Thunder, a change of plan and a surprising chair

15th & 16th June

One thing I forgot to mention last time – we saw a Little Owl on our way down river, just below Bardney Lock, or just above Bardney Bridge, whichever you prefer. It was there again today as we came up. Little Owls fly during the day, but this is the first time we've managed to spot one.

On a bright morning yesterday, after a night so hot we kept the Houdini open all through, we walked into Bardney and got some supplies from the Co-op and the butcher, purveyor of prize winning pies.

In point of fact, we got a poacher's pie, which led to the following inevitable dialogue between Sheila and the butcher:

"What's in your poacher's pie?"

"Poachers, madam. Any poachers caught around here, into the pie they go."

As might be supposed, it's a game pie, containing usually venison and whatever other game has come to hand. Well, that's what he told us. In the event, it was delicious with salad that night.

Before setting off, Sheila did some phoning round to see what the best solution would be to our need to get a pump out before the end of the week, the Tankwatch gauge having turned amber. There are BW machines at Lincoln and Torksey, and a commercial pump out available at Burton Waters, back between Lincoln and Saxilby.

We don't have a BW pump out card on board at the moment (lack of forward planning there) so Sheila spoke to the lockie at Boston to see if he could sell us one, and if there was a machine at that end. The answer was no on both counts. The only place on the Fossdyke and Witham navigations you can buy a card is at Torksey. Probably.

After some A-level muttering, we decided to go on to Kirkstead Bridge for last night, then head back to Burton Waters to pump out on Friday. At least this has the consolation that last time we were in there, it was the most potent pump out machine we've ever come across.

You could hear the air whistling into the breather as it sucked the tank dry. Most impressive.

We had a good run down river, and I went below the bridge, winded Sanity with little trouble in mid stream, and then came back up to the pontoon, which we shared with an elderly looking boat with a young woman on board, and with Sailor Vee (ouch), out of Ripon Motor Boat Club.

Much of the rest of the day was spent in the cabin, as an almighty thunderstorm rolled and and exploded around us. I had to dash out to save the bay tree which blew over in the squalls, and my tee shirt was soaked 30 seconds.

I used a bit of the time to do another post on the Building Sanity Again blog, on various odds and sods we've decided we want to explore with Peter.

In the evening, it all calmed down, but then we had a strange incident indoors. I sat down in my chair after dinner to carry on reading Great Expectations on the Sony. I leant back as usual, and the chair began to recline, and carried on going until I was tilted right back in an ultimately reclining position.

It took some doing actually to get out of the thing. When I'd done so, it became clear that a weld had parted underneath, allowing the chair part to pivot back on the remaining weld attaching it to the swivel base.

When you pay £450 for a chair, it would be good if it lasted more than five years, I must say. I've emailed Wilson's of Kinver today; I'll let you know what transpires.

Despite all this, we both slept well, and woke early. A good walk into Woodhall Spa for some bits and pieces was a very pleasant start to the day, and then off we went again, back up river.

We've come back to the new Fiskerton Fen mooring, not far above Bardney Lock. It's really nice here, with easy access to the nature reserve that's been constructed in the pits left from extracting clay for bank protection work. We also heard a cuckoo calling, the second one this year.

Watching from the reserve's hide, we spotted a pair of Little Grebe as well as the usual suspects in the form of mute swans, coot, mallard and moorhen. The river is teeming with fish, and clear enough to see them, so all in all a nature lovers paradise.

The weather has continued extremely fine, though there's more rain forecast for tomorrow. If it holds off, we'll go on to Lincoln, with the plan to overnight there, before heading on to eat at the Pyewipe Inn on Thursday night.