What a close shave, that shopping trolley could have done some real damage. Boy would I like to catch the fools who dump it into the canal. Anyway guys thanks for interrupting your viewing of the England match to upload this vlog. All the best. Stephen

It’s a great day when my favorite people post on my favorite channel!! Lots of love to you both!!

@FloatingOurBoat

11 күн бұрын

Thank you

You four are my heros. All those locks in a single day. What fortitude. Thanks for the video.

'what an adventure! Nice to share it with you. Thank you.

Always nice to see you two. Everything is so lush and i loved seeing the horses in the water. You got a real work out of this trip. Take care😊

Hello again ☺. Oh I could feel your anxiety! ALWAYS go with your gut feeling and your intuition Rich, always. There's always somewhere else around the next bend ... Sending love, light & bright shiny blessings 🐶🐕🐾 xx

@FloatingOurBoat

9 күн бұрын

That is so true

Thanks for yet another great video. I’m glad there was no damage to the boat when had your conundrum. Safe journeys. Cheers

That spot was creepy in the middle of a sunny day--can only imagine what emerges in the dead of night. Definitely set off the spidey senses, even through the screen. And then alone with the snagged shopping cart. Nightmare scenarios seem particularly startling in contrast to the peace and beauty of the countryside. Like floating into a different reality, a parallel universe. Glad that was just a blip in your journey!

@FloatingOurBoat

11 күн бұрын

peace and calm was soon restored

As always. You are the most lovely people to be accompagnied by 🙂 Love from Denmark

Long day and lots of locks. Delph locks look quite spectacular with their 'waterfalls' down the side! We were advised to always trust our instincts if we don't feel comfortable at a place.

@FloatingOurBoat

9 күн бұрын

Absolutely

Ouch! That was a close call with that shopping trolley.

@FloatingOurBoat

9 күн бұрын

It really was. We had thought we could even end up being lifted out!

Well, that was a long and eventful cruise. Big effort, well done!

Hi guys! "Go with your gut feeling," is generally sound advice. Five years? Doesn't time fly? All the best.

What an eventful journey you had beautiful scenery though but like you peace and quiet every time great to see you both again see you on the next video ❤😅😊xx

Looks like a nightmare day for the both of you , the canal full of rubbish ,I know the feeling when you don't feel comfortable mooring or staying in those places ...I know the trend that urban living is cool ....but give me green grass and peace anytime

Two brave soles , keep enjoying life love you both.

Hello Rich and Fran. My stamping ground when my late wife and I lived on our Les Allen trad 62' Gardner 3LW engined narrow boat Galton (named after Galton Bridge on the Main Line to Brum, by the first owner a Soho Jweller from whom we bought the boat) at the Hyde near Kinver on The Staffs and Worcs Canal in the early nineties with a dog and two cats.After a stint at Les Allen and Sons in Oldbury and a year with Brummagem Boats at Sherbourne Street Wharf in the heart of Birmingham which was great then. I worked as a boat builder/fitter for ten years at Black Country Narrow Boats on the Stourbridge Canal at Stourton, a premier boat builder in the eighties/nineties, now ceased trading in 2007. We never had any vandal or other trouble apart from serious windups on the BCN, we loved the Stourbridge 16 and the view from the top of the delpf flight was lovely in the spring, but mooring at 'Merry Hell' the site of the Round Oak steel works was a no, no! Far too noisy and too many gongoozlers even then, but generally there were very few boats and I could not believe the congestion at The Bonded Warehouse on your visit, in our day only a handdful of boats and it was only busy once a year during the rally weekend. Boats now moored almost nose to tail on so many canals these days from watching your vidios, and so many floating cottages with all mod cons even Aga's, costing Iro 300k a time! How things have changed, and now so many restrictions to what on can do! Love you posts and the dogs, great but messy boating companions I recall. Stay safe and well and happy cruising.

