IWA Chelmsford Branch Newsletter January 2015

CHELMSFORD B RA N C H N Ne ew w s s ll J

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Ellesmere Port Boat Yard by John G Carlaw

Campaigning for the conservation, use, maintenance, restoration and development of the Inland Waterways Disclaimer: The IWA may not agree with opinions expressed in this Newsletter but encourages publication as a matter of interest. Nothing printed herein may be construed as policy or official announcement unless stated otherwise. The IWA accepts no liability for any matter in the Newsletter

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Content From the Editor From the Chairman From the Region Chairman Mid Week Working Parties Readers Photos Christmas Tree Festival Saul Pageant Essex WRG

Page 2 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 7

Essex Waterways Social Events Update Susan Update Of Interest Our First Holiday Just For Fun Social Events Branch Committee

Page 8 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 14 Page 14

From The Editor As the icicles of 2014 drip from the gutters and bridge arches into 2015, I hope that you and your families had a good Christmas and care looking forward to a prosperous New Year with many boating activities We would like to increase our contributors to this Newsletter. Please make time to look out your photos, articles and ideas and send them in for our next Newsletter: Last inputs for Winter Newsletter 21/03/2015. Tell us about your own waterway experiences, your holiday or send in Readers Photos.

For those on e-mail please send your input to chelmsford.news@waterways.org.uk Those without just give me a call to arrange for collection. 07837 576464.

From The Chairman Looking back over the year, it seems to me that Essex Waterways are going from strength to strength under the splendid leadership of Roy Chandler, who has made such a huge contribution to the welfare of both EWL and this Branch. The team worked under some dreadful conditions last winter and spring and were unable to do much of the planned maintenance when it was needed but, since then, they've gained ground and probably overtaken their own timetable.

In addition, new equipment has been purchased and grant applications made for more. A few days before the Branch Christmas social a very big new trailer for plant and tools was delivered and handed over to the company at Heybridge Basin. Graham, the Navigation Manager and the EWL Senior Lengthsman, Michael,, were there, together with Roy and Chris Chandler and myself. Chris took pictures for the Boaters' newsletter and Bulletin, so do look out for those. It was generally agreed that the trailer could comfortably accommodate some fairly hefty volunteers overnight, given an appropriate cover! However, lack of cooking arrangements might make that idea a non-runner!

The Christmas social was a great success, although, at the very last minute, Roy Cox was unable to be there with his vintage films, as he had suffered a domestic boiler disaster and was having to work on his resulting central heating problems. Three of us spent some extremely frought hours trying to get a replacement, then Bob Loader gallantly stepped in and saved the evening with an excellent quiz. There were even requests afterwards for a repeat next year, so my gratitude to Bob knows no bounds. Stephanie Mason, our Refreshments Officer, made a delicious Christmas cake for the occasion and her efforts were much appreciated by all. Thank you, Steph.

That evening, I was able to announce that Kirsten Smith, our lovely harpist-member of the Committee, has agreed to do another harp concert in aid of the Branch. Eileen Cannom,`a Maldon resident, was so impressed with the work done by WRG and our volunteers on the Navigation that she initiated the concerts and makes the arrangements for the venue, raising several hundred pounds each time for equipment and tools. In 2015, the concert is likely to be earlier in the year than on past occasions; it will be announced in the various publications, including, of course, "Bulletin". While we have been pleased with the audiences before, we would very much like to see a lot more of our own members and boaters there, as well as the general public. Please look out for the announcements and make a big effort to support Kirsten, EWL and the Branch.

Christmas will be in the past by the time you read this but I can wish you all a very happy and prosperous new year and hope to see you at our meetings.

