We were, and still tentatively are, hoping to re-connect physically with Barry’s family in New Zealand and Australia later this year. This morning we got together virtually by Skype. What a great free resource this is. We chatted, laughed, reminisced, shared stories and adventures, and of course talked about ‘the time when the world changed’. Australia aren’t locked down yet but likely to be soon.

It was an interesting challenge to find a suitable time for three different time zones! It didn’t work for everyone our morning, their evening. So next time we’ll try the other way around. This time, as our sun rose, it had just set in New Zealand.

An Essential Journey

Around lunchtime today we left Nantwich, cruised to the winding (as in the wind that blows, not the winding of a clock of course!) hole, turned around, headed to the waterpoint, and filled our front and back tanks. We’re mighty grateful to the person who designed Areandare for having the foresight to include two large stainless steel tanks.

Pip and Mick, from NB Oleana who got in touch yesterday (who knew they write a popular blog! do now … Not much time for reading other blogs sadly but do check them out), moored up behind us this morning. Our timing wasn’t great as when we passed them they were out shopping! However, this evening they ventured out to our new ‘home’ and we spoke across the canal, with the appropriate social distancing. Awesome to meet you both …

Desperate Ducks

There’s been a pair of mallards visiting us these past few days. Barry cleverly got a large piece of clear perspex for our side-hatch a few weeks ago, so I have light without the cold. Which is amazing. However the swans and ducks think it’s open. I had a swan try to jump into the boat the other day, then one of the mallards jumped up. They appear to be absolutely starving! Now I know there’s been a debate about should we be feeding them bread again (we used to sell duck food because our belief was that bread was bad for them), or not. Well, I guess because people continued feeding them bread, and now I guess they aren’t, they’re starving and desperate. What a sad situation that these beings have come to rely on humans to eat. We did give them some bread last night. And oh my goodness, this female who met us at the water point today, hardly drew breath swallowing it down. She almost jumped on board …

Relocated To A Remote Location

We’ve pondered going up the Llangollen Canal now it’s open (yesterday after almost five months of repairs), but decided we could get stuck too far from supplies and services. Also, we’re only supposed to be moving if we absolutely have to. This is what CRT say:

“What is essential boat travel?

If you are a live-aboard boater or are currently occupying your boat, then essential movement could be:

• to access water or waste facilities
• to access essential food and supplies
• to access urgent medical treatment
• for emergency mechanical service for your boat
• for emergency vet treatment for your pet“

CRT Coronavirus and Boating FAQs 27th March 2020

So once we’d got water, we moved a couple of miles and moored up near Hurleston, where we can move only short distances in future to get water when we need to. That shouldn’t be for a week or so. Hopefully the Fuel Boat Halsall will be along early next week and we’ll get a pump out and a diesel top-up without having to venture anywhere.

We’ll be perfectly fine here – and our nearest neighbours are friends so we’ve even got ‘company’ in our isolation now.

We’re perfectly well, we’ve done our COVID-19 Symptom Tracker check-in, and continue taking this historic time day-by-day.

Keep connecting readers, we love hearing from you and finding out more about where you are and how you’re spending your precious time …