GREETINGS

Heard on a Radio interview.

Interviewer gushing, “I'm thrilled to be able to meet you.”

Interviewee replies “It’s almost as good meeting you.”

I think ‘Who do you think you are? And why did I get sucked in to listening to this!’

I tried out the Interviewee response on an unsuspecting boater who replied “Madam I am but a humble oaf in the beauty of your radiance.” Now that is class to warm your heart.

Back to boating in Leicestershire. Having floated this water trail, last year, there is a knowing about it. Cruising familiar waters and passing by beautiful flowering fields of buttercups and the rise of the wheat crop past 'knee high to a grasshopper'. An overnight stop close to Newton Harcourt was a must. We found our mooring spot from last year and happily tied up DB overlooking the yellow medieval fields across the Canal.

Della and I walked across the fields to the Wistow Rural Centre. Signs on the fields clearly indicated there was no dog poo fairy and pick up after your dog. It was OK for sheep, of course. I picked up after Della and Della tried to pick up after the sheep. I growled at Della to drop the contents of her mouth. I informed her she would never be a sheep and ‘Hay’ she would never find a sheep’s diet would satisfy her. We walked on to the Rural Centre thinking there would be a ‘Doogy-doo’ Bin. Well there was no bin at the Inn and the cafe staff reluctantly agreed to let me put my doggy bag in the big bin. They voiced their annoyance that there is no Dog Litter Bin on or around the Rural Centre. 

I wrote to the ‘Wistow Centre’ and received a message back to say the Farmer and the local Council would not put in dog litter bins and we were lucky we could walk our dog over the medieval fields. A ‘Local’, I met on my walk, said she now understood why dog litterbags were attached to the fence near the rural centre.

Next day was a beautiful day for cruising DB and we passed lots of suitable moorings to remember for our next cruise in this area. We passed the first BBQ of the season and the smell of grilling sausages followed us.  

We saw Nb Matilda last year at Calcutt Locks

Close to the Foxton Locks is Debdale Wharf, a Marina that has ‘Dry Standing’, and we are planning to have DB out of water for the 5 month long winter season in England while we repeat the ‘winter sun’ in Spain. Makes sense to leave DB on dry land and in a secure location. At this stage Debdale Wharf could be the answer.

 

Sun setting near Debdale Wharf

CRUISING LEICESTER (part 2)

Swan-Fest

Winds calmer and skies bluer, cruising through downtown Leicester is a ‘Do-er’ in a day. Canopies down we headed into Birstall Lock where a cyclist stopped and offered to close the Lock Gate after we had gone through. That is thoughtful.

At the next Lock, Belgrave Lock, I was about to close the Lock gate when I saw another boat appear, in our direction, so I kept the gate open for them and we teamed up to share that and the following 2 Locks. 3 extra pairs of hands make for light work in a Lock. In my brief risk assessment of the Lock, I had noted that there was a transparent floating obstruction blocking one of our exit gates at the Lock. No big deal but inappropriate that a bobbing armchair should be floating in a river. We can exit through one gate but 2 gates are easier when there are 2 boats using the Lock. Being on the side of, sometimes misunderstood, good manners I warned an approaching Narrowboat there was an obstruction. Michelin Man gave a huff and puff giving me the impression he would be removing it.  Yeah right  how important is your back, I thought? ‘Elf and Safety would be best put into effect in this instance. I phoned C&RT to report the 'floater'. The operator put my call through to the 'no answer' telephone and, in what felt like a minute, my call was returned to the operator who told me my phone line was noisy and it was difficult to hear me. I told her I was on a boat, engines are noisy and she better get used to it in her line of work. Blah blah. I never did get a call back about the obstruction.

Close to Limekiln Lock we scraped over something crunchy and lost power in the Bow thruster and the other boat just lost steerage but managed to get into the Lock. They limped out of the Lock and moored up for further investigation. We moved on as the Bow thruster was not essential and, later, when we stopped for lunch Chris found a holey blue plastic bag where no plastic bag should be. At the last Lock near Frog Island, I was bordering on closing the gates when Chris saw our ‘partner’ boat appearing from behind. We waited for them. The source of their steerage problem was an abandoned soggy jumper wrapped around the ‘prop’.