@FloatingOurBoat

11 күн бұрын

Thank you Rex. What a great experience you have had when the canals were full of 'proper' boaters. I know exactly what you mean about floating cottages. I think something gets lost along the line. We even feel that with Laura Maisie and she doesn't have half the mod cons that some boats do. Thank you for your comment

Good job of saving the boat from damage

Glad you Manage to stop the engine before doing any damage to the prop Or rudder. Yes , you must be both very tired after all , those locks in one day.well done 😊

@michiganmikeupnorth

12 күн бұрын

It looked nice like waterfalls but I'll bet it wasn't easy.

What a day!! Your final mooring looks good...I hope you slept well!!!❤❤

wow what a day. Really enjoyed the video guys.

Great video you two, and in the end found a nice place to stay. One day soon me and our wife will take the plunge and sell up and get our own narrow boat and do the same. A good inspiration for us to do it.😊

@FloatingOurBoat

9 күн бұрын

Thank you, good luck with your plans

Last time i filled up water at Stewpony it took an hour.. slowest tap on the network! A lovely man let us moor overnight at the end of his garden just below the bottom of the Delph flight. Bumblehole is great if you moor on the side oposite the water point.. away from the oiks that come out at night. Another great vlog with usual good music selection. Safe trip.

@FloatingOurBoat

11 күн бұрын

How lovely that someone let you moor up

That's terrible how someone threw their shopping trolley into the canal! I'm glad you were able to dislodge it without damaging your engine. 24 locks in one day must be exhausting but you both did it. You deserve a cuppa, which I just bought you! Jenny

@FloatingOurBoat

11 күн бұрын

Thank you so much Jenny. It was a hard day and that cuppa is very much appreciated xx

@jennyfulcher8035

11 күн бұрын

@@FloatingOurBoat You're welcome! :o)

So glad the trolley was sorted with not too much damage. Gut feeling is the to go by and as the shopping trolley happened it backed up your concerns. Take care and hopefully a couple of well earned rest days were had. =-)

@RVO3VOM

12 күн бұрын

Hope you reported the trolley location.

@terenceseymour-tf8rptassie725

12 күн бұрын

​@@RVO3VOMor attempted to push it to a safer location

@FloatingOurBoat

11 күн бұрын

Unfortunately there are lots in the canals. At least now it is on the edge where nobody will more and not right in the middle of the bridge.

Cool video, I enjoy watching your adventures, much appreciated here in the Pacific Northwest USA.

Oh I will take some of that salad! Looks fantastic Fran!

@FloatingOurBoat

11 күн бұрын

It has ben really good this year and we now have ripe tomatoes

What a truly wonderful thoughtful gift! so sweet!

These Canals need some of those Magnet Fishermen, to clear all that Rubbish out!

@FloatingOurBoat

11 күн бұрын

That's a great idea

Even though you got stemmed up with that trolley, that vlog was nice to watch. Hope you both slept well at Bumble Hole. x

@FloatingOurBoat

11 күн бұрын

We went out like a light

@garry9999

11 күн бұрын

@@FloatingOurBoat hope it wasn't windy !

That sucks having that shopping cart in the canal like that. I wish people didn't do things like that. I can only imagine what's down there.

I don't know if this has been mentioned but a "come along" tool might be nice to have on board. It isn't a very big tool but it can be attached to a bridge or a tree (with the aid of a rope) and will pull alot more weight than a person can. I've moved small buildings with mine. Love your channel.

Bogart , African Queen comes to mind , least you didn’t get covered in leeches

@FloatingOurBoat

9 күн бұрын

Love that film x

I'm glad you reached a good spot at the end, what a day!

A pox upon the creeps who toss things into the canals, especially shopping carts. Glad you were able to get the prop off it and move on. I would imagine no one wants to have to get into the water and deal with something like that! Looking forward to your coming home, Rich. I also hear there's a little band called Black Sabbath that hails from there as well.😊 🎶 🎸

@michiganmikeupnorth

12 күн бұрын

Great band.

@FloatingOurBoat

9 күн бұрын

We were very lucky with the trolley. Black Sabbath also have their own canal bridge in Brum!

