No photos

Well there are no photos in today’s post because it was too darned wet on the back of the boat to take any.  Jan sensibly stayed inside Waiouru, apart from assisting with the two locks.  We were just getting ready to cast off from our weekend mooring above Shadehouse Lock when a hire boat appeared from behind.  There seemed little point in attempting to race them to the lock and we know from our own time hiring that you’re sometimes cruising to a tight timetable.

The pressure at water point on the Coventry Canal immediately beyond the pedestrian swing bridge is very poor; worse than old man pressure!  The gauge was reading three quarters full but it still took almost an hour to fill.  I filled in the time by removing all the dead leaves off the cabin roof.  The third time in the last three days I’ve done this…….. I know… wasting my time!

I decided to have a late lunch and recommenced cruising south down the Coventry Canal.  Jan stayed inside turning on the Hurricane to keep Waiouru warm and spinning out the wet laundry that had become thoroughly soaked on the line during the night.  She also did some housework boatwork.  Despite the conditions, I think I might have got the better job today.

Some spots on this part of the canal could do with a dredger.  After meeting two hire boats on the Trent & Mersey I was surprised that for the rest of the cruise the boats were privateers. 

After Bearshay Bridge the canal runs alongside the busy A38.  I wonder what the motorists made of the idiot standing in the driving rain looking cold and miserable on the back of his boat.  Streethay Wharf came… and went.  No photo because I didn’t want to get the camera wet.  All too soon we were passing the entrance to Kings Orchard Marina.  There were a number of boats moored either side of the marina entrance and they were obviously occupied by the smoke rising from their chimneys.  By now I’d had enough of cruising and started looking for a suitable mooring; one that was unobstructed by trees (no falling leaves) with good line of sight to the south for the dot.

Litchfield Canal Cruising Club occupied the arm of the Litchfield Canal at Huddlesford Junction.  We passed the other end of the canal at Ogley Junction last year when cruising the BCN.  There’s a plan to restore the canal which would give another connection to Birmingham.

Shortly after the junction I spotted a nice piece of open sheet piling and pulled across to moor.  The cold and wet fingers were quite stiff so it took several minutes to get everything organized outside the boat.  I also refitted the Refleks flue so we could turn off the Hurricane and fitted the wigwam for wimps pram cover.  The Refleks uses less diesel than the Hurricane and has no drain on the batteries.

Sitting down to a late lunch and you know what happen next.  The intensity of the rain reduced and occasionally stopped. Never mind, the Refleks is on the lowest setting we can manage without it going out and it’s toastie warm.  We have both the dot and the DTV.  Jan has set up the media tank to simultaneously record BBC1 and ITV1 tonight.

Should be plenty of hot water for a lovely shower before bed!