Saturday, August 09, 2014

Back Home



Another great day and the final leg home. Through familiar territory to our home mooring. We arrived at the end of the first day of the Blisworth Canal Festival so the canal was very busy. I passed up the chance to turn around with a huge audience and moored nose inward.

Moored at Blisworth Mill.

Total distance is 14 miles, 1 furlong and 7 locks

Friday, August 08, 2014

Fish and Chips



The bow thruster failed today. After a little head scratching we decided to check the mega-fuse between the thruster and the battery. The 250A fuse had blown. Probably because of excessive use - the thruster is only supposed to be used for seconds at  a time.

Calcutt Boats chandlery rose to the occasion and I bought two new fuses, fitting one and kept the other as spare.

We stopped in Braunston for fish and chips from the Admiral Nelson for tea. Expensive for fish and chips (£8 each) but excellent and wrapped in newspaper for takeaway.

Moored at Lords Bridge

Total distance is 14 miles, 5¼ furlongs and 19 locks

Thursday, August 07, 2014


Still on the Way Back





Moored above Bascote Staircase locks.

Total distance is 9 miles, ½ furlongs and 12 locks

Wednesday, August 06, 2014

Much Better This Time


The weather was far more clement today for our descent of the Hatton flight than it was when we ascended last week.
Enjoyed a glorious sunset:



Moored near Hatton Lock No 28

Total distance is 8 miles, 6½ furlongs and 26 locks

Tuesday, August 05, 2014

Retracing Our Steps



Back up the Stratford, several tight lock gates.

Half the lock cottages are up for sale, it seems.

Moored above Rowington Lock No 30

Total distance is 9 miles, ½ furlongs and 17 locks

Monday, August 04, 2014

Stratford



On the way into Straford a boater passing in the opposite direction commented that "They're all swingers down there!". Rather than passing judgement on the sexual mores of the inhabitants, he was warning of the propensity of the lock gates to swing open, refusing to remain closed.

We found a number of boaters trying to clear debris from behind the lower gate of Stratford bottom lock as a boat had jammed in the gate trying to enter the lock. Nothing was found and a few sturdy shoves opened it enough for the next boat to get in. Having seen the boat that wedged I suspect the fenders he had left hanging were his downfall rather than the lock itself.

We made it to Bancroft Basin, with plenty of time to go shopping in the town centre.

It's very busy in the centre of Stratford and the family decided to turn back so we could spend the night in peace in the countryside.

Moored above Wilmcote lock No 48

Total distance is 4 miles, 2½ furlongs and 14 locks


Sunday, August 03, 2014

Diesel and Aqueducts



Today we found a diesel supplier (Anglo Welsh at Wooton Wawen) open on Sunday so filled up; just in time as the tank was close to dry.

Anglo Welsh are on the Wooton Wawen aqueduct and there are three of these iron trunk aqueducts in a few miles of each other (Yarningale, Wooton Wawen and the more spectacular Edstone).



All three are the same design, with the towpath at the canal bed level, giving walkers a duck's eye view.

Moored above Wilmcote lock No 28

Total distance is 9 miles, 3¾ furlongs and 18 locks

Saturday, August 02, 2014

Rain


Up the Hatton flight in torrential rain. We were again soaked through. I forgot to bring my army surplus Goretex with me this week and the waterproof in the boat cupboard leaked after about 30  minutes.



However, the rain stopped and the evening on the South Stratford was a fitting reward for the work earlier in the day.

We awarded ourselves a brass plaque for completing the Hatton flight.


Moored below Rowington Lock 29

Total distance is 8 miles, 3¼ furlongs and 25 locks

Friday, August 01, 2014

In Search Of Diesel



We spent most of today making slow progress to Leamington Spa and then back to Hatton locks. We left Saltisford having decided more diesel was required to feed the engine as by a rough calculation it's been running at least 7 days since the last top-up. The nearest supplier on the cut was Kate Boats below Cape locks, so back we went. Unfortunately they are closed in Fridays. "No problem" I thought, on to Delta Marine, next door; diesel suppliers according to the Nicholson guide. Not any more. So we continued to Leamington as I'd hatched a plan. I bought two 5 litre diesel cans from Homebase, turned at the winding hole and moored next to Tesco in Leamington. Dominic and I then made three trips to the Tesco filling station to buy 30 litres of road diesel and transfer it to Syncopation's tank. It's the same stuff these days as red diesel sold on the cut but more expensive, of course. Several hours after leaving we passed Saltisford again and moved two locks up the Hatton flight.


Moored above Hatton Lock No 28

Total distance is 8 miles, 6 furlongs and 6 locks