A blast across the bows.....

.......actually it was the stern but I thought bows sounded better J

I left my Atherstone mooring at 10am, it was breezy (again) but not too bad.

Lock 6 has a nice cottage alongside, a bridge and steps leading down between the bridge and the lock to allow you to rejoin your boat as it glides slowly out of the lock, having first shut the gates, well that’s the theory and today it went well, stepping onto the boat as it comes along to meet me is a pleasure when you time it right, frustrating if the boat is moving too slow and possibly disastrous if it’s moving too quickly, causing mild panic and much rushing around.

The weather was quite bright and calm as I passed Barry Hawkins yard.

 Leaving lock 8 the skies began to darken behind me.

This was earning it’s money this month I bet.

Having gone through the last of the Atherstone locks (11)  without seeing another moving boat at all, the wind began to build and as I was passing the residential Bradley Green moorings a boater said “You’re brave”, I didn’t think so, the wind was not too bad.

I stopped shortly after on the service point and did the usual fill and empty, things changed for the worse as I moved off.

Leaving the service point

It was just after this point things changed quite a bit, it is quite wide and open with a winding hole the wind was building steadily, trees moving as nature took control again and showed me who is boss, then while passing a moored boat a particularly vicious blast of wind sent my stern towards him, at this point, because I am passing a moored boat, I am on tickover but that had to change, so a fairly heavy application of throttle and tiller hard over to the left saw me safely clearing him, but it also told me it may be prudent to stop and moor up.

So I found a spot a little way past Grendon Dock with a view of what I assume is Bradley Green church across the fields.

Having got moored up safely the wind raged and the heavens opened and I was glad I made the decision.

Now I have been here and hour or so the sun has come out and it seems like a completely different day, but I think I’ll stay put now and see what tomorrow brings.

Tonights mooring

Total today: 2 miles : 6 locks

Into Atherstone I go

The wind had settled but the sky was dark when I awoke this morning and it didn’t look great, around 9am it began to rain quite heavily and I was contemplating staying put, I prepared everything and got myself ready just in case and about 10am it brightened enough for me to cast off towards Atherstone.

Once again it was a nice cruise through open countryside.

Passing Nelly a tidy cute little boat with a scruffy garden area.

And only one other boat on the move before reaching the outskirts of Atherstone after about half an hour.

I was approaching bridge 41 just before the first of the Atherstone locks, there is 11 in all, when I noticed this boat in front of me, I had no idea where he came from and thought how unlucky I was to have to follow him down the flight but as luck would have it he stopped on the services to take on water.

Appearing boat on services to the left.

So the first lock for almost two months was against me, all normal though,  these locks are slow to fill and fast to empty and as I was just leaving the lock the chap from the other boat walked along and closed the gates for me, that was nice of him and I had remembered how to go through a lock J

A straight forward descent through the first two locks but when I got into lock 3 I could see a high viz jacket ahead and assumed it was another boat coming up.

Entering Lock 3, under the blue tarpaulin is my smokeless fuel, hopefully safe.

When I left lock 3 I was happy to discover it was in fact a couple of volunteers so I stayed on the boat while they assisted me through, sadly they then walked off behind me to help another boat following me down.

Me hovering as the volunteers rest while waiting for the lock to fill

I wanted to moor up after lock 5 which gives easy access then to the town center and was pleased to see there were plenty of moorings available.

Lock 5 and former lock keepers cottage.

Having got moored and sorted just before lock 6, I went for a walk into town, Atherstone is still very much my type of town, mostly filled with a variety of small shops although there is an Aldi and a Co-Op, no large complex to get angry and frustrated in, just a very pleasant walk, cobbled side streets, Church, many pubs and a lovely Victorian Railway Station, the only disappointment was that the butchers in Market Street was closed and I needed bacon, so I had to pop into Aldi.

High Street

Market Square

Market Street

The Old Swan, nearly tempted me but not quite.

The Albert Hall has changed a bit !

