Phil & Anne Irons wrote: > On 12/14/06, Michael Askin > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> >> On 12/14/06, Keens, Graham, VF UK - Technology (MP) >> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >>> Dave wrote " A few years ago I singlehanded from Braunston to >>> Oxford and >>> back. ..... no lying in until 10 a.m. and toddling off to buy the >>> morning papers!" >>> >>> Or queuing at Claydon, Cropredy and Somerton Deep by the sound of >>> it! >>> >> We did Buckby to Oxford in just over two days (crew of three and long >> days, mind) in May: >> >> http://192.168.0.12/pics/Northampton/index_2.html >> >> Mike >> >> -- >> Michael Askin >> http://shoestring.zapto.org/ > > > You know, while I respect your energy, endurance and whatever else, I > think > you [that's a general you, not a personal one!] are missing the point > here. > > Folks are posing questions to the list in general who know little or > nothing > about terrain, transit times and traffic to be expected. They are not > particularly interested in getting up at the crack of dawn or > earlier, and > then cruising flat out [except when passing moored boats, of course] > for ten > or twelve hours, just to accomplish a 'recommended' cruise. > > Most of the enquiries we have seen lately have come from persons who > have to > make significant travel arrangements before they even get to their > boat--and > I don't mean stuck in traffic on the M6. While I am not a boat > owner, nor > am I particularly experienced in many of the shortcuts or problems of > The > Cut, I feel that my three trips, not only the canal parts but also the > to-and-fro parts give me the right to comment. > > These folks are considering spending a considerable amount of money > on air > fare and boat hire, and have come to the list to ask our advice on > what to > do and where they might consider going in the limited time they have > available. If we consider the extreme, they possibily don't have a > Nicholson's or other guide for the area they are considering, they > don't > know that they won't get possession of the boat until mid afternoon, > nor > that they will have to return it by 0900 on the last day. Perhaps > they are > remiss in not doing further research, but what do you think posing a > question on this list is, if not research? > > Sure, Stourport to Wolverhampton is not a bad cruise, but does anyone > tell > them that there may be a long wait at bottlenecks like The Bratch? > Warwick > was, for me, a good place to start for personal reasons, but I might > have > thought a bit more about it if I had known about the Hatton flight > [we ended > up doing it last, intead of first]. I'm sure there are many other > 'negative' aspects to cruising, but then again, if we don't ask, how > else do > we find out about them? > > It happens that I know the person who generated the original question > in the > thread that started this one from another list, and we have exchanged > e-mails on the general topic of holidays on The Cut. > > All I ask is that when questions are posed by obvious 'newbies' or > those who > havent had the pleasure of cruising lately, and who are looking for > HOLIDAY suggestions, you, the weekenders or continuous cruisers, or > singlehanders or live-aboards or whatever, please remember that these > folks are trying to get > the most bang for their buck, and respond accordingly. > > OK, I've shot my mouth off, and I'll put on my Nomex suit, and wait > for the > flames to subside!
I agree! <snigger snigger> Mike can have the crown, we have retired. BTW has anyone seen the Jan Canal Boat Quiz?...looks lile TNC will not be able to enter! There is an extra TNC section...can you name all the TNC members in the piccies? -- Neil Arlidge - NB Earnest - The Wilderness years... Follow the truly independent TNC at : http://www.tuesdaynightclub.co.uk Visit this site and help save our waterways from the DEFRA cuts http://www.saveourwaterways.org.uk/
