Monthly Archives: May 2015

Journal

Up North for boat services at Lee Valley Marina

We have a long cruising day behind us, we did indeed travel from Homerton all the way up to St. Margarets in one day. We swapped the central London area for a more natural environment.

Quintessence had to work hard to bring two boats towed together up north, but she did it graciously. Good we were 3 people, Adnan was cruising and Anton and Natascha were working the locks. Some of those locks are rather big and hard to work.

We did not kill the duck family.

A heron in an urban environment. He/she has wings and can fly away if there is too much going on.

Fireflies playing with the light on our boats.

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Log

Journey to St Margarets

Summary

This is a trip of 19 miles, 7 furlongs and 15 locks from Hertford Union Top Lock No 1 to Stanstead Marina.

This will take 9 hours and 59 minutes which is 1 day, 2 hours and 59 minutes at 7 hours per day.

From Hertford Union Top Lock No 1 travel northeast on the Grand Union Canal (Hertford Union Canal) for 3¼ furlongs and 2 locks to Hertford Union Canal Junction, then travel north on the Lee and Stort Navigation (River Lee: commercial section) for 11 miles, ¾ furlongs and 7 locks to Waltham Town Lock No 11, then travel north on the Lee and Stort Navigation (River Lee) for 8 miles, 2¾ furlongs and 6 locks to Stanstead Marina.

Route

Grand Union Canal (Hertford Union Canal)
From Hertford Union Top Lock No 1 (Also known as Old Ford Upper Lock, Homerton Footpath Lock) to:
Hertford Union Canal Junction

Junction of Hertford Union Canal and River Lee
 3¼ furlongs, 2 locks
Lee and Stort Navigation (River Lee: commercial section)
From Hertford Union Canal Junction (Junction of Hertford Union Canal and River Lee) to:
Tottenham Lock No 17 [see navigational note 1 below]

BW key needed to operate lock
 4 miles, ¾ furlongs, 0 locks
Enfield Lock No 13

BW key needed to operate the gates / windlass for the paddles
 5 miles, 4½ furlongs, 4 locks
Waltham Town Lock No 11 1 mile, 3½ furlongs, 3 locks
Lee and Stort Navigation (River Lee)
From Waltham Town Lock No 11 to:
Rye House Junction

Junction of Rivers Stort and Lee
 6 miles, 5½ furlongs, 6 locks
Rye House Bridge No 58

With Pipe Bridge alongside
 4 furlongs, 0 locks
Stanstead Marina

Also known as Lee Valley Marina Stanstead Abbots
 1 mile, 1¼ furlongs, 0 locks

Totals

Total distance is 19 miles, 7 furlongs and 15 locks (not counting Hertford Union Top Lock No 1) Today’s travel includes at least 1 small aqueduct or underbridge.

This is made up of 3¼ furlongs of broad canals; 11 miles, ¾ furlongs of commercial waterways; 8 miles, 2¾ furlongs of small rivers; 8 broad locks; 7 large locks.

This will take 9 hours, 59 minutes which is 1 day, 2 hours and 59 minutes at 7 hours per day. For initial calculation purposes (before adjusting for such things as overnight stops) this is taken as 1 day of 9 hours and 59 minutes.

The trip can be done in under one day, so no overnight stopping places have been calculated.

 

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Journal

Spring is here

Spring arrived, the nights got shorter, spiders are in their element, the meadows in full bloom – the nice & easier boater season started.

The first thunderstorm was on its way, the kale plantings enjoy the rain water, the stove is now a temporal ‘shelf unit’ for our cress.

Anton’s aloe plant likes to be caressed by his feet occasionally and Adnan loves to rummage around his Quintessence. There is always something to do on the boat.

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Log

Journey to Homerton

Summary

This is a trip of 1 mile, 1¾ furlongs and 1 lock from Mile End Road Bridge No 56 to Hertford Union Top Lock No 1.

This will take 37 minutes.

From Mile End Road Bridge No 56 travel northwest on the Grand Union Canal (Regent’s Canal) for 4¼ furlongs and 1 lock to Hertford Union Junction, then travel northeast on the Grand Union Canal (Hertford Union Canal) for 5½ furlongs to Hertford Union Top Lock No 1.

Route

Grand Union Canal (Regent’s Canal)
From Mile End Road Bridge No 56 (A11. Also known as Globe Bridge) to:
Hertford Union Junction

Junction of Regent’s and Hertford Union Canals
 4¼ furlongs, 1 lock
Grand Union Canal (Hertford Union Canal)
From Hertford Union Junction (Junction of Regent’s and Hertford Union Canals) to:
Hertford Union Top Lock No 1

Also known as Old Ford Upper Lock, Homerton Footpath Lock
 5½ furlongs, 0 locks

Totals

Total distance is 1 mile, 1¾ furlongs and 1 lock (not counting Hertford Union Top Lock No 1).

This is made up of 1 mile, 1¾ furlongs of broad canals; 1 broad lock.

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