winter)
There, I feel much better now! (Perhaps I should "up" my medication!?😂🤣) I'll get me coat!!
Does a roll still count as a bale?
I thought I'd check the comments first to see if anyone else had had their rural sensibilities triggered! :-)
I was going to use the same words of pedantry plus hay/straw but you have saved me the bother, it pays to scroll down a few comments first I find.
ikr - I'm wanting to shout, "it's straw ya ruddy 'townie'. :D
Being a pedant, I'm unable to stop myself saying it's a CEREAL crop. Hehe
I do not know why, but, watching these boats on the canal is so soothing. A very lovely system in a very lovely country. I do understand why you live the boating on the canal life; it is most grand.
Thank you for allowing me to Zen along with you. Watching your videos after all the madness that is on the airways, is like a drink of cool water.
I never tire of watching your videos even the second or third time.
I always appreciate that you correctly call them Canada geese, rather than Canadian geese.
Every time I see a field of round bales, I realize how old I am. Grew up lugging rectangular bales for the horses. Round bales are only better when you’ve got the equipment to move them; a 15 year old kid can lug the rectangular ones, boys or girls.
As a kid we spent some summers at my grandparents, and throwing rectanglular bales around was one of the many things we did. When I got older, I realized we where just free labor, though we also had a lot of fun :)
I remember helping out on bale cart too
Wild Bill57 I remember shifting rectangular hay an straw bales with a pair of metal baling hooks. I wasn’t strong enough to lift them with a pitchfork
Tom Kemp other than gloves, we had no tools. We had fun doing it because of the wildlife you see, especially the field mice and the snakes chasing them.
I like how everyone around you watched when you turned the boat around. Cig man seemed impressed.
Keep up the great videos. Always brings joy when I see you have uploaded a new video.
The white building in the distance is clearly a manufacturer of mysterious squeaky noises.
Bailed hay? I thought it was tractor-eggs, that is waiting to hatch and become new tractors.
I love that idea
Those power stations always look better with a Pig flying above them - occasionally glancing up through the rain, wondering which of the buggers to blame :-)
The huge cooling towers have water flowing down inside them to cool it. The emissions are steam and add nothing to our atmosphere. Because they are big and imposing, climate change commentators always show them as the polluter. Not so even at nuclear power plants.
We are getting ready for our 1740 mile trip to Arizona for the winter. I look daily for your vlogs as they brighten my day each time I see your tranquil trip on the canals. Much better than the 60 or 70 mph speeds of US roads. But it’s worth the winter temperatures of 70 and 80 degrees. We hope. God Bless and God speed.
So here I am, deployed in a sandy place and watching the Vlog! Thank you David! You got me through Quarantine and now I get a new episode every week! As a pilot, my life speeds along at 200-300 MPH. I cant wait for the vacation where we cruise along at 2-3 MPH!
Oh, I think it will be perfect for you
Thank you, David, for sharing your cruise and letting me ride shotgun. A very enjoyable quarter of an hour, just enough time for me to sip my coffee and scoff my toasted cheese sandwich.
Nicely winded David. It's like you've done it before! Definitely time for a cup of tea and possibly a cheese sandwich as a reward?
Another well composed vlog, always enjoyable to watch.
I love the sound of the water lapping the hull when you cross under a bridge, lovely...
It was very gurgly wasn’t it
I live in Indiana US, and I completely agree, there is nothing more picturesque than a field with those round bales of hay.
Thanks for the great video!
Aloha, I grew up in Plymouth Indiana..
you made that turn around at the winding hole look easy ! showed it who's boss ,who is ,you are !
Just an observation from the USA. The canal boats pass on-coming traffic on the right, yet the automobile traffic is just the opposite.
Boats travel on water, cars [automobiles] travel on tarmac or concrete. No similarity at all, so no need for the customs to be the same. But look at the FAQs (should be EFAQs - extremely frequently asked questions) for the fuller answer.
