Boating in the morning mist

14th & 15th September

After I’d posted the previous entry, we settled down for the evening, but had it disturbed by some kids riding minibikes along the towpath. That’s one thing I have no doubts about – it’s a seriously bad idea, quite apart from being illegal, but there’s a limit to what you can do about it as a boater tied to the towpath. Phoning the police is unlikely to produce any kind of rapid response, so logging it and notifying BW with one of their report forms is about as far as you can go.

Yesterday we made a short trip down the cut to the All Oaks Wood mooring, from where you can walk to Brinklow village if you are so minded. Brinklow has a seriously impressive motte and bailey type mound with three concentric ditches around it. This time, we were content to stop on a surprisingly empty mooring, which then filled up as the day went on, until by the end of the day it was very full. Throughout the day there was a steady stream of traffic – it’s clear that the recent spell of decent weather has brought a lot of private boats out, and the hire yards round here are doing good business.

Having said that, the weather was in fact quite cool, and actually produced some rain at one stage. We lit the Squirrel stove to cheer the boat up, and were glad of it as soon as we’d done so. It’s one of those odd things, like putting a warmer jumper on as the evening cools down. At first you wrestle with indolence until the discomfort is just too great, then having made the effort you’re immediately glad you did so.

This time, one consequence was that we both dozed off for a bit, but it was still worth while. (Note we have a carbon monoxide alarm, so the doziness was down to warmth after getting a bit cool, not anything more sinister!)

Today we made one of our ‘crack of dawn’ starts. Sheila got up at seven, at the same time as I went to make the tea, threw some clothes on and set off boating while I got washed and dressed and had breakfast. Then I took over steering while she fed herself. In this way we get at least an extra hour’s boating without waking up any earlier than usual.

It was a glorious autumn morning, with a bright sun but mist lying on the water and curling round the bow as Sanity slipped along the cut. After two hours of this we arrived at Hawkesbury Junction. Velocity Owl was managing to occupy all the double mooring for the water points on the Oxford Canal side of the stop lock, so we went through onto the Coventry Canal, waited briefly for a Canaltime to finish using one of the water points there and then filled up.

Pleasingly, the rubbish point at Sutton’s now has recycling bins, so we were able to offload our accumulated cans, plastic, glass and paper as well. On we went then through the wilds of Nuneaton, lunching on the move and arriving at Hartshill at 1.15, having boated for just under six hours, plus the time taken to fill the water tank.

From Hartshill, you can walk down a rather busy road to Dobbies Garden Centre. We explored this emporium for possible Christmas presents, having been very successful there last year, but didn’t do so well this time. I did, however, find that the Julian Greaves dried foods concession was having a half price sale, so restocked on dried fruit for making breakfasts.

After getting back to the boat and collapsing with a cup of tea, some boat washing was done – we’ve got the starboard side to the bank here, so Sanity is really beginning to look quite respectable again.

Finally, a comment about mooring technique. Andrew Denny in his Granny Buttons blog today comments on the desirability of using a spring, that is, a rope going back from the bow mooring, or forward from the stern mooring, thus forming a triangle between the boat and the bank. In busy situations like this we always do, from the stern rather than the bow as he shows it. It makes a huge difference to the extent to which the boat moves as another one passes by, and greatly reduces the tendency to rush out shouting at boats which may or may not have slowed down in passing.