Post by Telemachus on Jun 10, 2018 9:58:24 GMT
We have had a few major stressors recently so it was great to up-sticks out of the marina for 4 days, first night at Fradley then on to Gt Haywood. Suddenly the cut is really busy! But that’s fine, everyone out having fun, the weather was (after a dull start) lovely. Over the course of the 12 miles to Fradley we came up fast behind 3 different boats. Bearing in mind we cruise at 1300rpm which makes no bank wash and is a generally relaxing pace, these boats were going very slowly. But no problem, they were keeping an eye out behind and as soon as the opportunity arose (and 2 out of 3 times before we had actually caught up with them) they pulled over and waved us past. We thanked them profusely. Considerate and pleasant, everybody getting along despite wanting to do different things, the way it should be. Inevitably boats met on blind bends and in bridge holes, the right person always gave way /reversed, with friendly waves and thanks. This is how the canals always used to be when I was a lad!
We got to Fradley and found a good mooring space. Well, opposite the shit station so I guess not that good, but never mind. Ice cream was had in the cafe, back to the boat for some relaxing and fettling. But my god some people are noisy and inconsiderate! Boat came past to go up the locks and stopped on the lock landing. It had a rather noisy engine which I suppose is not easily resolved, but also the radio on really loud so it could be heard anywhere on the boat despite the noisy engine. The people weren’t actually listening to it, they were talking at the front of the boat, went up to the lock etc. It was just noise pollution, and noise fascism because they were forcing everyone else to listen to it like it or not. Bliss, they moved on to spoil someone else’s peace. I can’t understand the mentality. We might have the radio on from time to time but never so it disturbs others.
Then there was a gang of kids in the cafe courtyard playing for about an hour. Not sure what they were doing but every step involved shouting at the tops of their voices. Perhaps it was a shouting competition? Kids these days just don’t seem to learn when it’s ok to make a noise and when it’s more polite to keep it below 100db. Finally they left. Bliss!
Then a couple of old geezers arrived on a rather noisy and tatty boat and tied up opposite just behind the shit station on the chains. They were noisy and tatty too. Some people just seem unable to communicate without shouting or at least in such a way that they can be heard for miles. I guess they save a fortune on phone bills! But eventually they stopped faffing, holding lengthy conversations from opposite ends of the boat and shut their engine down. Bliss. For a while!
Of course Fradley / the Swan is a destination for bikers and as a biker myself, nothing wrong with that. Although I struggle not to despise the ridiculous Hardly Dangerouses that are all chrome and blubber and no go. And of course noise. A few came past with straight-through pipes. Can this be legal? Surely not. But one was just ridiculous. Wide straight through pipes were REALLY NOISY and he kept it in first and revved nearly to the red line between the speed bumps. Absolutely ridiculously loud and nasty. My god, he must have an incredibly tiny penis if he needs to do that. Just selfish attention-seeking. What a moron! I don’t know why these people don’t get arrested and have their stupid chrome lumps crushed. So noisy and inconsiderate people are bad.
We had a couple of pints in the evening sun at the Swan and retired to the boat. It was finally all peaceful! But at 05:30 on a Sunday morning I was awoken by noisy boat opposite starting up. Fine, they can set off at 5:30 if they want to. But did they do it considerately? Of course not! They left the engine running for over 15 minutes at fast idle whilst they sat on the cruiser stern munching bacon butties and holding one of their lengthy and high volume dialogues about nothing. Why would you do that? Why wake up everyone in all the boats in the vicinity, unnecessarily? So thoughtless and selfish. I’m sure they didn’t think they were doing anything wrong. I’m sure they knew their rights etc. But I just can’t imagine doing that myself. If we had to leave early it would be hushed tones, start up and go, feeling slightly guilty. That is the ugly part of some boaters nature. Fortunately in the minority.
Now to rinse and repeat on day 2!
We got to Fradley and found a good mooring space. Well, opposite the shit station so I guess not that good, but never mind. Ice cream was had in the cafe, back to the boat for some relaxing and fettling. But my god some people are noisy and inconsiderate! Boat came past to go up the locks and stopped on the lock landing. It had a rather noisy engine which I suppose is not easily resolved, but also the radio on really loud so it could be heard anywhere on the boat despite the noisy engine. The people weren’t actually listening to it, they were talking at the front of the boat, went up to the lock etc. It was just noise pollution, and noise fascism because they were forcing everyone else to listen to it like it or not. Bliss, they moved on to spoil someone else’s peace. I can’t understand the mentality. We might have the radio on from time to time but never so it disturbs others.
Then there was a gang of kids in the cafe courtyard playing for about an hour. Not sure what they were doing but every step involved shouting at the tops of their voices. Perhaps it was a shouting competition? Kids these days just don’t seem to learn when it’s ok to make a noise and when it’s more polite to keep it below 100db. Finally they left. Bliss!
Then a couple of old geezers arrived on a rather noisy and tatty boat and tied up opposite just behind the shit station on the chains. They were noisy and tatty too. Some people just seem unable to communicate without shouting or at least in such a way that they can be heard for miles. I guess they save a fortune on phone bills! But eventually they stopped faffing, holding lengthy conversations from opposite ends of the boat and shut their engine down. Bliss. For a while!
Of course Fradley / the Swan is a destination for bikers and as a biker myself, nothing wrong with that. Although I struggle not to despise the ridiculous Hardly Dangerouses that are all chrome and blubber and no go. And of course noise. A few came past with straight-through pipes. Can this be legal? Surely not. But one was just ridiculous. Wide straight through pipes were REALLY NOISY and he kept it in first and revved nearly to the red line between the speed bumps. Absolutely ridiculously loud and nasty. My god, he must have an incredibly tiny penis if he needs to do that. Just selfish attention-seeking. What a moron! I don’t know why these people don’t get arrested and have their stupid chrome lumps crushed. So noisy and inconsiderate people are bad.
We had a couple of pints in the evening sun at the Swan and retired to the boat. It was finally all peaceful! But at 05:30 on a Sunday morning I was awoken by noisy boat opposite starting up. Fine, they can set off at 5:30 if they want to. But did they do it considerately? Of course not! They left the engine running for over 15 minutes at fast idle whilst they sat on the cruiser stern munching bacon butties and holding one of their lengthy and high volume dialogues about nothing. Why would you do that? Why wake up everyone in all the boats in the vicinity, unnecessarily? So thoughtless and selfish. I’m sure they didn’t think they were doing anything wrong. I’m sure they knew their rights etc. But I just can’t imagine doing that myself. If we had to leave early it would be hushed tones, start up and go, feeling slightly guilty. That is the ugly part of some boaters nature. Fortunately in the minority.
Now to rinse and repeat on day 2!