What a journey! 16 miles travelled today at an average speed of 2.4mph! Nearly eight hours it took to reach bridge 3 on the Ashby. That section to Stoke Golding from Congerstone was like trying to cruise through thick soup! It was the silt that had to be ploughed through. And today we met every man and his dog especially at the bridge holes! So many times we ended up at a jaunty angle, going below the draw under the sofa was constantly across the boat, I stubbed my toe two or three times. You would have thought I should have learnt a lesson! And what with things falling out of the cupboards when the doors were opened...well don't get me started on that!
At Market Bosworth the channel was severely restricted due to the fuel boat serving customers. To pass there was no option but to take FS through those reeds. Well...they did need thinning out and FS's hull was just right for the job.
Several heart stopping moments occurred, one this dog leaping into the canal in front of FS's bow and...
meeting this paddleboarder on the sharp bend just after the battlefield moorings.
A stop at a bridge hole to remove all this from the prop! There had been a severe wobble with the tiller, we assumed it wasn't because of the silt and when no headway was made it was obvious what the problem was.
And remember that tree obscuring line of sight, click here to view, well it was our turn not to see an emerging boat.
So bridge 3 finally came into view, one moored boat could be seen, good there would be room for us but then, as more of the moorings came into view, a long line of boats scuppered any chances of stopping there. We had just passed a promising mooring before the bridge but it did mean a reverse back to it. Took quite a few corrections, not easy to go backwards in a straight line in one of these, and luckily we didn't hold up any travelling boats. There was also a good depth of water at the side, we got FS right up against the bank.
And seen on route,
I feared for this family! Look how low that boat is in the water.
and a wool plucking crow!
1 comment:
That was a massive haul from the prop, Irene!
I read on fb yesterday a whole bunch of people saying that there is nothing wrong with the water levels in the Ashby. I didn't comment but thought that you and Ian could tell them a thing or two!
Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow, darling people.
Mxx
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