An archive trip report from 1982 - part 1
Mike Stevens
Although we didn't know it, this was to be our last year with "Felis Catus".
Re-reading the log after a gap of many years, it has an elegiac feeling, but
I'm not sure it was like that at the time. What strikes me now is the
continual effort necessary to keep a tired, old wooden boat going, and the
way we (mainly Wendy) noted in our log then a lot more details of wildlife
and scenery than we do nowadays.
That year was during the protracted stoppage of Blisworth Tunnel. Since we
regarded "Felis" as underpowered for all but a very brief foray on the
Thames in near-ideal conditions, we had no way of getting further up-country
than Blisworth, so spent the year pottering between there and the Lee &
Stort.
It wasn't the busiest season's boating we'd done, for a couple of reasons.
I was by then serving on my Trade Union's National Executive Committee, so
had quite a few Saturday meetings which got in the way of some of the
term-time weekending, and Wendy's mother was in bad health, so she had to
down quite often to see her in Highworth (Wilts).
Since we'd first bought the boat, in partnership with our colleague Roger &
his wife Chris, they'd sold their share of her to Ian and Dave, two friends
of ours who'd done a lot of boating with us over the years. Ian was another
colleague and Dave an ex-pupils and also a member of the Drama Club we all
belonged to.
-------------------------
SATURDAY 3 APRIL
The time had come to move off our winter-only mooring at Maida Hill, Little
Venice, so I came up on my own took the boat for a run to Camden, then came
back to the Little Venice visitor moorings, tied up there and spent the rest
of the day doing some carpentry on the boat.
DAY'S RUN : 4.4 miles, no locks in 1 hr 06 min
SUNDAY 4 APRIL
Ian, Roger and I came up to do some more work on the boat. We saw some
boats we recognised moored in Browning's Pool and joined them for a
mini-Rally. They were Ray Dunford's "Albion" & Mike & Marion West's
"Edale". John Morin was filming "A swag of Roses" a film of Ray painting
some roses on "Edale". The three of us on "Felis" had a carpentry &
cleaning day.
---------------------------------
EASTER CRUISE : CREW : Mike, Wendy (Ian for part)
WEDNESDAY 7 APRIL
Wendy, Ian & I came up to the boat to do the basic provisioning for the
start of the cruising season. Ian went home in evening.
THURSDAY 8 APRIL
We set off in cold, mixed weather at 11:04. There was May blossom
appearing despite the weather, also catkins, celandines and a few other
boaters. When we arrived above Black Jack's lock at 17:58 we were glad to
moor as it was getting very windy. The gnome of the lock was still there.
Wendy cooked.
DAY'S RUN 22.7 miles, 5 locks in 6 hrs 54 min
FRIDAY 9 APRIL
The day started with a beautiful dawn chorus, under a clear sky, with
sunshine and thick frosting over grass, back deck etc. We set off at 07:43
and less than an hour later, as we came out of Springwell lock, two boats
set of ahead of us from the mooring above it, so we decided to stop & have
breakfast. The weather continued to be good. We stopped at the moorings
above Batchworth lock for a chat with Dudley Wells on "Pelican". Later in
the morning the weather turned rather greyer. It was good to see canal
wildlife again - ducks, geese, swans, moorhens and Aylesbury Canal Society
members. We took on water above Nash Mills locks and went on to moor for
the night above Fishery lock at 18:00.
DAY'S RUN : 13.4 miles, 23 locks in 8 hrs 57 min
SATURDAY 10 APRIL
There was another beautiful dawn chorus, though not exactly improved by the
contribution of British Rail. The weather was warmer, and when we got to
Winkwell swing bridge it was raining. As we came up the lock, the previous
day's snail-powered boats moved off moorings just above the bridge, which
dictated our breakfast time once more. We set off again when "Alice"
(Gloria & Stuart) came through the swing bridge, and travelled with them as
far as Berkhamsted, where we moored before lock 55, keeping out of the way
until Mike & Lindy Foster had got their fleet away. I helped with showing
the new hires how to work the locks. Then we moved the boat up onto Mike &
Lindy's moorings.
