Stolen Moments of Bliss

After returning from our sunday family cruise, better late than never, James suddenly arrived back home to stop-over and that evening at dinner, we were a family again for the first time in several years... magic.

He had the Monday free, so I was deteremined to get him out on the boat for his first cruise.

On the basis that you only live once, come 3.30 I shut the shop, stuck my "gone fishing " notice in the window and Liz, James and I shot over to Debdale and cast off for Foxton.

The low water level alerts seem to have emptied the canal of boats, so we had a wonderfully relaxed cruise down to the Inn, where we moored-up and had a drink ... sitting on the boat to avoid the wasps. After a short stop, we chugged round under Rainbow Bridge and moored on the 48 hour moorings.

Liz had brought a home-made chilli along, so James played my guitar (so much better than me !!) whilst we waited for the rice to cook, in windless evening sunshine. After a royal feast, we tried to feed the Ducks and Swans, but they had obviously had more than enough bread for the day, although a juvenile Moorhen was appreciative. What the birds left was quickly nibbled away by hundreds of tiny fish though ... wonderful to watch. 

Well fed and watered, we chugged slowly back to Debdale and on to our mooring.

It truly was a wonderful, stolen few hours .... first of many more I hope.

Too busy to Blog

The title says it all really., last friday Liz and I tidied the boat and chugged down to Foxton, turned and came back to Debdale ... just because we could.

Saturday afternoon, we went over to put the fridge on and  provision the boat, we then treated ourselves to a run up to Saddington tunnel and back. With the water shortages, it is much quieter now and even more relaxing.

Sunday went like a dream, everybody turned up by 10.30am as arranged (only sadness was that eldest son James couldn't make it) and off we slowly set to Saddington Tunnel winding hole. Timing was perfect, as we had a table booked at the Bell in Gumley for 1.00pm, and we arrived back at Debdale for 12.30pm. We moored-up outside the marina, because I indended to spend the afternoon cruising as well as the weather was perfect.

After an excellent lunch, I extended an offer of an afternoon cruise to everyone, and all eleven accepted without hesitation! 

Jody + Pigeon in-flight!

Sister taking a turn at the tiller

Bethany saying  "no publicity!"

Sunday lunch at Gumley ... yum yum!

Brother-in-law Geoff proving he's a natural Helmsman

Mac the Meercat

Moored for lunch

For the afternoon, we went south to Foxton chugging slowly through the swing-bridges and up to wind by the old  A6. On the way back, we were "mugged" by 5 boats (again!) that had been spending the afternoon on that stretch. No sooner had my crew opened the road swing-bridge than they all appeared one after the other, so we waved them all through. A little later on, one of them reciprocated on the footbridge at least.

Another first on the way, a moored narrowboat near the footbridge had come free at the front, and had swung out into our path, so with Geoff at the tiller, we just gently nudged it back in, and I hopped off and re-secured it's front pin ... all good fun.
By now we had raised a thirst, so we reversed onto the Inn's mooring, and Mac treated us all to a drinkie before we chugged slowly back to Debdale. All in all it was a tip top day, I just wish James & Jess could have been there as well.

Foxton Big Charity Busk Weekend.

Skipped off work at 4pm on Friday, and we shot straight over to Debdale, casting off for Foxton immediately. Our usual snails-pace chug took us slowly down to the Locks .... lovely, and we were lucky enough to get the last 48 hour visitors mooring between the water points just past Rainbow Bridge. Rounded off with a bite to eat at the Inn.

We wanted to be at Foxton to see / hear the Buskers on Saturday and Sunday, and were able to visit both days. Saturday was lunch at the Inn with eldest son James and his partner Jess, very nice, then a quick tour to hear the buskers.

Sunday, we met up with friends after lunch, and wandered up and down the locks, paying particular attention to a lady busker singing and playing guitar by a lock gate. We were all most impressed by her beautiful voice and stayed for four or five songs, some self-penned. We finished off with a beer back at Quo, and just chilled and watched the ducks.

After Paul and Karen left, Liz and I tried to find a 14 day mooring for Quo, but they were all taken, so there was nothing for it but to take her back to Debdale. This meant a solo cruise for me as the car was at the top of the locks.