@@davidw1518 in the developing united states auto industry, automobiles were left hand drive, right hand drive, and center drive. It finally got settled for driving on the right, and driver controls on the left. Reason being, most folks are right handed, and the right hand is most often used,,,for transmission shifting. Also, if you step to the front of your car to start the engine with a hand crank. Most persons are right handed and using a crank that rotated clockwise engine allowed starting to be done by a swift lift of the crank from the lower 6 oclock position up through 9 oclock to 11 oclock. Once this was the design, engines still rotate the same direction so they can use transmissions and rear differentials from stock manufacturer supply. However if you speak of boats with single engines or aircraft that you start by hand, they have their own rotational directions for specific reasons. And on twin engine boats and planes, opposite rotation has its own reasons, and as the airflow from a propeller comes aft and past the wing, rotation choice gives better performance if particular propeller rotations are taken into consideration
@@bill45colt There's no logic to 'the right hand is most used for transmission shifting'. The dominant hand, i.e. being the right, has the maximum control so should be used for accurate steering and the left for changing gear. Try aiming a rifle holding it to your left shoulder if you're right handed. This shows the lack of control by not using the dominant hand.
There’s also nothing quite so incredible in watching the machine that actually bales that hay... and then, technically speaking, poops the enormous bale out of its back...side.
Donnington Park race track I was 1980 one litre Gt champion . in my own fabricated GT race car.
May I quote you Sir.....""Ah, canal boating ..... Its a whole other universe of zen-like calm...... in a world that's gone mad." Amen.
It is a world gone mad. Thanks to you David, you bring a sense of tranquility to your vlogs. Many have tried, none have succeeded in doing what you do.🇦🇺🙏👍
Cheers
I am currently binge watching your awesome channel, great entertainment and informed commentary. Cheers mate.
Thank you
Love your vlogs. Just can’t understand why anyone would hit the thumbs down? There is nothing to dislike..
Loved this trip, beautiful camera work again, thanks enjoy
Glad you enjoyed it
In a world that's gone mad, indeed its nice to watch your canal boating vids and as you say 'zen out a little bit' :)
David, You are my favorite canal blogger on You Tube. You act like you enjoy navigating the canals; unlike some people who just float along them!
Ha! Thank you.
You may not be aware that on the day you passed the Willington robot Goose factory they where testing there new Floating and Swimming goose. Up to now they have only managed to make sitting and standing versions, but you captured there first prototype swimmer. Well done! I think we can call that a scoop. Take care, stay safe and keep having fun.
Little known fact, the entire country of Canada was named for those finely hand crafted robot geese manufactured in that lovely countryside. As I am Canadian, I’m quite sure of this...
Thank you Admiral Nimitz, that was some serious maneuvering. Lovely, lovely video!!
Watching you masterfully negotiating the winding hole brought a whole host of musings. Imagine, the All England canal boater's olympic trials. All sorts of events: Boat handling, Winding whole turns with points for style and grace. Penalties for excessive prop wash, additional maneuvers, and time penalties. Different boating classes of course for narrow boats and wide beams. Lock mastery events for single and teams of 2 crew. Relay teams of 4 boats negotiating an easy flight of 2 locks and for the semi-pro, flights of 7 locks or more. Beauty contests for herbal and floral rooftop displays. And don't forget the canal side home owners class for best patio presentation. Winners in each class with points awarded, and. An overall winner 🏆. Television coverage, and an award ceremony with a member of the Royal family to present the cup. Held every 4 years. You get the idea. I can just imagine the sponsorship deals already coming in.
Oh, almost forgot, a portion of proceeds from various venue opportunities to go to ongoing canal development and meaningful restoration and to persons who live full time on the canals in need.
Power stations sure are not beautiful but they also are a necessity of modern life. The contrast between a beautiful landscape and a functional industrial building always creates a very special mood.
The more I see of it, the more I like the new roof colour. Excellent choice.
I have done 12 x 1 week trips on a hire boat over the years.and loved every minute of it. The trouble is you try and see so much in your week. You tend to rush here and there in military fashion. Not really having time to relax and soak up the atmosphere. We planned to retire on a narrowboat but ill health put paid to that [you need to be fit] Watching these vids brings it all back.
love the videos, usually great bed time viewing. alltho the missus laughs at me!
