The Big One (25-6)

Tuesday the 2nd of October 2012

Barnby Dun Lift Bridge.

An early call for us at 07:45 when the Humber Princess carrying a cargo of oil bound for Rotherham passed us. Poppy was growling about half an hour before they arrived. The boat started gently straining against her ropes about a quarter of an hour before they arrived at the swing bridge. It was a similar tale after they left we could still feel the effects of her passage for quite some time afterwards.

A few other boats passed through the lift bridge today, but for the most part there has been little movement.  Now we are expecting the Humber Princess to pass us going the other way later tonight. Today is a day for reading the Kindle as the rain runs down the windows. The wind turned very chilly as the light faded.

Wildlife: A few bats observed on the canal tonight. The same as last night made up of Pipistrelles and Daubenton's bats.

This Weeks Solar Panel Data.

Average 25.0 Ah per day  High 44Ah Low 16Ah

I have created a poll that will run between now and the 1st of January 2013. It's not very scientific. Its a simple question "Will CART Succeed". You have three choices Yes, Unsure and No. Now you can vote for one of the three choices. If you change your mind before the poll closing date. You can come back and change your vote. (I wish we could do that for politicians) You will find the poll option on the right hand side just below the members pictures.

Daily Total
Miles: 0.0
Locks: 0
Swing / Lift Bridges: 0
Tunnels: 0
Pump Outs: 0
Engine Hours: 0.0

Accumulated Totals

Miles: 1292.1
Locks: 867
Swing / Lift Bridges: 167
Tunnels. 22
Pump Outs: 14
Engine Hours: 2458.1Later....

Android App for Tides

OK, I admit it, I am a gadget freak. I should attend the nearest Gadge-a-holics anonymous meeting room. I just love technology and I am always looking for ways to use information gathered from gadgets to apply to our boating adventures. 

In a previous posting we looked at pointing the TV antenna for best performance for digital reception depending on your geographical location. Click Here to view.

I can't ever see the time when we would be taking our boat out onto coastal waters - well not voluntarily anyway. Maybe if we had been washed downstream from York in the recent floods we might have ended up in the Humber. But only if we had scraped under various bridges along the way.

Having witnessed from childhood what can happen with rivers in this part of the country. I have a very healthy respect for their capabilities and unpredictability.

Do you ever navigate with your boat over tidal sections of rivers. TideApp is an android application that brings tidal charts and data right to your Android Mobile Phone. 

The application displays a list of the current tide conditions, along with daily highs and lows with their accompanying times. In addition, you may view the very same tide information in the future, perfect for trip planning. TideApp is mainly for coastal tide conditions and you may have to calculate the time difference from a known location for the inland part of the tidal range of the river. The TideApp application is available free of charge.

A second android mobile phone application is Tides and Currents which collects data from more than 14000 stations covering all the world. Tide and Current predictions are available up to 1/1/2080.

I was using this application for our recent trip up the River Ouse from Selby to Ripon and back. High tide at Selby coincides with low tide at Hull. You can plan your trip to use a spring tide for going up river and a neap tide when returning back. The caveat to cruising on a river being that you also need to keep an eye on the weather in the river catchment areas. As heavy rain can also effect river levels. 

The Tides and Currents application is also available Free of Charge. As is information from your local lock keeper.

I have created a poll that will run between now and the 1st of January 2013. It's not very scientific. Its a simple question "Will CART Succeed". You have three choices Yes, Unsure and No. Now you can vote for one of the three choices. If you change your mind before the poll closing date. You can come back and change your vote. (I wish we could do that for politicians) You will find the poll option on the right hand side just below the members pictures.

Later...

The Big One (25-5)

Monday the 1st of October 2012

Southfield Junction to Barnby Dun Lift Bridge.

Another cold night, followed by a very overcast autumnal morning. The crew of Nb Mary A said their goodbyes and we promised to meet up again next season. They were off to Viking Marina at Goole before heading up the River Ouse to Ripon. Due to the water levels on the Ouse, they might have to wait some time!