Liz stayed aboard whilst I turned the boat at the foot of the locks, luckily as it happens, because once again, the wind caught her and simply blew us onto the Inn moorings. I managed to make it look as though I meant this to happen as we gently pulled in for a perfect parallel parking manoeuvre  :) After a short wait for a lull in the wind, Liz kicked out the bow and I powered her round to complete the turn ... phew.

Liz jumped-ship under Rainbow Bridge and set off to move the car to Debdale as I headed for the Marina, not the usual slomo though, after passing the moored boats on tick over, it was 2000 revs most of the way. I'm not happy doing this, as the boat becomes very noisy, but I didn't want to keep Liz waiting.

As it happens, we met up again just as I was approaching Debdale road bridge, so she just stepped back aboard in the bridge hole, and we chugged straight back into our mooring without any problems as the Marina is well shielded from the south west wind by trees.

Yet another fab narrowboat-based weekend, now looking forward to our big family cruise next weekend with Liz's big sister over from South Africa. Hopefully, the only problems will be fitting everyone on board, and staying awake after lunch :)

Ah.... that's better

Had the afternoon off today, so Liz and I took Quo to be relieved of a full toilet tank. Despite the wind (no pun intended) I was quietly pleased with my steering, getting Quo into Debdale's dock first time without drama. Carol then showed just what a simple procedure a pump-out is, and all for just a tenner. I was expecting gut-wrenching pongs etc. etc. but it was all very civilised and simple ... glad I got a boat with a tank now, rather than a cassette.
As if to show how relieved Quo is, she has now stopped listing to port, so to celebrate we took a really slow cruise up to the winding hole by Saddington tunnel, turned and chugged slowly back. My turn there was the best yet, and didn't involve the overhanging trees for a change :)

two rams alone in a field .. hmmmm

my little ray of sunshine :o)

my thumb!

The scenery along this stretch never fails to astound me, each time I cruise it, it is more beautiful, enhanced this time by 3 Buzzards circling and calling just overhead.
There and back, the cruise takes about 1 hour 45 mins, chugging along at 1200 revs, leaving virtually no bow wave or wake and the engine running quietly under your feet ... just perfect.
The wind made the 180 turn back into Debdale interesting, as soon as I was broadside across the entrance, the wind just pushed me onto the left-hand Armco by the dock, so I had to reverse back around it to complete the turn. Even though I was anticipating the wind, I just couldn't seem to do the right thing .... annoying that, but hey ... no bones broken.
Reversing into the mooring though was much better, as I used the wind to help get her straight, then just reversed in.
To top off the afternoon, I sorted the TV .... seems it was the transmitter at fault, not our aerial, I just retuned to Anglia and Bingo!
Liz gave the fridge and kitchen floors a good clean, so Quo is now ready for our next family outing with Liz's big sister Geraldine and hubby Mac later in the month ... can't wait!

Sprucing Up

Back in the Marina now, we got down to sprucing Quo up ready for another big family cruise later in the month, as Liz's sister Geraldine and brother-in-law Mac are over visiting from South Africa.
We hooked-up to the Marina electrics and vacuumed from stem to stern, including the engine room!

The decks got  a wash and a million spider's webs met their end. 

All very gratifying, followed by lunch aboard ... we would have gone for a cruise this afternoon, but I fear it was just too windy for Quo, so back home.

Unfortunately we couldn't get a TV signal when we were there, I suspect a cable fault ... something to look at on Tuesday, whilst I'm over getting the loo tank pumped-out (first time).

Rounding out July

As planned, we were able to cruise up and down between the winding hole above Foxton Locks, and that at Bridge 57, incorporating that lovely wooded bit around the Laughton Hills. We did this both alone, and then on Sat 23rd, with friends, ending up moored near bridge 60, but despite being next to Armco, the water was only about a foot deep, and we struggled to get Quo into the side.

On Sunday 24th, with Jody along for the ride, we "did" Foxton Locks ....

Waiting to go down the locks - we allowed another boat to breast-up, then go down in front of us, as all the other moorings were full of boats that didn't look like they were going anywhere soon.

This splendid little plant, growing in the side of one of the lock chambers hides a Wren's nest, which was visited a couple of times as I passed through ....truly wonderful!