Rasp/Straw berry jam in a 20 minute Lock Free moment

The day was not yet over but we said farewell to our Lock partners and stopped, briefly, at Castle Gardens so Della could have a walk before we cruised along the ‘Mile Straight’ followed by 12 Locks before we called it a day! The feel became rural and it is easy to question if we were on the River Soar or the Grand Union Canal. At Kings Lock the paddles need a BW key to be able to release a ‘locking’ mechanism to wind up the paddles. Some of the Locks were missing gate / ground paddles. Luckily a Lock can still fill on one open sluice. We witnessed no challenging behaviour, canal / river side in Leicester and have no fear about cruising through again.

This day’s cruise must have taken us at least 10 hours. Sensibly Chris spotted out a good mooring site near Double Rail Lock. A beautiful countryside mooring with rural walks, and the neighbours, NB Dormouse, were a delight and give meaning to ‘Ships that pass in the night’.

NB Dormouse pushoff

Two days later we moved to Kilby Bridge. I had a struggle with the ground paddle at Double Rail Lock when my windlass was rejected under pressure by a ground paddle. I don’t know if it was under pressure but I couldn’t bleeding wind it and I fell, still clutching the windlass, landing flat on my tummy and knees. “Ouch!” I raised my arm thinking a thumb’s up would be seen on DB as surely my sudden disappearance would have been noticed! No I had not been missed! My jeans had a bloody rip at knee level but my moment was short lived and I got on with the job. Plaster not plastered came later.

Ribbon patch, from Ecuador, hides ripped jeans

Kilby Bridge is a stopover must. The Navigation Pub at Kilby Bridge is fantastic, the locals are friendly and the food looks excellent. Just like we thought last year, we shall return.

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THE GREEN BELT OF LEICESTER (1)

This month is quickly getting away from me. It is a way to remind me I have good fortune in that the days of my life have no sign of tedium or boredom and I can appreciate the beauty of the countryside and friendliness of the people in England. It’s not the distance that needs to be counted. I really enjoy my home on Nb DolcieBlue and our mobile life has the continuity of feeling always at home in our floating ‘4 walls’.

The cruise through the green belt of Leicester City was as enjoyable as doing it last year. The weather, yes the weather forecast, was on yellow alert for gale force winds.

There was a damp feel in the air and it was almost not raining when we moored up outside the pub at Anchor Bridge. How convenient to get the mooring so I could take my half together (slightly broken) dodgy shopping trolley and get filled up with provisions at Aldi, a nearby supermarket a good mile walk away. I thought I would try to sniff out a shortcut.

I remember, some years ago in London, I overheard a couple of schoolboys on their way home saying

“That way is a shortcut but this way is quicker....”

So back to the here and now, I saw a way into an urbanisation and thought where there is a way in there must be a way out on the other side. I approached a Postman for direction confirmation.

“Ah.....Hmm...” he uttered as he processed the direction possibility “Oh yes, go along there, turn Right, down there to the end of there, and turn Left...”

“Thanks. Have a good day.” I said, and walked along ‘there’ and turned Right thinking I could always ask someone else. Well I needed to ask someone else, not long after, but there was no one else to ask as I walked along. There is not much foot traffic these days.

Me and my trolley moved on until I was a few yards further along the road I had turned off in the hope of a shortcut. Der......

 I did find Aldi, eventually, and filled my trolley and trundled back to DB following the reverse of the route I should have taken initially.

Groceries onboard, we moved DB to moorings the other side of Anchor Bridge where we had good paved towpath moorings with mooring rings beside the outskirts of the extensive Watermead Country Park. Chris wanted to do some carpentry work to frame the bathroom door, and install a folding ‘plank’ seat to sit on for those long occasions at the wheel. This environment was ideal for him to get his band saw out onto level ground and put in use.