Molly Beard

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From The Region Chairman Next year will be the third anniversary of the foundation of Canal and Rivers Trust (CRT) and importantly elections to the CRT Council. There are changes to the composition of the council and the way its members are appointed. IWA has now been given a seat as of right but at the same time WRG has lost theirs. We will need to continue to keep an eye on this process and influence them so the membership represents the widest possible range of interests and use of the canal network. A waterways trust was always an IWA aim; however, the reality of CRT requires IWA to consider the future priorities. IWA Navigation Committee provide a list of issues we should be looking at and helping to resolve; these include and as they say in a Dance Shows, in no particular order:The provision and management of short and long term and residential moorings.

Communications on navigating:- How do boaters find out about floodwater/ strong streams, planned, and unexpected restrictions to navigation when away from their base?

• Boater competence: - How do we encourage boaters to improve their general standards and promoting good practice?

• Network extensions / restorations:• Services and service:- Standard, provision and maintenance of sanitary stations, water taps and rubbish disposal. Are there enough winding holes and are they in the places they are needed?

I’m sure some of you are now screaming ‘they have missed that off the list’, if we have please let me know and I will raise it at the next committee.

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On visitors moorings CRT seem to have put the exercise definition of “places” on the backburner where hopefully it will stay. We, understand why they thought this was a good thing, so with some other boating organisations, we are pushing CRT to define “Bona fide Navigation” and enforce that before looking at the need to define places. We in London have the biggest problem with boats overstaying on moorings and we need to try to reduce the number of new people using boats as a residence in the area. One of the problems has been lazy journalist picking up past articles on how idyllic it is to live afloat. As Alison Smedley pointed out in her recent blog “People often have an image of life afloat as being idyllic and peaceful. It’s nothing of the sort, in my experience. It can be fun and exciting, but it can be cold, hard work and lonely too.” If you see any articles that romanticise living on a boat, complain to the paper’s editor pointing them to the blog on our website. We must now also turn our attention to the General Election. IWA intends to product a Waterways Manifesto that members, branches and regions can use in the run up to May. I will arrange for your news editor to include the details in a future edition of Chelmsford Branch Newsletter Finally can I wish you a happy boating in 2015.

Paul Strudwick

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Mid-Week Working Parties Now that the mowing season has come to a halt until the spring, our main job (in conjunction with the EWL staff) is planting willows. On a good day with five of us we have sometimes planted a hundred. Although normally a hundred would take two days. Planting them is not complicated. The new willow is eight or nine feet long and sharpened to a point at the bottom. We make a hole about eighteen inches to two foot deep with a steel rod; put a mesh “sleeve” round the tree, push it in the hole, heel it in, give it a splash of water and on to the next. The mesh is to keep rabbits, deer or other wildlife from chewing the bark. Unfortunately it doesn’t keep the local youths away; every year some trees are just snapped off!

We also spend time clearing floating pennywort and trimming back overhanging vegetation, and – when the weather permits – do a little painting.

Work that was carried out in clearing the tow path near Tesco at Fullbridge

Photographs show the before and after

If anyone is interested in regular voluntary work on the navigation, please contact me on 01376 334896 (evenings).

John Gale

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Readers Photos

Top Left Weir on the Kennet and Avon Middle Left Time for Lunch on the Kennet and Avon Provided by Paul Strudwick Bottom Left Storm Over Lake Annoy, France Top Right Annoy, France Middle Right Weed Cutter at Lausanne, Switzerland Provided by Roy Chandler PLEASE SEND YOURS!

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Christmas Tree Festival Our local church, in Rayne, had another Christmas Tree Festival. The church invites individuals, families, schools, groups and business to decorate a tree for the inside or outside the church. The trees are displayed over a weekend in December and everyone is invited to attend and view the trees You can buy a programme which lists all the trees and you are given 3 counters to use to vote for your favourite trees by placing them in boxes under each tree. You can even buy extra counters!

The trees can be real or artificial and decorated any way you like. Last years winner was 'Mostly Onions' made with Allium seed heads and sprayed white with sparkles on it, it looked fabulous.

This year I entered, and my tree was called 'Canal Life' with the intention of promoting our local waterway.

