Back on the Cut again

It’s been a good day, from our point of view at least. We woke early and were soon getting ready to go after quick breakfast. Shoreline disconnected and coiled up, last of the recycling dumped, coal box moved back into the well deck from where it had been lurking on the stern.

At almost exactly half seven we backed off from the pontoon, turned and headed for the exit. For once I managed a decent job of reversing onto the service wharf where we pumped out; there’s still over 170 litres of diesel in the tank, so there was no need to wait for the office to open at half nine.

All went so smoothly we were out on the mainline by eight. My exit from the marina wasn’t so good; we got jammed across the cut again with the bow on the towpath and the stern against the splay around the marina entrance. No matter, it was just a case of shafting from the back and heaving on the bowline to get us round.

Sheila took over steering for the run into Burton. The weather, which had been quite cool, gradually warmed up. I hopped off at Horninglow and walked to Dallow Lane, finding the lock with us, so nothing to do but open the gates and give Sheila a call on the radio to let her know.

We stopped briefly at Shobnall to take some used oil to the tip, then set off for Branston. There was actually a mini queue at Branston Lock, but only a short delay. The moorings were quite busy by half eleven, but we’ve tucked in on the end on the Burton side of the bridge.

After lunch, we turned to and sorted the bow locker to such good effect that we’ve got both the coal box and the Tippy ashcan in there, making lots of sitting out room in the well deck.

Sheila’s got washing out on the whirligig and my Guernsey drying on the rack in a wide bit of the towpath.The sun’s stayed out for most of the time so the folding chairs have been put to good use in the well deck.

Tomorrow we go on to Alrewas for a couple of days; Elanor’s booked us to help in her garden on Thursday. It’s rather in need of a good clear out, she says.