Female common Frog showing off her Polymorphism

The South West of the UK is the epicentre of amphibian migration in England. Gloucestershire has a HUGE number of migration sites.

Unfortunately most of these sites cross roads, causing many casualties to amphibians.*

So nature nerds like myself and the "Frampton Toadies" go out on mild wet evenings to help the little hoppers and crawlers off the roads to safety.

You have probably all seen the "Toad" signs?

You can expect to see toads, frogs, Palmate newts, Smooth newts and the much larger and protected Great Crested newt.

By the way, you must have a licence to handle GCN or face unlimited fines and/or jail time!**

I myself do pond surveys and ID the life in the ponds I work on or build.

Always remember they are cold blooded so when you handle them, our warm hands are like a hot iron!

Interesting "Frog Fact"! 

Did you know common female British frogs have a secret trick under their skin??

They are "Polymorphic" and can make one pigment prominent in their skin. On rare occasions they turn Pink or Red!!

Luckily for you I found an incredibly Red lady recently!!!

*To find out more about toad migration see here.

**To find out more about the Great Crested Newt and the laws around protecting it see here.

We learn the etiquettes of boating – helping to get the boats safely through the locks; not stepping aboard without an invitation; not peering through windows – as if we would!

We commit to walking at least a mile a week alongside the water, or the equivalent for the chaplains on the Broads. We are happy just getting to know the boaters – at least, those who don’t dive inside the cabin when they see us approaching – and having a chat about our dogs or the weather. We may also be able to signpost someone to the nearest chemist or foodbank or help fill out a form to claim a benefit.

You will know us because we are given a dark blue gilet to wear with “Waterways Chaplain” printed on the back.

You will know that we belong to a nationwide organisation and will try to help in any situation we meet where a boater is in need or trouble.

So do please speak to us if you see us passing your boat. We trust that you don’t bite and we certainly don’t! A cheery “Hello!” will be very welcome.

And if anyone reading this is intrigued and would like to know more about becoming a chaplain, please get in touch. There can never be enough of us!

You can find out more by visiting the Waterways Chaplaincy website

River Canal Rescue has redesigned and re-launched its WaterNav app, making it freely available to all. The rescue service believes everyone should have access to the app - which allows navigation without wifi or data connection - as it improves safety and shares key information.

And in order to assist in its development, RCR is calling for all boaters to download and trial the app and give feedback.

The new WaterNav, which was previously split into eight different regions due to the amount of data stored offline, now incorporates all UK routes in a single app with a route planning function.

Detailing Places Of Interest (POI), including supermarkets, pubs, train stations and marinas, plus journey times and canal/river information, once installed, it can be used offline so is not reliant on the internet or data packages. However, as the current POI information is limited, RCR is asking boaters to check and update the data as they cruise.

There’s also a help/SOS function linked to RCR HQ, for boaters who require assistance. Plotting the user’s position within a 5m radius, this has proved invaluable in emergency situations or when cruising on rivers with no access.

RCR is committing substantial resources to developing WaterNav and hopes to make it the ‘go to’ navigation and information tool for boaters. A second development phase, bringing a host of new facilities, is expected by the summer and RCR is also in talks with Scottish Canals and the CRT about further upgrades to allow users to notify authorities of issues or problems at the push of a button.

Managing director, Stephanie Horton, explains: “We’ve upgraded WaterNav so it’s easier to access the UK-wide maps and in future, enhanced reporting tools will better connect the boating community. The new updates later this year will revolutionise waterway navigation and add some much-needed technical integration.

“With so many changes to businesses supporting our inland waterway network, I’m keen to get feedback and help cleanse and qualify the data we hold. I’m excited about the potential of the new system and the updates later this year – and the new IOS version will finally enable all boaters to access this amazing little app, which is well overdue.”

The upgraded WaterNav Beta is downloadable via Google Play and the App store, however updates will be added in the coming weeks for Apple device users. Feedback can be shared directly via the app- just hit the feedback button - and updates should install automatically once there’s an internet connection.

Find out more about River Canal Rescue or follow the team on Facebook.

