We have a BSS examiner coming to do his thing on Monday, so I’ve taken the opportunity of another weekend on board. I came up after finishing my third night shift this morning. Even calling in to Tesco at Wolverton for food, I was still at the marina by 9. After sorting out the stuff I’d brought up with me, I tackled the cratch cover, which was looking very green.
I took it up to one of the picnic tables and used a car soft top cleaner on it, giving it a good scrub. The greenest bits made the suds go green, so I knew stuff come coming off. Then I laid it on the bank behind the boat and gently rinsed it with the hosepipe, then used a squeegee to get the worst of the water off. I did a few other things to give it a little time to dry, then put it back on again. Of course the best way to dry it off would be to go boating, so that’s what I did. As I pulled out of the berth, a huge red kite was circling over the marina, with a particular interest in the spit of land between the marina and the canal. I only really got silhouettes for photos, but you can still tell it’s a red kite.
I turned right out of the marina, towards Milton Keynes. It was about 11.15. The Taverners Cruising Club seemed to be having a work party weekend, as there was planting going on, and a bit tea round had been made. At the next offside moorings, a moorhen has nested in a floating tyre.
Cosgrove Lock was against me, so I tied up and filled the lock. When it was ready I hauled the boat in, and spotted that a boat which had been on the water point had set off — so I waited. The chap arrived on foot first, and his opening gambit was to suggest that I push Briar Rose over to the other side, to save him going round to the other side. Of course it would have meant me going round instead, and it would have been impossible to pull the boat out of the lock that so, so I declined. The lady steering thanked me for waiting for them, but when the lock was empty and the gates were open, she shot out, he closed his gate, he jumped on the boat and they were off. I’ve always understood the etiquette to be that if you arrive at a lock second, you let the boat that was there first go first — or at least offer that option, particularly if the first boat has waited for you. However, it then took me a few moments to pull the boat out by which time they were long gone. Fortunately, a boater walking up the towpath said he’d shut the gate for me, which was nice.
There had only been one boat moored in Cosgrove, but below the lock was choc a bloc. I think there was only one space which would have been long enough, had I wanted to stop. As it happened, I didn’t. Between the Galleon and Wolverton, a duck is nesting in a boat’s rooftop flower pot. I will attempt to get a decent photo tomorrow, as I failed this morning. There were lots of boats moored either side of Bridge 74, so I was worried that my planned destination before the next bridge would also be busy. However, there was plenty of space, so I picked a nice open spot. As I had my lunch, the clouds disappeared and there was suddenly bright sunshine.
To make the most of the weather, I washed the towpath side of the boat, then prepped the scratches on the gunwales and put some Fertan rust treatment on. I polished the washed side too, which took a while, by which time the cratch cover was dry meaning I could paint it with Fabsil to re-waterproof it. I’m sure it will look greener again when the Fabsil is dry, but right now it looks really good.
There was a fifteen minute period when lots of boats passed in both directions, including two day boats from Cosgrove. I’ve had a really productive day, especially given it’s a post night shift day, and I’m expecting to sleep well tonight. Even though it’s really warm now, I might light the fire later because clear skies could mean it gets pretty cold.
5 miles, 1 lock.
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