Atherstone Railway Station

I want to drain my coolant and refill the system with antifreeze/coolant added so was on the lookout for a small drill operated pump to pump it out of the skin tank rather than cracking open a hose joint and a small DIY shop in town had one, “ideal for draining garden ponds, tanks, cisterns and domestic heating systems” it said on the packaging, so when I got back to the boat I rigged up the hoses and drill and tried to pump water from my washing up bowl on the floor into the sink, not a hope, a pathetic waste of money, even when I put the bowl higher than the sink it still did not have the strength to move the water, so if you need once of these devices, don’t buy the one made by “Marksman quality tools”.

Tonights mooring

Total Today: 3 miles : 5 Locks

Today is a landmark day, one year ago I became the owner of Quinquireme and we have learnt to tolerate each other over the last twelve months, I think we are now friends and I hope we remain that way !!!!

 I will celebrate in the best way possible with a small brandy later this evening while listening to this.........www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaN8jxAFtDY

An early start

Yesterday I left Nuneaton behind me and headed off towards Atherstone in bright but breezy conditions and was quite surprised to find a certain Dr. had parked his transport in the rear garden of this normal looking house, I wonder ‘Who’ lived there.

First stop was at Springwood Haven Marina

I took on fuel, smokeless and antifreeze, very good service and very reasonable prices, 10% discount on the smokeless if you bought more than 4 bags, I bought 6, diesel was at 75ppl, to be honest it was probably the same or slightly cheaper than the local fuel boat, but I prefer giving the working boats my custom where I can.

Departing the service moorings.

I passed this little memorial, I assume it was for a loved pet and not a person but I could not make out the words on the small heart shaped plaque.

Passing Hartshill Yard and the rain started.

I changed my hat, it got worse......I changed my jacket...... it got worse, I located my umbrella (thanks Carol)...... it got worse........I moored up! 

So I am at Hartshill just short of Atherstone during a break in the rain I took a couple of pictures of the mooring.

So what’s the title of this post about? Well last night the wind started, the boat started rocking and occasionally creaking as it does, by good fortune this time, no planning involved I was moored with the wind direction along the boat, it got steadily worse as the evening  went on and at 4:30 this morning a rather prolonged and violent gust rattled my external metal doors on the stern loud enough to wake me, I could not get back to sleep, so it was an early breakfast and an early blog, the wind is howling so I don’t think I’ll be visiting the small village of Hartshill or moving the boat, although one brave( or daft) soul has just cruised past me, I think it’s a day to watch the Formula 1 and do little else, but that may change if the weather improves.

Last night’s mooring

Total travel:  3.5 miles

Out and Away again.

Yesterday did not start well, I had told two people at Trinity Marina that I was leaving in the morning and asked how I would get back in once I had handed in my gate fob and been refunded my £20 deposit for it, the Harbour Master told me he would let me back in, so at 9:30 I walked along to the office to find it closed on Wednesday’s, hmmm, no-one thought to mention that to me, there was an emergency number for said Harbour Master, that went to answer phone so I left a message, having no phone signal on the boat I resorted to sitting on the stern and waiting for a call back, just after 10 I saw the Harbour Master walking along the road with two bags of shopping, obviously his phone was on his boat, that’s what emergency phones are for. I explained my dilemma and he said he would refund me out of his pocket and let me back in, I then asked him about my missing coal and asked if anything showed up on the CCTV, sadly the camera covering my area was not functioning!

I was glad to get moving again, although it was a bit ‘breezy’ I managed the sharp left, right, left tight exit without hitting anything, it was a short cruise to my first stop for water and my timing lately is poor, as I rounded the bend and saw the water point I also saw another boat was about to stop to fill up and he beat me by two minutes, never mind a cuppa and a chat, water points and locks make for good chatting areas, he told me to watch out for a great pub on the Shropshire Canal but sadly I have already forgotten the name of it.

I have a rough timetable to get through various points avoiding the winter stoppages (navigation closures for lock and other repairs) but I was not in a hurry and had decided to stop at Burton Hastings about 3 miles away as I had passed through it on my way down the Ashby, having moored up and looked on Google maps I found virtually nothing around so decided to test out my new Kipor generator that I had purchased while in Surrey, it will be used for charging the batteries when not cruising and there is too little sunshine for the solar panel to cope. I read the manual, filled with fuel and oil, set the switches and yanked on the starter cord, 2^nd pull it started, not bad, it’s quite noisy even though described as ‘silent’, so I tested it in various locations bearing in mind noise to me inside the boat and noise to my potential neighbours, I think I will build a soundproofing box and then try again.