This plank is not for walking

I was motivated or stupid to sweep the towpath clear of leaf & twig debris directly beside DB. Looks of disbelief that a broom could actually have a purpose resulted in the usual comments coming my way.

“When you’ve finished will you come and sweep my yard?”

It was a short lived feeling of satisfaction as the following day I woke to the sound of the strong wind shaking the branches with dead wood, twigs and leaves littering DB and the towpath. The bird life had attempted to make their presence known with ‘gifts’ dropped from above but the wind must have worked in our favour as minimal poop that hit the boat landed on the solar panel and gunwhale.

As the day progressed the wind appeared to be blowing itself out and the clouds were parting to reveal patches of blue sky. I walked Della to Thurmaston Lock checking out the height of bridges, as one does when the stern canopy and wheel house canopy are in situ with the hope they could remain in place if we moved DB up river. I got talking with a woman walking her lovely rescue dog on my way back to DB. In conversation she told me that Birstall Lock (the Lock after Thurmaston) had good moorings and a pub that is dog friendly.

Birstall Mooring

Chris agreed to move up river / canal to Birstall Lock. We left the canopies up, untied the ropes and motored off. Soon the darned wind got blowing again and was a right pain when Chris took DB out of Thurmaston Lock. DB got blown to the far bank of the river and Chris made a long winded attempt to get DB back to me waiting on the towpath near the Lock. DB was close but not close enough for me to step on to the stern. I yelled out to him to motor on and I would walk on to a calmer place, if it existed! He was not best pleased as he had almost got DB within reach of me but I did not feel safe stepping out to DB in the gusty wind conditions.

I clutched my windlass, mouthed expletives and paced my way along more beautiful walking tracks in Watermead Country Park. The river became hidden and the towpath was non-existent, for a while.  I could see DB through the trees and all I could do was continue walking until I came back to the riverbank and the fine moorings at Birstall.  DB arrived and all eventually returned to calm in our world.

The day ended at a 'dog haven' Pub. The non alcoholic beer for dogs was sold out!

And so ended another day.

 

Does my boat look big wearing its canopy?

.

HELP ETIQUETTE

Slowly and certainly we are Market Harborough bound. The weather still rules and I won’t go on about it. Suffice to say it has watered our roof garden more often than I have. A few days ago we left the ‘fright path’ with canopies down and ticked up to Zouch (without an ‘e’) and I wonder if it is pronouced ‘ouch’ with a z? I forgot to ask. A good circular walk for Della and the last work out for a few days for her. She was not well with the D & V’s (as it is known in Hospital talk) and we hoped the gremlins would work their way out of her system pronto. Della is a thoughtful dog and she was able to wake us through the night when nature called. We moved on to Barrow-upon-Soar and her condition needed medical attention. Chris did the Bus Pass slog back to Willington to collect the car. A four hour trip, and I sourced a Vet to see Della later in the day.

I couldn’t leave Della alone to get a word of mouth recommendation for a Vet so I googled some local Vetinary Clinics and made a decision through their feedback. Appointment made for mid afternoon when I was sure that Chris would be back with our car. To cut a long story shorter, Della was given the 3 anti ‘mix’ jab to dry her up, stop the ‘chucking’ and kill the gremlin. Miraculously the next day she was better but had a repeat jab and a short course of antibiotics. Fingers crossed and touch wood she is over it and I am in no rush to be proactive with her teeth again.

To put a bit of brightness in our day, Hawaii Tony popped in for a 24 hour visit. He is a regular once a year visitor who has experienced our life on Avalon Mist and DolcieBlue. Tony was instructive in my Lock operation Badge back in 2011 when I had my first introduction to Canal life on the heap of steel fondly known as Nb Avalon Mist. He was the third party in our crew including the Captain on the day we left Devises and went down 22 Locks which included the 16 Caen Hill Lock Flight. I remember being anxious about the Lock chambers,

I was sure that I’d not be able to remember the Lock operation and it would be easy to lose footing and fall in. As to the descriptive words like windlass, paddles, gates, lock set blah blah I was learning a new language. I could hold the rope and be helpful with that. Anyway that day has long gone and I am a natural with Locks now.