DAY'S RUN : 3.2 miles, 9 locks in 2 hrs 50 min
SUNDAY 11 APRIL
We had a lazy morning. Mike F paid me in engine oil for my work the
previous day! We bought diesel, used their sani station and watered. Mike
F. sorted out an engine problem for us. It was very shallow from Berka to
Dudswell. While I took the boat out of Cowroast lock, Wendy went to the
'phone box, phoned Ian and arranged to meet him later at Tring station
bridge. I cooked lunch on the move in Tring cutting. We went on to the
"Grand Junction Arms", Bulbourne, and moored with our friends Gary &
Rosemary on Ex-GUCCC "Draco" and interrupted their breakfast at 15:35!
Later we ran back to Tring station bridge to pick up Ian, winded and came
back to lock down the Marsworth flight with Cowroast hire-boat "Elegance",
with a nice family who had been told but not shown how to work the locks.
We moored at the Ship Stores, Marsworth, at 19:00 and Wendy cooked.
DAY'S RUN : 10.3 miles, 15 locks in 6 hrs 06 min
MONDAY 12 APRIL
This was the best dawn chorus yet, followed by another very slow start.
There was bright morning sun, skipping lambs etc. We shared locks from
Ivinghoe to Slapton with another Cowroast boat, and Leighton to Soulbury
with ex-GUCCC "Pisces". Below Soulbury locks I "set up stall" with painted
ware then made lunch. We set off again around tea-time and shared Stoke
Hammond lock with noddy-boat "Katy". We moored at "The Plough", Simpson at
18:29, and within an hour, a floating armchair had settled cosily against
our bows. We went to the pub before dinner. Wendy cooked.
DAY'S RUN : 16.7 miles. 17 locks in 7 hrs 42 min
TUESDAY 13 APRIL
It was sunny but cold, so we had a lie-in. At Linford wharf we winded and
came back to use the sani station above Fenny Stratford lock. We continued
to a lunch stop above Soulbury locks and then carried on to Leighton
Buzzard, where Ian & I caught a train to London.
DAY'S RUN : 19.4 miles, 6 locks in 6 hrs 6 min
WEDNESDAY 14 APRIL
Wendy shopped (no Liquid Lino anywhere) & chatted with other boaters from
noddy-boat "Tiff". I came back from London around mid-day and we set of
southwards , sharing a couple of locks with an Autrant hire-boat. Above
Slapton lock we watered & met a resident gnome with an elderly but lively
dog called Tigger. We stopped again above Horton lock to do some carpentry,
then carried on cruising through a beautiful sunset. To moor at 20:21 at the
Ship Stores, Marsworth with loud & delightful chaffinch accompaniment. We
had dinner at the "Red Lion".
DAY'S RUN : 7.7 miles, 11 locks in 4 hrs 54 min
THURSDAY 15 APRIL
We started at 07:39, ascending the Marsworth flight in shimmery morning
sun - the reservoirs were a joy to behold. We saw a kingfisher again at the
Cowroast end of the cutting. On to Berkhamsted for shopping, then to the
"Rising Sun" with Mike & Lindy. We had lunch on back deck. Wendy had a
shower at Mike & Lindy's. Setting off again, we had a bad road until we
caught up a rather dozy (but pleasant) family on "Hemlock", locking with
them from Winkwell onwards. We stopped before Fishery lock at 18:31 with
"Hemlock". They had a very attractive Irish setter called Major, from an
animal rescue centre. Wendy cooked.
DAY'S RUN : 10.5 miles, 24 locks in 7 hrs 29 min
FRIDAY 16 APRIL
06:26 was what Wendy considered a civilised starting time. There was
frost & slight mist at first, and a really low-flying swan as we moved into
the first lock. We had a good road for 12 locks! Wendy cooked breakfast on
the move. It developed into a still, sunny morning with goats, calves,
rabbits etc skipping like young lambs, who in turn ...
