Wednesday, 22 May 2013
Saturday, 18 May 2013
Sunday, 12 May 2013
Monday, 6 May 2013
May Bank Holiday
Saturday dawned with some distinctively un-promising squalls after a windy night.
However, things were looking better by lunchtime at the Folly, and even better in time for Sunday lunch at Fenny Compton, where the water point and winding hole were in the usual state of chaos.
Monday was equally sunny, so we passed the marina with the intention of lunch at the Boat. Unfortunately two things intervened:
1. The Boat is closed, (again), it is so hard to keep track.
2. CaRT have done some work to reduce erosion and make the bank more wildlife friendly above Stockton Top Lock. Unfortunately this makes the canal just a few inches too narrow to turn a 58 foot boat. As ever, there were crowds of people about to watch us discover this. On the up side, we could still turn easily below the top lock…
However, things were looking better by lunchtime at the Folly, and even better in time for Sunday lunch at Fenny Compton, where the water point and winding hole were in the usual state of chaos.
Monday was equally sunny, so we passed the marina with the intention of lunch at the Boat. Unfortunately two things intervened:
1. The Boat is closed, (again), it is so hard to keep track.
2. CaRT have done some work to reduce erosion and make the bank more wildlife friendly above Stockton Top Lock. Unfortunately this makes the canal just a few inches too narrow to turn a 58 foot boat. As ever, there were crowds of people about to watch us discover this. On the up side, we could still turn easily below the top lock…
Saturday, 6 April 2013
Easter
We’d been looking forward to getting away for an extended Easter break. As it turned out though, a combination of flu and a cold spell meant we spent the weekend at home. Health and weather seemed to be improving a bit by Tuesday so we made the trip up to Ventnor Farm.
Having ignored the boat for three months it was a relief to find that the only issue was a flat starter battery, (soon worked around with a jump cable). After a few bits of maintenance on Tuesday we set off in a bitter wind on Wednesday through the recently broken ice for lunch at the Folly, (via Calcutt Boats whose mechanic kindly loosened a fuel filter that I couldn’t shift the day before).
It was still cold and windy the next day, with exposed skin stinging even before the snow started. It was an eventful trip to Braunston. First we needed help after getting stuck on the mud near Shuckburgh, then at the Puddle Banks we were flagged down to tow NB Firefly back to Braunston. The new owners were out for their first trip with a trainer having just bought the boat – not an ideal start for them.
Lunch at the Admiral Nelson, and the next day bought a new starter battery from Midland Chandlers and then back again to the marina, and another visit to the Daventry branch of Screwfix for a new kitchen tap.
So we spent several days doing little more than we usually do in one, but it was good to get out again and get the boat straight for what I hope will be a better year’s cruising than the last one.
Having ignored the boat for three months it was a relief to find that the only issue was a flat starter battery, (soon worked around with a jump cable). After a few bits of maintenance on Tuesday we set off in a bitter wind on Wednesday through the recently broken ice for lunch at the Folly, (via Calcutt Boats whose mechanic kindly loosened a fuel filter that I couldn’t shift the day before).
It was still cold and windy the next day, with exposed skin stinging even before the snow started. It was an eventful trip to Braunston. First we needed help after getting stuck on the mud near Shuckburgh, then at the Puddle Banks we were flagged down to tow NB Firefly back to Braunston. The new owners were out for their first trip with a trainer having just bought the boat – not an ideal start for them.
Lunch at the Admiral Nelson, and the next day bought a new starter battery from Midland Chandlers and then back again to the marina, and another visit to the Daventry branch of Screwfix for a new kitchen tap.
So we spent several days doing little more than we usually do in one, but it was good to get out again and get the boat straight for what I hope will be a better year’s cruising than the last one.
Monday, 4 March 2013
Wednesday, 16 January 2013
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