March visit: Day 3

Adrian was coming up today, but the length of the drive meant he wouldn’t arrive until lunchtime.  I walked up to the tunnel and back to get some steps in, and by the time I got back it was starting to rain.  Shortly after I was inside, it absolutely hammered it down.  Next I made tonight’s dinner, a moussaka, as I’d brought with me an aubergine that came in the veg box.  I also had time to read some of my book.  The weather improved dramatically, so much so that it was sunny and warm enough to have the side hatch open.

I was also pleased to see that the solar panel was topping up the batteries quite significantly.  Even the past couple of days when there’s been no real sun, it’s kept them level during the day.  Adrian arrived just before 12.30 and we had some lunch before setting off.  It was a much better day than forecast, although it was very windy in places.

It was really quite warm in the sunshine, and we passed a few boats going the other way.  At times the wind made things tricky as it tried to blow us sideways, but in the sheltered parts it was really pleasant.

We carried on past the marina — the turn in would have been very tricky with the wind — to Cosgrove lock.  One of the top gates had blown open so we were able to go straight in, although the wind also made that more work than it should have been.  The moorings between the lock and the aqueduct looked very busy, but there was actually plenty of room at the far end.  We went over the aqueduct, turned round at Galleon Wharf, and returned to a spot over the aqueduct.  Nick and Mary with the Jules Fuels boats were moored further along so we walked down to get another bag of coal, because you just never know whether you’ll need it at this time of year (occasionally we’ve even needed a fire at the Crick Show in May).  They could only take cash because the card reader had fallen in the canal yesterday; I never carry cash, and Adrian was about 50p short of the cheapest bag — but they very kindly let us have it anyway!

I need to make a béchamel sauce for the top of the moussaka, and then that can go in the oven.  Tomorrow, we’re back to the marina.

7 miles, 1 lock.  (12 miles, 1 lock)