Crew: James, Derry and Mark. Location, King’s Cross, Regent’s Canal, weather — brisk enough to freeze your tea before you drink it.
It was a sharp, nose-tingling 8:30 a.m. when I pedalled down to meet the morning’s dream team — James and Derry — already looking like a pair of men who could start a small nation armed only with a multi-tool and misplaced optimism.
James, ever the quartermaster, arrived with tea, coffee, and sugar. We even had paper cups. What we didn’t have — and this is where our combined genius really shone — was a kettle. Three grown men, one boat, and not a single way to boil water. Derry, unfazed, immediately got stuck in with the tools while James and I launched a caffeine expedition.
By some miracle of the canal gods, we bumped into Justine, JJ’s original owner. There were hugs, nostalgia, and a few misty eyes — the sort of moment that reminds you boats have souls (and occasionally better memories than their owners).
Back on board, Derry was hauling a small fridge donated by James’s brother. Lovely thought, but when we plugged it in, the poor solar setup sighed dramatically and gave up. Luckily, under a pile of mysterious cables, we unearthed an ancient portable cooler that still works. A proper JJ moment — one step backward, two steps sideways, and somehow you end up ahead.
Coffee was eventually secured — black for me, and lattes for the lads, featuring roughly 1,000 spoons of sugar each. James looked pleased. His dentist, somewhere, shuddered.
Then came Wendy’s brownies — blessed be her baking. They lasted all of seven minutes before Derry and James finished them off. I can’t even pretend I didn’t have one. Or three.
By 1 p.m., time had dissolved into that weird JJ warp where hours vanish faster than tools overboard. Derry was still cracking on with the real work while James and I engaged in high-level management observation. We call it leadership by pointing.
Still — progress! We cleared out half the interior, chopped up old panels, fitted more sound-proofing, and managed to lift JJ’s stern out of the water by about 200 mm. She’s floating prouder, sleeker, and just a touch smugger.
Next stop: Watford, where our good mates at P & S Marine will haul JJ out for her full hull and engine inspection. That’s when things get really interesting.
And the cherry on the cake? We’ve got Andrew Lewin, MP for Welwyn & Hatfield, visiting JJ on Wednesday 26 Nov — our final prep day before we cast off. Fingers crossed for sunshine, cake, and not dropping anything heavy on an MP’s foot.
THE GRAND PLAN
King’s Cross → P&S Marine, Watford (WD18 8SN)
Leg, Miles, Locks, Tunnels, Est. Time
King’s Cross → Bulls Bridge, 27, 13, 3, ≈ 9 h
Bulls Bridge → Watford, 17, 16, 0, ≈ 7 h
Total, 44 miles, 29 locks, 3 tunnels, ≈ 16 hours
3-DAY CRUISE ITINERARY
Fri 28 Nov 2025
Depart early. Regent’s Canal, Camden Locks, and tunnels galore.
Arrive Little Venice mid-afternoon.
Overnight: Paddington Arm.
Sat 29 Nov
Lock-free cruise to Bulls Bridge by lunchtime, then a few locks toward Uxbridge.
Overnight: Uxbridge / Cowley Lock.
Sun 30 Nov
Final leg to Cassiobridge Bridge 169 (P & S Marine).
Arrive late afternoon — moored and mission accomplished.
Mon 1 Dec
JJ officially in dry dock and ready for her next chapter.
We’ve got just three more Wednesdays at King’s Cross before departure.
Next up: Wed 12 Nov, from 8:30 a.m. — there’ll be coffee, tea, milk, biscuits, and probably a lot of pointing.
Drop by, have a chat, and watch Derry work while the rest of us look busy.
Fair tides, warm mugs, and working kettles —
The Hideout Collective / Team Jonge Jan