From ocean to canal

Pipe dreams are ace, especially when they come true! 

I’ve often fantasised about connecting the oceans to the canals through the introduction of international freight and helping to support the rejuvenation of cargo carrying along our canal system (we absolutely need less lorries on the road). 

But for me, it is also being rooted in our history and celebrating the diverse heritage and ingenuity of our inland waterways, it’s people and barges, which are often overshadowed by seasonal ‘trip boats’ and ‘alternative, cheap living’ (my goodness, there are some aesthetic horrors clogging up our canals).

As we look ahead to another season of sail cargo, I’ve been thinking back on the pleasures of last summer when I got to steer traditional vessel ‘Capella’ as part of our @sailcargolondon ‘voyage of many vessels’ - schooner ship Gallant to Ramsgate, sailing barge Blue Mermaid to London and Capella on the Regent's Canal.

Capella, now a motorised butty, was built in 1935 as a carrier pairing with Callisto for the Grand Union Canal Carrying Company. If you check out the black and white picture, the lady on the left with the dog is the Idle Woman Frankie C. Martin who had Capella in the war and ran freight to Birmingham. These ladies heavily inspired me to get into barging (coupled with mums inability to keep tabs on where I used to play; up a tree or along the canal any day).

Many lessons were learnt last year, and many friendships formed. We are determined to make this ocean-canal link work - London first, and on from there ... linking the North with the South … we’re on it … (f*** the HS2, canals are where it’s at!). 

Faye on Raybel