Quiet enjoyment of warm winter sunshine
on a typical Widminter day in Feb. 2012
fornenst the Stop House in Braunston.
on a typical Widminter day in Feb. 2012
fornenst the Stop House in Braunston.
The shot above illustrates the reality of life on canals versus the perception. 'Reality' has been defined, cynically, as an illusion induced by a shortage of alcohol.
At Braunston Stop House, full ocean gear illustrates the Reality of Widminter Canal Life. The 'warm sunshine' illustrates the dream that suppresses the cold reality.
And Yes! The light can be that bad in the Widminter. It's known as "Dark Sunshine".
"Dark Sunshine" was discovered soon after solar panels began to be used on canal boats to recharge batteries without having to waste fossil fuel on generators and inverters. "Dark Sunshine" is loosely, but not exclusively, connected with February. Beware of February. It is a great time for tying up the boat and going to a warmer clime.
It is NOT a coincidence that the shot was taken on 17th Feb 2012 a fortnight after I had got the boat. In 2013, I parked up and took myself to Madeira during Widminter.
Below 20 is Cool in Britain. Below 10 is Cold. Widminter is Very Cold. I prefer Warm
After twelve years on the cut living off grid, I know widminter is colder in the centre of the island. Closer to Metropolis saves expense on solid fuel heating and here is where the boat floats while I Widminter in Madeira. Or Iceland. Or snug on board.
At Braunston Stop House, full ocean gear illustrates the Reality of Widminter Canal Life. The 'warm sunshine' illustrates the dream that suppresses the cold reality.
And Yes! The light can be that bad in the Widminter. It's known as "Dark Sunshine".
"Dark Sunshine" was discovered soon after solar panels began to be used on canal boats to recharge batteries without having to waste fossil fuel on generators and inverters. "Dark Sunshine" is loosely, but not exclusively, connected with February. Beware of February. It is a great time for tying up the boat and going to a warmer clime.
It is NOT a coincidence that the shot was taken on 17th Feb 2012 a fortnight after I had got the boat. In 2013, I parked up and took myself to Madeira during Widminter.
Below 20 is Cool in Britain. Below 10 is Cold. Widminter is Very Cold. I prefer Warm
After twelve years on the cut living off grid, I know widminter is colder in the centre of the island. Closer to Metropolis saves expense on solid fuel heating and here is where the boat floats while I Widminter in Madeira. Or Iceland. Or snug on board.
WHERE my Home is
Home from Home
Home from Home
More diverse than any other niche English society, especially that classic English village of fiction, boating is classless.
It has it's share of village idiots, village bicycles (for lock-wheeling of course) and curtain twitchers. It has more lonely frightened people than a village in land. It has the full range of butchers, bakers and candlestick makers. I have met and known a floating blacksmith, a winemaker and a spoon-whittler. Do you want home-made jam? Banjo Fixer? Doctor? Barrister?
Due to the transience of the no-fixed-abode lifestyle, bonding with the real people on the cut can be hard work but I have been favourably attended with acquaintances and friends who never cease to amaze me with their ingenuity.
It has it's share of village idiots, village bicycles (for lock-wheeling of course) and curtain twitchers. It has more lonely frightened people than a village in land. It has the full range of butchers, bakers and candlestick makers. I have met and known a floating blacksmith, a winemaker and a spoon-whittler. Do you want home-made jam? Banjo Fixer? Doctor? Barrister?
Due to the transience of the no-fixed-abode lifestyle, bonding with the real people on the cut can be hard work but I have been favourably attended with acquaintances and friends who never cease to amaze me with their ingenuity.
The cut differs from the tidal waters whence I came and whither I sometimes return and where "Mine is bigger than yours" and that includes their egos, their wallets and their heads.
Snobbery is rife among leisure sea-sailors who often are bumptious know-alls whom I prefer to avoid, unless they need their boat moving in bad weather and have bountiful cash or booty up-front.
