Power gives way to sail

As part of our preparations for leaving Brownsover I walked the rubbish bag to the park and managed to leave it behind (in the bin).  To my surprise I passed nb Hanser which was moored just around the bend.  I’d assumed Brian & Diana were somewhere back near Hawkesbury Junction.

There was no sign of movement aboard so I quietly walked back to Waiouru where Jan mentioned she had read Brian’s blog and they were somewhere in Brownsover!  We were slightly late moving off the mooring as the boater behind had borrowed one of our adjustable spanners to fix a battery terminal.  I couldn’t understand his logic of removing all the tools off his boat before they started their summer cruise?

Brian & Diana were up and on deck when we passed so there was only time for the briefest of greetings.  The moorings the other side of Bridge 58 looked quite full.  Hotel boat and butty Duke & Duchess were breasted up.

Shortly afterwards a canoeist caught up with us so we slowed down and moved to the right to let him pass.  He powered on ahead and then suddenly started to slow down in the short gap between the two aqueducts.  He was obscured by the bow very quickly and then I realised he had stopped because a hire boat was very rapidly approaching him in a race to the narrows.

Power gives way to sail and sail gives way to oars…. but obviously the steerer of the hire boat didn’t know the rules.  The canoeist managed to get to the edge and we loitered before the second aqueduct to let the hire boat through.

By the time we reached Newbold there were three boats ahead and we were sure at least one would stop on the Newbold water point. It was our lucky day because not only did they not stop but the water point was vacant.  Jan had already put on a load of laundry in anticipation and with good water pressure it didn’t take long to top up the tank.

Two of the boats stopped at Armada Boatyard to take advantage of the cheap diesel (58ppl) whilst we carried on.  There was smoke coming from the stack on the narrow dutch barge, but I’m not sure whether it’s from the engine or a stove.

When we last came this way nine days ago I didn’t manage to take a good photo of the Terrapin on a branch over the canal.  Today it was in exactly the same position.

I did wonder if he had been washed up onto the branch by a passing boat and was now stranded.  Having been hooked up on concertina barbed wire in a previous life I can sympathize.

We stopped for the day on the moorings before Easenhall Bridge.  The bow thruster locker received a good cleanout and the new boat hook a 3rd undercoat.  Jan made a bacon and egg pie for dinner and an apple cake using the last of the old apples.