R J Adams
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"Yarns of a Professional
Gongoozler", or "Tales of English Canal Life at Dixie's Marina", is a series of eight short stories set around a fictionalised
canal boat marina in the North-West of England.
The British canal system stretches over two thousand miles, much of it passing through some of the most attractive and peaceful areas of countryside to be found in England
and Wales. Occasional urban sections provide a wealth of historical detail relating to an industrial heritage long passed into the pages of history.
Canal boating and boat ownership is a rapidly developing industry, and inland waterways marinas are continually being constructed throughout the system to accommodate the steadily increasing numbers of steel narrowboats and GRP cruisers that abound.
R J Adams entered the business both as a marina manager and narrowboat dweller. During the course of some twelve or so years he met some amazing people, saw some incredible sights, and laughed uproariously at a plethora of amusing incidents.
Each of the eight stories, though self-sufficient, are interlinked and best read consecutively. They are based on the author's own
personal experiences over twelve years as an inland waterway's marina manager.
Most of the events described in this book actually occurred, but with the
exception of ‘Molly”, characters have been fictionalised and bear no relation
to anyone, living or dead.
Born in 1946, R J
Adams grew up in the north-west of England close by the busy port of Liverpool. He spent his leisure
time sailing small boats on the River Mersey.
After working for
thirteen years as an animal welfare inspector for the RSPCA, R J retired from
that profession and returned to his other great love, boating.
In 1990, he
became general manager of the second largest inland waterway's marina in Britain, and forever an
'outdoorsman', lived afloat on a traditional canal narrowboat for many years.
Retiring from marina life in 2002, he eventually settled in Illinois, U.S.A. where he is now
fulfilling another, long-denied passion - writing.
“Yarns of a
Professional Gongoozler” is his second book.
A stiff breeze tugged at her hair once the boat left the
shelter of the trees, and little wavelets slapped and
gurgled against the hull. It was really very pleasant
boating in the darkness and Daphne relaxed against
the stern rail, guiding her craft through the water with
a light touch on the tiller bar.
Long before she reached it, the old railway bridge
stood out, silhouetted against a warm glow from the
marina lights beyond. But as she drew closer, glare
began to affect her night vision and she crossed her
fingers that no other boats were moving about. It was
pitch black on her side of the bridge and no-one,
however vigilant, would see the
“Owl & the
Pussycat” approaching.
Daphne determined to leave the tunnel light until the
last possible moment. If the batteries failed before she
had navigated the bridge, the boat would hit the side
for sure. She closed the throttle, slowed to a crawl
until less than a boat’s length away from the structure.
Then, as darkness was about to engulf them utterly,
she flipped the switch. The tunnel light blazed out,
illuminating everything, including the two people on
the towpath under the bridge who stood rooted and
unbelieving.
The woman had her back to the wall and the man was
facing her. His trousers sagged limply round his
ankles. The light reflected off a pair of pink
buttocks protruding from beneath his tee-shirt.
From: Chapter Two
"Hot Gossip"