Or so I believed that I would not be overcome with a quirky Lock, I may not look like I have a 6 pack toned abdomen, beefy biceps, and maintain the looks of a spring chicken but I’m not dressed as mutton. We moved on from Barrow and enjoyed the slow pace of cruising the river and the pretty rural scenery. Day trippers shared some locks with us and we decided to moor up DB with a view to spending a few days in the Leicestershire countryside before we cruise through Leicester City. The towpath was grassy and I walked some metres beyond the Lock, ahead, to check out if there were better mooring spots. I found the towpath was paved. Hard standing! Yes as long as our internet signal remained good then a clean mooring had an appeal with the forecast for rainy weather.

We agreed to move on a few metres. The Lock was in our favour so I opened the gates and DB entered. All good and gates closed I wound up one of the ground paddles and walked over the gates to open the other ground paddle. I noticed the Lock was a leaky lock as water was exiting the back gates as quickly as it was flowing in. I couldn’t get the 2^nd ground paddle to wind up, without busting a gut, so I carefully wound the gate paddle taking care opening it.  I noticed Mr Helpful, on foot, carrying a Windlass and almost running across the Gates. He didn’t say anything to me and just wound up the ground paddle with macho gusto. I said “Thank you” and walked the gates to the other side with him following close behind. He was hovering and watching as I got my windlass in position to wind up the paddle. I really disliked having his beady eyes taking over my territory and I told him I was well experienced with Locks. It was an unhappy ending.

When I reflect on this event, I have learnt that being helpful should not involve taking over an activity. It could look like an extra pair of hands would be useful but talk to the Lock ‘operator’ first.  

To assume makes an ass out of u and me. This was not an emergency.

ROUND THE BEND

Dentist done and dusted, we thought, now it’s onwards and upwards so to speak. It was 12 miles up the Trent & Mersey Canal to get to the River Soar. A repeat of last year’s intrepid journey, maybe. We have to be at Market Harborough mid June and then who knows. It felt comfortable almost exciting to be cruising the quiet Trent & Mersey from Stenson. Volunteers, familiar Mercia Marina faces, were keen to work Stenson Lock and told me to get back on board thank you very much. Bye and we were chugging along voluntarily paired with another Narrowboat. They were in no rush and we shared the Locks until Shardlow.

At Swarkestone Lock (10’11”) I asked a fit gongoozler to help me close a gate as no amount of my strength could budge it. At Weston Lock (10’11”) I was helped by a young woman while her father was moored at the Water Point. They had just come through the Lock and she was keen to pass the time of day helping us. We had to wind the paddle, on one gate, with two pairs of hands on the windlass. I noticed her Dad waving out to get her attention indicating they were ready to move on.

“Do you want to go back to your boat? I appreciate your assistance with the Lock but you don’t need to stay.” I said.

“No, I’ll stay and help you open the Lock gates.” She said.

Her Dad waves his arms again.

“I don’t understand why he does that.” she sighs. “He always says how peaceful and slow the way of life is on the Canal. I don’t understand why he is always in a rush to move on.”

“He might want to see what is around the bend. Maybe he doesn’t realise it drives you around the bend!” I said.

With that, the gates open she walked purposefully back to her Dad and boat.

