Santa Cruises 2010

Last Updated on Saturday, 05 February 2011 16:29 Wednesday, 22 December 2010 21:52

In a perfectly harmless garden in Creech St. Michael, strange things had been happening.  Somehow, a rather nice summer house with good views over the canal had been transformed into a Christmas Wonderland, inhabited by a large character in a red suit with a white beard who handed out presents to children.  He looked strangely familiar, but no-one could quite place him.  Outside, a large yellow gazebo contained refreshment facilities, and a log fire burned in an adjacent chiminea. 

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Wedding Cruise on Future Perfect

Last Updated on Saturday, 05 February 2011 16:38 Monday, 18 October 2010 07:33

Tom and Sophie

Sunday the tenth of October started  off as a rather overcast and gloomy day.  The good weather, promised by the forecasters, was failing to materialise.  But then, as if on cue at 2pm, the sun came through and produced a warm and bright afternoon.  Waiting on the suitably decorated Future Perfect at the Creech landing stage, we could hear the church bells ringing away a little further down the village.  Then all went quiet, with only the moorhens and ducks providing a little background noise.

Later, the church bells rang out again, and after a little while a lookout was despatched to the canal bridge to seek signs of the happy couple arriving for their transfer by boat to Charlton Bridge.  The lookout spotted a beautifully preserved Austin 7 car heading slowly his way, with the bride and groom on board.  Many others were following the car on foot.  After the couple had embarked, and the bystanders had taken many photographs, we departed for Charlton with Brian Cull at the helm, Ron Rooke (who lent me a tie!) as crew, and myself as helper.

I am certain that the happy couple appreciated a half-hour of comparitive peace and quiet on the canal, a break in their hectic day before further festivities later in the afternoon.  They were met at Charlton Bridge, not only by the Austin 7 and the official 'spectators', but by two groups of the general public - they had approached us for boat trips at Creech, which we had to deny them, but someone suggested that if they strolled down to Charlton Bridge, we could pick them up on the way back.  Along the way, many people on the towpath wished the happy couple good luck and a happy future.

After disembarking (onto the red carpet) at Charlton Bridge, we collected our one-way trippers and returned to Creech.  Later, as we were putting the boat away for the day, we remarked that the exercise had gone rather well - happy husband and wife, happy spectators along the tow path, happy one-way trippers and plenty of good publicity for SWDT and Future Perfect.

Ken Bussell

Future Perfect back on the Canal

Last Updated on Saturday, 05 February 2011 16:38 Tuesday, 31 August 2010 22:27

Following a successful week on the River Tone, and boat trips for about 400 people, Future Perfect rose into the air again (with help from a crane) and made her way back to her mooring at Bathpool by Road.

We would like to give a big thank you to all the people who took a trip on her, and to the stalwart volunteers who crewed and supported the operation throughout the week.

Trips on the Canal will be available throughout September on Saturdays and Sundays between 10.30am and 4.00pm from the landing stage at Creech St Michael.

For more information or to book a cruise during the week please contact Alec Hay on 01823 443034