On inland waterways, we all share the same locks, laughs and beverages. We endure the same trials and tribulations and boaty troubles. We deal with the same landlord.
Resilience is a common trait and a common bond on the cut although some canal inhabitants are totally waterbased, totally waterborne while others live, admirably, in their floating des-res without ever realising that their des-res is actually a BOAT.
Some morph seamlessly between the land and the water: sleeping on the boat, working landside. Others, I being one, morph seamlessly between off-grid life aboard and a totally opposite lifestyle on land with a walled garden, central heating and alexa.
Anyone who thinks their number twos are currant buns gets a right let-down the first time their pump-out throws a wobbly or they have to carry a stuffed cassette to a stinking disposal point a mile away and learn what really constitutes currant buns.
The preceding does happen, often and persistently, and it matters not a whit whether your boat be a £200k floating palace corridor with all mod cons or a £20k narrowboat in need of a paint job, a special type of resilience is needed to live and thrive off-grid on Muddy Brown Water.
Snobbery is rife among leisure sea-sailors who often are bumptious know-alls whom I prefer to avoid, unless they need their boat moving in bad weather and have bountiful cash or booty up-front.
On inland waterways, we all share the same locks, laughs and beverages. We endure the same trials and tribulations and boaty troubles. We deal with the same landlord.
Resilience is a common trait and a common bond on the cut although some canal inhabitants are totally waterbased, totally waterborne while others live, admirably, in their floating des-res without ever realising that their des-res is actually a BOAT.
Some morph seamlessly between the land and the water: sleeping on the boat, working landside. Others, I being one, morph seamlessly between off-grid life aboard and a totally opposite lifestyle on land with a walled garden, central heating and alexa.
Anyone who thinks their number twos are currant buns gets a right let-down the first time their pump-out throws a wobbly or they have to carry a stuffed cassette to a stinking disposal point a mile away and learn what really constitutes currant buns.
The preceding does happen, often and persistently, and it matters not a whit whether your boat be a £200k floating palace corridor with all mod cons or a £20k narrowboat in need of a paint job, a special type of resilience is needed to live and thrive off-grid on Muddy Brown Water.
And we all muddle on
because the cut is
The Longest, Friendliest Village In England
because the cut is
The Longest, Friendliest Village In England
Article for publication
Widminter: [2012-02-17 16.45 braunston] This shot illustrates the reality of life on canals versus the perception.
'Reality' has been defined, cynically, as an illusion brought about by a shortage of alcohol.
Here at the Stop House in Braunston, the full ocean gear illustrates the reality of canal life in Widminter.
The warm sunshine illustrates the dream. And Yes! The light is that bad in Widminter. It is known as dark sunshine.
Widminter was discovered soon after solar panels began to be used on canal boats
to recharge batteries without having to waste fossil fuel on generators and inverters.
WHERE is my Home?
Inland waters differ from the tidal waters whence I came and whither I sometimes return. Out there "Mine is bigger than yours" and that includes their wallets, their egos and their heads. Snobbery is rife among the majority of leisure sea-sailors who are usually bumptious know-alls. I tend to avoid them, unless they need me to move their boats in a storm with bountiful consideration up front. More diverse than any other niche English society, inland boating is effectively classless. The people I meet on inland waters are more my type. Inland water has its fair share of village idiots and curtain twitchers but it also has more lonely and frightened people than any village on land. Canal people include the full range of butchers, bakers and candlestick makers. I have met and known a floating blacksmith, a welder, a winemaker and a spoon-whittler. Do you want home-made jam? a banjo fixer? nurse? doctor? barrister? Due to the transient lifestyle, bonding with people on the cut is hard work, but I have been favourably attended with friends and acquaintances who never cease to amaze me with the ingenuity of what they do. On inland waterways we all share the same locks, laughs and beverages; endure the same trials, tribulations and boaty troubles. We all deal with the same recalcitrant 'landlord'. Resilience is a common trait and a common bond. Some canal inhabitants are totally water-based, totally water-borne, know no other way; others live in floating des. res. without ever realising their home is actually a BOAT. Some manage to morph seamlessly between one and the other: sleeping on the boat and working on the land. I am sure there is someone out there who spends 180 days on water and 180 on land across all the seasons. Oops! That would be me! Anyone who thinks their shyte is currant buns gets a right let-down the first time their pump-out throws a wobbly or they have to carry a stuffed cassette to a clogged disposal point a mile away. This can and does happen, regularly and persistently. Whether your boat is a £200k floating palace corridor with all mod cons or a £20k narrow-beam in need of a nice paint job, it takes a special type of resilience to live a canal life. And we all muddle on because the cut is The Longest, Friendliest Village In England.
