Tixall for the weekend

First off, thanks to Martin on Ice Breaker for his suggestion about the ecohorn as an alternative to the ordinary gas horn. It sounds a good idea if I can track one down, as you don't have to buy gas cylinders to use it, it is pressurised with a bicycle pump.

We got going in good time again this morning and had a brilliant run past Taft Wharf and Wolverley Bridge to Colwich. Sheila managed to get another washload on before we got there, so that it was just nicely finished by the time we got to Tixall. The cut is generally very quiet this week, though I suspect it will get busier by the weekend with this scorching weather.

That'll be the sign for thunderstorms, then. Let's just hope this isn't the whole of the summer...

We found Riverside tied above Haywood Lock and had a brief exchange with Steve and Denise as we passed. They later walked past where we were tied on the Wide and we had a better discussion about the joys of owning a brand new boat. Just don't say the word "snagging".

Oops!

Further on, Sebeq was winding and reversing back from the junction, so we were able to say hi to Mike and Allyson as well.

We've been able to tie on our preferred spot just at the start of the Wide, where there's a gap in the trees to let the sun through onto the solar panel and the mobile signals are good. We're one of only four boats here at the moment – the soggy spring has clearly discouraged folk from getting going this year.

After lunch we turned to and washed the port side of the cabin. It was hard graft, though, the sun drying it off almost before I could get the synthetic chamois onto it, and I think it will need doing again before we can polish it, worse luck. We've managed to scrub the algae off the gunwale, but that too is still looking quite dirty.

Since then, we've been lurking inside, it being too hot to sit out comfortably. With any luck, it will be just right at six beer o'clock to have a drink in the well deck. I got some Gold Hobgoblin at Tesco yesterday and I've just popped a can of it in the fridge...

We'll sit tight here for the weekend, I think, then amble on to Deptmore on Monday.