Aston Lock is an 8’1” deep lock before Shardlow and the Lock was in our favour. The man and boy waiting to come up the Lock on their boat offered to work the Lock for us so I got back on board, thanking them of course. DB and our ‘team’ boat went down as we should until both boats started listing in to each other as the Lock was almost empty. We should still be floating and not touched the bottom of the Lock. We were not caught on the ‘Sill’. It was spooky. We all yelled up to the guys at the Lock gates “Drop the Paddles!!! DROP THE PADDLES!!!” They had no idea what we were saying and began opening the gates. We sensed an urgency to get the boats floating level. Me and the chap from the other boat in the Lock clambered onto the roof and climbed the Lock Ladder. I raced to the opening Gates, telling the guys “Shut the Gates and drop the paddles!” I raced to the other gates and wound up the Ground Paddle and the Gate Paddle with care. Thankfully our boats, in the Lock returned to a level position. We have no idea what caused the problem. As chance would have it the Canals & Rivers Trust (C&RT) appeared on the scene as we were fixing our problem. Maybe they knew about it, maybe they didn’t but they surely did now!

This was definitely a learning experience for me and made me aware of the need of taking responsibility when the boat is in the Lock. All well and good letting others do the labouring but my heart doesn’t need a repeat of that stress. Serious Lady Lock-n-Lol.

One more Lock incident, that day, before I put this Blog to bed was the event of the holiday makers who had picked up their Canal Boat and had had no physical instruction on Lock operation. They had watched the video but reported in their excitement they hadn’t watched it. As the Lock was in their favour, I didn’t turn a blind eye as they appeared around the bend. To say there approach to the Lock wasn’t erratic would be far from the truth. Four people got off the boat, having a laugh, and no sign of any windlasses. They walked to the Lock.

“Have you got your Windlass?” I called out.

“Ha Ha Der Ha ha.” Greeted me.

"Wait until your boat gets into the Lock. Have youse worked a Lock before?” I said.

“Ha Ha Nah Ha ha.”

“OK I’ll give you some instruction. We Boat people are nice people but look and learn. You need to take the Lock operation seriously.”

“Ha Ha Thanks.”

“Right the Bloke on the Tiller is The Captain and he is in command.”

“Ha Ha.”

“You, his partner, are the Admiral and you kids, well...”

“Ha Ha.”

They were willing to Lock and learn. A happy crew and their boat left the Lock.

Fox at Kegworth Deep Lock

We managed to get to our planned destination along the River Soar and moor up after Kegworth Deep Lock. A pretty spot we had found, last year. The air waves quickly reminded us that were on the flight path to nearby East Midlands Airport.

A MIXED BAG

Weather has a profound effect on our daily life. The weather forecast can decide whether or not we untie the ropes and ‘cruise’ on. DolcieBlue (DB) on the move is the way we choose to live. I’m not sure if it’s the trust in the nation’s meteorologists or the weather presenters ‘spin’ in creative presentation of the weather scenario. We live on an island affected by an oceanic climate which, in the big picture, needs to be translated to regional micro climates.  A double tap with the blunt end of an index finger on the barometer can be of more help. OK we are not in the South East, where the weather is likely brighter and warmer, we are in the East Midlands with changeable weather, but usually drier than the West Midlands and Wales. Today it was forecast over 56% possibility of rain. There were a couple of drops this morning but nothing to speak of.  

The step off DolcieBlue (DB) onto terra firma or terra ‘squirma’, depending on the ground moisture content, is mostly on to grassy towpaths where the nearby towpath track is dirt or patchy gravel unless its seal has been upgraded. The Canal & River Trust have responsibility for the towpath and I am guessing they work with local councils in some regions where the towpath is accessed by ‘others’ on the ‘green corridor’, as it is known, as well as boat traffic. ‘Others’ refer to cyclists, anglers and gongoozlers to name a few. Oh yes the diversity of our world.

Kiwis aboard

Nearly 2 weeks ago we left the Ashby Canal to cruise along the Coventry Canal before it morphed into the Birmingham & Fazely Canal which will take us to Fradley Junction. Along the way we had loosely arranged to meet up for five minutes with Kiwi friends who drove to our mobile meeting point. Mobile in that we were on the move and it was through technology of a mobile phone and social media that we could keep in contact. While they travelled by car from Bakewell in the Peak District we were on the move for 10 miles to hopefully meet at our last suggested meeting point at Hartshill Yard near Atherstone. They arrived a few minutes before we did and when I phoned them to confirm we were close they were in the distance walking in our direction along the gravelly towpath. The smiles didn’t leave our faces. Where there’s a will there’s a way!

