Tow path disgrace

Another wonderful morning to wake up to, a lovely day for cruising, but for us its tinged with sadness as we know that once moored tomorrow afternoon, our fenders will be hanging from the boat for a long long time. Still we have part of today and the rest of tomorrow before we no longer need to run the engine for at least a year.

We said goodbye to Jan & Dai at a reasonable time this morning ( didn't creep past them at 6 am see Jandi's post.) and started our slow trip to Sandiacre.

Jandi gently cushioned on a carpet of weed.( Shame about my focus but I was trying to steer and take the picture at the same time. Doesn't always work though as I headed straight for the bank!!!)

 The Azolla weed started to thin out as we headed further up the canal, and in places we could see crystal clear water with loads of fish swimming by, maybe the Weevils have started to chomp their way through after all. Below Long Eaton lock was the only fisherman we saw today. He managed to find a spot of open water but he still wasn't happy. As he said, there was no ' colour' to the water. It was much to clear, and if he could see the fish then the fish could see him!  He felt he just couldn't win!!

It's been all of 4 months since we came this way and I dont remember the tree growth being as bad as this.

There was no way of avoiding these branches as towpath side was too shallow to allow us to move over, so all I could do was hang on to our mugs, camera and other movable objects before they got swept over board. I wonder if anything will have been done about cutting them back by the time we come this way again next August! Emerging relatively unscathed, I happen to see a cruiser type boat on the offside. My immediate thought was it had something to do with the camo boat and then I thought, maybe it belonged to someone from the factory. As I came past it was obvious that he had no licence and then, when the boat swung out behind me, I realised my first assumption was correct. Even the guys sitting outside the factory drinking their tea said it was from one of the camo boats friends.

Then in the distance, I spied what looked like, a mound of rubbish. Sure enough, as I got closer, you could see where a boat had been moored and some of its belongings left on the ground. Could this be where the blue cruiser had come from? Or, as this was also where we saw the camo boat  moored 4 months ago, could the pile belong to him? After all, he does has a habit of disposing of all his stuff along the towpath ( see post )

So far there hasn't been any sign of that boat but we have only got as far as Sandiacre lock. They may well be further up the canal towards Ilkeston. Tomorrow we will find out!!!

So, our roof furniture has been removed all bar one plank and pole ( just in case!) and we had thought of  taking both top boxes off as well. Instead we have completely emptied them of ropes, fenders, workmate and the like, and will use them for storing our wood in the winter.

Who's hiding in the bushes?

If you could come just a bit closer.............

Azolla weed present in the Derby Arm.