And the boys have gone

 

Since we have been back onboard, we have moved on to Hawkesbury Junction. We moored up, buttons touching behind another boat with a git gap in front of it. The reason for being so close was that the rail for chaining to ended about a foot shy of our stern. And using pins was not on my list of desirables that day (or ever now, to be fair). Later the guy came back to his boat in front of us and asked David if we could have got any closer. David didn't reply. However if the man had asked me, I would have said I could try if he wanted me to ...

On our way, just after the M6 bridge we passed Peter and Lynley on their boat, we pulled over to stop but they waved and kept going - I think they thought they weren't in a good place for stopping - or maybe they didn't want to see us.... 

The following morning was meant to be raining, but the forecast changed and so we headed away at about 7.30.

I got through the bridge at Hawkesbury (a 330 degree turn) without touching the sides, but did notice a squeaking noise when I changed from forward/pause/reverse as I made the turn. We stopped for water so I took the opportunity to ring Irene's man who can for advice. I also checked the gearbox oil and topped it up, and checked the engine oil. The noise didn't recur. Ian reckoned if anything, it was the Morse controller rather than the gear box. We are seeing them in a few days, so I will feed him Thai green curry and ask him nicely for his help...

The last time we came this way, I boated all of today's trip by myself. It was back in 2019, and David had to go to the NHS Walk In Centre in Coventry to collect a prescription for eye drops and then wait for the pharmacy to dispense them. A 4.5 hour wait at the Walk in Centre and then a wait at the pharmacy. I did the lock and the 330 deg turn by myself and then the 6.5 miles to where we are moored now and then about another 1/4 mile, I think. I moored up just past the Hartshill Yard, IIRC.

Fortunately, Tim was joining us overnight so he collected David, but I still had a couple of hours still to wait till they arrived.

Today, I kept looking for where I had stopped that day, and I have just found it on the map.

Cows in the canal. None of them looked like they were heading for the market, as per the cow who fell in the canal in the children's book of that name (Dutch ...)

We stopped sooner than we had planned (just after we passed the people on Two Lazy Bees from Debdale) as the rain started and I'd had enough rain boating over the last few days. It has rained intermittently all afternoon, not hard but enough to be annoying if you're out in it for no good reason.

These flowers are right outside the galley window. Very pretty. Photo isn't clear because there was rain on the glass.

If the boat was higher, I'd be able to see this view from the galley. Blackberries obscure it, but it's lovely.

 

So tomorrow we will head for Atherstone and beyond. No rush - we are meeting up to boat with Ian and Irene and they are stuck above Trent Lock because of a water shortage: not sure of the cause but it's being sorted this weekend.

Really looking forward to seeing them again, but don't tell Irene!