New Year’s Cruise: Day 2

Short journey to the bottom of Stoke Bruerne locks this morning, before winding and mooring at the visitor moorings. After a quick lunch I walked up the locks to meet the NB Rowington crew, and to help them down the locks. We moored up around 3pm, and then onto Rowington for tea and chocolates.

I’ve come back to Briar Rose for a couple of hours, before heading back to join Catherine and family on Rowington for dinner and an evening of games, and a few drinks I’m sure, before seeing in the New Year.  Adam finishes work just after 10pm today, and will hopefully make it to the boats in time to see in the New Year with us.

Happy New Year!

3 miles, 0 locks.  (5 miles, 0 locks)

New Year’s Cruise: Day 1

It’s Adrian here. I drove up to the boat this morning for our New Year cruise. We’re meeting Adam’s cousin Catherine and family on their boat, NB Rowington, at the bottom of Stoke Bruerne for New Year’s celebrations. Adam is working, and will hopefully be able to join us just before midnight on New Year’s Eve. He’s also working on New Year’s Day, and then we’ll have a few days on board.

Worked through the usual list of tasks on getting to the boat: de-winterising the boat; emptying the compost loo; getting the fire alight; and an emergency trip to the supermarket when I realised we didn’t have any wine or tonic water on board! Disaster averted!

I’ve travelled half an hour from the marina, and am moored in the beautiful Northamptonshire countryside.

2 miles, 0 locks.

Vera May on test

My boat test on Vera May by MGM Boats is in the January edition of Canal Boat.

Droitwich

A quick dash to Droitwich for a boat test.  It was sunny but pretty windy and chilly.  Spot the lock gates.

Phronesis on test

The December Canal Boat is out, and contains my boat test on Phronesis by Norton Canes Boat Builders.

April 2020

The Friends of the River Nene calendar has arrived, and my photo is April.  Rather nicely, they also sent me a print of the photo — I can’t actually remember the last time I had a physical photo.

Hanbury Wharf

A quick visit today to Hanbury Wharf for a boat test.  For some reason there’s a lighthouse there.  My route took me up the M5 over the River Avon not far from Tewkesbury.  The river currently fills most of the flood plain — very different from when we went under the motorway by boat last month.  Then the river was is anything a bit low, and people were out paddle boarding.