Oops, our mistake!

Not impressed...even above the TV noise last night, the factory sounds went on and on. Not just that constant hum from goodness knows what but lots of banging, clattering, vehicles coming and going!  Ian even suggested moving, switching the headlight on and finding another spot. Only trouble with that how could we guarantee finding another mooring at that time of night? By 10pm only a pulsating hum could be heard, all other sounds had stopped. By 10.30pm we departed for bed and against all odds the background noise lulled us to sleep. Awoke at first light to no sound at all. So this turned out not to bad a mooring after all.

The wind picked up overnight, didn't hear much of it 'cos all our windows were shut due to the factory! But boy did we know about it as we set off. Looked like Ellen had finally arrived at last. 

We had intended to reach Sutton Cheney which meant a 5 mile cruise. Reached the Ashby Boat Co. at Stoke Golding which had a sign at the start to ask boaters to 'go slow'. That wasn't going to happen today though, as FS needed a tad more revs than we normally give her when passing boats. Every time we tried tickover FS would head toward the boats. The dilemma was, do we go slow and risk moored boat contact or do we put the power on to avoid? So we chose power and 'crabbing' (going sideways as the wind tries to push the bow one way while the tiller is turned to try and force the bow away.) (Haven't explained it very well, no doubt one of my readers can explain it better)

A bit tight through the bridge'ole.

 There is something that has been on our wish list for quite a while, buy some land with a mooring. So seeing this made us a tad envious although not sure if permission had been granted by C&RT to dig out the land to join up with the canal. Would love to find out as this could set a precedent if ever we were lucky enough to acquire some land. 

Thanks to Caroline and Martin Nb Sonia Louise  who gave me this link to that mooring. (https://dadlington-history.myfreesites.net/roman-road-canal-railway 

 

Having battled the gusts long enough a mooring was sighted through bridge 32. So we cut across the canal and went for it but then...a boat came around the bend. Oo 'eck, We were on the wrong side of the canal and in a pickle as realisation hit us that it was too shallow for FS to get in. A quick gesture to that boater to show our intentions and sure enough he went to go past. Now I'm still not 100% sure as to what happened but somehow he came in very close to us, panicked and pointed the tiller to the offside bank and ended up with the bow heading for the towpath. Power went on to rectify the mistake and consequently got stuck fast. Oh no...we were full of remorse as we had initially caused the problem so Ian went off to help him.

Hmm, he did like to give the engine everything it had, only full throttle would do which most boaters  know means the stern sinks deeper into the silt. The force of water from his prop pushed FS's stern out into the middle of the channel and all I could do was to correct my momentum and abandon Ian to his deed.

He did manage to catch up...eventually. Another possible mooring found, stopped and even put chains in the cladding to secure FS but those overhanging branches..... made me a bit twitchy. "Could it be better over there?" I pointed out. Off he went armed with a boat pole to check water depth. A thumbs up from him but then another problem, we couldn't get FS away from the side. The wind did not want to let go of its grip keeping the boat hard onto the towpath. Back to using the pole on the bow and with a bit of welly from me, got Fs away from the bank.

 A much better mooring, no trees or branches anywhere near. TV good, internet good so this is where we may well stay for the weekend.

. And wildlife