Saturday 10 May 2014

Happy Birthday

Happy birthday Jan, and thanks for letting me sleep in to 8.30.  Because it was a big day and I care for her, she was treated to a burger for lunch.  But I’m jumping ahead.  Last night she dragged me to the front of the boat telling me “Look at that!”  I thought there was a major problem in the cratch but apparently I was to look out the cratch windows and take a photo.  It all looked rather dark.  After some rather clever manipulation in Photoshop some of the objects are now visible.

On the way to the burger I decided to treat Jan to a birthday surprise and took her to Wharf House Chandlery where we enquired about a replacement part for her favourite toy.  Yes, the fascia on the gas hob needs replacing.  They didn’t have one in stock so she will have to wait for her present. 

Thinking to save money Jan passed on the burger an opted instead for a pork bap roll.

Daniel and I are not squeamish, choosing the burger.

Daniel dared me to eat the grass and clover, which I did!  It didn’t taste particularly nice and frankly I can’t understand how sheep and cattle get fat on the stuff.  However the chips were the best I’ve eaten since arriving in the UK.

We passed Parisien Star on our way back and popped in to have a discussion with Elly & Mick about toilets… as you do!  We’re both pump-out so the discussion went to “size matters” and “what do you feed yours?”

Back at Waiouru our 48 hours on the Braunston mooring had expired and it was time to move.  After briefly stopping on the water point, we headed down to the junction turning to port.  The plan is to spend the weekend somewhere on an isolated mooring.  There’s a rather strange looking boat moored adjacent to a bridge near Wolfhamcote.

It has a narrow, but long, bow and stern with bulging sides above the waterline.

A large diesel generator is located in the bow and there appeared to be at least one motorbike on the roof.

The very small portholes appeared to be well recessed.  Three to four inches!  It’s such a strange shape.  I wonder what the original purpose of the design was?

8 comments :

Unknown said...

Hope you had a wonderful day Jan, Happy Birthday :-)

KevinTOO said...

Belated Birthday Greetings Jan :)

I love the optical illusion in photo #4, it looks like the canal has double yellow lines running down the edge... LOL

Sue said...

Happy Birthday Jan! xx

Tom and Jan said...

Jan thanks everyone for the birthday wishes. She would do that herself except she is back to caressing the washing machine!

Jannock said...

Tom
I understand your unusual craft was originally designed for mooring ships to. It was tethered to the bottom and ships could come alongside and tie on.
Graham
http://jannock.blogspot.com

Tom and Jan said...

Hi Graham

Tethered to the bottom? You mean the bed of the harbour?

RayT said...

The odd boat you saw is actually a South Sea Islands out rigger design minus the out rigger, sails and mast. It was built at WFBCo for a gent who subsequently sold it to the family who now own it. When I spoke to them a while ago now, their original intention was to get it to the coast and have it completed. But it appears that has not yet happened.

Tom and Jan said...

Ray,

A catamaran or trimaran. The squared off bow and stern are going to make it very slow. Still, people have strange ideas!