River Canal Rescue reports there’s been an uncharacteristic peak in fuel-related component breakdowns not linked to diesel bug. It cites two identical jobs where fuel injectors were diagnosed as needing an overhaul, yet their replacements stopped working within a week, and injection pumps were found to have failed even though the diesel was clear and bright.

Upon further investigation, RCR engineers found in both cases the injector pump racks had seized solid and the nozzles were blocked, and when replacing the plunger filter head, they found the fuel had a sticky, syrup-like substance.  Alongside stuck injection pump racks, injectors and filter head plunger failures, RCR is seeing cases of fuel filters blocking with wax inside them.

Managing director, Stephanie Horton, explains: “Over the last nine months we’ve come across higher than normal call-outs for injector, injection pump and fuel problems not related to diesel bug. Our contractors are also reporting reoccurring issues with these systems and ‘sticky fuel’.

“It’s definitely a type of contamination, but not one we’ve seen before. Samples have been taken and we’re trying to build a picture of the problem.  Our engineers are reporting problems across the UK and this particular issue is only becoming clear when a fault reoccurs, because the diesel on the whole, looks bright and clear.

“Initially we suspected sugar in the fuel, but sugar stays crystalline instead of dissolving. We now believe it may be related to a reduction in FAME free fuel and a change in fuel and fuel treatment additives.”

In order to identify the culprit, Stephanie is keen to hear from boat owners and engineers with similar problems: “I want to learn more about their experiences, where they filled up and what treatments they may have used, and increase my sample size. The more I know, the closer I am to finding a solution.”

Stephanie believes the issue could stem from chemicals, now present in some treatments and red diesel, which replaced banned additives, and she’s looking into the farming sector’s blocked fuel filter problems reported around a year ago.

According to Farmers Weekly, in order to increase the proportion of fuel derived from renewable sources (capped at 7%), an increasing amount of biodiesel was blended with red diesel. Known as Fatty Acid Methyl Ester - FAME – it’s made from a combination of fresh and recycled vegetable oils and some animal fats.

The blockage problems were initially attributed to its storage, but differing regional cases discounted this.  The UK Petroleum Industry Association (PIA) tested samples but failed to pinpoint a single cause. However tests by a fuel additive producer showed there could be a problem with insolvable particles dropping out of some of the fuel blends.

After testing 100 fuel and clogged filter samples, only 15% were found to contain contaminants as a result of poor storage, and in many cases, they weren’t significant enough to cause a blockage. The remainder were contaminant free with a clear appearance.

More detailed tests revealed the fuels had high total contamination levels and particulate counts, many between 15-20 mg/kg.  Clean gas oil normally has a contamination level of 6mg/kg and the legal limit is 24. When an external lab tested the sticky residue it revealed the problem was caused by sterol glucoside and monoglyceride particles.

These substances can drop out of bio diesel components and the problem’s made worse at low temperatures. They can also easily accumulate as they don’t melt back into the fuel as the temperature rises.  With FAME coming from multiple sources, the PIA says fuel producers are working to address the issues by changing the properties of their diesel fuel blend.

Stephanie continues: “There’s an industry task force currently looking at sustainability and the use of second stage bio-diesel for marina applications and they report these ‘sticky fuel’ symptoms were reported in their testing samples when using first stage bio-diesels. It’s clear there’s an ongoing problem which I wonder may be due to marinas no longer being able to supply FAME-free oil.

“It’s important we get to the bottom of the problem as these are costly breakdowns and business are also at risk due to the reoccurrence of issues and covering repairs under warranty.”

Stephanie is asking anyone experiencing ‘sticky fuel’ issues to send in samples or get in touch with River Canal Rescue: “Please give your name, email address, a date when the issue occurred, when you last filled up with fuel and where, plus information on whether any treatments were added to the fuel and if so, what type.”

Letters should be addressed to: Fuel Samples, River Canal Rescue, 11 Tilcon Avenue, Baswich, Stafford ST18 0YJ, email:  with fuel issues in the subject line or call 01785 785680.

My name is Sam Keay, I am originally from Cumbria.  In my past I took my children to Africa where I worked as a volunteer teacher. We lived there with no running water or electric.  When I returned home,  I worked for Lancashire Wildlife Trust, Myerscough College and The Open University.

