Attacked...by a cat and a wasp

Groan...so bleary-eyed this morning it's unreal. All night the noise of rain and water droplets dripping off the leaves and right overhead in the bedroom. Not just with the rain but we made the mistake of mooring under an Oak tree!  Blooming things added to the noise level and made for a very disturbed sleep.

Up by 6.30am and started baking. I know, I know, very early for this activity but what else was there do do at that time of the morning? (we will have none of those thoughts thank you very much!). By 8 am we had untied and got underway.

Approaching New Martin top lock it looked like a Viking boat was adrift. The front rope dangled uselessly in the water and the stern was almost halfway across the canal. Ian approached slowly to see if he let someone know. Looking through the window was 4 people. We called to them to make them aware but got no response. In fact, they looked bemused at us gesturing madly at them. Suddenly a voice from the bathroom acknowledged what we had said and after relaying the message back to the crew, they were out on the back deck in a flash.

Stopped at the Montgomery Canal for a walk and lunch. Here we did a good deed. Another Anglo-Welsh boat moored and a chap with a pole in his hand looking for something between the boat and bank. I walked over with the sea magnet asking if help was needed. Turns out one of the cladding pins had disappeared into the cut and only having two on board if this wasn't found then they had no means of tieing at night. Well, I tried, Ian tried with the rake but to no avail. Gone forever it was! So Ian came to the rescue with one of our cladding pins to which we were suitably rewarded with a 5-pound note. (they would not take no for an answer).

Off we went for the walk. A cat was sitting on one of the balance beams right by a boat looking very sorry for itself and as I approached to say hello, I felt a heavy weight right on my back, It had only gone and leapt off the beam onto my shoulders! Talk about a shock. Then the person on that boat said the cat was nasty as it had already scratched them when they went to stroke it. Crikey I expected the claws to come out and to feel its teeth sinking in my ear. Ian did the gentlemanly thing, grabbed it by the scruff of its neck and placed it on the ground. Phew, face and ears intact!

Montgomery staircase locks

Butter wouldn't melt!

 Stopped at Ellesmere for shopping, a necessary requirement but it did mean we were at least an hour behind where we should be. Trying to get away was interesting. A new bit of towpath had been concreted and trying to leave got me well and truly stuck! Wedged I was on concrete that had been dumped in the water.  Rocking FS, trying reverse but nothing could shift the boat. In the end and with the help of Tony adding to the weight and me giving her a bit of welly, she finally came free. Then I got stung!!! Right in the back of my neck. That's the second time in three days. The first was at a water point at Hurleston and that was in the back of my arm. Those bloody wasps. I can't think why God put them on this earth!

And a few more piccys of the journey.

This anglo welsh boat was well and truly stuck!

Ready for when he falls in.

And seen on route,