 .... followed by a very pleasant cruise all the way up to the Union Wharf in Harborough.

Just ..... fantastic!

Between Bowden Hall and the A6 bridge

The footbridge near The Woodlands in Harborough

ditto

Liz at the tiller heading for Union Wharf.

The lovely open space in there led us to try something new, we turned without using the engine, by holding the bow against the wharf side and letting the wind take the boat round, an all together more sophisticated affair than my normal "revving and splashing :o)
The day ended with Quo securely chained to the Armco just outside the Wharf on the 48 hour visitors moorings.

Jody carrying a bucket and texting simultaneously, with Quo secured behind ... a very pleasant place to be.

 I was a bit concerned that we may not be able to move Quo within the 48 hour limit, so I phoned the Wharf Office on Monday, and a nice lady said we could probably sneak a couple of extra days if need-be.
I had no need to worry as it happened, because I was able to get Tuesday afternoon off (in lieu of working Saturday), and, using two cars, Liz and I had a very pleasant afternoon taking Quo back to Foxton, then moored-up on the 14 day visitors moorings beyond Rainbow Bridge.
Saturday 30th, Jody, Liz and I drove to Debdale Marina, then walked along the towpath to Foxton to fetch Quo. The weather was splendid, so we dallied there until the evening, "feasting" at Bridge 61 on dried-up baguettes and microwaved pies, it was like a flashback to 70's pub grub. But our displeasure was soon gone though, as we cast off and took Quo slowly back to Debdale Marina, reversing back onto our mooring without a hitch .... this narrowboating lark just gets better and better :o)

Cruising and July

You may have noticed that my Blog stopped abruptly on day 3 of our holiday cruise, this is because I was so chilled-out that I just couldn't be bothered :o)
Anyway .. Wednesday 29th June found us moored on the towpath south of bridge 37, and I awoke to see a mist hanging over the water ... magical. We took a really leisurely attitude to breakfast etc. and eventually cast off, intending to lunch at Yelvertoft pub.

"Up the Orinoco"

                                            This section of canal is beautiful, full of blind bends and reed beds, giving it a very river-like feel and we chugged as slow as the boat would go to take full advantage.
Finally we made it to Yelvertoft, and set off on foot into the village to check out the shop and pub. The shop was OK, but the pub had closed because of "hygiene" issues, so it was back to Quo for self-catering .... Ho Hum.

Socks?? Well the deck was RED HOT

 After lunch, we lazed, and lazed and lazed....., finally setting off late afternoon, but only down as far as Yelvertoft Marina, where we turned, and chugged slowly back past the village, finding a towpath mooring in the middle of nowhere for the night.

A "well-chilled" Liz

Moored out in the wilds ... lovely

On Thursday morning, after yet another good night aboard, we slowly cruised back through the "river-like" section, described by a passing boater as being "up the Orinoco", then on up the Welford arm to top up the water tank.

Lizzie entering Welford Lock

Welford Wharf

Amazingly, there was a free mooring right at the end of the arm, so we snuck in for the night.

Food for the evening was inspired, I had a Chinese meal delivered to the boat from The Elizabethan up the road, and it was superb, followed by a visit from the in-laws, Geoff, Liz, Sairs and her super dog Alfie. A lovely evening, followed by a good nights sleep :o)

Breasted-up & taking on fuel at North Kilworth
My extra tunnel light can be seen "at the ready"

Friday was a bit work-a-day, as we knew it was time to head back to Debdale.

After a leisurely chug back out of the Welford Arm,  we "breasted up" for the very first time at Kilworth to refill with Diesel ... Quo holds a bit more than my car, namely 140 litres !! But that is the first refill since we bought her in December.

An incident-free passage of Bosworth tunnel, and we were on the home stretch, still cruising as slow as Quo could go, back to bridge 60, just above Foxton Locks.

We had decided to leave her there, then we could spend a couple of weeks cruising up and down the top section with friends. Bravely (I thought) I volunteered to walk back to Debdale to get the car, which went well, with no complaints from my dodgy knee.

Final act was to secure Quo to the Armco and head for home ....Ahhh Well .... we'll soon be back.