Catch up done, we cruised a couple of miles to the Atherstone Locks and did 9 out of the 11 locks including a pantry fill up at a nearby Aldi. I found a patch of hardstanding or aka concrete on the grassy towpath between Locks 9 and 10 and we moored up in what felt like the middle of nowhere. This is what is so nice about being Water Gypsies, there is a feeling of space and freedom in this crowded country.

The following day was calm and bright and sunny as was our disposition and we cruised a few miles to Hopwas. I got behind the wheel and could finally understand that no wind gives 120% confidence in steering. DB can keep a straight line with the handles on the ship’s wheel being fed hand to hand. I enjoyed it. It could almost be called relaxing. Oncoming traffic and moored boats were no stress, and a wave or a hello was possible.

We decided to moor for a couple of nights due to the weather forecast indicating 70% chance of showers the following day. I jumped off DB under the arched bridge at Hopwas and the spring in my jump meant my head thwacked the ceiling of the bridge. No damage done to me or the bridge just a quiet “ouch” left my mouth. Recently mown grassy moorings were our chosen spot and we tied up using our mooring rings. I relocated some of the grass clippings so they wouldn’t be walked on or blown on to DB. Once upon a time when we had lawn we used to compost lawn clippings. Good food for our veggie garden. None of this activity for us now. There were a few boats moored nearby and the warm day meant ‘land’ people were walking on the towpath. Della and I went to check out what the attraction was. It must be the Hopwas Hayes Wood and safe to walk through as there were no red flags flying which would indicate the Army were using the Whittington Firing range. The perfume of nature was potent with a spicy floral scent that stimulated my olfactory centre. I didn’t think it was the scent of Bluebells but it might have been. I know blooming Bluebells give beautiful ground cover. The next day under moist grey conditions the ‘heady’ perfume was barely noticeable.

Back to the weather forecast. Fine weather was forecast for the weekend after a day of rain in Hopwas. So canopies down and we headed to Fradley Junction to join the Trent and Mersey Canal and spend the weekend in Alrewas. We know it well, it felt like being back in ‘home’ territory. We thought we’d stay a few days, that is more than 48 hrs so mooring time limit is well marked and we had to reverse back to available moorings.

Some Captain Clever Clogs, in his boat, called out to me “What is that terrible sound coming out of your Bow?” I knew exactly what he was going to say but I looked at him in a puzzled way and hopefully gave him a Manuel from Fawlty Towers “Que”? Irritating Clever Clogs replied “Bow Thruster, terrible Bow thruster.” He left me no choice in my response “Where’s your horse?”

As with all the best planning we became aware the weather forecast had changed and a couple of days later we moved to Willington and moored up at a favourite spot, of ours, an open space towpath side near Mercia Marina. 

Mercia Marina

We had D Day deadline to meet. D Day, loosely speaking, was marked as a family day booked for us some months ago. We all had our Dental treatments. Of course Della was booked in to her Vet’s for a tooth clean.  I hear too often of dogs having their teeth pulled as they get older and think that we can be proactive for Della. Della is not her normal happy self after this palaver, the general anaesthetic has upset her routine. But........

We are on the move again under the mixed bag called the Weather. Will summer be here next week?

TO STEER OR NOT TO STEER?

I am not planning to talk Bull-Ox about this question. There are definite advantages to Me, the Admiral, steering DolcieBlue (DB). I like to believe I am gaining confidence behind her wheel. That I can legally drive a car 130kmph is no comparison to being in charge of 20 tonnes of floating steel moving at a mere 2 knots.

Tiller Queen 2013

I was slow in getting my NB Avalon Mist ‘Tiller Queen’ badge which I, albeit briefly, wore proudly and I envisaged to achieve steering prowess and get my  ‘Wheel’ Badge was a fathom too deep for me (Imagine outstretched arms to describe this feeling)!

