The Wessex Rose Autumn 2014 Newsletter (Pdf)
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THE WESSEX ROSE ‘LIFE ABOARD’ Issue 3 31 The Wessex Rose ‘Life Aboard’ www.wessexrose.co.uk [email protected] 07881 287320 Issue 3 – Autumn 2014 ‘LIFE ABOARD’ BRINGS YOU NEWS & UPDATES FROM THE WESSEX ROSE IN THIS ISSUE Devizes to Westminster Canoe Race Described as the This year we were fortunate to have moored the ‘Everest of the Wessex Rose close to the start line, and from Canoe World’ the there we were able to enjoy the carnival Devizes to atmosphere early on Good Friday morning as the Westminster many teams Canoe Race, taking part commonly known milled around as the ‘DW’, is run every year over the Easter Devizes Wharf Weekend and covers 125 miles of canal and river. waiting to be The organisers themselves describe the race as ‘A logged over Devizes to Westminster severe test of skill, physical and mental stamina the start line The Wessex Rose in prime position for the and planning which produces a memorable sense and begin start of the ultimate canoe race. Page 1 of achievement for those successfully completing their gruelling it’. journey. Your Cabin Awaits As the name suggests the race starts in Devizes Organised and supported by over 350 race and finishes just past Westminster Bridge on the volunteers, this year 611 Canoeists in 334 boats A look at our luxury 5* accommodation Page 2 River Thames in the heart of London. left Devizes. After a delayed start, racing got Page 2 Started in 1948 by a underway at 9.30am with the elite starting later in A Little Bit of History group of Boy Scouts the the day, timing their run to meet the outgoing Caption Competition Page 2 race has run every year tide at Teddington on the Thames to assist their Living History Book Page 2 and is open to teams speed on the last section of the race. from all over the world. The canoeists’ route takes them along the Kennet Gift Vouchers Page 2 It is broken down in to & Avon canal to Newbury, down the River Kennet Our Man in NZ Page 3 single canoes, doubles, to Reading where it joins the Thames, and then Cooks Corner Page 3 juniors and seniors with downstream to Teddington and onto the tideway only the senior doubles for the last leg. There are 77 locks to be Changes afoot for 2015 Page 3 being allowed to do the negotiated en-route, all of which must be Cruise Focus Page 4 whole 125 miles in one ‘portaged’. This means crews must climb out of When Quality Counts Page 5 non-stop race, the rest their boat onto the bank and pull it from the of the classes taking up to 4 days to complete the water, carry it around the lock, put it back in the Engineering Bits Page 6 course. water and get back in to row to the next one, a Photo Competition Page 6 The course record of 15hr 34 min was set in 1979 gruelling physical effort to add to the exertions of The ‘End Bit’ Page 6 but any time under 26 or 27 hours is a fantastic hours of rowing. achievement and involves paddling non-stop The Senior Double, the only class to do the race through the night finishing on the tidal waters of non-stop paddling day and night, was won by 2 the Thames which can be challenging in any canoeists from the Fowey River Canoe Club in a condition let alone after having worked flat out time of 17 hours, 23 minutes and 35 seconds and over 24 hours! in all 268 out of the 344 boats that started completed the course. 2 Your Cabin Awaits Caption Competition!! When you have limited space yet know exactly Why not e-mail us with a fitting caption want you want you quickly realise that things for this photograph taken in Hungerford do not happen by on one of our Spring Cruise accident and you have to team up with a We will publish the best ones in the next clever and imaginative issue. design team. Such is the story of the creation of our guest A Little Bit Of History together and divide by 4 to get the average. cabins. They would then consult the ‘gauging sheet’ to Our cabins had to have ‘The Gauging Dock’ determine the weight of cargo being carried two full length 2ft 6ins and the tolls due. When the canals were built they were private single beds which could be joined together to Once gauged, boats were issued with a copper make a king size double when required. To enterprises owned and administered by individual Canal Companies such as ‘The gauge plate indicating the date the boat was maximise guest Kennet & Avon Canal Company’ (Formerly the gauged and a unique number for the boat comfort they Western Canal Co) which was formed by issued by the canal company. must then be subscription in 1794 and chaired by Charles The company HQ, most wharves, and some of made up with a Dundas. These private companies financed the locks had toll collectors or company agents thick topper, their business by imposing tolls on goods who were able to calculate tolls due for any fine Egyptian moved on their canals. part of the cargo loaded or unloaded. In the cotton sheets case of carrying companies the dues were and luxurious hypo allergenic duvets and When the canal opened was fully opened in pillows covered in quality bedding. 