Rickmansworth Festival - Weekend 18th & 19th May

(Boat Sickle - posted by Alan)

What's to say ?  Our first "Ricky" Festival with a boat, and it had to be "Sickle" for this one, as it gave us our first chance to cover much of the territory she once worked as a British Waterways maintenance boat.  We had delivered her the week before, and she would need to stay there until the week after, so, as previously, we would still end up going to the actual weekend by car.

I could say that we met many friends old and new, including in the beer tent, for meals in town, or randomly climbing over "Sickle" when we went out to play.  I could say that we finally went into the "Tug of War" on Sunday, having been uncertain about it on Saturday.  I could say we got put up against the strangest of opponents.  I could say that we got boarded by the owner of a competing boat, (unconvincingly attempting to disguise himself as a lace bonneted boatwoman!), and consequently got nobbled.  But as I gather that cheating is the aim of the "Tug of War", and as he clearly cheated better than us, what would be the point!

I'll just let pictures give you a flavour.  Other bloggers have done the music side, the Festival side, the nature side. We'll just cover the boating side.  My thanks to those who have provided further pictures, as ours were a bit scant!

How we found "Sickle" shortly after arrival - all the boat moving having already occurred.

View forward from "Sickle's" tug deck - also known as "the Patio".

"Python", "Sickle", "Bream" and one of the three Josher pairs.

Joshers "Northolt" with "Kestrel", then "Archimedes" & "Victoria", plus bow of "Lynx".

"Renfrew", "Gerald", "Corona", "Tench & "Australia"

"Sickle" hides behind Chesterfield Canal Trust's "Python"

This has failed to capture my renowned grumpy and miserable look !                 (Photo Leni Simons)

BCN Tugs "Atlantic" & "Pacific" viewed from "Sickle" aswe head for the "Tug of War"

"Victoria", "Archimedes", "Kestrel" & "Northolt", from the canal, this time.

Trevor Maggs with his own boat "Corona" behind he has brought Corona to every "Ricky" festival there has ever been!

(From the bank) "Renfrew", "Gerald", "Corona", "Tench", "Fazeley"

Sickle's first encounter - actually a "Push of War" - Easy win!                   (Photo: Lucy Holmes)

"OK, Who Is Next!"                                    (Photo Jan Warsop)

Interesting tug, plus boy and dog.

If you are going to make fools of yourselves, make sure someone is watching.

Still smiling!                       (Photo: Malcolm Burge)

This lot had won against a steam boat, (honestly), so they got the pleasure of "Sickle" in the next round!

Serious competition - The boat to the right was the eventual winner!

We took on extra ballast - and nobody fell off, despite a bit of "Rock and Roll".

Lister HA3 versus people with long shafts.  People with long shafts lost this round!          (Photo Lucy Holmes)

Unconvincing "boat woman" Dave Wright owns "Lupin" that we are about to pull against, and is looking to sabotage us!

As "boat woman" tussels to hold my speed wheel shut, "her" apparently £200 valued watch flies into the canal - "Sickle" crew have lost, but kind of had the last laugh!                                    (Photo: Lucy Holmes)

At the Rickmansworth Festival
Miles: Less than 1, Some of it backwards!