New to your Vlog. Love seeing all the green as I am in the middle of a desert, Tucson Arizona. Beautiful scenery and information
Welcome along!
There are more fans living in a desert. Greetings from Phoenix, AZ !
It just occurred to me that you are very understandable. Your enunciation is very good, unusual for youtube. Thank you.
He could have had a good year doing the audiobook versions of the late Terry Pratchett's Discworld series of Children's novels, if that job had not already been done. (In my opinion.)
@@wesgregg6451 Children's Wes?! Children's???!!!
I think not!!!
Jago Hazzard is good, too.
I watched this during my lunch break during a rather hectic work day yesterday. It was just what I needed. Thanks so much!
Thanks a lot, I have been in a fairly bad depressive episode for a few weeks and those boating videos are very relaxing and help me a lot
I'm glad they help and hope you feel more cheery soon. Depression is a terrible thing :-(
I was on antidepressants for six months last year and David's videos helped a lot. I watched them almost non stop for about two months. He has no idea how much he helped.
Those picturesque bales of hay were actually straw, but it doesn't really matter, I suppose. Unless you're something that needs to eat it.
Well done. I was about to comment on the same mis-identification. As a general rule people tend to think hay/straw, it's all the same. It isn't, and a bit like correct spelling it does matter.
THIS MAN IS A LEGEND!
I’m not sure about that
Excellent editing, people appreciate the blurring of faces now and again. Well played.
I don’t do it often or as a default but if young kids’ faces are directly in shot then I try to do so.
Thank you for another informative video.
We moved into Mercia Marina 6 months ago, and we've followed the progress of the swan family that you mentioned early in the video. We saw the parents taking it in turns to sit on the nest in April, and have watched the young one growing up. They were hatched on an island in a lake next to the marina.
They used to visit us in the marina, but we didn't seen them for a few weeks until we spent a few nights in Willington, and they came over for a chat (and some food).
The geese you also mentioned can be a bit of a pain, I took a photo of a group of them entering the marina, and when I viewed it on my laptop I counted around 100 of them.
Love watching your blog. My few minutes of calm in a mad day. Thank you for sharing
Swarkestone (as in Squarkstone) bridge is where Bonnie Prince Charlie abandoned his march on London. The Trent flood plain is about 1 mile wide with numerous marshes. He was convinced there was a large army waiting to ambush his men while crossing. There was no such thing but he turned and went home.
Always enjoy your videos, thanks for sharing with us. One observation i have to make, the poor state of the lock gates. I worked as a canal carpenter in the days of BWB. I would have been deeply ashamed to have lock gates that look like these poor examples on our section. Say no more times past and all that
Your videos (especially the Slow-TV ones) have provided the perfect antidote to the current chaos for me. Thank you for a little bit of escapism (and fueling the inexorable urge to sell up and move onboard a narrowboat)
Seeing that you like the power station towers, maybe you would like reading the following(?). We had a power station with the cooling towers that provided Cape Town with power. It was built in the 60's and was situated in the suburb of Pinelands. A nuclear power station was built at Koeberg which made the Pinelands station obsolete. We call the towers 'Basuto hats,' as they look like the hats Basuto ladies wear. The towers at Pinelands were imploded a few years ago as they became unstable. There are still cooling tower power stations in other parts of South Africa. One of the obsolete towers in the Gauteng province is used for bungee jumping.
What was that squeaking noise? One of those hand-crafted robot geese was in need of some oil on its hinges, obviously. :)
Lovely to see a canal that isn't neck deep in weeds,and some grand scenery. An interesting topic for one of your fire side chats would be canal restoration and the impact of more canals for the crt to maintain on the already existing ones that they are already struggling with.
Another relaxing break from working at home. Thank you for another quality viewing!
very soothing to watch in these turbulent times thankyou .