Before Iron Bridge lock we stopped for another carpentry session. Later we
saw a boater we knew, from "Mary Anne", above Black Jack's lock. There were
very many periwinkles below it. We moored at 17:49 below Widewater lock and
Wendy cooked. We had a social embarrassment after dinner when a cat called,
inspected the boat & asked for supper. As it was the last night of the
cruise our stocks were down - nothing but cheese.
DAY'S RUN : 14.6 miles, 25 locks in 7 hrs 40 min
SATURDAY 17 APRIL
07:19 wasn't as early a start as we had hoped. The weather was cold. We had
some trouble with a top paddle jammed half-open at Denham, then moored at
the "Swan & Bottle", Uxbridge, where Wendy left for home, then I cooked
myself breakfast and did some clearing-up before heading for the Slough Arm,
with a stop before Cowley lock to use the sani station. As I turned into
the Slough Arm, the weather turned nice, and I had a pleasant run to High
Line Yachting, at Iver, where the boat was going to have an engine service
before the Slough Rally.
DAY'S RUN : 7.1 miles, 3 locks in 2 hrs 43 min.
CRUISE TOTALS : 125.6 miles, 138 locks in 61 hrs 21 min over 10 days'
boating.
----------------------------------------------------
SLOUGH RALLY FRIDAY 30 APRIL - MONDAY 3 MAY (BANK HOLIDAY)
CREW : Mike, Wendy (Roger & Chris at the Rally)
I collected the boat on the Friday evening after an engine service and work
to bring the fuel system up to BWB compliance standards, then took the boat
to Langley station bridge to meet Wendy from the train, to go on to Slough,
wind at the basin and return to our Rally mooring between last 2 bridges.
We were moored breasted with "Woodham". She was supposed to outboard of us,
but we swapped since she had shallower draught.
We got up late and went shopping on Saturday morning. Roger & Chris were
with us for Saturday afternoon & evening. Watched boats arriving, including
Ray Dunford on "Albion". I helped Alex & Jan Prowse on the Cascade
Gallery boat on Sunday afternoon. Sunday evening was a folk evening : went
with Ray & Hazel Dunford, Mike & Marion West, Sheila & Roy Davenport &
David Blagrove.
We left the Rally on Monday afternoon, bought diesel & some chandlery and
watered at High Line Yachting, rejoined the main line, used Cowley sani
station and left the boat outside the "General Elliott", Uxbridge.
LONG WEEKEND'S TOTALS : 9.6 miles, 1 lock in 3 hrs 53 min
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WEEKEND 8 & 9 MAY
CREW : Mike, Wendy, Ian
We picked the boat up at 19:21 on Saturday for a peaceful, short evening
cruise, Ian & I working all the locks as Wendy had a bad shoulder. We
moored above Widewater lock at 20:45 and Wendy cooked.
We had a beautiful start to the day with the sun cutting through mist. We
started cruising at 05:59 with mainly a bad road. Lambs, foals (including
baby donkeys), bluebells, cow-parsley etc were behaving just as they should
in May. We made a beer stop above King's Langley lock and half a mile
further Wendy did an outdoor lunch by trees & lakes. "Felis Catus" had a
big cruiser-style deck which was ideal for eating out. We continued, used
the Apsley BW yard's sani station, watered and went on to moor above Fishery
lock at 17:24 and go home by train.
WEEKEND TOTALS : 17.7 miles, 27 locks in 9 hrs 48 min.
------------------------------------------
WEEKEND FRIDAY 21 - SUNDAY 23 MAY
CREW : Mike, Wendy (Peter & Ken for much of Sunday)
Wendy & I came up on a stuffy train from London train on Friday evening and
decided not to go very far. We set off at 18:20 and good weather persuaded
us to go further than planned, so we moored before King's Langley lock at
20:12. I went to the pub while Wendy cooked. There was good birdsong.