But first before we could leave I had to make some adjustments to the replacement alternator belt. I have purchased a couple of those decorators coverall for working in the engine room. It must have looked like a forensic investigation from a distance all I needed was the face mask because everything else was covered.

After exercising the dogs and a good breakfast we were soon underway. Only pausing at a canal side pear tree to collect some fruit. The fruit are a bit small and hard so they will have to be left to ripen a bit. We seem to do a fair bit of foraging at this time of the year. Apples, greengage and pears so far!

Sykehouse lock was it's usual challenge. We were just exiting when we spotted a narrowboat coming up behind. We travelled for the most part alone, but we did meet up with a Dutch Barge who were operating one of the lift bridges and we sailed straight through. 

The Memsahib went on a shopping expedition into Barnby Dun before we decided to stay here for the rest of the day. We moored up after the lift bridge because the towpath at the other side of the bridge is quite muddy. It's a bit more noisy with traffic, but is also a bit closer to the pubs!

Tonight's Sunset

Wildlife: We heard a Kingfisher but failed to spot it. There seemed to be quite a few Kestrels hunting in the hedgerows. Pipistrelles were seen just after disk flittering round the boat.

Daily Total
Miles: 6.6
Locks: 1
Swing / Lift Bridges: 6
Tunnels: 0
Pump Outs: 0
Engine Hours: 3.1

Accumulated Totals

Miles: 1292.1
Locks: 867
Swing / Lift Bridges: 167
Tunnels. 22
Pump Outs: 14
Engine Hours: 2458.1

Later...

Android Apps For Boaters.

OK, I admit it, I am a gadget freak. I should attend Gadge-a-holics anonymous. I just love technology and I am always looking for ways to use information gathered from gadgets to apply to our boating adventures.

I purchased an Samsung Galaxy Ace Android phone when we were back in Birmingham. It was a replacement for my old phone that was on the point of giving up the ghost. Click Here to read the story.

I have blogged a bit in the past about Android phone applications. The first blog posting was about a game that involved "dog fighting". In the modern world of techno savvy children. Maybe this is something that we don't want to poison their minds with. As a "sport" that is frowned upon by most of society I was surprised that Google would host such an application. I'm not being an old fuddy duddy but somethings are tasteless and are exploiting our children.  Click Here to see the posting.

The third posting was when I lost my phone. Three weeks into ownership of the Android phone and I had managed to loose it. More by luck than good judgement I has spotted and installed an application that helps with locating a lost phone.  The application helped me to recover my phone. Click Here to read all the gory details. 

So I thought I might write a bit about some other useful Android applications for boaters that I have been playing around with. One such useful application is UK Aerial Alignment. It's a compass type application that automatically points towards the nearest television transmitter site.

UK Aerial Alignment will help you align your [digital] TV aerial to the most suitable transmitter. Place your phone horizontally and the aerial sketch [on screen] rotates and points to the most suitable transmitter. [You can also] View transmitters and your location on a map view and select other transmitters from this view. [You can also] Select other transmitters from a list.

I have been using this application for a short while now and it works faultlessly. It's a very quick and simple application to use. It's also Free of Charge!

Later.... 

October Caption Competition

The October Caption Competition.

The caption competition is intended for you to be able to display your prowess at providing a pithy and witty caption. One that has a watery theme to it. 

This months judging panel consists of Holiday Organiser Sandy Beech, Captain Rowan Boat, Taxi Driver Rick Shaw, CART CEO Rich Feller, Dominatrix Pat Hiscock, Hijacker Joy Rider, Funfair owner Ferris Wheel and Manikin model Tony Hales.

The caption below the picture is our feeble attempt at humour but does not count for the competition.

Who let the Dogs Out!

There are no prizes as the Blog Meister is a cheapskate and tight fisted old curmudgeon. But you will reluctantly get a mention in the captains blog. You can submit your entry on the back of a ten pound note, two five pound notes or by using the comments feature below. (now we will find out who the cheapskates are)

My Indecision Is Final.

The September competition was won by John with 

 "I said the tank was leaking!"

Later.....