Victor: Swings and roundabouts

ON OUR way back from our Banbury cruise—where alas, we did not meet that fine lady on the white hoss—we did meet, moored about Wychnor Lock, another Sawley refugee now mooring at Mercia.

He however was complaining that every 10 months, as a resident, he had to move berths, didn't like the new rule of no expanding leads for dogs and particularly didn't like all the visitors, telling me he had 'escaped' to avoid the noise of a jazz band the previous night and a hog roast on the day, with mutterings about the Boardwalk shopping centre bringing in bus loads.

He had decided to leave Sawley, like it seems many others, having experienced the marina flooding too many times over the long period he had been there, no longer having to tackle those six difficult broad locks when wanting to cruise, and with Mercia's full length jetties the decider.

Us too—nearly

We too nearly went to Mercia, with those jetties a temptation, as depending on the wind we moor in both ways and have to scramble along the boat to then get access, as the jetties are all only 40ft long.  And we don't care for those six locks. As to the flooding, not being residents we will not lose our home should the Trent get nasty.

But we like the peace and quiet of Sawley, and our visits to Mercia have been a bit thronged.  Mind you, the Boardwalk and the many other attractions there gets it visitors so gets it cash.  And I imagine many boaters would prefer it, as paradoxically there are those at Sawley who believe it is lacking in attractions. Can't win 'em all, eh?

Safe winter moorings

So British Waterways marinas Ltd is offering continuous cruisers safe winter moorings at its marinas.

As the fella mentioned, the one at Sawley floods, and we were there at the 'big one' where everyone was evacuated, and at smaller ones when water covered the jetties, with the picture showing a flood a couple of years ago, with the jetties well out of sight.

Since then the health and safety crowd has put its spoke in, so should the water now reach the jetties everyone must leave their boats, with even a special gate now erected on the higher ground to enable the residents to escape.

Now a Co-op

The pub at Bridge 73 at Tamworth on the Coventry Canal is now a Co-op, and a decent sized well stocked one too—just up the steps and you are there.

I know there is a massive retail park at the town and a large Sainsburys that can be reached along Sutton Road Bridge, North of the junction, but it's somewhat of a trek, and boaters may find the new Co-op somewhat easier.

Hire boats

Now back and calculating—no, no, no—not visitors to the towpath, I've been told to 'drop it', but hire boats.

During our 16 days cruise the total was 14 different hire companies, with most of them on the Oxford, with hirers easily outnumbering private boats. We had a few problems, but overall they were capable.

Still only 11 months

And would you believe we still have not received a full 12 months licence! It is now two months and the 'licensing team' have not yet managed to get it right.

But I have since found that we are not alone, as others too have told of paying for a full 12 months but only getting 11.  Is this the latest fiddle by Cart I wonder—hoping that boaters will not notice, then sending a reminder after just 11 months so getting an extra month's cash?

Others are telling that the  'team' have the new habit of emailing a licence to print, but now two boaters have told us they do not have a printer.  And surely black on white will fade way before the year is up, as some inks are not 'sunlight proof' and so will not be seen.

What complete idiots. Why alter a system that has worked, for us at least, for 20 years, into something that is fast becoming a farce.

Will it need Thomas taking out a County Court summons for the cost of the missing month—he has all the paperwork to back it up, or can this 'team' actually manage to send a proper 12 months licence?

Victor Swift