We had a disturbed night & wet morning. We delayed our start listening to
the radio news of the Falklands landing. We set off at 07:38, stopped for
breakfast below Home Park Farm lock then continued to Rickmansworth for a
pub lunch & shopping. The shopping centre here isn't as close to the cut as
in some other places, but the shopping was good, though probably rather
expensive for groceries - there was then no large supermarket. We saw a
carnival procession while we were shopping, and again crossing a footbridge.
I repaired the small bilge-pump. In the afternoon we shared about 5 locks.
It was mostly raining. We saw 2 heron between Denham & Uxbridge locks and
came across some helpful gongoozlers at Cowley. Below Cowley there were
lots of red campion & ragged robins. The May blossom was beautifully
scented after rain. We passed onto the Paddington Branch and moored at
20:46 near Houlder's dock, rather short of where we wanted to be because of
the weather and a bad road.
Sunday brought a beautiful morning at the beginning. We ran out of gas -
not helped by the fact that we'd got one Calor and one Shell cylinder, so
had to pick & choose where to change them. The running-out happened when we
were well past Uxbridge. At Horsendon Hill I had to make an emergency
engine repair : one of the air-bleed screws had fallen out and fuel was
escaping. I found another screw that fitted well enough to make do with.
We ate breakfast on the move and at Kensal Green we met Peter coming to met
us. We used the facilities at Paddington Stop, bought gas from Doug Lear
from the boats "Magic Lantern" & "Carina" and had a chat with him. Also had
a chat with Ray Dunford. Ken (from my canal history evening class) joined
us for the rest of the day. We joined the Regent's Canal and stopped near
Haggerston Road to eat lunch cooked by Wendy. We went right the way down
to Limehouse Basin and turned into the Limehouse Cut (Lee Navigation). We
stopped under Violet Road bridge to shelter from a storm then turned back
to Limehouse and a little way up the Regent's to above Mile End lock where
there was a supervised mooring for boats waiting for the Mile End Rally the
next weekend.
WEEKEND TOTALS : 47.9 miles, 44 locks in 20 hrs 45 min
-------------------------------------------
MAY HALF TERM : MILE END RALLY
CREW : Mike (Wendy, Ian, Peter, Claire at various times)
FRIDAY 28 MAY
Peter & I came straight from work. I helped Marcus Boudier, the Rally
Harbourmaster, marshal boats that had been there all week, while Peter
helped the site crew. We had an early dinner in the "Golden Bird" a Chinese
restaurant I'd patronised in my student days. The we boated up to just
before Old Ford lock for beer at the "Royal Cricketers" after an evening
helping Marcus check in arrivals. We went back to the Rally site carrying
half the Rally staff (Ray & Hazel Dunford, Doug & Anita Lear and others)
back to the main site. Peter was steering and unsighted by all the people
on the roof.
DAY'S RUN : 1.0 miles, no locks in 20 min
SATURDAY 29 MAY
At 07:24 we went back up to Old Ford to collect from Marcus the boaters'
packs we'd need for the check-point at the other end of the site. At one
point Peter commented "I didn't realise they were three abreast there when
we came past last night - I was only steering to miss two." On the way
back we used the Rally water point before taking up our position as a
check-point for arrivals immediately above Johnson's lock. Peter and I
worked shifts on the check point (not very busy) while painting the boat
(Peter) & some tat (Mike). I managed some tat sales. There was a good beer
tent. Peter gave the boat 4 side fenders and I ordered new bow & stern
fenders.
DAY'S RUN : 1.4 miles, 1 lock in 51 mins
SUNDAY 30 MAY
Wendy & Ian joined and Claire (Peter's current lady friend) visited for the
day. Most of the day was spent on Rally site. Wendy, Ian & I all did
sessions on the IWA Branch stand. A tea-time we set out to take Peter &
Claire for a run. We planned to go to Limehouse Basin in company with
"Alto-Stratus", whose crew was supplemented from "Tasclyn". Just before
Commercial Road lock we decided to turn back because of the incidence of
rubbish & punks. Back at our mooring, Peter & Claire left for home.