Widminter: [2012-02-17 16.45 braunston] This shot illustrates the reality of life on canals versus the perception.
'Reality' has been defined, cynically, as an illusion brought about by a shortage of alcohol.
Here at the Stop House in Braunston, the full ocean gear illustrates the reality of canal life in Widminter.
The warm sunshine illustrates the dream. And Yes! The light is that bad in Widminter. It is known as dark sunshine.
Widminter was discovered soon after solar panels began to be used on canal boats
to recharge batteries without having to waste fossil fuel on generators and inverters.
WHERE is my Home?
Inland waters differ from the tidal waters whence I came and whither I sometimes return. Out there "Mine is bigger than yours" and that includes their wallets, their egos and their heads. Snobbery is rife among the majority of leisure sea-sailors who are usually bumptious know-alls. I tend to avoid them, unless they need me to move their boats in a storm with bountiful consideration up front. More diverse than any other niche English society, inland boating is effectively classless. The people I meet on inland waters are more my type. Inland water has its fair share of village idiots and curtain twitchers but it also has more lonely and frightened people than any village on land. Canal people include the full range of butchers, bakers and candlestick makers. I have met and known a floating blacksmith, a welder, a winemaker and a spoon-whittler. Do you want home-made jam? a banjo fixer? nurse? doctor? barrister? Due to the transient lifestyle, bonding with people on the cut is hard work, but I have been favourably attended with friends and acquaintances who never cease to amaze me with the ingenuity of what they do. On inland waterways we all share the same locks, laughs and beverages; endure the same trials, tribulations and boaty troubles. We all deal with the same recalcitrant 'landlord'. Resilience is a common trait and a common bond. Some canal inhabitants are totally water-based, totally water-borne, know no other way; others live in floating des. res. without ever realising their home is actually a BOAT. Some manage to morph seamlessly between one and the other: sleeping on the boat and working on the land. I am sure there is someone out there who spends 180 days on water and 180 on land across all the seasons. Oops! That would be me! Anyone who thinks their shyte is currant buns gets a right let-down the first time their pump-out throws a wobbly or they have to carry a stuffed cassette to a clogged disposal point a mile away. This can and does happen, regularly and persistently. Whether your boat is a £200k floating palace corridor with all mod cons or a £20k narrow-beam in need of a nice paint job, it takes a special type of resilience to live a canal life. And we all muddle on because the cut is The Longest, Friendliest Village In England.
Reading from Muddy Brown Water.
The cut differs from the tidal waters whence I came and whither I sometimes return and where "Mine is bigger than yours" and that includes their egos, their wallets and their heads.
Snobbery is rife among leisure sea-sailors who often are bumptious know-alls whom I prefer to avoid, unless they need their boat moving in bad weather and have bountiful cash or booty up-front.
On inland waterways, we all share the same locks, laughs and beverages; we endure the same trials, tribulations and boaty troubles. We deal with the same greedy landlord.
Resilience is a common trait and a common bond. Some canal inhabitants are totally water-based, totally water-borne; others live in a floating des.res. without ever realising their home is actually a BOAT.
