Monday 16 July 2018

Exciting times at Tamworth

We've had a steady morning's boating to Sutton Road Bridge, just under three hours of very pleasant cruising along the Coventry. The stretch just after Whittington is greatly in need of dredging – Sheila happened to be steering whilst I made some coffee and had an African Queen experience with a bare boats width between the reed beds.

Elanor took over for the run through Hopwas Woods and on through the village nearly to Tamworth. Her steering skills have not deserted her and she coped well with an encounter at Hopwas School Bridge made more tricky than necessary by a GRP cruiser tied, in breach of the no mooring signs, far too close to the bridge.

I took the boat back for the final bit to a deserted mooring at Sutton Road Bridge. Sheila and I did some food shopping before lunch, then Elanor and Sheila went off in search of tops afterwards. Not long after they'd gone, a combine harvester showed up in the field opposite, as a result of which the boat has been well dusted over with minute bits of chaff.

After a while, billows of smoke started pouring up from the corner of the field nearest the boat. I was just pondering whether I could move the boat only assisted by Sally when the shopping party returned, alarmed at the sight of smoke right where the boat was tied.

Whilst we were bow hauling her out of the way, blues and twos could be heard and seen and a fire appliance parked just by the bridge. They didn't in fact need to pump water out of the cut, the use of a spray from the on board tank was enough to deal with the blaze.

Combining is once more occurring as I type this. We've been joined by at least one more boat now. Tomorrow, on to Kingsbury Water Park.



1 comment:

Martin Williams said...

Hi Bruce
That GRP cruiser was moored in the same spot when we came through the Sunday before last, surprised it’s still in one piece!
Some people either can’t or won’t read.
Have a good trip
Martin