DAY'S RUN : 1.3 miles, 4 locks in 1 hr 10 min
MONDAY 31 MAY
That left Wendy, Ian & me on board. We had a frustratingly late start
because the fender-maker couldn't get to us very early. We moved a little
way up the cut then the fender man arrived and we fixed the fenders in
place. At 11:52 we set off in company with "Too Good to Hurry". Ian wasn't
very well. Wendy had recovered from a migraine, but was in her usual rally
sulk. I was boiling up with too much sun, muck sweat, paint from the fender
job & resentment at Wendy's deciding to move off before I had the chance to
clean myself. At St Pancras lock we used the sani station & got rid of
rubbish (including "Hairy Herbert" the old bow fender) en passant. By
Little Venice we were all now more or less recovered from the gremlins of
earlier in the day, as we headed westwards on the Paddington Branch. In the
later part of the afternoon we had some engine trouble : smoking & cutting
out, so stopped at 19:43 at Horsendon Hill on a pretty mooring on the off
side. Wendy did dinner, eaten outside.
DAY'S RUN : 14.9 miles, 8 locks in 7 hrs 40 min
TUESDAY 1 JUNE
We made a leisurely start after doing some odd jobs but nevertheless we were
on the move by 06:17. We passed through Bull's Bridge junction and stopped
at Yiewsley for breakfast & shopping. Then we went into the Slough Arm, to
High Line Yachting at Iver where between them and us the engine problem
cured. The exhaust hot-air trunking had come adrift and used air was
overheating the engine. I built a new support for the trunking and bought a
proper replacement for the mising bleed screw.
We rejoined the main line and our next stop was at the Swan & Bottle,
Uxbridge for more shopping, including finding out about exchanging our Shell
gas bottle for a second Calor one. It turned out that it can be done but
needs the right paperwork. Ten I did a late lunch on the move and we went
on to an overnight mooring above Iron Bridge lock at 21:19 , where Wendy
served dinner on the back deck
DAY'S RUN : 26.1 miles, 13 locks in 9 hrs 59 min
WEDNESDAY 2 JUNE
It was another leisurely start on a really beautiful morning. We started at
07:35 and Ian served breakfast above Lady Capel's lock. At Home Park Mill l
ock (a.k.a. Five Paddle Lock), Ian left to catch a train home from King's
Langley station. Wendy & I went to a good pub lunch at "The Albion",
Apsley, (which, sadly, is no more). Shortly after starting again we found
ourselves under bridge 50 at Hemel, sheltering from a storm. After the
storm there was so much flood water in the cut that we had to wait for
another boat's crew to help force the bottom gates at Winkwell top against
5" difference in level. We continued to arrive at Mike & Lindy's at
Berkhamsted at 18:37, stayed on board overnight & went home on the milk
train.
DAY'S RUN : 10.4 miles, 24 locks in 7 hrs 35 min
CRUISE TOTALS : 55.1 miles, 49 locks in 27 hrs 35 min over 6 days' boating
---------------------------------------
WEEKEND FRIDAY 4 - MONDAY 6 JUNE
CREW : Mike
I came up on Friday evening and shopped in Berkhamsted before setting off
northwards with a bad road. One lock was turned round in my face by a
Cowroast boat. I just cleared Cowroast lock by dark and went on to moor at
the "Grand Junction Arms", Bulbourne, just in time to order food. I drank
with a chap called Brian from "Gandalf the Grey".
On Saturday I set off at 07:47, with an initial intention of looking at the
new dredging on the Wendover Arm. At Bulbourne junction I tied back-to-back
with a visiting boat from the Rochdale and we set off down the arm as a
push-me-pull-you. After a few minute's break at the far end by Tringford
pumping station, we came back again and I had breakfast at the junction. I
set off down Marsworth locks in company with Howard Bowden (?) & friends on
a modern residential n.b. "Mountbatten" from the River Tove below Stoke
Bruerne locks. We stopped at the Ship Stores, Marsworth, went together for
beer at the "Red Lion", then waited for a thunderstorm to finish. We set
off again, still in company and moored together at "The Globe", Linslade. I
went to the pub with "Mountbatten"'s crew.