For the top of the tree I painted a star white then added canal borders with lines and dots.

It is a lovely Christmas activity for all ages and raises funds for the Church. The 'Launch' is ticket on the door on the Friday evening with cheese and wine, then during the weekend the church is open to all to view the trees, with the closing of the festival with the Braintree Community Choir.

It has been fun taking part in this community activity!

Stephanie Mason

For this I have used baubles, 'flat' tree/star/boot/ round shaped decorations, painted them in canal colours, then painted on them canalboats, roses, castles, daisies and blue flowers, I have also painted snow tips onto pine cones I gathered. I also bought some butterflies and bird decorations to represent the wildlife on the canal, and a mini Santa.

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Saul Pageant

Essex WRG Working Parties

John and I went Motorhoming to the Saul Pageant and Festival over the August Bank Holiday this year. The camp site was in the field ajoining the Festival site at the Junction of the Glocester & Sharpness Canal, so we had a good view of the boats from our pitch too.

On the weekend of 6th and 7th December Essex WRG held another joint working party with Chelmsford Branch. We were working on the towpath opposite Tesco in Maldon. In this area it was fairly narrow, and the County Footpath Officer had pointed out that as it was a bridleway it should be nine foot wide. And she wanted it to become nine foot again.

There were activities on throughout the three days, we enjoyed watching the boat handling competition, some crews were experienced and some caused hilaritiy!!

There was quite a selection of stalls and canal groups to wander around.

On the Saturday evening there was an illuminated boat parade, a cool night for standing in the dark but fun to watch.

On the Sunday we watched the Historic Lifeboat Parade.

In the middle of November WRG BITM had started the first length, and we were carrying on where they left off. The original plan was for me to collect Essex Waterway’s chipper and tow it to site. But checking the area on the Thursday, Maldon’s Oak Common was waterlogged. So after consultation with Roy Chandler, it was decided not to have the chipper as Maldon Council would not appreciate me making deep ruts across their recreation ground.

This was the only problem of the weekend.

The Essex WRG contingent consisted of nine people, we were told that the Branch was bringing another nine volunteers (although in the event there were four or five more than that) and we were joined by Eve from Essex Waterways Ltd.

It was great to see these well preserved boats cruising up the canal, and they remained moored within the festival site over the weekend for all to see close up.

Eve brought the tools up on EWL’s workboat “Buddy”. Bob and Eve (being licensed chainsaw operators) had their chainsaws. In addition we had a selection of brush cutters, hedge cutters, bow saws, loppers, shears, rakes and the Essex WRG Tirfor Winch. As there was very little wind on the Saturday a bonfire was started as soon as there was wood to put on it.

About half past three we loaded the tools back on the “Buddy” which headed back to Heybridge, while the WRG contingent got in our various cars and headed back there as well. The Branch members disappeared off to their homes.

On the Sunday, with diminished numbers – WRG, Eve and about three Branch members - we continued. But as it was a bit windy we couldn’t have a bonfire. By lunchtime we had reached the second road bridge which was the weekend’s target. So have left the branches etc from the day’s work in neat piles (for disposal during the week) we called it a day.

The weather was good for the weekend which is always a bonus.

It was an enjoyable weekend, and we were lucky enough to see the 'Tall Ships' sail by after being filmed in Gloucester!

Stephanie Mason & John Grieve

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I think the highlight of the Saturday was the number of Branch members that attended, and now that Ray O’Shea has agreed to look after this, hopefully the numbers (and frequency?) will increase.

John Gale See Photos n page 4.

Essex Waterways Update

In the summer EWL was also able to purchase a new weed cutting boat which soon proved itself with both efficiency and reliability in keeping the Navigation clear of weed. This also came with a weed lifting rake that could replace the cutting gear and clear the weed after cutting.

