Friday, 9th, Saturday, 10th, Sunday, 11th June
What I didn't mention last week was that yes, the washing was an excellent windbreak for the barbecue, but that it needs to be well fixed! We had secured the airer with tent pegs, but that was no match for the wind. When our backs were turned, a strong gust blew the airer on to the barbecue and certainly accelerated the drying process! But rather too well..... Fortunately it was only one jumper that was damaged and had to be thrown away.

We set off for Ely today, as we're going to stay the weekend in Suffolk with Janet and Patrick, the friends who came to visit us on Monday. We don't really like leaving the boat alongside the towpath or river bank, but we had no alternative, since none of the marinas around here can accommodate a 70' boat, they're used to the tupperware variety. Ely felt a safe spot and so we decided to risk it. We stayed overnight at Ely and set off on Saturday for our adventure.

The mooring was only a five minute walk from the station. The train went through Bury St. Edmunds and Stowmarket and took about an hour. We got off at Ipswich. where Patrick met us. The countryside all the way to Ipswich was no more exciting than that through which we had already cruised. It really is flat round here! But from Ipswich to the coast was much prettier, gently undulating and attractive villages. Janet and Patrick live in a lovely old house in a village about five miles from the sea. We had a really good weekend with them and they took us out and about to see the sights.

We visited Southwold and went up the lighthouse. I was keen to see Southwold, as the house where I was brought up was named after the town. It's a delightful, unspoilt little town, which is some times used for television costume dramas. We had afternoon tea in The Swan, which was a treat. There are beach huts along the seafront and a proper pier, with a show called "The Under The Pier", which has a collection of Victorian amusements. Trev bravely put his hand in to the "How Brave Are You?" machine, and the pointer went round past Weak, Moderate, Average, Brave and Fearless! Whilst his hand was in there, hot water was poured on it and, at the end, a stuffed dog pretended to bite him! There was also a "submarine" in which one could visit the depths of the ocean. A father took his small son in and it was amusing to hear the comments as we stood outside whilst they experienced the deep. When they came out, the little boy wasn't really sure if he'd been underwater or not! It was a great show!

We also visited Aldeburgh and Snape Maltings, which was where Benjamin Britten lived and held his concerts, and Dunwich. There's not a lot to see at Dunwich, it fell in to the sea in the 1800's! But we could see the sea, below which its remains still lie! It is said that the church bell can still be heard ringing under certain circumstances. We also saw "The House in the Clouds" at Thorpeness.

Monday, 13th June
All good things come to an end, and we came back to the boat on Monday afternoon. We approached it with trepidation, hoping that all would be well, and it was. So, we weighed anchor, well, untied the ropes, and set off on our cruise again. These little surprises are all part of the fun of our lifestyle. Last week we had no idea we would be spending the weekend in Suffolk.

We went just a short distance along the river to moor on some Environmental Agency moorings, out in the country. The guide said that, if we went up to the top of the embankment, we would get one of the best views there is of The Fens. So I climbed to the top of the bank, about twelve feet, and yes, there was indeed an excellent view of The Fens, though it didn't look any different to all the other parts of the area!

Tuesday, 14th June
We went along the river to the junction at Pope's Corner. Last week we had turned left down the Cam to Cambridge, but now we turned right and along The Old West River. We're on the final leg of the long hike to Bedford. We shall go through St. Ives, Hungtindon and St. Neot's on our way, and eventually turn round at Bedford, as that is the limit of navigation for all except little boats.

There was the usual high banks all the way along the river, so the views were obscured, but slowly the scenery began to improve, the banks became lower and we could see across the fields. A kingfisher led us along for several miles as we approached Hermitage Lock at Earith. This lock is manned and I had rung the lock keeper to say we were on our way. It must have made his day, as he seemed to have very little to do! We had only passed two moving boats all day. That is one bonus of this waterway, there's hardly any boats about at all. Which is great for us, but not so good for business. At Ely, there is a boat hire company, and all of their boats were moored up, not hired out. Someone we were talking to said that it's a very poor year for visitors.

The section from Hermitage Lock to Brownshill lock is tidal, though this is not of any real consequence in good weather. The level varies by about a foot, as we're well inland here.

We moored up at Earith on some Environmental Agency moorings, and there was water and a pump out here too, useful facilities, though, as I shall soon explain, not so good in other ways! I had read that a seal was often seen here at Earith, and so I went in search. A man on onother boat told me that it was usually seen on the pontoons where the boats tie up in the nearby marina, and I looked, but didn't see it. It comes in from the sea, along the New Bedford River, which goes straight out to sea without any locks. Apparently, the seal has been here for about seven years. It goes out to sea to mate each year, returns and raises its pup on the pontoons. The same man told me that after six weeks, the mother more or less deserts it, as it must get in to salt water at that age, or it will die. Last year's pup did die. I don't know how true all of this is, but there's the story, for what it's worth.

Wednesday, 15th, Thursday, 16th June
The weather was pretty awful again today, very windy and wet. We were wondering if we would move or not, when a man came from the nearby marina to fill up a boat with diesel pump on the mooring. As it was only 39p per litre, we filled up too. We had to move forward along the jetty to make room for the other boat to fill up, and this meant that we were actually in front of the pump out, and partially obstructing its use. Another boat pulled up, a small gin palace type, wanting to use the pump out. He looked most disgruntled at the situation as he could only get the back of his boat in, there was so little room. We offered to help him, but he wouldn't accept help and pointed out that we were obstructing the pump out mooring. His wife said she didn't like this at all! We explained that we'd only just pulled along there to let the boat behind fill up with diesel and would move as soon as that boat had gone. But no, he wasn't prepared to listen to explanations and didn't want our help--after all we're only common coffin dwellers! So we went back in to our boat and left him to it!

The weather improved and we decided we would set off, too, though first we had a pump out too. They're all free on this river. Then we set off. It was windy, but not cold and we passed through some glorious scenery. We eventually arrived at Brownshill lock, and shared the lock with a little twenty-six foot narrowboat. Then on again, and eventually we arrived at St. Ives Lock, and who should be there but our disgruntled friend who couldn't reach the pump out! As this lock is a big one, we shared it with him and the little twenty-six footer. Well, he had no alternative but to talk to us, and I think by the time we'd all exited the lock, he realised that narrowboaters are not so bad after all.

St Ives looks very pretty from the river. There is a beautiful old packhorse bridge which was completed in 1425, and one has to make sure to get the right arch to go through. Our new friends on the tupperware pointed out to us which arch to go through. I think we've won them round!

We moored up on some GOBA moorings just out of town. There was a good wind blowing, so I hung the washing out to dry--but no barbecue tonight! Instead, we walked in to town and had a Chinese meal.

Thursday was a very windy day again, and quite cool, so we decided to stay another night in St. Ives. Trev walked into town and fetched our post which had been sent Poste Restante to the Post Office in town. Tomorrow we shall set off for Huntingdon, and our guide says that this is one of the most attractive stretches on the whole river. We wait with baited breath!