On Sunday I started at 09:10, still with "Mountbatten". I used the Fenny
Stratford sani station, watered and joined the others again for more beer at
"The Plough", Simpson, before having lunch on board. I'd hoped to leave the
boat at John Woolard's at Old Wolverton, but his moorings were full up, so I
went on to moor opposite the "Barley Mow", Cosgrove.
WEEKEND TOTALS : 37.0 miles, 33 locks in 16 hrs 51 min over 3 days'
boating.
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WEEKEND 12 - 13 JUNE
CREW : Mike, Wendy
We came up from London on Saturday evening and started boating at 09:01 on
Sunday, stopping for breakfast between Grafton & Yardley, then went on to
have lunch at Stoke Bruerne, winded and came back to moor at John Woolard's
at Old Wolverton at 18:25.
DAY'S RUN : 14.4 miles, 15 locks in 6 hrs 56 min
WEEKEND 19 - 20 JUNE. CREW : Mike, Ian
We travelled early from London and set off at 09:38, finding a lot of
trouble with weed-induced overheating of the engine. We stopped at" The
Plough", Simpson (the log doesn't record whether for lunch or just for
beer), used the Fenny Stratford sani station, watered and went on to moor
overnight at "The Globe", Linslade.
On Sunday we re-started at 07:27, stopped for breakfast above Church lock
and for lunch at bridge 136 on the Tring summit. We had no engine trouble
all day - it must have been caused by weed the previous day. I started,
and almost finished, painting a new water-can. We left the boat at Mike &
Lindy's in Berkhamsted at 18:57 and went home.
WEEKEND TOTALS : 33.3 miles, 32 locks in 15 hrs 21 min
----------------------------------
WEEKEND 26 & 27 JUNE
Wendy & I did various jobs on the boat at Mike & Lindy's.
----------------------------------
LONG WEEKEND, FRIDAY 30 JUNE - MONDAY 2 AUGUST
CREW : Mike, Wendy, Ian
Mike Foster had fitted a better alternator pulley for us so that the
alternator would be more effective at low revs. Wendy & Ian arrived on
Friday afternoon & shopped. Then I came ( I probably had a Union committee
meeting that day). Mike & Lindy's tame gosling was very much grown and now
had its white feathers, but sadly had deformed wings. We set off at 18:30,
sharing locks with a group of Scouts from Aberdeen on Cowroast hire-boat
"Elizabeth of Glamis". We stopped somewhere past Cowroast lock at 20:42,
to discover that we'd left the mooring pins behind, so had to improvise.
Wendy cooked.
Next morning Wendy scrounged a lift, with the chap off "William Cobbett",
back to Berka to get the mooring spikes, while Ian and I set off at 06:50.
At Tring station bridge Wendy & the spikes rejoined us by train. We turned
into the Wendover Arm and Ian cooked breakfast, which we ate at Tringford
stop lock. We went back to the main line and continued northwards, noticing
lots of alfalfa & scabious down the Marsworth flight. Anglers too. At
lunchtime we stopped at the Ship Stores, Marsworth, where Ian & I went to
the "Red Lion" while Wendy loafed. In the afternoon we continued in company
with small efficient cruiser "Trekka", stopped briefly at Leighton Buzzard
wharf and arrived at "The Globe", Linslade, at 19:24, where we moored to a
nearby field, watched by potentially piratical slugs. I cooked dinner,
eaten on deck before a thunderstorm.
On Sunday the others loafed for a long time while I investigated a
water-pump problem. The spiders & the radio agreed about the weather. Below
Soulbury top lock we took on water and Wendy started cooking lunch which we
ate at a mooring below Soulbury locks, where the log records "Scrapers'
twitch all day!" Our cabin roof was canvas-covered Masonite with many
layers of paint of all colours which was flaking off, so we were trying to
strip of all the old paint in preparation for repainting it and, hopefully,
acquiring a waterproof roof. Wendy did dinner.
