I dream in the night of being back on NB Valerie, cruising with Les. I hear our voices and the sound of the engine, and the feel of the boat beneath my feet. I dream we are moored up somewhere lovely and green. Les is puttering outside while I am fixing dinner, then suddenly he is standing behind me, his arms around my waist once more, kissing my neck and whispering in my ear, "I Love you Jaqueline Marie Almdale Biggs." Missing Les and missing our life aboard our boat is like a double amputation. The eyes register what is gone but the heart seeks its return and sometimes tricks the brain into believing it is so.
This Youtube video came across my path this morning and I watched, enchanted by the cut all over again. It is a home movie shot in 1965 of a trip boat leaving Berkhamsted, traveling up across Tring Summit and down the Marsworth flight to the Aylesbury Arm, and then down the Arm to the basin. I recognized it all and I was amazed at how little shown in the movie, had changed in fifty-five years. Les would have loved this. Enjoy!! ❤️❤️
6 comments:
Not so many boats moored outside the dry dock as now and all the trees have grown a touch since then. Thank you for the treat.
Pip x
Nice bit of nostalgia for you. Bet it brought back a lot of happy memories for you. Never been down the Aylesbury arm. But we have done the Marsworth flight a few times. Hope your keeping well in this pandemic. Take care and stay safe. Love and hugs Judith nb Serena XXX
We sat in bed the other morning watching that video too Jaq! xx
David and I did the Aylesbury Arm last year - loved being in the marina and really enjoyed most of the trip down and back. But oh that blanket weed! Fortunately I lost count of the number of stops to clear the rudder and prop - or I would have lost the will to live, for sure!
It was on the trip down that I saw the red kites - just wonderful!
Biggs hugs, Mxx
Interesting to watch, now I see why they left the gates open back in the olden days, they just barged through and jumped on.
Some shocking paddle dropping!!!
Lisa x
Hi everyone!
Pip you are welcome for the treat. It was a treat for me too. xxx
Judith, it was a nostalgic trip down memory lane. When we cruised the Aylesbury Arm in 2014, it was in full flood. Les posted a video on Youtube showing the water cascading over the top of the gates at Redhouse lock which we got stuck in due to the sheer flow of the water. we had to let the lock fill up with water and back out to moor at the top and wait for four days until the flooding subsided in order to carry on with our journey down to the basin. xxx
Carol, as always great minds travel in the same direction!!xxx
Marilyn, we were fortunate that the flooding of the arm swept all the weed away!! As we were cruising there were parts of the journey that made me feel as though we might have been over on the broads on one the narrow canals. The grasses were so high and one didn't see over the tops of them to the horizon. Just the cut, the tall, tall grasses and a narrow sweep of sky. xxx
Lisa,
Yes there was some rough paddle dropping in that video. When we cruised on the Lea and Stort we were shocked at how everyone left the gates open at the bottom. Turns out that leaving gates open on river locks is how it is usually done. Who knew?? Not us!! xxx
Love and Biggs big hugs to you all!
Jaq xxx
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