New Plant Previous editions of the Newsletter have shown Essex Waterways recently purchased Avant multipurpose machine in action. Having now used this for several months we have learned quite a lot about its operation.

The Avant is registered for road use, but with a maximum speed of 14 miles per hour, trundling along country lanes around the Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation is not particularly popular! It will fit in to the larger EWL trailer, but the sides have to be removed in order to open the cab door to leave the machine. If any attachment is fitted to the machine, then it will not fit the trailer and it needs attachments to carry out its work!

A larger trailer would solve these problems and enable more efficient use of the machine along the Navigation.

Chelmsford Branch IWA has for many years held a ‘Conservation Partnership Fund’ the purpose of which was to fund projects on the local waterway. For many years this provided funds to assist repairs and maintenance on the Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation, but with IWA’s subsidiary company Essex Waterways Ltd taking responsibility for the Navigation, the fund has lain virtually dormant over recent years. The Branch committee therefore decided that the fund should be closed and the balance used to purchase a new large plant trailer for Essex Waterways.

Operation of the new weed boat soon confirmed that the old weed lifter used on the Navigation was also inefficient and lacking in performance. It is EWL’s practice for two staff to be employed with weed cutting so as to avoid the safety issues with lone working on this type of task. With room for only one seat in the new boat, the second operative spent a lot of time on the bank and with limited staff, this does not make the best use of resources.

It would therefore be particularly beneficial if the old weed cutter could also be replaced with a new boat which could work alongside the weed cutter. Several grant applications were therefore made, with the help of the grants officer at IWA Head Office, to fund the purchase. I am therefore very pleased to confirm that a grant of £20,000 has been awarded from the Essex County Council Community Initiatives Fund towards the purchase. A further application for grant assistance from another fund will be considered in March and it is therefore hoped it will be possible to purchase the new boat in time to deal with the summer weed growth.

The trailer has now been delivered and the photograph shows it being presented to Essex Waterways with (left to right): John Gale (IWA Branch Treasurer), Molly Beard (IWA Branch Chair), Michael Cole (EWL Senior Lengthsman), Graham Brown (EWL Navigation Manager) and Roy Chandler (EWL Chair).

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Essex Waterways Update (cont) Other Work

Having completed the new toilet facilities building on the north bank at Paper Mill Lock in the summer, it was time to turn attention to new facilities at the Sandford moorings. The pile raft foundations had been completed. The main timber frame structure was prefabricated by EWL lengthsman Sam and myself in the workshop at Paper Mill Lock.

This was then loaded onto the barge Julie and taken upstream to Sandford where the EWL team erected the main structure which was then clad with weatherboarding and the roof slated.

The lengthsmen and volunteers have also been busy with the annual planting of willows along the Navigation. The target this year has been to complete this before Christmas.

The EWL ‘dredger’ barge is currently on a boatyard slipway in Maldon undergoing a survey inspection and refurbishment. There are several upgrades planned for this and I am sure I will be writing more about these at a later date.

The winter period is the time to tackle vegetation growth along the 13 miles of tow path especially as the County Council Footpaths Officer had recently highlighted the fact that the public bridleway width near Elms Farm Park at Heybridge had reduced to under a metre width instead of the required three metres. Workparties were therefore arranged with Waterway Recovery Groups from both BITM and Essex and the Branch to tackle this area (see separate report). Further workparties and a WRG Canal Camp have been arranged in the New Year to continue tow path work in preparation for the use of the Avant in its grass cutting mode.

Several of our regular volunteers assisted with this whilst our specialist volunteers are now helping with the electrical and plumbing installations. When the building is complete, additional surfacing will be undertaken in the parking area, where the current grass suffers badly during times of wet weather.

Roy Chandler

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waterway and historic sites such as the rebuilt Ladywood Lock Cottage, ‘Ghostly Hill Tunnel’ and other waterways such as the River Severn, the Staff and Worcester Canal, the Stourbridge Canal and the Dudley Canal. Thank you Roger for a very entertaining and informative evening.

