Something very special amongst all the vlogs

There are lots of boaters out there who put a lot of time and care into recording, editing and publishing vlogs. I've seen many, but there are very many more. All of the ones I have seen are about the vlogger's waterway travels. You'll see them cruising through countryside and town, village and city. You'll see them going through locks and tunnels, swing bridges and lift bridges. You'll see them moor and cast off, fill up their water tank, top up the diesel, light their stove. At some point, they may take you down into the engine room.

Many of them give useful demonstrations of how to get weed from around the propeller, touch up the paintwork, change a battery, service a toilet cassette, clean the cratch cover, change the gas cylinders. I'm sure there are hundreds of boaters or would-be boaters who find these vlogs an excellent source of information, and I know that the most popular vloggers have followers in six figures.

A new face on You Tube, though, isn't interested in those details of travelling on the cut. He has a totally different reason for vlogging. He's Dave Thompson on board Narrowboat iSNESS, and this is his story, published with his permission.

After losing my wife to cancer abroad, I moved back to the UK with just a suitcase, a bike and an inflatable kayak. I came back empty and saddened. I didn't own a home so I slept on my mother's sofa near Birmingham. Not staying there long, I couch-surfed from place to place. It was getting me down, not having a home where I could settle and properly grieve for my great loss. I was uprooted and with no real income. My world was falling away and I decided to give up. 

I woke up in hospital after taking an overdose of medication. That morning, a light switched on within me and I realised how close I had been to not being here, but more importantly what my my family and friends would have had to go through. My waking up was a new beginning. I was determined to push forward and survive. I got work, made lots of new friends and, through having faith that there was a light shining again, I was happy.  

And the greatest treat for me was buying a narrowboat and living on it. Being surrounded by nature, wildlife and beautiful, tranquil scenes has changed me and my life. I love who I am, and every moment. And my experiences as a boater I share with you now via a vlog I started during lock-down. My vlog is about my narrowboat life and my experiences. It's relaxing and chilled out. If you haven't seen it, then please take a moment to check it out. If you enjoy please share, subscribe and like. 

This is not just about me, but sharing something that may bring wellbeing and good change to someone else out there who's been or going through difficult times. Namaste, thank you. Dave.

Dave's fabulous vlog is to be found HERE and I recommend it to you highly. The physical and mental health value of being near water, in the countryside, surrounded by natural beauty - which is what this vlog is all about - is being promoted by CRT, who are encouraging people to use the towing-paths for walking, jogging and cycling. )This doesn't meet with the approval of a number of boaters, needless to say, but there does seem to be an increasing number who love to whinge!)

Please don't be put off by the fact that clicking the link above takes you to a page where you are asked to confirm that you want to continue. I don't know why that happens, but I assure you, Dave's vlog site is totally safe. I've been there several times.

Enjoy!

Stills from Dave's vlog