When David Came (Cruising the Cut)

05/15/22 • 29 min

The Greek myths tell us that there are times when the gods come down from Olympus to walk amongst mortals. We had a very similar experience when, on a sunny day in late March, David Johns came to visit us and record an episode for his canal-based vlog Cruising the Cut.

Journal entry:

11th May, Wednesday

“The carp are spawning!

May rain casting rings on thrashed water,
The flash of fin,
And a watery thunder
That rumbles along the side of the hull.

I lie in the half-light of dawn,
Suspended above the silty jungles
Filled with so much life.”

Episode Information:
Cruising the Cut

David Johns’ canal-based YouTube channel is Cruising the Cut.

You can view David’s episode on Nighttime on Still Waters (via YouTube) here: 265. Evoking the spirit of pirate radio - on a canal.
Wooden Writer's Box

For information about the wooden writer’s box: Blue Star Crafts.
I have the smaller A5 version of the Messenger Wood Box. There are a number of companies producing this type of box. Another popular maker is: Galen Leather and their Portable Writer’s Box and Desk.

For more information about Nighttime on Still Waters

You can find more information and photographs about the podcasts and life aboard the Erica on our website at noswpod.com. It will also allow you to become more a part of the podcast and you can leave comments, offer suggestions, and reviews. You can even, if you want, leave me a voice mail by clicking on the microphone icon.

General Details

In the intro and the outro, Saint-Saen's The Swan is performed by Karr and Bernstein (1961) and available on CC at archive.org.
Two-stroke narrowboat engine recorded by 'James2nd' on the River Weaver, Cheshire. Uploaded to Freesound.org on 23rd June 2018. Creative Commons Licenc

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For more information about Nighttime on Still Waters

You can find more information and photographs about the podcasts and life aboard the Erica on our website at noswpod.com.

Send us a text

Journal entry:

11th May, Wednesday

“The carp are spawning!

May rain casting rings on thrashed water,
The flash of fin,
And a watery thunder
That rumbles along the side of the hull.

I lie in the half-light of dawn,
Suspended above the silty jungles
Filled with so much life.”

Episode Information:
Cruising the Cut

David Johns’ canal-based YouTube channel is Cruising the Cut.

You can view David’s episode on Nighttime on Still Waters (via YouTube) here: 265. Evoking the spirit of pirate radio - on a canal.
Wooden Writer's Box

For more information about Nighttime on Still Waters

General Details

Support the show

Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/noswpod
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nighttimeonstillwaters/
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/noswpod.bsky.social
Mastodon: https://mastodon.world/@nosw

You can find more information and photographs about the podcasts and life aboard the Erica on our website at noswpod.com.

Previous Episode

Banbury Town (Rainy Saturday Afternoon)

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Banbury has a significant place in the history of canals, most notably for being the location of Tooley’s boatyard and its association with canal restoration campaigner LTC (Tom) Rolt. However, the relationship between town and canal has not always been easy. Join me today, as we explore the town through the eyes of Temple-Thurston, Rolt, and Pearson, from the comfort of a coffeeshop window seat on a rainy Saturday afternoon.

Journal entry:

7th May, Saturday

"Another early start.
At least it is now beginning to get light when Donna leaves for work,
Chalky whites and greys leaching the darkness and stars from the night.

A busy day lies ahead. One from which I shrink.
And so I make another cup of tea and sit on the stern in the chill of first dawn.

The swans are still asleep. The cob tucked beside his mate on the nest.
A breeze ruffles the deep umber water.
A mallard swims over.
Chuckling to me, he eyes me with curiosity and caution.
A swallow swims the air above the water and then alights on a boat's aerial.

I stare at nothing. Hear nothing. Lost on the still waters of the mind.
I want to hold this fragile moment forever, drink deeply from it,
But I don't know how."

Episode Information:

You can find out more about the history and current workings of Tooley’s Boat Yard at: Tooley’s Boatyard Trust.

In this episode I cite or read short extracts from:

Michael Pearson (2003) Pearson’s Canal Companion: Oxford and Grand Union, published by Central Waterways Supplies.

L.T.C. Rolt (1944) Narrow Boat, first published by Eyre and Spottiswoode

E. Temple Thurston (1911) The Flower of Gloster, published by William Norgate.

Linda Aubry’s narrowboat themed fabric designs

Linda’s fabric designs, many of which have been inspired by traditional narrowboat canal art, including her toile designs, can be seen on her Spoonflower site: Designs by orangecookie.

Support the show

Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/noswpod
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nighttimeonstillwaters/
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/noswpod.bsky.social
Mastodon: https://mastodon.world/@nosw

You can find more information and photographs about the podcasts and life aboard the Erica on our website at noswpod.com.

Next Episode

The Colour of Water

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I want to describe to you what I saw today, but I can't. We have so many words to describe and represent the most complex of concepts. Why then is it almost impossible to describe something so simple and ordinary as the colour of the water earlier today? Kathleen Jamie and Thomas Merton (with a little excursive with Hana Videen) help us to find some answers.

Journal entry:

17th May, Tuesday

"The hills are painted a dusty grey and the world is filled with the quietness of sheep, the cry of distant crows and drip and splash of rain upon young oak leaves.

The warm touch of bark beneath my hand and the shiver of a silvery mist. A perfect way to watch the slow dance of dawn."

Episode Information:

In this episode I cite or read extracts from:

Kathleen Jamie’s (2004) Dublin Review article ‘Sabbath’ (open access), which can also be found in her (2005) book Findings published by Sort Of Books.

Hana Videen’s (2022) The Wordhord: Daily Life in Old English published by Princeton University Press.

Thomas Merton’s (2015) When the Trees Say Nothing: Writings on nature published by Ave Maria Press.

For more information about Nighttime on Still Waters

General Details

Piano and keyboard interludes composed and performed by Helen Ingram.

Support the show

Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/noswpod
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nighttimeonstillwaters/
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/noswpod.bsky.social
Mastodon: https://mastodon.world/@nosw

You can find more information and photographs about the podcasts and life aboard the Erica on our website at noswpod.com.

Nighttime on Still Waters - When David Came (Cruising the Cut)

Transcript

In the spring sunshine of an end of March morning David Johns from Cruising the Cut Vlog came to visit. It was to be the final day of an unseasonably dry and warm spell. The sky was blue but whispy, horse's-hair clouds warning of incoming weather fronts had begun to be replaced by thicker midlevel banks and a playful wind was beginning to kick its heels.

I have to admit to having quite a few qualms about the visit. When David contacted me at the beginning of January about the possibilit