Leaving Braunston

We awoke to rain and our 48 hours at Braunston were up after lunch.  Parisien Star went past in the rain heading towards Rugby with Mick at the tiller with an umbrella overhead to keep him from getting sunburnt.  We waved at Elly through our portholes and she waved back from the side hatch.  Have a safe trip back to Australia.

Jan told me last night’s blog post was boring!  But I was amused when it received the most responses in the last fortnight from our dear readers!

After looking at the online weather forecast we delayed our departure by an hour and then; to ensure the sun came out; Daniel and I climbed into all our heavy wet weather gear.  The first task was to top up the water tank from the tap adjacent to the elsan disposal point.  Unlike Hillmorton, the pressure here is very good.  I exceeded my expectations by winding Waiouru at the entrance to Braunston Marina without using the cheats button.  I think Daniel was impressed.  Unfortunately everyone else was hiding from the rain.  Why is it when you do something well there isn’t an audience but when you cock it up there is a cast of thousands with cameras to record the event for posterity.

The wet weather clothing strategy was only partially successful as it rained off and on throughout the cruise.  Jan stayed inside for the first half of the journey.  No idle hands as she managed to bake a batch of kiwifruit and chocolate chip muffins which were passed out to the crew.

There was a change of steerer just before Barby straight with Daniel taking the tiller.  As we entered the straight from the south a boat coming towards us could be seen in the distance.  It looked rather unusual and then we realised it was a wide beam.  Passing was going to be rather tricky, particularly as we had to pass on the right where there were plenty of overhanging trees just itching to remove Waiouru’s paint.  Daniel did a rather good job of hovering in a gap between two trees whilst the wide beam squeezed past.

We managed to exchange Hello’s and I then politely said “You’re lost!”  The steerer seemed to think I had posed the question “You’re lost?” and appeared to think that was rather a stupid question.  Obviously my sarcasm went over his head.

At Hillmorton Wharf we stopped to buy a replacement alternator belt but they didn’t have the correct size in stock.  However I managed to purchase an oil filter and oil along with a 13kg cylinder of gas as we had emptied a bottle a Braunston.  Whilst there I had a nosey at the composting toilets.  An idea I had toyed with and discarded when designing Waiouru.

We reached Hillmorton Locks in time for the rain to start.  Daniel took Waiouru through whilst Jan and I worked the locks.  Two of the locks were in our favour which sped the process up.

Usually I’m at the tiller so watching Daniel manoeuvre Waiouru through the locks was rather interesting.

We moored at the golf course and then Daniel and I walked the towpath to Newbold before heading back via Rugby.  I managed to buy a replacement inkjet cartridge at Argos and Daniel then took me to the chinese takeaway where he bought dinner.  The rain held off for the walk back to Waiouru which was fortunate given we were carrying the hot takeaway food.