Posts Categorized: Blog

Ropes are one of man’s oldest inventions and today they come in an array of materials and methods of construction.  Natural fibre ropes made of sisal, manila, hemp, coir and cotton have largely given way to man-made fibre for use on the waterways.  Sisal, manila and coir are more often found made up as fenders… Read more »

A lock is a device for raising and lowering a boat, ship or other craft between stretches of water which has different levels on canals and rivers, effectively making the river navigable.. There are many different types of locks but all have the same principle of use. Locks on canals and rivers in UK are… Read more »

We are looking forward to our 2019 season which started about two weeks ago.  Departing our winter mooring at Wigrams Turn Marina on 26 March, we headed up to Warwick. The two of us “practised” doing locks – 25 of them – before arriving at the Saltisford Canal Centre in Warwick. Our first guests of… Read more »

We are pleased to announce Kailani’s 2020 Cruising Routes are now available and can be seen on our website. The year starts on the Grand Union Canal travelling down to the London area. Experience the Braunston and Blisworth tunnels, visit the Stoke Bruerne Museum, visit Bletchley Park, home of the WW2 code breakers – or… Read more »

Actually, there isn’t a single Camino, there are a dozen Camino routes, all ending in Santiago de Compostela in the north east of Spain. Those starting in Paris or Seville are about 1000 km, whilst the Camino Aragones is just a short step at 160 km. The most popular is the Camino Francés at 800km… Read more »

2018 has been the warmest, driest year on record and some of the waterways have struggled with keeping water levels sufficiently high enough to allow cruising. A 55 mile stretch of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal was closed at the end of July between Wigan in Greater Manchester and Gargrave, North Yorkshire.  It was intended… Read more »

Before any vessel ventures onto the 95 mile tidal section of the River Thames, whether up or down stream, it is essential to consult the River Thames Tide Times.  The PLA (Port of London Authority) publishes these times up to 2 years in advance, which are given in Greenwich Mean Time , so users must… Read more »

We have just finished our inaugural cruise along the River Wey from Weybridge to Guildford and return. Since 1964 the River Wey has been owned and run by the National Trust, one of Britain’s most respected and important independent charities. The NT relies on the generosity of its members, supporters and visitors. The Wey runs… Read more »

TRAINS AND BOATS AND PLANES     and buses, taxis and bikes and on foot….. When planning our cruising routes we consider the start and finish points and think of how guests will travel to the boat to join us and how they might complete their return journey afterwards. In most cases, we incorporate start points that… Read more »

As we travel around the rivers and canals of the southern waterways we see abundant wildlife.  We have guests who are happy relaxing on the bow deck and watch the wildlife as we cruise along. Guests who are keen bird watchers or photographers are often seen enjoying the sights as we cruise along or get… Read more »