Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Blisworth, Grump, suspensions and fury.

I am all in favour of festivals but I was cursing them on Saturday.  And Sunday.  I can't make the Blisworth Canal festival on the 8th and 9th August but I thought I would spend a week there this week. It was going to work out well as I had offered to help another friend move their boat on Sunday and for various reasons Blisworth suited me well.  I arrived at Blisworth, moored up, packed a bag and headed off.  A friend texted me to say there were signs suspending the moorings.  It wasn't clear whether that was for the whole of Blisworth so I had to go and have a read of them myself.  I was infuriated to discover signs suspending the moorings some two weeks before the festival starts -  from 27th July for everywhere.


Even more infurating was that these signs were off my radar - I thought they were advertising the festival so I didn't notice them when I moored up.  (They seemed to be advertising the festival rather than suspension of mooring).  I was even more cross that the CRT notice board didn't even have a notice in it!


I was incredibly tempted to stay where I was but being a good rule abiding citizen (when it suits me) I decided to move on.  I pulled the pins and headed off feeling pleased to leave Blisworth behind (it is the same place my motorcycle got sabotaged).  I didn't have to go far before I found a space near Gayton Juntion. I pulled in to see this:


When I got to Gayton visitor moorings there was a space, but  a boat had reserved the spot. They weren't there when I arrived, and they weren't there the following morning.  I could have moored up there, but I didn't. It looked to me that doing so would create a scene and I was fed up of the scene that day so I moved on. Again.
(edit: it turns out this side is labelled visitor moorings, but 3 boats there are legit long term moorings, this boat was one of them)
  

I was in a right grump.  I will get over it.  If you are passing Blisworth Canal Festival do go - it sounds great fun!

8 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

The boat there moors there is currently out the water having its bottom blacked!

9:33 PM  
Blogger MortimerBones said...

But it is a visitor mooring so there can't be a boat that moors there!! Confused.

9:39 PM  
Blogger John Witts said...

Limpet mines....

The only way forward in the circumstances.....

:-)

10:34 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am the person who moors in the place you have photographed above and commented on without gaining the full facts.
The mooring on both sides of that stretch were once long-term moorings and it was only in the summer of 2014 that one side (where I moor)was changed to 14 day visitor moorings. As 3 of us have had long-term moorings on the side in question for over 10 years, Waterways have given us permission to stay. As pointed out by one kindly Commentor, I was away blacking my bottom when you passed, so hence the space, but also hence my canoe and my name sign showing other boaters that it was someones mooring. I do not have any problem with anyone mooring in my spot whilst I am not there, as long as they dont mind moving on my return, although I would probably moor elsewhere until they went on there way on their own accord. I pay a lot of money (my choice) to have a mooring at Gayton Junction.
I was only told today(16/01/15) about this blog with the photo and feel very annoyed about the judgement that you made without knowing the full facts. I take offence at your comments and would like the photo to be removed.It is easy to make judgement on what you see,but to take a photo and make comments without knowing the facts, is actually quite an unkind thing to do.
And - it is Stig of the Dump NOT STAG.
Cath Sampson. NB Stig of the Dump

2:23 PM  
Blogger MortimerBones said...

spelling mishap has been corrected. I didn't notice the moorings were long term - I was sure I read them as visitor moorings, but then the day was pretty stressful by then.

I hope the bottom blacking went well. Maybe next time I pass we can take tea.

7:57 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

As explained in last comment, the moorings on one side of Gayton Junction have been changed to visitor moorings, so yes, you did read the sign correctly, but I, alongside 3 others, have been allowed to stay on the visitor side as a long term moorer. This obviously does not make things clear to others, but the moral of the story is: not to jump to a conclusion/moan & groan amongst yourselves (it's a free country) but dont cast judgement over the web/via blog for all to see, without knowing the facts first.I do not subscribe to Facebook, twitter or 'do' blogs as try to maintain my privacy.The comments and photo, therefore, aggrieve me very much.
Anyway, point now made, bye bye

2:33 PM  
Blogger MortimerBones said...

I read your previous comment, the moral of the story is indeed, don't jump to conclusions, or judge - neither of which I did, and I am pleased the situation is now clarified. No wonder I was confused!

I wasn't judging (observations were posted, that's all) over the blog, but now I understand your issues are about privacy rather than a simple observation I have edited the post. I will leave it up to you to monitor your privacy in terms of your comments if you so wish as they give both your name and your boat. I have removed the reference to the location.

I take it taking tea is out then!

3:19 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Tea only on if you provide the biscuits (preferably chocolate)!

1:54 PM  

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home