We are on the 22mile lock free Ashby de la Zouche Canal, known as the Ashby Canal which is entered from the Coventry Canal. The weather was unsettled and we moored up after Bridge 2 for the better part of a week. I captured some lovely rainbows on my camera.

When the wind briefly settled and the weather reports indicated sunny weather, we moved to     sign posted 48hr mooring at Bridge 5. We could keep our canopies in situ until Bridge 15 (which fellow boaters told us was low) and so we did and all was calm. Our dental appointments are looming and we wanted to ‘do’ the length and back of the Ashby Canal before heading in the direction of Burton- upon - Trent so canopies were removed without argument and off we went.

We battled with gusty winds for this journey passing beautiful farmland with fields of flowering Rape plants and a few scattered villages. 

Historically we cruised near to the site of the Battle of Bosworth 1485 where Richard 111 met his death, the last English monarch to die in battle. A few hours later I decided it was now or never to take my turn at the wheel (no pressure from the Captain), and Chris readily agreed. It is tiring standing to steer as I was about to find out. The wily wind does interrupt the smooth passage of a flat bottomed floating steel boat and it takes manually controlled rapid wheel movement to keep DB in line. Not to mention the ‘Ashby’ is shallow and reduces rudder efficacy. It has nothing to do with the hands on the wheel handles. 

And there are 61 Bridges of which many are arched and positioned on an angle. Reverse throttle is essential and the bow thrusters are useful. My biggest gripe, that day, was the unattended boat moored on a bend just before a bridge. I needed Chris to fend off the boat with hand power. It played contact sport, on the following day’s foray when Chris was at the helm. No more said. We spent the night, after 12 ½ mile cruise, moored near the friendly village of Shackerstone. The village is near to the site of Gopsall Hall where Handel is reputed to have composed ‘The Messiah’ in 1741 at the Temple in its grounds. 

The Shackerstone Railway Station has been retained by enthusiasts and a Steam Train operates historical journeys in the weekends and Bank Holidays.  

Up bright and early and expecting a fine day for cruising we found the skies were overcast and the wind was blowing a gale. We kept to the original plan and braved the pesky wind to get to the Ashby Canal terminus. More bridges, a 250yd crooked tunnel and a couple more bridges and we were there. ‘Winding’ in the wind involved a several point turn and then the sun came out. After breakfast I offered to steer DB back to Shackerstone. 

This was the first tunnel I have ever steered through. There was no wind in the tunnel, of course, but its crooked and narrow width guided by our headlamp was a challenge. I did it although I cannot report DB was untouched by my novice steering ability. The Tunnel had short Stalactites hanging from the ceiling and large spiders hanging about on stumpy webs. (Spiders don’t freak me out, maybe if I was in Australia I would be apprehensive.) I know what the tunnel ceiling looks like because I was ‘Lady holding the Lamp’ when we first passed through.

Tunnel completed, I felt competent to continue steering. I passed a canoeist or was he a kayaker rowing in the opposite direction and managed to yell out ‘Hello, you are smaller than me.” DB’s engine drowns any distance conversation. He was lucky as the wind was giving me grief. I approached a bridge and I was being edged closer to Port and the angle of the bridge and a craft moored near the exit of the bridge gave me no room to manoeuver. Do I need to say any more? The result was a spontaneous etch on the arch of the bridge as the side of the wheel house was being ripped off and the bow was stuck in the hedge growth. “Help ME!!”

All’s well that ends well. Captain got her sorted and I continued behind the wheel a while longer. I learnt that when in doubt throttle back and move slowly. Don’t panic. Keep a handle ahead of the wheel!

The following day I took to the helm again. The wind was still gusty but I kept calm and concentrated. I have had a further long stint behind the wheel after the Atherstone Locks. What a difference no wind makes! It makes me think that all my excuses about high wind and shallow canals were not a figment of my imagination. I could actually steer without needing to over correct and face oncoming traffic and bridges without going around the bend!