What an exciting and thrilling cruise. Never a dull moment. No time to get bored. That was bad about the shopping trolley. Hope you managed to get it out or made safer . Isn’t it awful how people just chuck anything in the canal.? No respect. Great video and filming. Thank you so much. Beautiful colours.

Absolutely beautiful scenery you two !!! I am very proud of your lock accomplishment for one day. And I cannot thank you enough for posting the music you play. LOVE IT.

@FloatingOurBoat

9 күн бұрын

We were actually quite proud of ourselves, but more relieved and exhausted I think

Phew, that was alot of locks to do in one day but worth it to find a quiet and safe mooring spot. Loved all the gardens at the start of the video as well as the geese and their babies. Thanks for another lovely video.🌼🌸

@FloatingOurBoat

11 күн бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it

Fantastic soundtrack with the geese in the field! Great episode

Well done

Wow that place was packed. No peace or quiet there! Can’t imagine 24 locks in a day. Glad you avoided major damage with that shopping trolley.

Well that was eventful,thanks for another lovely vid

I rich and fan a very busy day for you on that canal it look very quiet I hope all goes well for you all the best for now 😊

You two are so funny..! As if no one has ever heard about or from you..!?! Anyone, who is anyone, has heard of you two..! AND, we all still are waiting to know where Fran has hidden the booze for Christmas..!!

@FloatingOurBoat

9 күн бұрын

No booze on this boat, but I will have to hide some marmalade

Been there done that route as well. WE actually stayed at Merry Hill and it was very quiet in the evening. Not a lot of boat traffic when we were there. Had the place to ourselves. Enjoyed your adventure very much,,, thank you!!!

@FloatingOurBoat

11 күн бұрын

That's good to hear.

cheered me right up

Loved it. I live really close so enjoyed seeing it all from the boat. Bumble hole is a lovely place. Hope you enjoyed it. 😊

@FloatingOurBoat

11 күн бұрын

We had a lovely stay there

Well done guys. We loved doing the Delph flight and found the private gardens on the canal beautifully maintained. A lot of boaters are wary of the canals around Birmingham but they are worth the time and you very easily get immersed into the history of the region. We watched two girls once on another canal wheel an empty shopping trolley down the towpath and then push it into the canal in front of our boat as we sat there having a cuppa. We asked them the purpose of their actions and the reply was because “we can”……Shopping trolleys are heavy and difficult to pull out of a canal but we did and returned it to its rightful owner. You just have to shake your head and bite your tongue😂

@FloatingOurBoat

11 күн бұрын

Unbelievable to do it right in front of you.

Another adventure…I enjoy each of your vlogs.

@FloatingOurBoat

11 күн бұрын

Thanks so much!

Wow that was a mammoth journey and mark would be exactly like you going by gut feeling and moving on if feeling unsure. Xxxx

@FloatingOurBoat

11 күн бұрын

You have to go by gut reaction if you want to stay relaxed

My wife and I and our kids moored at Bumble Hole for a couple of days very many years ago. Looking forward to the next video in this series!

@FloatingOurBoat

11 күн бұрын

Bumble hole was a great respite after the day we had experienced. A lovely place to moor

25 locks!!!!! WOW 🤩 and a shopping cart to boot. That was quite the adventure. Lovely shots of the different areas you went through. I liked those buildings that looked like converted factory buildings also. Loved the ponies in the water. So glad you didn’t fall on those lock gates. Get to Birmingham!!😂. Take care. 😊🤗 Kathy

@FloatingOurBoat

11 күн бұрын

Thank you so much 🤗

Beautiful video guys…love to follow your travels. Cheers from Socal.😊

Neat dock crane there at 7:46. For some undefined reason dock cranes are really appealing to me. Right up there with all the different styles of iron bridges crossing the canals.

@FloatingOurBoat

9 күн бұрын

I understand that , they do have a certain grace about them.