Just one picture of the journey as I am just covering the same ground.

That's all one garden, hope he's got a sit on mower.

Last nights mooring.

This morning was bright and beautiful, and I set off just after 10, I wanted to catch a fuel boat at Nuneaton who I knew through his Facebook page was heading through, as it turned out I miss timed that too and missed him by about half an hour! Anyway from Burton Hastings it’s about 3 miles along the Ashby back to Marston junction, the approach from the Ashby is very narrow.

Approaching Marston Junction

 Possibly to make boats slow down as the view of boats approaching the junction from either direction on the Coventry canal is very limited, so a long blast on the hooter, look out Monty’s coming through, all clear though.

Leaving the Ashby behind, another canal done.

Then onto new ground back on the Coventry Canal, what a lovely little cruise through open country with twists and turns in nice warm sunshine, a real delight meeting only 3 other boats (two at bridges and one on a tight narrow bend of course), I was happy as a pig in muck J

Sad looking Tree, I think he's done for.

 As you approach Nuneaton it becomes more built up and not quite so pretty but still very nice, passing Star Line’s wharf quite busy with boats.

A bankside fisherman shouted “it’s lovely and sunny now but get moored up, wind and rain forecast” I had already decided on a general mooring place and carried on just a little way to try to get any wind blowing along the boat rather than across it, I think I achieved it but the boat is rocking a fair bit now as I type this. I will stay tomorrow and do the washing and some other bits.

Tonight’s Mooring

Total Travel (2 days) 6 miles

I’ve just looked at my logbook and the last lock I went through was on the 22^nd September, I’ll have forgotten what to do !

Back on board.

I’ve had a lovely week away from the boat seeing friends and family and attending my son Adam’s wedding to his beautiful bride Natalie. Thanks once again to my sister Carol for her hospitality and to her partner Peter for his company. It was a lovely wedding and everything went off smoothly, we were all treated to a surprise firework display organised and paid for by Natalie’s brother Scott and it was very impressive synchronised to music. Too much alcohol consumed of course but that’s what happens on these long days when one’s ability to say “I’ll have a coffee” is blocked by the already copious amounts of alcohol in one’s system.

Proud parents and Bride and Groom

The journey back from Surrey was good with a fully loaded car and only minor delays on the motorway. The week in the marina was however marred by some thieving lowlife who removed my coal from the roof of the boat, fortunately only two bags and luckily I had one ready to use inside the boat so I won’t be cold until I can get more, but I won’t be buying it from this marina, having failed to get anything other than a cursory comment that they will report it, I don’t know who to? but I feel much better knowing they are doing something...... that’s sarcasm by the way, and they still took another £10 off me when I decided to stay an extra night tonight.

So off tomorrow and back cruising heading back along the final section of the Ashby Canal to Marston Junction before continuing along the Coventry Canal and then the Trent and Mersey to Great Haywood to begin my expedition around the four counties ring dodging (I hope) the winter stoppages for lock and bridge repairs.

Rain and leaves

I took a walk into Stoke Golding yesterday afternoon once the rain had cleared, the start of the ascent, how unusual the village is at the top of the hill, is along a footpath running through a cow field, watch your step there, then a short section of quiet lane with no footpath before you reach the outskirts of the village.

It is obviously a popular and still spreading village, with fairly recent developments leading off in all directions, 3, yes 3 pubs all very close to each other, The George & Dragon in Station Road and both the Three Horse Shoes and The White Swan in the High Street, once again I never ventured in any of them although at the time of my walk (lunchtime) only The George and Dragon was actually open. The parish Church of St. Margaret of Antioch is a very large imposing building but was hidden from decent camera shot by trees and new housing, and to be honest I’ve got enough pictures of pubs and churches for 2015 and was looking to find something a bit different to show you, I failed, I would have liked to have shown the primary school children running around enjoying themselves in the playground, all in their school uniforms, and having a wonderful time, but did not want to risk arrest by taking my camera out near children in this sad modern world! And so just before starting back across the field towards the boat I took this view instead.

