BCN1645

We woke to a very misty morning with poor visibility.

nb Kelly-Louise in the mist

However the mist was quickly burned off to show a bright blue sky.  Two locks down I noticed an old vertical wooden roller on the lower entrance to one of the derelict locks.

I assume its purpose was to prevent two ropes from cutting into the lock wall when pulling boats in or out of the lock?

Back in July I took a photo of two boats in the dry dock at Langley Mill which is at the top of the Erewash Canal.  <blog post link>.  This is the photo.

I’ve since received a comment from Dan Caudwell advising the boat on the left in the photo is his (BCN1645) and he is restoring it.  Dan has started a blog about his restoration of BCN1645.  His blog link is <here>.  I recall looking at BCN1645 and thinking the lower portion of the sides must have been very rusty because there was quite a gap between the side and the baseplate.  I’ve now read on Dan’s blog that the bottom of the hull was full of concrete.  Perhaps that is the reason for the gap? Oh….. BCN1645 is a butty (never fitted with an engine).

Meanwhile I’ve had an email from a farming friend back in Australia

I recently spent $6,500 on a young registered Black Angus Bull
I put him out with the herd but he just ate grass and wouldn't even look at a cow.
I was beginning to think I had paid more for that bull than he was worth.
Anyhow, I had the Vet come and have a look at him.
He said the bull was very healthy, but possibly just a little young,
so he gave me some pills to feed him once per day.
The bull started to service the cows within two days, all my cows!
He even broke through the fence and bred with all of my neighbour's cows!
He's like a machine!
I don't know what was in the pills the Vet gave him but they kind of taste like peppermint.