Wet Cruising

We departed from Newbold with just the odd little lost raindrop hitting the surface of the canal and slowly headed down to Rugby where we moored for 40 minutes.  This enabled Jan to make a quick trip into Tesco for a final top up of the cupboards.  Whilst I was waiting for her return our youngest son called on Skype.  He had returned from his five week trip through China, Tibet and Japan and is trying to catch up on outstanding tasks before the next big trip which is to the USA. He has a few short trips in between, one of which is to London.  We’ll have to see if it is possible to organise a day together.

At 10.30am we were on our way to Hillmorton and happened to notice whilst passing Clifton Cruisers that they were erecting a large box tube frame which looks like It will be a plastic sheet covered workshop.  I guess they intend to move their floating paint booth from the end of the arm down to the hard standing beside the canal.

Perfect timing at Hillmorton arriving at the water points just as one boat was leaving  The only problem with the water points here is the water pressure can only be described as “old man”.  I know the feeling!  An Ashby Hire Boat was on the water point ahead of us and it was apparent they hadn’t filled their tank for some time.  We took the opportunity to eat a light lunch on the towpath whilst our tank filled.  The hire boat finished 10 minutes ahead of us and was still attempting to enter the left lock when we approached the right lock.  For those readers who don’t know it, the locks at Hillmorton are paired.  Our lock was almost full and the hire boat crew had only just shut the lower gates to their lock.  Apart from the stop lock at Hawkesbury Junction, this was the first lock they had ever seen.  We had to stop the crew from opening the paddles on both the top and bottom gates.  A little like turning on the bath taps whilst pulling out the plug.  Jan gave them some lock safety instructions and emptied the next two locks for them whilst they sorted themselves out.  We were actually through the third lock before they had exited their second.  It was about then that the very light rain decided to get heavy.

No point in both of us getting wet so Jan went in side and got herself all excited with a dustpan and broom.  We cruised on down Barby Strait passing the odd drenched boater going in the opposite direction until we reached the moorings at Onley and decided to quit for the day.  No sooner had we moored and got ourselves settled than the rain stopped! <grrrrr> 

The engine hours tell me it’s time for another blood transfusion.  I’ll do that tomorrow or Wednesday which will enable us to dispose of the waste oil at Braunston Marina.