I now live and work on a travelling narrowboat business. I began as ‘Cake on the Cut’ making homemade cakes, hence my Salted Caramel Gin. But I have slowly evolved into ‘Gangplank Spirits & Preserves' and I make foraged fruit gin, whisky, rum, vodka, chutney, jam & cordial. I also open as a café selling soft drinks and crepes, and I have a fully licenced bar.

I was brought up growing a lot of our own produce; we had a big allotment, and bottled and froze the spoils.  We had a Big Damson tree at the bottom of the garden, and it was my job to climb it. My Damson Gin recipe has been handed down through the generations and is still my favourite. I spent much of my childhood blackberrying and scrumping apples, so my business has really grown from my beginnings.

early boating

Growing up we had quite a few narrowboat holidays. I was only a few weeks old when we crossed the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct where I was apparently cosily tucked in my Moses basket in the bow.

We always hired boats out of season, when they were cheap, and I remember running ahead to do the locks, my hands sticking to the frost on the lock gates.  Something must have appealed to me and stayed with me, because it seemed a very natural step to move onboard, although I did wait until my children had fled the nest, as I wisely decided I couldn’t live with two teenagers on a narrowboat!

living aboard

I’ve been boating 15 years now and I’m still very in love with the lifestyle. The towpath is a friendly place where people like to talk to each other and help each other out.  Most boaters are unmaterialistic and happy with the simple things in life, a fire, good company, a stew in the pot, and a pint.

I’ve had a lot adventures in the past 15 years that I wouldn’t trade for anything, I think I’ve seen all the 7 wonders of the canal system and so much more. Some of the highlights are:

Crossing the Ribble Link several times, never without a last minute crisis. The first time, I’d only had the boat 2 months and had to be towed by the coastguard as my alternator belt snapped halfway across.

The beautiful Kennet & Avon Canal, surrounded by stone circles, white horses and a history of crop circles.  We enjoyed digging out the inflatable canoe and taking picnics paddling down the Avon and mooring right in the centre of bustling Bristol.

Toiling over the stunning Pennines, with empty pounds, badly maintained heavy double locks, dog tired and muddy, but exhilarated and very alive.

Last year I fulfilled another small dream and cruised her up the Tidal Thames from Limehouse to Oxford where my little hippie boat sailed alongside the gin palaces and big working barges.   I cruised past the Houses of Parliament and the London eye feeling ridiculously small and excited.

every day is different

The everyday small adventures are just as fun, all the windy rainy days, being blown across the cut, fallen trees blocking the canal, single handing swing bridges that open on the wrong side, going down the weed hatch for the third time in a day...

I enjoy seeing the country through the perspective of the waterways, a city looks very different by water, and I love that one day I can be moored in a city centre and the next moored in an isolated country haven.  I feel very privileged to watch a heron hunt from my window and a kingfisher flit by.

There are a few downsides, I hate trying to organise deliveries for my business, dealing with black and white thinking bureaucrats who can’t understand that you don’t have an address, and the never ending fixing things can be a challenge but more than worth it.

good and bad days

This year has been one of the most difficult I’ve ever had on the cut.  I had to have a complete re-plate of my boat during lockdown and borrow the money in one of the most financially challenging years for my business.

I managed to break my ankle just as the job was completed and an exceptionally good friend, a fellow trader, lost her battle with cancer and we had to give her a ‘virtual’ send off.

I’ve also had a few previously unheard-of negative conflicts with trading on the towpath, mostly from other very anxious struggling businesses that have seen me as a threat to their livelihood.

keeping going

Fortunately this has been more than compensated for by the number of super generous people who have gone out of their way to support me and my small business, and realising more than ever what fantastic friends and family I’m lucky enough to have.

All of my festivals, events and floating markets were cancelled this year which is my normal bread and butter to see me through the winter,  so I have had to trade on the towpath wherever and whenever it’s been possible.

The public have been incredible, people have really been trying to support the small business owner for which I am immensely thankful. They have literally kept me afloat.

new website

My son made me a website at the end of last year and it was an unforeseen huge help to my business this year.  It has really taken off for obvious reasons and I also have some interest in supplying my produce to gin bars and artisan shops.

If you fancy some truly homespun  ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’ Christmas Spirit please look at my products on www.gangplank.shop