Another Great Video Guys

@FloatingOurBoat

9 күн бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it

I'm gonna live on Merry Hill and wander down to Bumble Hole in the morning.😊😊😊😊

Life's an adventure and you certainly had that. Good going with the locks. Might have to ease back on the choccy so you can fit across the walkways😂. Liked Stouport when there in April 2012 after sailing up from Worcester before heading down the Seven. Looking forward to your time in Birmingham, careful at Bournville.😂

Oh these shopping trolleys are awful if only Tesco's & Morrisons charged for them like Aldi & Lidl as it's always a free trolley I find , in Banbury last year there were 7 Morrisons trolleys in the river and 2 in the canal by the park so sad to see for Hire boaters too 🛒🛒🛒🛒🛒🛒 😏

@FloatingOurBoat

9 күн бұрын

That is terrible

beautiful country

Hi Fran, Rich, Archie and Jess, I've spent the last few weeks watching a couple of your vlogs every day from the beginning and now I've caught up I don't know what to do with myself ☹️ My hubby is very grateful to you both as he's always wanted to live on the canal and I flatly refused, but now I think I want to more than him! Unfortunately, we've a few years left until we retire so we'll continue to watch and dream.... thank you for sharing 😊 Steph and Paul

@FloatingOurBoat

11 күн бұрын

Wow, that is great. Maybe a holiday to try it out properly would be a good thing. Although we just jumped in head first. Good luck

@scummins4233

11 күн бұрын

@FloatingOurBoat yes we're planning on taking a Helmsman course soon and as we live near Leeds we'll probably day/weekend hire in Skipton 👍

I used to Moor at Stourton but must admit, myself & late partner never felt happy mooring anywhere till we reached Merry Hill or Bumble Hole.

Great! Hope you got the trolley out of the water. I might come that way soon.😂

@FloatingOurBoat

9 күн бұрын

Not out of the water but at lest right on the edge and not the middle of the channel!

Lovely episode thank you, despite the shopping trolley incident however. Clever you knew how to get free. Good tips I'm afraid come at an expense sometimes. Hope the rest of your week is pain free. 😊

@FloatingOurBoat

11 күн бұрын

This things happen from time to time, it is all part of life

Nice 1 folks…

I love seeing you guys. I would love one day, to contribute to you, and would definitely do that, Happy summer!

@FloatingOurBoat

11 күн бұрын

Thank you ❤️

good vid cranking it on cut

You two have put in the hours and the effort to get to where you want to be. Love the wedding present - it looks great. Don't know what to say about the trolley, how the other half lives ? I'll do a vid of our staircase locks from the river through to the canal. We have a lift bridge for motor boats 🛥. No cabal boats to speak of, except one or two electric boats, which have an orchestra occasionally. Yes... we could do with a few more liveaboards.

@FloatingOurBoat

11 күн бұрын

Staircase locks are always a bit scary for me so I hope you have a good journey

Hi Rich & Fran,I've just come across you on my KZread feed,I've now watched 2 of your Videos & have really enjoyed them,I am fascinated by these narrow boats,nothing like this in Australia? The scenery has been gorgeous,love your little Doggies,so I will be binge watching you over the next weekend,it's very cold here now,perfect to do a catch up,I'm glad I found you,bye now,take care😊

@terenceseymour-tf8rptassie725

12 күн бұрын

I am in Tasmania and have a grand vision of a canal network around the state connecting to the central Highlands lakes .The Canals could be created from the East to the West drawing water from the sea and going through a desalination process . This would help irrigate Farm lands and top up the Hydro Electricity Dams . There would be jobs created in construction , boat building and ancillary services. Livaboard boats would also provide housing alternatives for people who cannot get in the real estate market.

