Our Links:
External Links:
Enter a key word to search for posts:
Hottest day of the year so…
Posted on: Friday July 31, 2020 at: 4:10 pm
…it seemed like a good idea to post this
Our stove in winter
This is how our lit fire looks during the winter months.
Summer Stove
It looks rather boring in the summer, so Helen created our summer “fire”.
Good isn’t it?
A week of cruising
Posted on: Friday July 24, 2020 at: 3:23 pm
The popular Tixall Wide
We are currently moored up at Tixall Wide again, a lovely spot that is, as you can see from the photo, rather popular.
Having returned to Brandy Pad Thursday last week, we set off up the Droitwich Junction Canal onto the Worcester and Birmingham Canal, stopping overnight above the Astwood locks. An evening trip taking in 9 locks.
The next day took us up through the Stoke and Tardebigge flights, a total of 36 locks – brother Tony and wife Cathy will remember these as they helped us down through them last October. With a series of boats going up at the same time, it takes a while, and it is apparent the difference having more than one crew member makes as the boat in front of us, with 4 people, gradually pulled further ahead. On a long flight such as these, it is not surprising that you meet several boats coming the other way around the half way mark. I guess we all start the flight, up or down, first thing in order to clear them in a day.
Saturday took us into Birmingham and then Sunday down the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal to stop in the middle of the Curdworth flight, after another 34 locks. On Monday we stopped at Tamworth to do a bit of shopping.
Copperkins approaching us
I have previously mentioned our friends Rob and Susan, who have a boat “Copperkins ll”. They set off on a cruise the previous Monday, travelling North and then back South again to end on Thursday, while we set off from Droitwich heading North. We had been in touch briefly and had planned to meet up at the Plough Inn, not far from Lichfield, on the Wednesday evening. So it was an incredible coincidence that having arrived at the pub early, on Tuesday and meaning to wait for them, there they were at exactly the same place, coming towards us! Both of us a full day early.
Social distancing onboard Copperkins
It was great to meet up again and we both moored up then shared a coffee on the bow of Copperkins before meeting up later for dinner in the pub. Rather a treat at the moment.
Leave a Reply
Finally – on the move again
Posted on: Wednesday July 8, 2020 at: 2:07 pm
As Brandy Pad is moored in England, we could, for some time, have visited it – but not stayed overnight. Unfortunately, as we have been living in Wales, we weren’t allowed to travel more than 5 miles – until Monday.
Helen, standing in the rain while we descend a lock
So, we immediately returned to the boat as we finally could both travel to and stay on it. Good to be afloat again!
On Tuesday, we left the marina on a short three day cruise. We need to be back in Mumbles by Saturday. The weather has not been particularly kind to us, rain all day and looking like it is going to be the same for the next couple of days. Hard to believe the wonderful sunshine we had in May isn’t it?
Two juvenile Moorhens, trying to keep warm (click on picture for a larger version)
As the saying goes, there is no bad weather, just bad clothing and it is largely true. However, whatever clothes you are wearing, damp eventually works its way through, and the constant rain running over you saps your heat away. After six hours of travelling, it was time to moor up, dry off and warm up.
Cost for the day – one hat lost when I opened an umbrella and it flipped my hat off into the canal. I went astern immediately, hoping to back up and get it back before it sank. Unfortunately, that pulled a large log into the propeller, which wedged a blade in the log and stopped the engine dead. By the time I managed to remove the log (I had to clout it several times with a lump hammer) the hat had disappeared.
We are going on another trip next week. Here’s hoping things will improve.
Leave a Reply