New Year’s Cruise: Day 3

I had a lovely New Year’s Eve evening with Catherine, Nigel, Grace & Matthew on NB Rowington. We had fun playing Articulate, a game both Grace & Matthew are masters at! Adam arrived at 11:30pm, just in time for a game of Uno!, and to see the New Year in with us.

We watched the fireworks from London, and enjoyed a few drinks, before turning in around 1:30am.

Both boat crews were late to rise on New Year’s Day.  The Rowington gang joined us for breakfast on Briar Rose, well they brought their breakfast with them, and we provided the tea and coffee.  All too soon it was time for Rowington to head back up the Stoke Bruerne locks.  Adam helped them up the first couple of locks, before driving to Milton Keynes station to get his train into London.

I readied Briar Rose before setting off to Cosgrove.  As I approach the Navigation Inn I saw friends Thelma and Martin out on their New Year’s Day walk (they knew I’d be in the area, so seeing them wasn’t a total surprise!).  They came aboard at Cosgrove for a drink an a catch-up.

I spent a quiet evening on board, and was joined by Adam at 11pm when he got back from work. Adam is now off for the next few days, and we’ll be spending the next 4 days aboard.

6 miles, 0 locks (11 miles, 0 locks)

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.