@FloatingOurBoat

11 күн бұрын

Thank you Carol, it is great to have you with us. Our summer doesn't seem to have arrived properly yet so we are also snuggled in watching stuff a lot of the time. Good luck with the binge watching x

@FloatingOurBoat

11 күн бұрын

Wow, that sounds like a plan x

@terenceseymour-tf8rptassie725

11 күн бұрын

my Tasmanian canal post was intended to be a reply to the other Australian who commented on this vlog. It is a grand vision I thought of back in 2020 when economies going down the gurgler and infrastructure spending was needed . I still think there should be proper consideration of it from governments

At 4:31... a stampede of Canada Geese goslings! Razor wire on top of the fence at 6:55... do they want to keep something in or something out?! An annoying day but you weathered it. I wonder if there is a specific place in hell reserved for people who chuck shopping trolleys (shopping carts here in Canada and the U.S.A.) into the canals...

@FloatingOurBoat

11 күн бұрын

We have seen so much razor wire recently. What is going on?

When you first introduce at the beginning I’m sure you was going to say “ I’m Rich” And “ Im poor” ( from Fran ) 👍

Pretty scenery in the sunlight, but phew 25 locks, bet you slept well. Bit of a blow having a shopping trolley around the prop, bit scary. Take care 🙂🩷

@FloatingOurBoat

11 күн бұрын

There was a moment of panic as we thought it had done a lot of damage but thankfully we escaped unscathed

A rough tough day apart from all the little goslings and the horse having a wash and cooling down her undercarriage. 😀

@FloatingOurBoat

11 күн бұрын

There is always some joy to be found

Five years of marriage, you said? That was a surprise to me! You both get along so well that I thought you were married forever. You either get along pretty well, or you really, really know how to fake it. I would say if the former! :) Cheers from sunny Puerto Rico!

@FloatingOurBoat

11 күн бұрын

No faking needed, we were made for each other

You have inspired me to get a haircut.😊😊😊

Wow what a day! Pete’s now questioning his friendship as he is an avid marmite hater, and we have to say that Hamish beats Jess in the reluctance stakes any day 😂

@FloatingOurBoat

11 күн бұрын

Ooh you have laid down the gauntlet now, I will have to try to convert him. Not much we can do with dear Hamish though 😂

People are strange? At 8:24 there is a touring boat with a lot of happy guests out to enjoy nature in the canal - and to avoid the soothing silence, they brought somme loud music???

@FloatingOurBoat

11 күн бұрын

😂

Wow, you guys really had a day of it. Glad you found a good place to stop

I'd love to see more of Archie and Jess. They make my day.😊😊😊.

I enjoy your videos showing all the beauty of English canals but I am interested in the other side of narrow boating. Show us the more mundane like water filling, sewage dumping, trash disposal all of which are part of your everyday life and what difficulties each chore contain so you can travel the canals. Thanks

@FloatingOurBoat

9 күн бұрын

Thanks for the comment. We have done all that in the past but we will bear it in mind and do intend to include more lifestyle stuff

Bloody Hell... I hope you found a descent pint after all that!

@FloatingOurBoat

11 күн бұрын

Chippy tea was the best we could do and an early night

A few words, Murphy's law comes to mind.

Gosh that was a long hard day, people who throw things in the canal without a single thought of the possible consequences are real morons. 😡 Beautiful English scenery, so enjoy watching your travels, and remember our fun with locks on the River Charente in France 😂 and we only did a week!! but 16 locks for novices 😂😂 xxx

@FloatingOurBoat

11 күн бұрын

We would love to travel on the French canals, maybe one day

With the width of your boat, are there any canals you cannot travel? Also, how well are the canals mapped out for size, considering there are some larger boats?

@FloatingOurBoat

11 күн бұрын

We can travel almost anywhere as we are narrow. Sometimes the locks are too short for longer boats but lock length is always listed in the maps and canals are all either narrow or wide and marked as such. Wide beam boats can only go on certain canals

they have put those stupid lamps in Australia last few years.. 5 g rubbish and sur/va/liance etc

@FloatingOurBoat

11 күн бұрын

The energy cost and light pollution is terrible

those locks looked well looked after , why do they not remove old boats ? you should be so locky locky sorry about the pun...... I was brought up in Oldbury , it is very dense around Stourbridge black country land . thanks .

@FloatingOurBoat

11 күн бұрын

I guess it is too expensive to remove old sunken boats