As planned, we made an early-ish get away, Sheila setting off at seven whilst I made a more leisurely beginning to the day. It was actually my turn to steer, but I don't begrudge her that first hour on the tiller whilst I wash, dress, breakfast, drink a mug of tea...
Once I'd taken over on the back, Sheila put in a serious morning's work below, running a wash load, tidying the well deck and doing the breakfast washing up. We had a solid boating session, arriving at Hawkesbury just on eleven. On the way we passed Banque a Barque, Braidbar 125, who have subsequently passed us again. Leap frogging Braidbars, now.
We stopped on the water point on the Oxford canal as the tank was now less than a quarter full. Unlike the last time we watered here, the tap was running quite slowly, so we settled for three quarters full; there's another water point on the Ashby by where we plan to stop tomorrow and we can top up there, hopefully. I managed the 180 degree turn through the junction in one move, helped by the wind blowing the bow round.
After lunch we took some recycling to the skip and carried on for a stroll along the Coventry towards the city, going as far as the old junction at Longford. The two canals used to run side by side for a mile as a result of a disagreement about tolls.
On our return, the sun was shining and the Greyhound looked attractive, so we had a beer each sitting outside on a bench overlooking the junction. It's the first time we've had a chance to do that this year, I think.
Back on the boat we've done some constructive loafing on the bow before Sheila went for a shower and I settled down to do this blog. No sooner had we done so than a share boat gave us a right clouting trying to get into the tight space between us and the boat behind. OK, so it's windy, but they'd passed a perfectly good longer space just a couple of boat lengths before.
Give me a novice hirer any day!
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