Strange goings on

Published: Friday, 15 February 2019

IT TAKES something out of the ordinary for me to stir myself to write these days but I thought it may be of interest to readers to be made aware of some strange goings on, writes Orph Mable.

GPROrphOver the past month a GRP cruiser (32ft Norman Reg No. 45296) has appeared on the moorings opposite the boatyard. This boat, as can be seen, does not show a CaRT Licence and always turns up just on dusk or later. It always stays for a few days despite the signage next to the boat stating ’48 hours’.

Loaded up a net

Last night (Wednesday) at about 22.30hrs, two fellows exited the boat, took the covers off the canoe, loaded up a net amongst other things, and paddled off towards Compton. About an hour later they returned and went up the outfall from the Severn Trent works which is not suitable for craft of any type. Both of the fellows appeared to have head mounted torches and could be heard discussing where to position 'the net'.

Seeing their actions and hearing their discussions I went and got a torch and challenged them. They denied using any net and eventually came out from the outfall and returned to the cruiser. The canoe was then moored up back to the position it is currently as shown in the picture. They then went inside the cruiser and have not been seen outside since.

Very suspicious

I know nothing else but I am very suspicious of anything that seems strange and not ‘normal’ so I thought I’d pass on my thoughts to the readers of narrowboatworld.