A journey initiated in response to God’s calling.

This is the first of a series of short blogs made by Martyn and Donna Pooley as they head from their home base on the Kennet and Avon Canal to Foxton for the IWA Festival 2025.

Move to Chapter 2 – here

We very clearly felt after the CM Week-end away, that God was asking us to let go of ties in our life – our dogs, church responsibility, our vehicles, my ukulele lessons. So after much prayer, we did. Next we felt He was calling us into even deeper ties with Canal Ministries (CM). We knew we would be leaving Bradford on Avon, indefinitely. We knew we were to head for the Foxton area for the IWA festival to represent CM there. We just didn’t know when.
However, at church last Sunday, our elders released us and prayed for us and when we returned to the boat, we felt a peace, that now, was the time. So we left.
Gods timing is always perfect. We have had such good contact with perfect strangers, that can only be described as God inspired.

God Bless, Martyn and Donna

Weds 19th March (Day 2)

The Caen Hill Flight, Devizes.
We set off just before 9am and made good time with help from a “vlockie” (Volunteer Lock Keeper).
Near the summit we met a man with 4 children who were very interested in our boat. I invited them aboard for the next lock. I found out they were a Christian homeschooling family. Gave them a BCF leaflet and our contact card.
Met G. at the top of the flight and he kindly offered to help us through Wootton locks the next day.

Thursday 20th March (Day 3)

The boat moored overnight behind us, asked to share the locks.
While Martyn and “G” set the locks, I found out our new friend was called “A” , was a brand new boater, Day 2 on his boat, had zero experience and was extremely nervous!
“G”, Martyn and I shared our pooled pearls of wisdom about boat life and taught him about locks, tunnels, winding holes and the like. Unfortunately, his engine died , so we had to give him a tow.
We left him safely moored up next to a bridge for the night, with the trusty BCF (Boaters Christian Fellowship) leaflet about locks (and life) , a tree stump ( useful boating tool), a plank, a mooring pin, and RCR (River and Canal Rescue) contact number.

Locks 69 and 70 proved problematic to open. So I told Martyn to tie our mid line to the gate and I would reverse in the lock. It worked!

Sunday 23rd March

Having raced to Newbury, we suddenly came to an almighty stop! The lock, was on red boards! We were at first really frustrated, even considered proceeding, but The Holy Spirit very gently, told me, stop. So reluctantly, we tied up. As always, we prayed about our new location, and as always, God showed us why we had stopped! Having stopped we met with a Jewish man moored behind us, who on seeing our CM logo, informed us “everyone dislikes Jews at the moment”; a young female boater – new on the water, and a troubled young man who approached Martyn wanting to talk. Apparently he had passed our boat a few times and a very lovely church St Nicholas’, opposite our mooring. We are off to said church this morning to enjoy fellowship time and hopefully spread awareness of Canal Ministries, especially as this church is right on the canal!

We all also attended the evening service at St Nicholas church and met the local Street Pastor, the Outreach Manager for the church, and the lady Vicar. The Street Pastor is coming with his trainee on Tuesday for a cuppa on the boat, which we look forward to.

Tuesday 25th March

Martyn caught the train back to Bradford-on-Avon, to continue window cleaning while I boat sat and waited for red boards to disappear, so that we can move the boat.
Our new friends at “St Nicks” came to visit us on our boat yesterday and the church have kindly allowed use of their outside tap so we have access to water. We are moored just over the canal from the church as can be seen from the photo above.

Friday 28th March

Unexpectedly, the river flow dropped and the red boards changed to Amber. We decided to proceed with our journey as we have no idea how long the boards would remain on Amber. Jess our daughter is on board so we made use of her through locks! Heading towards Theale, then will catch a train back to Newbury to join the church for Sunday service.

Saturday 29th

Today the propeller got jammed with mooring ropes and a metal cap that looked like it used to be magnetised, and turned out to include a magnet from somebody magnet dredging. That is trying t fish metal objects – including dropped windlass’, mooring spikes etc. Jasper was fairly concerned as to why Martyn was crammed into the hull 😮

Martyn then caught the train back to Newbury to pick up the car so we could go to church at St. Nick’s on Sunday.

End of Chapter 1 on to Chapter 2