Sunday night in Bristol was quiet. The people on terra firma
didn’t mooch about for long and I had dinner to prepare, I can’t remember what
we had, it had been a long day getting from Sharpness to Bristol. I know we were
tired and elated with our day’s achievement on new waters. I needed sleep and
went to bed early. I remember hearing an inebriated reveller close to DB and
reports, the next day, were said person teetered on falling in. I’m glad there
was no alarm raised for rescue!
As usual in the morning, we woke early and decided to get underway
and have a late breakfast. I am told Bristol has lots of places of interest but
we were keen to move out of the Floating Harbour and back to the River Avon
finding somewhere rural to spend a couple of days while rain was forecast! I
took the DB’s wheel and steered the interesting waterway. It was not clear
which way to steer out of the harbour but 6 eyes and a harbour map helped. There
were some harbour-side works going on and there was one moored boat with
‘high-vis’ aboard having ‘Smoko’. Is that term still used for tea-break or has
it become Vape-break? Shortly after this
an outboard work dingy thingy boat of life jacketed ‘high-vis’ went by heading
in to town probably. Beats train travel!
It felt like we were
on R. Avon but Netham Lock signifies the end of the Floating Harbour and meets with
R. Avon. The Lock gates were open so we just continued on through. Time and
tide were in our favour. I found out, a couple of days later I could have
phoned the Lockie to find out what times the gates would open, it was just good
fortune that our psychic channel was on!! So we were, now, back on C&RT
waters and the Locks would be for our own manual labour. The R. Avon would take
us to Bath where we will begin the Kennet & Avon Canal.
The first Lock, Keynsham Lock, gave us a view of a Visitor
Mooring pontoon ahead and the thought of breakfast gave us impetus to get tied
up and have some food.
Hanham |
We appreciated that both our canopies were in situ, as
the rain clouds approached, and without hesitation made the decision to stay
put for a couple of days and to test out the dinner menu at one or both of the
establishments a hop skip and jump away. Della had become lethargic and not
interested in going for walks. We thought she was showing signs of aging, she
is almost 10 years old, and let her sleep more. Being the ‘navigator’ is not all a bed of cushions and
treats! We all enjoyed having some rest and Phil went and collected his car
which meant he could take me to one of my fave supermarkets to stock up with
fresh food.
Phil left and Mark arrived, a smooth changeover with guests
while the rain stayed. I’m naming this summer ‘Bummer Summer’ cos that’s the
truest definition of it, for me. We are given forecasts for sweet dreams but
the reality is far from days of sunshine and roses more like rain with a
sprinkling of more rain. The weather did improve for our cruise, the following
day, to Bath. I enjoy river travel on DB, it is a calm cruise and easier, than
the Canals, being at the Helm.
Swineford Lock, I think. |
However, it was Mark’s turn to get his ‘badge’
and he steered well including in / out of the Locks. Della came out for short
courtesy calls with me as I worked the Locks. For the first time, I let her
walk across the Lock gate platform which was wider than the same on canal
locks. She didn’t see bothered by the potential drop to the water below, in
fact she never glanced at the danger below!
There were a few good rural river moorings, we passed, but
Bath was our destination and we were going to get on the K & A Canal. There
were moorings near some big building works, in Bath, but we soon saw the start
of the Canal, missed letting me off at the lock moorings
View from land looking down river to K&A Lock Mooring ahead. The sunk boat to the (R) just got sold on EBay! |
The sign wasn’t obvious and there was a Nb heading into the Bottom Lock so Cptn tooted the horn to
indicate we’ll share with them and I did a last minute jump to a step that got
me landed in walking distance to the Lock.
Our partners with the Lock were newbies on their newly
bought Nb and were intent on using ropes to keep them safe in the rising Lock.
I empathised with them, remembering our early days on AM, when I was concerned
she would get into trouble if we didn’t use the centre rope in the Lock. I said
that 2 boats in the Lock will keep the boat stable but he wasn’t having any of
that. By the time we got to the 5th Lock he had stopped using the
rope! Cptn had reassured him that all would be good. With experience, on the
Canals, the boat engine is the controller. Keep the Stern close to the back
gates when going up a Lock. Keep the Bow close to the front gates when going
down a Lock, this avoids getting the Stern caught on the Cill. You never want
to get caught on the Cill, your boat could drown!
We found a mooring at the top of the 5 Bath locks and I took
Della for a short walk before doggy-dinner. I noticed, then, that she had blood
in her wee. Alarm bells rang and I asked a passerby, walking a cute Mini
Schnauzer, if she was a local, “Yes” was her reply and I got the name of her
Vet! I was straight on the phone, in the morning, and Della accompanied with a
fresh pee sample had her first consultation. The vet was fantastic, ‘Ashman
Jones Vets’, and within 2 days Della had been x-rayed, confirmed diagnosis of 2
bladderstones and booked in for an op.
As we were going to need to stay in Bath for more than the 48hr
signposted Visitor Mooring gave us, I
phoned the K&A Enforcement Officer to request permission to overstay our
mooring time. The Officer was very
understanding and could see by our cruising pattern that we were not in the
habit of overstaying as we moved around the Canals and Rivers network. I have
kept in touch with her and fingers crossed little Della-dog will be fit for
travel on August 16. She is making a speedy recovery, following the rules, and
should be back to chasing rabbits and squirrels soon.
We have enjoyed being moored in Bath and have caught up with
Nb Jonesfield who we met a couple of years ago when we shared the Thames Lock
at Limehouse and pretended we were in a Nb flotilla doing the bridges of
London. We met, again, last year at the Hatton Locks and now near their home
mooring in Bath. The small world of England’s waterways.
Bath is a friendly and pretty city where we have been warmly
welcomed. Our life is destined to keep
on the move but I expect to return some sunny day!
R. Avon not accessible for the likes of us |
Downriver from the weir. We are foot traffic at this level! |
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