Thursday 14 October 2021

Into the marina who saw that coming ?

It's funny how the universe operates .... I'm a planner by nature and as I get older I worry more and plan more. Not sure why that is, I've seen it with people older than me who seem to have to get everything 'sorted' maybe because they have the time  and the usual work distractions are not there so they replace them with other works .... or maybe it's a 'being in god's waiting room' approach to sorting affairs out subconsciously who knows. I try and fight it, it's good to plan but when anxiety rears its head then the planning is getting too involved and I have to really work hard at stepping back and seeing the bigger picture.

We (I) am incredibly lucky in what I have in all aspects of life, health, love, relationships, family income, chattels, security. I do genuinely count my blessings and they are all anchors to remind me when my imagination and planning reaches anxiety point to 'rest and be thankful'  - as an aside I've always thought that to be a great name for a boat so don't  pinch it.

Here is the actual Rest and be Thankful. 

This year on my Himalayan 


On My Honda ST1300 in 2015 


Anyhow I digress. On the way back from the Stone dry dock Percy's engine sounded different. I was once told by a mechanic the best tool you have on an engine is your ears. So I diverted into Great Haywood marina and hovered in the entrance and called in and asked if they had a berth. The ever helpful Julie had a look and sent a nice fella out - not got his name yet to help identify a free mooring and grab the bow rope to help to tie up. As can be expected right now at the height of silly season in boat usage as well as buying and selling engineers are very busy and as the family we brought the boat from are vintage diesel engineers and the same engineers Tony and Paul who put the lister into Percy, it made sense to give them a call. So we are in a queue for a visit. 

We are in no great hurry as we took the educated decision over a chicken balti and two pints of Doom Bar (me) fish and chips and ginger ale ( Rachel) to relocate our mooring from Shebdon to Great Haywood. A little surprise to us and possibly those readers hardy enough to have been around a while as we have been on line moorers since we've owned boats 14 years - all three of them. 

For the majority of that time we used the boat(s) as our country cottage as we were living in a city suburb. A trip to the boat was an escape to the country and we didn't move the boat just stayed aboard in countryside. Now we live 365 days a year in that countryside so the visits to the boat to just get a rural fix are redundant. We decided in the Clifford arms that marina life ( albeit more expensive but with other fringe benefits) was the logical thing to opt for - especially as we were waiting for the engine to be checked and if work is needed might see us the wrong side of months of stoppages on the Staffs and Worcester. A hard but reasonable decision made all the easier as were were within a few weeks of the end of our current mooring contract at Shebdon.

So no more Shebdon but more Great Haywood. Will we miss Shebdon, a little but we've been there three years already. Great Haywood gives us still the four counties option plus the nice top end of the Staffs and Worcester. It also puts us a day away from the Coventry and all points south plus the nice stretch of the Trent Vale to Stone. Finally we are closer to the boat for checks and works. So sad but practical and a little bit exciting all the same.

Final bit of logical planning was within the week we will have, all being well, another grandson plus our youngest and his fiance will be moving back north from their raid on London's property and jobs market. 

Exciting changing times - a challenge to reign in my levels of anxiety but a world of new challenges and opportunities - life is so fleetingly short so grab every last chance for change and grab all experiences.

So the sun sets on our time at Shebdon 



9 comments:

John and Louise said...

I know you’ve considered marina moorings on and off for a while, but a good decision I would say. A nice marina. We called in there last week to catch up with Lisa & David on What a Lark. Hope it all goes well for you.

Nev Wells said...

One to chalk down to fate for sure. Thanks for the best wishes. If we had been closer we would have considered Kings Bromley also. We’ll see how we go if it’s ok for Lisa and David that’s a good recommendation. Hope you are both ok and very belated happy birthday !

Mandy Wright said...

It's a very sensible decision but I shall miss you and Rachel, and Leia very much here at Shebdon. You have a standing invitation to come to fish, or just sit or share a drink.

Nev Wells said...

Thanks Mandy, you are a good friend and we shall miss the chats …. It seems a lifetime of canal time from the first time we met when you moved in at Fradley next door. To us following you to the lovely Shebdon moorings. But sometimes we have to just let fate guide us to where ever or want ever next. Who knows Marina life may be the best ever…. Or we may miss the canal side and the boat movements. I think if we stay we will be looking for a berth where at least we can see the boats moving along the canal. It gives us options to cruise different routes or ultimately put Percy on brokerage should we find we are not having the time or desire to get out and cruise…. That much will be the test I guess. Another topic for the blog in a little while maybe. Take care and for sure we will visit when the departure from Shebdon is a little less raw.

Anonymous said...

I am sure you wont regret the decision to move into the marina, keep an eye out for Shellbell last I heard she was at Great Haywood.

regards Norwyn

Nev Wells said...

Hi Norwyn,

Thanks, I’ll keep an eye out and report back accordingly

Lisa said...

Well well Nev, Great Haywood indeed. Thank you for the compliment in your reply to John and Louise! We have been delighted with GH marina, the outstandingly efficient and friendly Julie is a recommendation alone. We are planning to be on WaL in mid Nov and hope to pop up the Trent and Mersey to sample the delights of the four good pubs up the way, if our "Boat Sharers" can join us which pubs we miss on the way up we'll visit on the way down. I hope you both will be happy there, we feel that there is a great choice of long weekend routes as well as 2 to 3 weeks trips. Come onboard for dwinks won't you if we are there?
Lisa & David

Nev Wells said...

Hi Both,

Glad you are happy to give a good endorsement, quite a few moorer’s I’ve met already have been there quite some while. Both Julie and Tony were stars when I needed help ( they were rewarded with a tin of ‘hero’s’ ) in fact I had to apologise to Tony as I was verging on a emotional rant as he helped my tie up !

If we are around when you are we will pop by to say hello. I’ve Paul Redshaw coming to look at the donk next week so may find out a bit more of the £££’s I’m in for !! I’ve been playing around with CanalPlanAC looking at the impressive routes available with a two week 5 hours a day out and back cruise……

Take care

Lisa said...

BTW I just read about your adventures in Aston Marina, forgive me chuckling, this link was us last year

http://nbwhatalark.blogspot.com/2020/10/a-pump-out-phew.html

We had a much worse time over two days there, I would have to be paid a lot of money to return to Aston Marina in the wind again no matter how desperate we were...

Lisa