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Coincidences & Connections
Posted on Saturday, 14 August 2010 at 19:49 Comments (0)
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During the summer I produced the maps for Canal Voyagers Hotel Boats to include in their brochure, showing each individual cruise. For printing these were limited to just two shades (plus the white background). |  |
We passed Canal Voyagers boats, Snipe and Taurus, on the River Severn last summer as we headed upstream. They were breasted up and heading downstream towards Tewkesbury. |  |
« Windsong |
An opportunity to cruise a little nearer home today.
Canal Voyagers Hotel Boats were cruising from Bath to Bristol and I had the opportunity to accompany today.
This gave me the chance do a little filming for some publicity material and to see a stretch of river that I’ve never seen before – the Bristol River Avon, not to be confused with the Stratford River Avon or any of the other River Avons.
I caught the train to Bath when I was welcomed aboard and cruised with them to Bristol.
They stayed breasted up throughout with Neil steering the motor and with Corinne also steering the butty at the tighter turns on the river. The butty’s tiller can simply be left in the centre on the straighter sections with the steering done entirely from the motor.
At Keynsham Lock there was a little excitement when the boat coming out of the lock lost its drive.
Fortunately Neil was able to manoeuvre the hotel pair away from the landing stage for the other crew to haul their boat out with the ropes.
The journey was unusually exciting for narrowboat cruises with lots of rowing boats, several groups of yachts on the river and a surprisingly large number of boats moving in all directions once we reached the Harbour at Bristol.
It was a great day out and I was well looked after with their regular guests and I left them safely moored in Bristol Harbour.
Snipe and Taurus, the Canal Voyagers hotel boat pair run by Corinne and Neil Thomsett are moored at Newbury. Today is the start of their season which will take them all around the country and their lucky guests will be arriving this afternoon.
They have two crew members, the second of which had just arrived, to help them work the boats and look after the guests. It will be hard work, especially hauling the butty around on the ropes at locks, but very enjoyable.
I dropped in to see them for a few minutes because they will be offering our DVDs to their guests. There’s not enough room to stock all our DVDs on the boats so they have a sample DVD for the guests to watch, and leaflets to browse.
They take the orders from the guests, and email them to us. Then we post them out and, for orders placed early in the cruise, they will be waiting when the guests return home.
It won’t make our fortunes, but it’s an important part of improving the experience for the guests. I hope they have a great 2009 season. There’s still a few spaces left if you’d like to join them on their exciting itinerary.
Last week I had the pleasure of visiting Rose & Karnataka, Bywater’s Hotel Boats at Oxford. They were making finishing touches to the boats before their first guests arrived later that evening.
The bedrooms were all made up ready for the guests and the lounge area on Karnataka was about to receive its finishing touches.
Hanna & John operated Rose (the motored boat) on its own last year. We filmed them at Hurleston Junction and they appear in our Llangollen Canal DVD.
They have leaflets for the Waterway Routes DVDs on board and can take orders from guests which we will post directly to their home addresses.
This year they have also have Karnataka the (unpowered) butty. Their first cruise started at Oxford on 8th May and they are already onto their second from Warwick to Nantwich by the time I’ve written this.
Their schedule takes them onto the Llangollen Canal again, before continuing on their journey around the country.
They have lots of bookings for this year, although they still have some spaces, particularly towards the end of the year, so why not check out their 2008 schedule and give them a call (07775 850 098) or send them an email.
Their 2009 schedule is already published and you can book those cruises too.
Don’t they look great in the sunshine with Rose on the outside and Karnataka next to the towpath.
The final few items are still on the bank and waiting to load onto the boats.
Hanna’s father Stephen runs horse drawn holiday cruises on the Montgomery Canal, with more attractions for Bygone Time Breaks and Water Wheels Holidays.
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