“A whole other zen universe from a world gone mad” . Well said. Lovely ~ 👍🙏🏻💕
Idyllic cruising David! This week, more than any othe typical week, I have had the pleasure of seeing more narrowboats ambling about the network as I'm driving my truck from place to place. Yesterday saw me at Costco, Northampton. A mere stone's throw from Yelvertoft and this promoted me to think of you and wherever in the network you may be..........and here you are!!!
literally the only TH-cam channel that I follow religiously and Christ I cant wait until we can travel again so I can hire a Narrowboat because of your videos. Keep 'em coming David. :)
Thank you for all the beautiful video of the countryside.
Those animatronic geese were very convincing.
Never has turning looked like so much work... and yet looked so easy... all at the same time.
Another moment of delight or delights, David I am suppressed you have not been picked up by a network? You are always good value. Love your Vlogs. Thank You! Your a Star!
Think I have seen David on amazon prime!😀
This was sublime. Thank you!
Fantastic video you did the winding whole well
Thank you very much!
@@CruisingTheCut your welcome
Always have a smile after watching these.
What a pleasant breath of fresh air. Thanks so much.
Lovely vlog David . My other half and myself have been going through a very rough patch these last few months and I find your videos very calming . Thank you ♥️
I hope things are improving and I'm glad the videos help in some way. Best wishes to you both.
@@CruisingTheCut Thank you David x, apart from Covid 👿 we've both got health problems which I hope can be resolved . Apart from your vlogs , the only other bright spot this year has been a new grandchild 🙂
@@CruisingTheCut Many of us turn to your videos for a few minutes of calm fun. I send the link to friends often. Best watched with a cup of tea and a cheese sandwich. Thank You!
Roof looking great David!
Thank you!
You are always welcome to come and steer our widebeam. Might make a nice vlog. The invitation is there
Thank you 😀
I'd carry a folding bike to get around some of the towns. Lovely countryside scooting by. So peaceful and melodic.
big white building looks to be Hanson Aggregates on google maps
Agreed, and it's the same 'quarry' he mentions at the end. From the direction of travel the building looks to be off to the left of the boat, but because the canal turns to the left a couple of times he passes the same quarry on his right.
I thought it may be M&S Distribution Centre?
The Hanson structure is the correct color, height and shape. But isn't it on the wrong side of the canal?
On the other hand, I can't find an alternative that's any better than yours. Maybe he backed up to get another look at it and filmed while in reverse.
7:04 looks more like straw to me?! straw = dry stems of wheat, barley, oats etc. hay = dried down grass
I would also agree that its a straw bale, especially since its already yellow despite being freshly baled. But at the same time, there is plenty of people who don't know the green vs yellow distinction of terminology(probable the majority of people who have lived all their life in a city) and would use the terms interchangeably.
Greetings from Hollyweird, California! I found yer posts two weeks ago. Addicted! Seen how they are built, old school engines the lot. You are so good @ this as the visuals and info are appreciated. Clearly, yer time @ITV, you do have a 'Telly' personality!....keep it up - learning so much! Best....🥂🥂🥂
Once again many thanks, I enjoy your boating adventures.
I wonder how much healthier the world would be, if we all adopted a narrowboat way of life?
good grief no...then the canals would be like motorways and many roads on a permanent bank holiday..would be mayhem and chaos and no one would get anywhere except at a snails pace....
Simple. The woods need oiling. You're welcome.
You're so slick and polished.
A smile was forced out of me when the sound of a passing high-speed train was heard right on cue, after you mentioned that the canal was adjacent to a railway line.
Bravo.
>
Lovely cruising in very nice weather.
Wide beams are lovely I'm sure, with all that extra room inside. But they must be somewhat restricted as to what canals/locks they can use. I hope that you don't have another lockdown in the UK, I would miss your vlogs.
I churned out some stuff last time so hopefully would manage the same again
@@CruisingTheCut And it was very welcome!
@@CruisingTheCut Churned? Churned?!
Delicately hand crafted vidioconical masterpieces, shirley?
Great good quality vlog David as per usual... that squeak does it come from a bird with a rusty leg... 🙂
My wife and I rented a narrowboat on the Trent and Mersey for a week one summer about 12 years ago and moored the night within earshot of the Donington Park raceway. Still slept like a baby. BTW, we live in Florida and it's nice to relive the trip through your videos.