Christmas Cruise - Day 2

Last night's mooring was very quiet and very dark, just the type we like.  You'd never know there was a 700-man jail just over the towpath hedge!  Also a great success was Adrian's meat loaf, which turned out very well and was delicious.

This morning was cold and clear, although there was no frost.  We had porridge and set off at 8.40, heading for Braunston.  The countryside round here looks very medieval, thanks to the ridge and furrow fields coming down to the water.  It looked particularly atmospheric with the rising sun low in the sky.

After around an hour, we passed Braunston turn, and spotted Hadar moored up.  We carried on and moored just beyond the marina entrance, and walked up the hill to the village where we picked up our pre-ordered rolled turkey breast from the butcher and got a few odds and ends from the general store.  The turkey is huge -- 3kg -- so we've cut it into three sections and put two in the freezer.

Back at the boat, we walked down to Hadar taking some of the mince pies I made yesterday.  We spent well over an hour in Hadar's cosy saloon chatting to Jo and Keith over tea and mince pies.  It was nice because, although we've met and spoken to them several times before, we've never really had time to speak to them at any great length.

We returned to Briar Rose at around midday, and Adrian reversed off the mooring and did an excellent spin in the marina entrance.  We headed back the way we'd come, and with the sun out it was a very pleasant (in cold) afternoon.

Less than two hours later we moored up on the short stretch of piling by Bridge 75, which we used twice on our last weekend out.  We had a late lunch and have been pottering about ever since.  I've turned the leftover pastry into a few more mince pies, as they go down rather well.

We passed just a couple of boats while we were travelling today, and a couple more have gone along since we stopped.  Two of them were hire boats, neither of which appeared to have a solid fuel stove, which I think really is a necessity at this time of year.  It'll be interesting to see how many boats we see moving tomorrow.

9 miles, 0 locks.  (19 miles, 3 locks)

December weekend - Day 2

Firstly, thank you to everyone who sent messages about yesterday's events.

We slept very well last night, and by the time we woke up the sunlight was streaming in.  It had clearly been a cold night: there was heavy frost on the towpath, and the roof was well covered in frost, which means our insulation must be good.  We also continue to be impressed by the Squirrel stove, which is so much better than the Villager Puffin we had on Debdale.  The Squirrel is more controllable than you'd expect a solid fuel stove to be, and stays in easily overnight.

We had porridge for breakfast, and set off at around 9.30, passing a couple of boats coming the other way.  There were a few patches of ice, but nothing serious.  But as we got nearer to Braunston, there was more and more ice, although it had already been broken by other boats.  The worst sections were between Bridges 85 and 89, where it's much more open and the ridge and furrow fields come right down to the water on the offside.

There weren't many moored boats around.  Some of the places which are normally packed, such as near Bridge 80, were empty; presumably the normal moorers have gone to places like Rugby or Braunston where they're nearer services.  Even the moorings immediately before Braunston Turn were almost empty, with only Oakfield tied there.

At Braunston, we did a three point turn at the junction, something I've wanted to try since seeing all the parade boats doing it at the working boat rally.  So we turned right under the first bridge, then stopped and reversed under the second one, and were soon facing the way we'd come.  I'm pleased to say I managed it without touching the side even once.

Retracing our steps, the countryside looked completely different.  On the way into Braunston, with the sun low in the sky, the surroundings had looked distinctly cold.  Heading back out, with the sun behind us and a blue sky above, the photos look as though it was a summer's day.  Only if you were there would you know the truth of how cold it was.

Our mooring at Bridge 75 was still free, so we've tied up here again (although facing the other way).  We'd taken around three and a half hours to go absolutely nowhere -- and enjoyed it immensely.  We had lunch of yesterday's leftover chili, and I've already started tonight's dinner: lamb shanks, which are slow cooking on top of the Squirrel stove.

I've also turned a couple of frosty photos into Christmas cards, ordered from Moo (which might just arrive before the final posting date), and Adrian has put up a few strings of battery powered LED Christmas lights.