Social Events Updates October 2014 At our October social evening Denys Harrison local historian from Heybridge Basin assisted by Colin Edmond gave us an evening to remember with some vintage films about Heybridge Basin and the local Maldon area.

December 2014 Our Christmas social was held on 11th December at Moulsham Mill Chelmsford.

The first film showed Heybridge basin in the 1960s when more leisure boats were joining the canal and the working boats and trades declining. Denys showed us films related to many activities on the Navigation such as traditional boat building, the cargo trade of coal, timber and bricks and the eel trade which eventually transferred back to Holland in 1972. Heybridge Basin formed a strong community with many families living and working in the village and we enjoyed with the people in the films, a trip down memory lane and social days in the pub singing sea shanties.

A large audience filled the room and a wonderful display of food soon covered the Christmas table.

Everyone settled and chatted happily whilst waiting for all to arrive.

It became obvious that Roy Cox, our guest speaker, was not coming so Bob Loader volunteered to take over and present some quizzes.

Many thanks to Bob! The quizzes were varied, not too taxing, and provided lots of fun!

In the films George Clark lockkeeper from 1972 to 1985 gave us an insight into the changing times on the navigation and Mona Clark former licensee of the Jolly Sailor public house talked about the social changes within the community. There was an excellent turn out and it was good to welcome many people from Heybridge Basin to enjoy this lovely evening and to support Denys. Deny has written a book Heybridge Basin ‘The Story of a waterside Community 1796 – 2002’. Copies are still available to buy from Denys Harrison.

During the break we thoroughly enjoyed the party food and a slice of Christmas cake made by our committee member Stephanie.

The raffle table was full of lovely prizes, including a Christmas cake made by Molly, our committee Chairperson.

Roy gave a short EWL update, whilst some of us had a second helping of food!

The room was soon buzzing again with chatting and answers to the quizzes. Molly presented Bob with a gift to thank him for stepping in at the last minute.

Although the social was not as advertised, everyone seemed to enjoy the evening.

Many thanks to Denys for sharing his films with us and to Molly Beard who made the delicious cakes.

November 2014 Roger Squires came to talk to us in November about the Droitwich Ring. Roger was a founder member of the Droitwich Canal Society and started by writing a towpath guide. Later he was involved in the restoration of the Droitwich Canal commonly known as the ‘Barge Canal’ which was partly abandoned in 1939 and the Droitwich Junction Canal. There were lots of challenges with this restoration including building locks and tunnels under motorways built since areas of the canal were abandoned. Roger praised the work of the WRG big digs which brought hundreds of people to the site and provided a catalyst for the restoration. Roger has recently cruised the whole of the Droitwich Ring and it was a pleasure to see some lovely photographs of the

Our next Social Meeting is on 8th January 2015. The speaker is Irene Allen, a local historian, who will talk about Langford and its connection to the Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation. Hope to see you there.

A Happy New Year to all Rebecca Loader & Chris Chandler

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Susan Update

Susan was transferred to The Susan Trust in 2005.

The Trust was formed from a partnership of experienced and interested organisations which came together to rescue this historic lighter which is included in the National Register of Historic Vessels of the United Kingdom. Chelmsford Branch IWA forms part of the partnership. The purpose of The Susan Trust is to restore and operate Susan as a heritage and educational asset on the waterway for which she was built. As well as being the only surviving Chelmer & Blackwater timber lighter, built in 1953, Susan was the first motorised lighter on the Navigation and her design however follows that of the earlier horse drawn lighters which from 1797 carried a variety of commercial cargos on this waterway.

Susan, the sole surviving timber built lighter from the Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation left the Navigation in May 2010 and was towed to St Osyth Boatyard where the main keel was replaced in July that year as a matter of urgency. It had been realised prior to this that rot in the inboard keel timber was allowing the bottom of the boat to bow and with a length of 59 imperial feet, if not checked, this movement could result in breaking her back.