Monday started with an outdoor breakfast & more scraper's twitch, before we
set off at 08:47 seeing several heron. We used Leighton Buzzard sani
station, then came back to leave the boat at 11:55 at Wyvern Shipping,
Linslade, where one of the Griffin family (owners of the yard) advised us to
live with the water-pump problem until the pump needed taking out for some
other reason.
LONG WEEKEND TOTALS : 25.6 miles, 34 locks in 13 hrs 30 mins over 4 days'
boating.
-----------------------------------------
LONG WEEKEND FRIDAY 6 - TUESDAY 10 AUGUST
CREW : Mike, Wendy, (Ian until Sunday evening), (Derek, Phyllis & Samara on
Saturday)
On Friday evening Wendy & Ian fetched the boat back to Leighton Buzzard,
took on water and shopped. Then I joined and we set off to "The Globe",
Linslade.
Next day we started at 06:41 - a reasonably early start almost cancelled
out by Wendy trying to wind the boat in a cattle-wade and getting stuck. I
had to leap ashore on the off-side and pole us off., then walked back to The
Globe where I re-moored "Canakkale" which had been cast off at one end. We
winded at Old Linslade wharf and went back to Leighton Buzzard wharf for
breakfast and the market. My brother Derek, his wife Phyllis & daughter
Samara (not much more than a baby),who were over from the States staying
with my Dad, joined us by car and we set off again for what was to prove a
dry but cool day's cruising. Samara was at first afraid of going down in
locks, but became more confident. We made a lunch stop before Fenny and
continued to Wolverton station where Derek, Phyllis & Samara caught a train
to go back to their car and go back to Dad's place in Marlborough. We
decide to go on and joined up with Ray Dunford's "Albion". We moored near
Cosgrove sani station. Ian & I went to the "Barley Mow". Wendy chatted
with the man off "Sammu" and cooked dinner.
We had another outbreak of scrapers' twitch while waiting for the camping
shop to open next morning. Then we bought a new Porta-Potti & barbecue
("Son of Hibachi"). Continuing at lunchtime we came across very bad weed in
Stoke flight, which we assumed was caused by under-use during the long
stoppage. We winded at the winding hole just before Blisworth tunnel and
came back to moor near the museum at 16:54, where we christened the new
barbecue & terrified some gongoozlers. Then Ian went off home.
On Monday we started down the flight at 06:38, too early for there to be any
gongoozlers. We watered at Cosgrove and went on to Wolverton station for
what turned out to be rather strange shopping in what the locals call the
"Angora" (actually at Agora Shopping Centre). Wendy twisted her ankle. We
'phoned Peter and arranged for him to feed the cats for a couple of days.
The pound below Cosgrove was very weedy, and the engine overheated a lot.
We stopped and the "Black Horse", Linford, and again near Woughton, mainly
to let the engine cool down where it was overworking because of all the weed
we were meeting. We ended up at "The Plough", Simpson, at 17:16, some way
short of where we'd hoped to be, because of the slow running. We had dinner
at the pub.
Tuesday was an easy day. We started at 06:47 and watered above Fenny
Stratford lock. Our breakfast stop above Stoke Hammond lock was enlivened
by a BW foreman (Alan) looking for a sunken boat. We stopped for a barbecue
lunch above Soulbury locks and had a pleasant chat with BW lengthsmen Tom &
Alf who we'd got to know quite well the previous summer. Then we went on to
leave the boat at Wyvern Shipping, Linslade, at 17:04 .
LONG WEEKEND TOTALS : 56.5 miles, 30 locks in 23 hrs 10 min over 5 days'
boating.
----------------------------------------
To be continued.
This trip report is copyright to Mike Stevens, January 2001.
It will shortly appear on my web site at the URL in my sig.
--
Mike Stevens, nb Felis Catus II
No man is an island. So is Man.
Off-list replies, please, to michael...@which.net
Web site http://www.mike-stevens.co.uk/
Bob Adams
Stevens <mike...@which.net> writes
>They had a very attractive Irish
>setter called Major, from an animal rescue centre. Wendy cooked.
LOL!
--
email: ams...@ntlworld.com