How it all Began

Willow Wren Kearns' "Oak" on the Trent & Mersey, 1972

I first became interested in canals as a teenager, despite living in south Wales and many miles from the nearest navigable waterway. Whilst at Salford University in the early 1970's I was fortunate enough to meet several like-minded individuals who, through the University's Inland Waterways Society, organised a number of "New Year Boat Trips" hiring from Willow Wren at Rugby, Willow Wren Kearns at Middlewich or Union Canal Carriers at Braunston. Winter hiring was a rarity in those days and we often spent a full week on the cut without seeing many other moving boats.

Through contacts with "friends of friends" the number of participants grew and most years required two 12-berth 70ft-ers. The trips continued for many years after everyone had left university but eventually petered out in the 1980s. By then, I was convinced that one day I would own my own boat but due to the cost of so doing this only recently became possible. I had decided that whilst in full-time employment I would never really be able to get enough use out of a boat to justify the substantial investment required and that it would have to wait until retirement. However, in 2003 an ex-work colleague and friend, Mark, invited me for a trip on his narrowboat upon which he was living with his partner, Mandy. This came as a surprise as I didn't realise Mark had any interest in the waterways and I wondered what sort of boat he had. This turned out to be a 50ft trad-stern narrowboat, almost exactly what I had in mind for myself. The very enjoyable day trip, along the Grand Union from Radford Semele to Long Itchington and back convinced me more than ever that I wanted a boat and I informed Mark that if he ever wanted to sell......

In 2004 Mark and Mandy emigrated to Australia and as they couldn't take her with them, Starcoss became mine...