David Cragg wrote: > I did get the book for the silver sword scheme - just after > spending a week going round the BCN on a hire boat. We worked out > that with a couple of little extras we would have got a sword in the > 5 days cruising we did round the BCN. In that time (Sept 1978) we saw > hardly any boats on the move - and the water was deep and the local > yoof actually worked locks for us. A spotty Hercules with a massive > blond mohican haircut worked us up the Crow - after we had explained > what hard work lock winding was and how you had to be strong. At the > top he handed back the windlass and thanked us for letting him work > up a sweat - then - as a reward his girlfriend let him hold her hand > as they walked away. > > Now we realise what an age of innocence it was 30 years back - > before the BCN became what they are now. As for getting the silver > sword the contest was made more difficult so we never did bother to > try for one as we worked our way round the country. (Though we didn't > go for every bit as did your much admired crew!) > > David Cragg
In 1973 we were only a weeks hireboating away from getting a Silver Sword (and that was without doing much intrepid stuff at all)...but the next years hireboat holiday fell out side the year period. It is really sad that the IWA gave up on this....as well as the Birmingham Branch "BCN Silver Challenge Award" (do all the BCN within a year). Even the BCN Silver Challenge Award got watered down in the end...so as to not upset the residential moorers at Ocker Hill...or disturb the plants in Hollybank Basin........ ...Oh well, new challenges await...in Ireland :-) Neil Arlidge - NB Earnest - The Wilderness years... Follow the truly independent TNC at : http://www.tuesdaynightclub.co.uk Visit this site and help save our waterways from the DEFRA cuts http://www.saveourwaterways.org.uk/
