The brown water tank is full.

There's been no place to pump out for 2 days, so it's strategic purchases: "Do you have a toulet? OK. I'll have a coffee."

Last night we moored by a Canal & River Trust toilet in Wigan. It's still functioning and it's clean! Yay #CRT.

Today the crew's taking the tourist train two stops to Chester, while I get a day of rest. Tomorrow we continue in our search for a pump-out.

#CanalLife #canal #boat #boating #narrowboat #BrownWater #tank #toilet #elsan

Women captains, check out this awesome exhibit at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum through summer 2024:
https://chesapeakebaymagazine.com/her-helm-at-chesapeake-bay-maritime-museum/

#HerHelm is a portrait project that celebrates women making their own way on the waters of the #ChesapeakeBay. In addition to including bios of each captain, the book also includes poems, essays, and artwork.

I love portrait projects and cannot wait to check this out. More info on Kristin Rutkowski's website here: https://www.herhelm.com/

#boating #dmv #women

Good morning from the Washington Channel!

That was an amazing trip. Was awesome to spend time in Michigan's UP again. I need to do that more often.

It's always nice to be home, but lots of unpacking and organizing to do today. Since we appear to have a midday break in the storms, I'm also going to go hunting for pawpaws.

#washingtondc #gangplank #boating #liveaboard #dmv

Marina and boat sweet home!

Got back and unloaded just in time for what looks like another good storm approaching.

I want to watch, but I desperately need a nap...

#boating

Life's pretty good right now.
#boating #saturdayNightFirepit #camping #GoodLife

Outdoor cooking on an old camping stove. Cooking potatoes while my fritids sets up for putting chickenbreasts on the grill.
#boating #OutdoorCooking #camping

Backing under Bridge 1 to reach the newly repaired water point at the top of the Rufford branch.

For a motor vehicle, this manouevre (backing into an intersection) would be against the rules. But for a boat, at 1½ miles per hour, what could go wrong? 😅

Thanks, Canal & Rivert Trust for having the waterpoint repaired. Rumour has it the pipe burst when it froze, last winter.

CanalLife #canal #water #CRT #waterpoint #bridge #narrowboat #boat #boating

Campsite. A friand is joining me here later on. Now to relax and enjoy the warm sunny autumn day we got.
#boating #camping #SummerIsNotOver

Today's task. New zipper on part of my canvas roof for the boat. Later on squezing out the last of summer with camping on the boat. #boating #repairs #summerIsNotOver

I'm very curious exactly what makes these boats anchored "illegally". As far as I can tell, the main issue is that they are anchored directly off shore of a golf course. Anchored while ugly. What a heinous crime - it must be stopped immediately!

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/surrey-removes-illegal-boats-1.6959463

#sailing #boating #surreyBC

I would come to Ludington just to see the S.S. Badger. The history of the ship is fascinating, including your t was saved by Charles Conrad in 1992.

The 4 hr trip across Lake Michigan seems like a fun way to travel to Manitowoc.

Read more here:

https://www.ssbadger.com/the-legacy/

#michigan #boating

Ludington is a great city to visit via boat. A protected harbor leads to a clean municipal marina by a park and a couple of blocks from the vibrant downtown. There is also a nice maritime museum and ... the coolest ferry I've ever seen!

The S.S. Badger ferries cars across Lake Michigan to Milwaukee. She is a National Historic Landmark (the only one that moves) and the last remaining coal-fired passenger steamship in operation in the U.S.

https://www.ssbadger.com/the-legacy/

#boating #michigan #greatloop

Before I forget, we stopped by the Escanaba Municipal Marina yesterday morning on our way out of town. It's a great location, very protected, nice docks and just a few minutes walk from the historic downtown. Definitely a good spot for loopers in the area looking to explore a UP city:

#boating #michigan #upperpeninsula

Having drifted into retirement when we moved here in 2017, I seem to have drifted back into freelancing, this time for Canal Boat. There's a piece in this month, another in Oct/Nov, one submitted today and another planned for later in the year. Doesn't pay a fortune but will go towards the next bit of boat refitting. #CanalBoat #boating #Freelance # Writing

We've reached the Leeds & Liverpool Canal bridge that is biased against boats. Cars take priority during peak hours, and around here the afternoon peak starts at 2:00 pm!

At 6:00 pm we will resume boating until the wheels come off, hoping to reach Litherland before dark so we're set up to enter Liverpool with tomorrow's convoy.

#CanalLife #canal #boating #narrowboat #Liverpool #Litherland #bridge #car #traffic

We decided to splurge for a hotel for two nights in Marquette. As a liveaboard boater, this feels like stopping in a marina when you're cruising. Maybe the road trip equivalents of cruising are:

**Driving Vs Boating**
boondocking = anchoring out
camping = mooring ball
hotel = marina

Boaters, what do you think?
#boating #liveaboard

I've booked us a pontoon (a floating dock) in Salthouse at Liverpool. Now all we need to do is get there by Friday.

2 days!

We will have to go full throttle, 3 miles per hour for … hours. Plus 4 more bridges to open, one of which prioritises vehicles – so no opening during peak hours.

It's almost like … work, …with … schedules and … deadlines. 😅

#canal #CanalLife #narrowboat #boating #bridge #SwingBridge

Time lapse of locks passage:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/GGgE7nkBTspZpqVP9

#michigan #soolocks #boating

Made it to Soo Locks with time to spare before a 1000 footer will come through. Super excited to catch a ship passing through the locks. We're grabbing a quick bite to eat before coming back!

#soolocks #michigan #boating

There really is a part of the world where the roads are called Daisy lane, Wood lane, Hall lane, Bleak lane, Moss lane, School lane, Briar's lane, Blythe lane, Hobcross lane, Lowrey lane, Course lane, and so on. The Leeds & Liverpool canal runs through it, near the villages of Hoscar and Lathom.

#CanalLife #canal #boating #narrowboat #map #England #English #village #navigate #cartography #wayfinding