Some morph seamlessly between one and the other: sleeping on the boat, working landside. And others, I being one, morph seamlessly between off-grid life aboard and a totally opposite lifestyle on land with a walled garden, central heating and alexa.
Anyone who thinks their number twos are currant buns gets a right let-down the first time their pump-out throws a wobbly or they have to carry a stuffed cassette to a stinking disposal point a mile away and learn what currant buns really are.
This does happen, often and persistently and it matters not whether your boat be a £200k Floating Palace Corridor with all mod cons or a £20k narrow-beam in need of a paint job, you need a special type of resilience to live and thrive on Muddy Brown Water.
The cut differs from the tidal waters whence I came and whither I sometimes return and where "Mine is bigger than yours" and that includes their egos, their wallets and their heads.
Snobbery is rife among leisure sea-sailors who often are bumptious know-alls whom I prefer to avoid, unless they need their boat moving in bad weather and have bountiful cash or booty up-front.
On inland waterways, we all share the same locks, laughs and beverages; we endure the same trials, tribulations and boaty troubles. We deal with the same greedy landlord.
Resilience is a common trait and a common bond. Some canal inhabitants are totally water-based, totally water-borne; others live in a floating des.res. without ever realising their home is actually a BOAT.
Some morph seamlessly between one and the other: sleeping on the boat, working landside. And others, I being one, morph seamlessly between off-grid life aboard and a totally opposite lifestyle on land with a walled garden, central heating and alexa.
Anyone who thinks their number twos are currant buns gets a right let-down the first time their pump-out throws a wobbly or they have to carry a stuffed cassette to a stinking disposal point a mile away and learn what currant buns really are.
This does happen, often and persistently and it matters not whether your boat be a £200k Floating Palace Corridor with all mod cons or a £20k narrow-beam in need of a paint job, you need a special type of resilience to live and thrive on Muddy Brown Water.
Reading Widminter for Tik-Tok.
The picture on screen illustrates the reality of life on canals versus the perception.
'Reality' has been defined, cynically, as an illusion brought about by a shortage of alcohol.
Here at the Stop House in Braunston, full ocean gear illustrates the reality of canal life in Widminter.
The warm sunshine in the picture illustrates the dream that suppresses the cold reality.
And Yes! The light can be that bad in Widminter. It is known as dark sunshine.
Widminter was discovered soon after solar panels began to be used on canal boats to recharge batteries
without having to waste fossil fuel on generators and inverters and is loosely connected with February.
It is NOT a coincidence that the picture is dated 17th Feb 2012 and only a fortnight after I had got the boat.
In 2013, I parked up and went to Madeira during Widminter.
In Britain, below 20 is cool, below 10 is cold, and Widminter is very cold.
After ten years living off-grid on the cut, I know widminter is colder in the centre of the island
and the closer the boat is to a large centre of population the less likely one is to encounter ice.
Widminter in covid time takes the boat into London maybe under a bridge and near a tube station.
The picture on screen illustrates the reality of life on canals versus the perception.
'Reality' has been defined, cynically, as an illusion brought about by a shortage of alcohol.
Here at the Stop House in Braunston, full ocean gear illustrates the reality of canal life in Widminter.
The warm sunshine in the picture illustrates the dream that suppresses the cold reality.
And Yes! The light can be that bad in Widminter. It is known as dark sunshine.
Widminter was discovered soon after solar panels began to be used on canal boats to recharge batteries
without having to waste fossil fuel on generators and inverters and is loosely connected with February.
It is NOT a coincidence that the picture is dated 17th Feb 2012 and only a fortnight after I had got the boat.
In 2013, I parked up and went to Madeira during Widminter.
In Britain, below 20 is cool, below 10 is cold, and Widminter is very cold.
After ten years living off-grid on the cut, I know widminter is colder in the centre of the island
and the closer the boat is to a large centre of population the less likely one is to encounter ice.
Widminter in covid time takes the boat into London maybe under a bridge and near a tube station.
