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In 1977 we hired our first narrowboat from Anglo Welsh at Market Harborough.From that moment our destiny was set. In 2006 we finally purchased our own brand new 57' narrowboat which we named 'Free Spirit'. Our aim is to travel the length and breadth of all the navigable rivers and canals of the UK. This will be our story as it unfolds.

Tuesday 4 August 2020

Slow boats and hirers galore.

Another notification came through from C&RT yesterday with an update on the Buckby lock situation.

The Engineers have examined the cill this morning and assessed what repairs are needed.
We are moving our boats in place today, then the pumps and equipment needed for this job, will be delivered on Tuesday.
There will be a fish rescue, which will take most of the day on Wednesday and then we will begin our repair works on Thursday morning.
We aim to complete the required maintenance work by the end of the day on Friday, but we will update our website as soon as we know more.

Maybe the situation isn't as dire as I first thought, here's hoping it will all be fixed by the weekend.

This paddleboarder came past the moorings at Cosgrove. A new way of 'walkies'



Having forgotten to buy milk when we last shopped, Ian legged it to the park store at Cosgrove caravan park. Thinking he could pay by card, to his dismay there was a £2 minimum payment on a card transaction. Made for an expensive 2 pints!  But all was not lost as he found a £20 note in his pocket and made the payment with that. It had gone 9.30 am then before we got underway and a good 3-hour journey ahead of us to where we wanted to stop at Stoke Bruerne.

Not long after leaving Cosgrove, we came to that shallow bit which is a right pain. No way could I do more than tickover as FS would start to pull a wash. Deeper drafted than most leisure boats we struggle if the bottom is too near to the top and the displacement of water as we travel means more is sucked away from the edge. When it comes back it comes back with a vengeance. In the next couple of photos, I had already knocked FS back to tickover as soon as I noticed but that wash continued for quite some time, much to the disapproval of this Heron and ducks.


Surfing ducklings.
 Not sure if this boat had a problem. I could see it was secured but it was way out from the bank. Stuck in the mud? I'm assuming he used the canoe to tie the ropes to the trees.



The bridge before Kingfisher marina we caught up with a boat. Now we slow right down passing boats, we knock the revs back to 800rpm (roughly 2mph according to Ian's speed checker) but this one was only just moving. Reverse was used more than once 'cos I didn't fancy hitting him up the arse. He then noticed I was behind and tried to wave me past. Not something I was comfortable with when passing moored boats but with him almost coming to a stop there was nothing for it but to comply. Just got the nose in front and he puts the power on! I then find FS is listing as she scrapes the barnacles off her bottom by sliding along the mud. In the end, I had to ask him to stop so I could get FS of the mud and get past.

Me starting to pass


Never did see him again, stopped before the locks no doubt.

Bottom lock of Stoke Bruerne flight and two boats were exiting. Both were hired boats and from then until we got to the long pound between lock 16 and 15 every lock had hirers descending.



In fact, at lock 18 it was easier to get the Wyvern boat to come alongside FS in the lock before I pulled out. He was right across the pound, struggling to get it to go where he wanted and yes I too remember the struggles I had when I first hired a boat so knew he was probably panicking as I used to do.

Wyvern boat in the blue livery and a Grand Union Weedon hire boat on the landing.


Found a decent mooring near to the entrance to the meadow. Here we will stay until the rush has died down in getting through Buckby Flight when it reopens. I know what I'll be doing during the next few days, fishing and walking.



8 Cygnets. Thats impressive.

The meadows


Cinnabar Moth Caterpillar

Wasp nest in the making perhaps as the wasps were bringing mud out of the hole.






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