That's Quinquireme just off centre,

Stoke Golding also has a small post office and a convenience store, that was good as I needed more milk, and not much else really, for what is now a quite large village I would have expected to see a few more shops and a  petrol station maybe, but the community obviously don’t feel the need with Hinckley and Nuneaton not to far away.

Today I moved on again away from the 48hour moorings and taking myself closer to Trinity Marina in readiness for my stay there next Tuesday, my timing was not good, having watched a drizzle of rain for an hour or more I decided to move at around 11am and of course no sooner had I got going than there was a very heavy 20 minute downpour, which then turned back to light rain as I approached a decent looking mooring, it has continued to rain steadily all day, but rain or shine, it beats being stuck on the M25. 

Of course being Autumn now the canal is full of leaves and they cling to the propeller, so every now and then just dropping out of gear allows them to fall away, if not a quick burst of reverse usually does the trick, it’s quite surprising how much they effect the performance.

I will probably stay where I am until Tuesday although I may walk further along and see if there are any decent moorings even closer but from memory when I passed this way heading down I think I will prefer to stay where I am, its countryside and peaceful here, no pictures from today as the rain meant I left the camera safely tucked away.

Total travel: 2.5 miles

Damsel in distress followed later by an unexpected sit down for me.....

........ All just a part of the life I have subscribed to.

Late Sunday afternoon I was minding my own business as you do and thought I’d check my gas bottle levels, so I’m on the bow deck having a look when the young lady moored ahead of me started to run towards my boat, she explained that she’d only been on the boat for 3 weeks and couldn’t start the engine as her starter battery was flat, could I help, using her jump leads, she had overstayed at this her very first mooring (she had a warning attached to her boat from C&RT )and was going to put the boat in the adjacent Marina to give her a chance to sort herself out, I said I could, so we (her sister had joined her for that day for moral support), pulled her boat back alongside mine, then found her jump leads weren’t long enough and I don’t own any, so I knocked on Ralph’s boat behind me and he obliged with a longer set, and we got her running.

I was both amazed and impressed, a complete novice on her own, who had decided to live aboard on this, a rented boat on an impulse, no idea about how anything worked really, no idea about even the two basic knots you need, and did not even know what the centre rope was, or what it was for, it’s actually the most important rope on the boat for a single hander, anyway I gave her some brief advice but she was in a hurry to get into the Marina before it got dark, hopefully she will get a lot of help and advice whilst there and go on to enjoy her adventure, she was very keen and happy to get moving and wasn’t at all perturbed by her lack of knowledge, I wish her well.

Yesterday I decided I had been at Market Bosworth for long enough  so I had a chat with Ralph and said cheerio and set off about 11am, it was a nice bright cruise and as I have some time to kill I didn’t go too far and pulled over to a towpath mooring just before Sutton Cheney Wharf, having tied up checked the stern gland and then the TV signal I looked at my phone, no signal at all, never mind, fired up the laptop, and hardly any Wi-Fi either, should I move or stay? I decided to stay just for the one night.

This morning I moved on again stopping at Sutton Cheney Wharf to do the usual emptying and filling, it wasn’t a very bright day but it was dry, I tried to moor on the towpath just before Stoke Golding but it was too shallow (a common problem on the Ashby canal I’ve noticed) so I moved across to the 48hour moorings on the opposite side, it is a little duck feeding and picnic area so a number of cars in the lay-by and the wind blowing across the open space was pushing my boat back out, I had wrapped the rope around my waist and was laying back into it as I normally do and the boat was coming towards the bank slowly when the wet ground under my boots decided it would have a laugh at my expense and released it’s grip on me, so I was now sitting on the damp grass watched by two amused ladies feeding the ducks and feeling grateful I was sitting in the canal.

It’s not a bad spot, TV signal ok, Wi-Fi ok, phone iffy, I will probably stay the 48hours. 

Open the side hatch and the ducks come swimming.

and the greedy Swan gets as close as possible.

Tonights mooring

Stoke Golding ahead

Total Travel:  6 miles