1810 a toll of 1d (1 old penny) per ton/mile was invoiced, but for ‘Number 1s’ (barges owned applied to bricks and tiles, with slates being and operated by an individual) tolls were Each cabin had to have an en-suite bathroom charged at 1 ½ d per ton/mile. There were collected in person. with modern fittings and water saving features including a heated towel rail and power reductions in the tolls levied for journeys over Records of cargo 30 miles. These tolls raised between loaded or off shower, furnished with eco-friendly toiletries £20,126.00 in 1812 and £37,725.00 in 1823 and loaded, tolls paid, and a set of thick fluffy white towels. To ensure contributed to a 2.5% dividend paid each year journeys made etc. a bright airy to shareholders. were all recorded and spacious on a ‘ticket’, a feel, the door, So how were these tolls collected? To begin document which doubling as a with, every new barge was ‘gauged’. This had to be kept on shower screen involved taking the newly built boat into a the boat. Inspection had to be ‘gauging dock’ where, when empty, the frosted glass ‘freeboard’ (the amount of boat above the could be requested at any time by canal (embossed water line) was accurately measured with a company officers. with the Wessex Rose logo) to allow in light ‘gauging rod’. Measurements were taken at Most boats had a ‘ticket draw’ located just from the cabin. inside the back hatch and the gauging Each individually named cabin had to have a document would normally be kept in here. wardrobe with shelves, hanging space and a Owners of ‘Number 1s’ would also use this full length mirror, a dressing table, hairdryer, drawer to store any paperwork they owned, space for tea & coffee making facilities, a TV usually only birth, christening, marriage and with DVD player, room lights, bedside table, death certificates. Such was the simplicity of reading lights, quality soft furnishings, life on the canal, not surprising when most hardwood floor with underfloor heating, people ‘on the cut’ could neither read nor double glazed opening window and a lockable write. door. four points along the length of the boat which All three guest were then marked with small copper plates. cabins had to be Each gauging dock was equipped with cranes Gift Vouchers the same and as and blocks of weights, normally 4 tons each. For a very special, personal and unique gift spacious and The blocks were added to the boats’ holds one we now offer a range of Personalised Gift comfortable as at a time and measurements taken at each of Vouchers. possible. the marked points. The results were sub These vouchers can be for a set value or the divided into one ton and half ton readings and full value of a cruise and can be used on any Did we achieve it? We like to think so and measurements for each weight band entered positive comments from many of our guests available cruise on our schedule. on to the canal company’s gauging sheets. The suggest we have. Indeed many think that we For full details please have a look at the Gift sheets were circulated to all toll collectors who exceeded the original brief with the quality of Voucher section on our website under were equipped with gauging rods identical to the finish and furnishings and appreciate the Cruises and then give us a call or drop and the ones used in the gauging dock. The little extras, including fresh flowers, sweets and e-mail to discuss your individual collectors would take measurements at all 4 tissues, in each cabin. requirements marked points on loaded boats, add them 3 Meet Our Agent In New Cook ’s Corner – Chocolate Slice I love this one as there is no cooking involved and I can make it in advance. It’s simple, it looks Zealand good and, providing you don’t even think about working out the calories, it’s a simply stunning Following the episode of George Clark’s tasty desert.