Moving on

The plan was for the two males on board Waiouru to visit the local barber this morning and then we’d start cruising further north.  The first problem was the shop was closed and the second occurred as we were dropping the pram cover in preparation for moving.  It started to rain heavily in small solid white lumps.  Cruising was deferred for 30 minutes whilst we waited for the black cloud to pass.  Jan then went forward to set The Big Lock whilst youngest son disappeared inside to do some work.  It must be great to have a job that can be done from anywhere in the world where there is internet.  Conversely, having to work when there are other, more interesting distractions, must sometimes be a curse.  We were seen off by the locals

Four boats and a canoeist passed us in the opposite direction during our cruise.    We met the second boat immediately prior to one of the three flash’s we passed.  The steerer warned us there were some breasted working boats ahead and she ran aground trying to pass them.

There are good and secure 48 hour moorings on the off-side about a kilometre beyond the first flash.  Jan took a photo into the sun after we had passed.

However it was the following sign which particularly caught her eye.

We then met the canoeist who subsequently passed us again on the way back to his starting point.  He was old with a long grey beard and looked cold and stiff.  Or perhaps I was looking at my reflection!

Then we reached those CRT working boats.  I carefully manoeuvred around them at tick-over thus avoiding running aground. 

We did wonder why they had been left breasted up and then I realised the cabin hatch was open on the outer boat.  Jan had a quick glance at her watch and realised the workers were probably having lunch. 

The cruising was quite pleasant during the periods when there was no wind and the sun was shining.  At other times it was darned cold!  The middle flash had the same marina sign we’d noticed when we were last this way in 2014.

The local farmer plans to build a huge marina in the flash. I checked the website and it doesn’t work.  The original advertising was for an opening in Spring 2014 but at the moment it looks like this……

Another marina project bites the dust….

A little further north you can see some progress has been made with the second local marina project.  Last time we passed by the marina had some finger moorings but the site was dry.  It’s now in water.

No boats

The entrance has been completed and two men were working on the opposite bank making and installing gabion baskets which will be used to construct a retaining wall to prevent erosion.

Our elderly spritely grey distinguished canoeist passed us here although we subsequently caught up with him at The Old Broken Cross pub where he was removing his canoe from the canal whilst simultaneously attempting to unlock his frozen joints.