Susan was then put on a mud berth to wait for the availability of the dry dock. She was moved into the dry dock late in 2013 when exploratory work was undertaken to establish more accurately the restoration work required. The major unknown was the condition of the joints between the floors (the bottom ribs or frame members) and the side ribs as these were completely concealed. Whilst the general appearance of the floors was sound and retention of these timbers was planned, removal of the side keelsons revealed greater erosion of the joints than expected. This had been caused by rot forming around the metal bolts that held the joints together.

The Susan Trust has raised over ÂŁ75,000 to date and this has been spent upon the restoration so far.

Chelmsford Branch IWA has previously given a ÂŁ5,000 donation to the restoration. After several years of fundraising and considerable success with achieving funding from within Essex, it was found to be increasingly difficult to gain further grants without any progress on the actual restoration. At the same time the extent of restoration work was unknown because the rib fixings to the floor joints were concealed and the condition of the lighter was also deteriorating. Thus the decision was taken to commence the exploratory work and second stage of restoration as already described. This has allowed a more accurate and up to date assessment of costs and has prevented further deterioration.

The rotten timbers were replaced as they were exposed so as to keep the integrity of the lighter.

The additional new floor and rib replacements obviously has implications for the overall cost of the restoration. The bottom chines have been replaced and the formers for the propeller tunnel housing have also been renewed, each side formed from a single piece of timber, an improvement over the original design that will aid longevity of the repairs.

The next stage is the replacement of the shear strake to tie the top of the ribs together and completion of the propeller tunnel. The bottom of the hull will then be re-planked with double planking and the side planking renewed.

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will not fund projects that are already underway. The project has however been broken down into stages and further applications made to the local grant funds. These have been successful with £5,500 being awarded by the Essex County Council Community Initiatives Fund and £5,000 from the Essex Heritage Trust. These awards are however subject to completion of the project or all the funding being in place. What is now needed is a sizeable injection of funding to ensure the restoration can be completed and the future of Susan is secure.

Susan Update (cont) The risk with this action was that current funds would run out before adequate work is complete to make Susan watertight and thus able to leave the dry dock. Any prolonged stay in the dry dock without work continuing will have serious consequences of additional hire charges and will affect the boatyards work programme. This stage has now been reached, but The Susan Trust remains committed to continue to seek additional funding so that the restoration can continue through to completion, otherwise all previous efforts are wasted.

Roy Chandler

When fund raising commenced the Trust was able to reclaim the VAT on the restoration, however, subsequent government changes to legislation now mean this can no longer be reclaimed. This and the additional work have added considerably to the cost of the project which is now £100,000 short of target.

Two applications to the Heritage Lottery Fund have been unsuccessful, initially due to their lack of funds and latterly because the project has already commenced. Applications to other national grant bodies have also met with little success.

Of Interest Tuesday February 3rd. Essex Waterways annual users meeting 7.30pm at Langford and Ulting Village Hall, Langford Friday February 27th. Chelmsford City Council Annual Museum Lecture, 8.00pm Cramphorn Theatre, Chelmsford. The Recent History of the Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation by Roy Chandler

Having commenced the first stages of restoration work for the reasons already explained, a potential problem has been created in that some grant funds

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The Fens - Our First Narrowboat Holiday September 2009

Salter’s Lode Lock and Denver Sluice bring a tremor to even the most experienced narrowboat skipper as we were soon to find out. To go down to Ely from the River Nene we had to negotiate into Salter’s Lode Lock using a small window at low tide. Once the lock was open you had to leap out at full thrust, do a 90 degree turn into the tidal river, making sure the stern did not smash against a concrete pier, then fighting the tide, dive into Denver Lock throttling back loosing enough speed to ensuring you did not crash into the far lock gate. This was further complicated by the narrow boat we were following suddenly slewing across the river in front of us, forcing us to tread water in reverse gear against the incoming tide!

