Rivers & Canals Cruising
Aboard my Narrowboat on the Rivers & Canals of England
© Tony Dyer 2004 - 2023
A new lifestyle
Having
purchased
the
narrowboat
Alkeny
late
in
December
2020
it
took
until
Saturday
9th
January
2021
to
prepare
her
for
living
aboard.
Eventually
I
moved
her
along
the
Stainforth
and
Keadby
Canal,
River
Trent,
Nottigham
Canal
and
the
Trent
and
Mersey
Canal
to
Mercia
Marina
in
Derbyshire,
arriving
on
Wednesday
17th
March
2021.
Later
in
the
season
when
the
weather
improved
I
would
commence
cruising
the
rivers
and
canals
of
England.
Much
of
the
work
to
prepare
Alkeny
and
to
move
her
to
Derbyshire
was
delayed
by
the
third
Covid-19
pandemic
English
national
lockdown
that
was
introduced
on
6th
January
2021.
The
work
also
took
much
longer
than
expected,
with
delays
brought
about
by
other
work
in
the
boatyard,
the
weather and the late supply of some equipment and components.
I
always
planned
to
rename
the
boat
“Tradewinds
IV”
(TW4),
in
sucession
of
my
previous
boats
with
the
Tradewinds
name,
and
eventually
ordered
the
new
graphics
late
in
April
2021.
Removing
the
old
names
and
graphics
from
each
side
of
the
boat
left
marks,
so
the
background
paintwork
had
to
be
repainted.
My
narrowboat
was
officially
renamed
“Tradewinds
IV”
and
registered
under
the
new
name
with
the
Canal
and
River
Trust
on
Wednesday
12th
May
2021.
The
new
name
graphics
had
not
yet
been
applied at that time, but were added a little later when the weather improved.
I
was
then
looking
forward
to
being
part
of
the
Mercia
Marina
community,
and
when
possible
and
when
my
family
and
friends
decide
to
join
me
aboard, to enjoying some cruising on the many miles of English Waterways.
Why?
I
am
a
European
and
before
Brexit
came
along
I
had
a
passport
that
woud
allow
me
to
travel
anywhere
in
Europe
for
as
long
as
I
wanted.
Until
1st
January
2021
I
was
spending
about
11
months
of
each
year
split
between
Greece
and
Spain
-
that
was
my
life
and
my
choice,
and
then
suddenly
it
all
was
taken
away
from
me!
And
so
I
needed
to
find
somewhere
to
live
in
the
UK
during
the
6
months
I’ll
not
be
unable
to
travel
to
where
I
want
to
be
in
Europe!
Having
spent
36
years
in
the
Royal
Navy
and
most
years
since
living
aboard
yachts,
it
was
natural
that
I
should
want
to
live
aboard
somewhere
somehow!
Narrowboats
were
the
obvious
choice,
not
only
for
the
lifestyle
but
also
for
the
comradeship
of
other
boaters.
My
new
lifestyle
was opening up ahead of me!
My Waterways Life
Aboard my Narrowboat on the Rivers & Canals of England