10 miles, 0 locks (17 miles, 3 locks)

December weekend - Day 1

It's been a surprisingly eventful and somewhat shocking day.

But first, we came up to the boat last night.  Adrian had meetings near Heathrow all day, and came to Television Centre in the evening.  We got away at the end of my shift at about 10pm.  The roadworks on the M1 were more tedious than usual, because a a couple of sections had lane closures.  We arrived at the marina at just after midnight, and Briar Rose was very cold.  We lit the fire, and also plugged in an oil filled radiator we'd brought up (we were on shore power, so why not?)  It'll stay on the boat on a thermostat for the winter, to try to keep the boat frost free.  Even so, the bed was very cold.

By this morning, the boat was really quite warm, and Thursday's storm had well and truly past.  It was lovely and sunny, and quite calm.  We had porridge for breakfast, then readied the boat for the off.  We reversed off the pontoon at 9.30, and turned right out of the marina.  Once we were under way, Adrian went inside to get some work done, while I was happy to steer.  It was cold, but I was wrapped up well.

As we approached Newbold Tunnel -- a stretch we've done numerous times before -- I was busy watching a raptor of some type circling above the cutting, when I also noticed something floating near the tunnel portal.  After an incident several years ago as we came through Birmingham on a hire boat, when we got a sports holdall round the prop, I always keep an eye on anything in the water, and try to keep a wide berth.  As I passed, though, I realised that what I was looking at was a man's body, floating face down in the water.

I sounded the horn to let Adrian know that I needed help, and as soon as we were through the tunnel he phoned 999 and reported the body to the police.  They took lots of details and said they'd be there within ten minutes.  And they were.  We were still tying up on the Newbold visitor moorings when two police officers walked down the towpath to find out where the body was.  I directed them to the far end of the tunnel, and they asked us to stay where we were.  While we were waiting, Adrian went to post a birthday card, and found that considerable reinforcements had arrived: a second police car, a paramedics car, an ambulance, and a community support officer.

We been there the best part of an hour when a police officer came along and took all our details.  He said they were waiting for a team to recover the body, and that they suspected it was someone who'd been living rough in the area.  He said the likelihood was that we wouldn't need to do anything else, although the coroner might need a statement, and we could carry on.  They've issued a news release.

As we were about to leave, a Willow Wren training boat came along, so I told them the canal was closed and the wouldn't be able to go through the tunnel.  They got lots of practice reversing!  We set off again, and the Willow Wren let us pass, as the winding hole was still some way off.

At Rugby, we passed Derwent6, instantly identifiable because Del was on the gunwales cleaning the brasses.  We had a quick chat as we passed.

At Hillmorton Locks, Adrian came out to steer while I worked the locks.  The first was two-thirds full, the second had about eight inches of water in it, and the third had just a couple of inches.  There's still only one of each pair of locks in operation, as the summer water-saving measures are still in force.  The boat yard above the bottom lock much be delighted, as they've completely colonised the lock moorings.  I can't help thinking that with the winter level of traffic, BW would be better off opening all the locks -- with two side by side, there's surely a good chance that you'll find one in your favour.

It had clouded over somewhat, so we decided to carry on to a bit of piling Adrian used once when single handing Debdale.  Just past the Old Royal Oak, I waved at a cyclist on the tow path, then had a moment of recognition -- at exactly the same time he did.  It was Paul from Waterway Routes, checking out the North Oxford for the latest of his online maps.  I threw the boat into reverse so we could have a quick chat.  He then headed off, trying to get to Rugby station before the rain.

We tied up on the short stretch of piling just before Bridge 75 at just before 2pm, had a late lunch, and called it a day.  Shortly afterwards, there was a downpour, then the sun came out again.  I started cooking a chili for dinner, which has been sitting on top of the Squirrel stove ever since.  There's been a lovely sunset, making a great show from the cratch.  It's quite clear now, so we could be in for a cold night.

7 miles, 3 locks.