We had made it, a whole week and not one wet foot between us! I have never been on a holiday that has caused such a mixture of emotions, from sheer pleasure to complete terror! The holiday started with our route on the old river Nene to Salter’s Lode Lock, it takes about five hours from March, so we headed off as soon as we had stowed our luggage.

My husband, Graham took to the steering and handling of the boat superbly, I on the other hand had a dreadful blank when it comes to steering the opposite way in which you intend to travel, and what with that, the currents and wind.......... well I must confess that Graham was left with the lion’s share of the task. I on the other hand was the main tier upper, and was quite good at jumping off and making a suitable knot to hold the boat (well most of the time).

Our first night was particularly scary as we ran out of moorings and the dark set in early, due to some approaching ominous black clouds, forcing us to tie up on a bank with pins in amongst the reeds.

Graham managed to jump off and I helped by throwing the pins and mallet, losing them in the long grass. We did, however manage to tie up of sorts, when one of our pins pulled away, hubby rugby diving at the pin catching it just in time before it sank into the inky black river and him with it.

Our narrowboat holiday continued, each day an adventure. At the end of each day I found myself bursting with pride at the achievement of still being afloat, uninjured and alive! Something I had not experienced before whilst on holidays lying on a sun bed somewhere in the Mediterranean.

I slept restlessly that night listening to the howling wind and the lashing of rain against our bedroom window. Every hour I would peer nervously into the darkness to reassure myself that our boat was still secure among the reeds and not in the North Sea somewhere!

I conclude that narrowboat holidays are an experience that only the fool hardy or us, and the very adventurous should undertake. We probably had one of the best holidays we can remember, with many more after this exploring the waterways of England.

Now in 2014 we are waiting for our very first narrowboat to be built. I wonder what adventures that will bring!

Graham & Chris Day

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Social Events

Just For Fun SUDOKU Fill in the grid so that each row, column and 3 x 3 block contains the numbers one to nine (1 - 9) 1 4

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8th January 2015 . Irene Allen, local historian who has written a book about the village of Langford will talk about Langford and the connection to the Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation.

12th February 2015. Dennis Padfield, ‘Building my boat’ a 57ft narrowboat on the Chelmer & Blackwater.

12th March 2015. Branch AGM followed by Teresa Meadows, ‘Land Management and protecting the Chelmer & Blackwater’. Teresa is Essex & Suffolk Water River Catchment officer.

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Branch Committee

9th April 2015. Barry Watson, a hotel boater and boating musician will talk about his memories of Hotel Boating and will play a couple of songs....’Locking down, the Rochdale nine, you don’t want to do it a second time.

Meetings are held at Moulsham Mill, Parkway, Chelmsford (between Tesco Homestore and the Army & Navy roundabout). 7:45pm for an 8:00pm start. Plenty of parking.

If you have any topics or subject that you wish to bring to the committees attention please use the contact details below Molly Beard:

Chairman

molly.beard@waterways.org.uk

John Gale:

Vice Chairman & Treasurer.

24 Longleaf Drive, Braintree CM7 1XS

Paul Strudwick:

London Region Chairman.

Paul.strudwick@waterways.org.uk

Chris Chandler:

Secretary.

Chris.chandler@waterways.org.uk

Roy Chandler:

Planning and Conservation.

Roy.chandler@waterways.org.uk

John Carlaw:

Newsletter and Membership.

Chelmsford.news@waterways.org.uk John.carlaw@waterways.org.uk

Mike Huggett:

Publicity.

Mike.huggett@waterways.org.uk

Stephanie Mason:

Refreshments.

None

Kirsten Smith:

Youth.

None

Rebecca Loader

Social Secretary

None

Adam Wyllie:

Branch Web Editor.

Adam.wyllie@waterways.org.uk

IWA Chelmsford Web Address

http://www.waterways.org.uk/chelmsford

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