Crick Trip - Day 2

We set off at 8.15 this morning.  It was grey, fairly cold, but reasonably still.  It took about 45 minutes to get to the bottom of the Stoke Bruerne flight.  There were no other boats in sight so we set off up the locks on our own.

We met boats coming down at three locks, so it was fairly efficient, and we were at the top in no time.  Then it was the familiar trip through the tunnel, dodging what water cascades I could, but still getting pretty wet.

At Gayton Junction, we found a couple of familiar boats moored: Matilda Rose, and No Problem.  We moored up and went to MR for tea and biscuits and a catch up chat.  The last time I saw Jill and Graham was more than a year ago; I saw Sue and Vic last September, while I was crewing for Chance through Droitwich.  We were there for about an hour, setting off again just before 1pm.  We then had lunch on the move.

While we'd been moored up, loads of boats had gone past, including Muchgigglin, who we shared locks with down to Marsworth Junction a couple of weeks ago.  As we neared Tarry's coal yard at Furnace Wharf, Muchgigglin was just leaving the service wharf in front of us.  The day was getting much brighter, and the sun was coming out -- although it still seemed pretty cold and a bit breezy too.  We decided that as we were making good progress, we'd carry on as far as we could: if Muchgigglin were going up the Buckby locks, we'd go with them, and if they weren't we'd stop at the bottom.  They were going up, and seemed pleased to have us as locking partners again.  We had a few things to catch up on, including their evening at Paddington with my colleague with the famous voice.

We made quick progress up the locks.  Tone and Julie had a friend staying with them, so there was always someone to go up and get the next lock ready.  By now the sun was so bright it was being a problem!

We stopped six locks up, in the long pound below the top lock.  The water level was pretty low, but the back-pumping scheme has been working and we're afloat at the moment.  I suspect there's a chance we could be aground by the morning.  It's quite a nice spot here, with a nice outlook; the sound of the M1 and the Virgin trains is in the background, but not too bad.

20 miles, 13 locks.  (21 miles, 13 locks)

Crick Trip - Day 1

I finished my fourth night shift this morning, and drove from work up to the boat, arriving about 9.15.  After unpacking the car and putting things away, I made a list and drove to Tesco at Wolverton to do a big shop.  I called in at B&Q on the way back, to get a pack of screws.

Back at the boat, I started a few jobs.  First I installed a telescopic aluminium pole on the cratch, so we can put the freeview ariel higher.  Next I blacked the Squirrel stove, and it looks much, much better.  Then after lunch I washed and polished one side of the boat.  I used Bullet polish, which is a carnauba wax spray and was recommended by Julie from Muchgigglin when we shared locks a couple of weeks ago.  It's fantastic stuff, and is very quick to use.  One side took around half an hour.

There was plenty of activity in the marina.  A pair of swans with four cygnets came in; the was a tern diving and catching small fish, and there were swallows darting about.

The owner of the marina was around with the pump out tractor, so I had our tank emptied.  You don't get a rinse at all, but it is cheap.  Then I set off for Baxter's at Kingfisher marina for diesel.  The journey takes about 40 minutes; I took on 108 litres, but the price has dropped to 87p.  I also bought a bag of coal, in case it gets as chilly as they're predicting this weekend

On the way back, I moored near Bridge 62, so I could wash and polish the other side.  The boat really does look a lot better.  I then started a chili for dinner, which I left on the hob very low.

As I was about to set off back to Thrupp Wharf, a boat called Tumbleweed went by, and the helmsman said they read the blog, which was nice.  The journey back to the marina was uneventful, and getting back into our berth was fairly straightforward as there was no wind at all.

I'd been back about an hour when Adrian arrived, having driven up from work in Portsmouth.  It was about 6.15, and fairly pleasant, so rather than staying in the marina we headed off.  We've come just a mile to a nice spot just past Bridge 62, which I've used a few times before.  It's very peaceful and the birds are singing; but more than anything it's just nice to be out on the cut.

Fuel trip:  4 miles, 0 locks.

Crick trip:  1 mile, 0 locks.

All set for Crick

It's the Crick Boat Show next weekend.  We'll be setting off on Wednesday, and should arrive on Thursday.

Chimney cover

 

Having quite enjoyed painting my water can, I've turned my attention to our rather grubby galvanised chimney cover.  I've painted it Dovedale Green, with a cream line in the groove near the base.

 

With a bit of luck, there'll eventually be some weather warm enough that we can stow the chimney away, and use the newly painted cover instead.

Atherstone

The weather forecasts have played havoc with the planning for the boat test we wanted to get done.  It was originally meant to have been done last week, but the rain and high winds meant we postponed.

We re-arranged for today, but yesterday the forecast was terrible, so we postponed again - so after work last night I went home rather than staying on board Briar Rose.  But by today, the forecast was much better, and after some to-ing and fro-ing we decided to go for it this afternoon.  We rather sprang it on the owners of the boat, but they were very accommodating.  It meant dropping everything at lunchtime, jumping into the car and heading north.  During the journey, I went through every sort of weather: sunshine, rain, and even hailstones.

We met the boat at Atherstone, and worked it up a few locks for the photos.  Fortunately the sun came out and the clouds were white and fluffy rather than grey and heavy.

I'm spending the night on Briar Rose, in order to break the journey.

Early start

The alarm went off at 4.30 this morning, and a few minutes later I wondered whether the boat next door could hear the water pump and (even louder) the shower pump.

By 5.15 I was in the car and heading for London.  Amazingly, it turned out that a colleague knows Tony and Julie from Muchgigglin, with whom we had such a good time sharing the locks on Friday.  He's even due to see them in London this week.

I got back to the marina at about 4.30 this afternoon, and put a coat of varnish on the cabin porthole liners.  Since I've been back, there's been a series of squally showers and it's turned really cold.

May Cruise -- Day 5

We heard them before we saw them.  We were still in the process of getting up, when we were aware of the sound of anglers stomping down the towpath, towing all their equipment behind them.  When we opened the curtains, there was a fishing match setting up, with one fisherman a few feet in front of the bow and another a few feet off the stern.

We had a cooked breakfast as it was Sunday, then I walked down to Stoke Hammond lock while Adrian brought the boat.

It was quite sunny, and at times felt warm.  But there was also a cold breeze.  When we got to Fenny Stratford lock, two boats were coming up so the bridge was already swung out of the way.  On leaving the lock we saw a family of geese with their goslings.

 

After Simpson, we passed through a huge fishing match, which went on for the best part of a mile.  As we went traversed the long lock-free pound through Milton Keynes, counting off the bridges, we saw two wide beams on the move.  Adrian also started cooking our Sunday roast, and when it was ready at about 1.30, we moored up opposite The Galleron at Wolverton to eat it.

We had just a couple of miles left, and they were done in the rain.  We had to turn Cosgrove lock, the final one of the trip.

It was a bit miserable as we turned back into the marina, but at least it wasn't windy enough to make it difficult to get into our berth.

Adrian then headed home; I'm staying for another couple of days, because the rearranged boat test is due on Wednesday.  Tomorrow and Tuesday I'm at work, so I'll drive to London -- and it's an early start in the morning.

15 miles, 3 locks.  (57 miles, 36 locks)