It's September and it's Autumn

When I was a gardener, I used to work to a simple division of the year into four three month seasons:

Spring: March, April, May
Summer: June, July, August
Autumn: September, October, November
Winter: December, January, February

Of course, it’s all a bit more variable than that, but it does as a rule of thumb. Today is the first of September, and sure enough autumn has arrived. It was sufficiently cool overnight to make snuggling right under the duvet necessary for the first time in months and today we both needed to wear fleeces whilst working the boat.

I even got my fleece beanie out again.

We had a slightly later start than planned, but were still ready to go at twenty past seven. The first ten minutes were occupied with reversing out of the lower basin and winding, so it was just on half seven that we set off to return to Marple.

I steered for a little whilst Sheila set up a washload, then she took over just in nice time to manage the turn at the junction. After pottering about below for a bit, making coffee and tidying up, I hopped off the boat at the bridge at the start of the Furness Vale moorings. Pausing only to say hi to boat painter and sign writer extraordinaire Andy Russell, I walked the length of the marina and swung the bridge at the other end.

Back on the boat, I got the washing machine started, there being enough hot water for the job by now, and did look out through New Mills and on to Disley. Hopping off the boat at Bridge 26, I walked on to swing 25.

It’s not worth getting back on for a bit after that, as 23 and 22 are lift bridges that need winding up with a windlass.

Well exercised and back on the boat, I stayed at the back end chatting to Sheila, mainly about the shallow state of this canal this year. Soon Marple appeared on the horizon and I went forward again to look out at the junction.

As we approached, a boat appeared in the bridge hole. I radioed Sheila to this effect, but she kept on coming. I kept sending “hold back, hold back” until I thought to look round to see her gesticulating at me. Her radio had decided to turn itself off at the critical moment.

However, she’d got the message by now as she could see the bow of the other boat for herself. A burst of hard astern averted a collision, and the two boats waltzed around each other without contact.

We’d been thinking of watering at this point but a) there was another boat already doing so and b) there was a space just about 70 foot long on the visitor moorings opposite. I say 70, but in fact it was more like 69’ 6”. Fortunately, the boat in front, Brimble, was occupied by a very nice guy who quite cheerfully eased a foot forward on his lines to let us moor neatly.

Brimble left after lunch, so we were able to pull forward just a bit to have a more comfortable mooring. A couple of very short boats have since moved into the rest of the space.

It was cool enough to have a cup of soup apiece with lunch. Sitting around afterwards it still felt chilly, so there was nothing for it but to dig the stove chimney out and light up.

As I say, autumn has arrived bang on time.