It sure was windy!

Nice sunset, not long after the wind really picked up and the rain started.

 

 December 5th

What a night, that wind...wild it was and then the rain, torrential and I'm sure it was horizontal! Couldn't see because it was dark, but boy the noise as it pelted the windows and battered the cabin top was deafening. FS was rocking and rolling like a good 'un. We thought storm Arwen was bad, but those gusts seemed much stronger somehow, and then this morning trying to get away from the side took several attempts and in the end the trusty pole was put to use again with Ian pushing out the bow.

Heading for the bridge 'ole

It really was no fun cruising in strong winds, if it hadn't been for the met office telling of another named storm (Barra) to arrive on Tuesday, we probably would have stayed. But time is no longer on our side. In just over two weeks we had planned to be in Milton Keynes to join our son for Christmas, but in the meantime we hope for a get together with our daughter and family on the Ashby. The plan then was to put in a longer day today and possibly tomorrow, and sit out the storm on Tuesday. (it didn't pan out that way as you will see later)

11 locks to do today, plus one short tunnel. Now that wind, it will be mentioned quite a lot because it caused no end of steering problems, the first of which was at Curdworth Tunnel. Looking toward the entrance I had reservations on getting in unscathed. Gosh, it looked narrow and the roofline suspect. The arch appeared slightly flattened not the curve one expects.  Normally I point the bow where I want FS to go and she responds but today, because of that wind, where she would end up was anyone's guess. FS started crabbing toward the portal and how I didn't hit the handrail when I turned the bow at the last minute was not by skill but more by luck!

Then Curdworth top lock came to view. We really, really wanted this flight of locks to be with us, but t'was not to be. So Ian got off well before the lock to walk ahead while I tried to 'bimble' (hold back) and I did succeed in a way, at least I didn't pin FS against the towpath. A well oiled system was put in place on the next 5 locks. Ian goes ahead to fill the lock and opens the top gate then he's off down to the next one, I go in, close the top gate and raise the bottom gate paddle to drop me down. By the time Ian had returned, he had set the next lock ready for FS to enter, Already down, all Ian had to do then was open the bottom gate for me to exit. This worked a treat until lock 4.

Lock 3 to 4, a bridge spans the pound and the pound swings to the right, and sods law, a huge gust just as I make for the bridge 'ole catches FS's square on the side.  FS gets pushed toward the bank but the bow is pointing toward the bridge structure.  Oh eck...I still had some speed on trying to counteract the wind and seeing I was heading straight for the bridge brickwork, full reverse was deployed. Smoke filled the basin as the revs were that high, but somehow FS responded, and by the skin of my teeth, contact was avoided! Thankfully Ian was still nearby, he came to my rescue and he managed to get me through the bridge in one piece.

From this angle it doesn't look too bad and see...the wind had dropped now...typical.

So glad to see the back of the flight, but the next concern was trying to get into Fazeley Mill Marina, and that depended where the entrance was and if we had shelter. Meanwhile, some cruising was to be done.

Does this mean HS2 is coming alongside? That is Curdworth bottom lock in the distance.

Drayton Foot Bridge

And swing bridge usually left open.

The entrance was in a bit of a cutting, not quite as windy here. Before going in we stopped at the water point, good job too because there was already a boat  on the service point.

Taken from the footbridge spanning the entrance.

Ian went and had a chat with the lady in the office and unfortunately she was about to go off for lunch and would not be available until after 2 pm. So we sat on the water point mooring, hose was connected and we filled the tank, Then we both had showers and filled the tank again. Still only 1.30 pm we had a dilemma, move off to the other side of the entrance and then have to reverse back (not ideal considering that wind) or stay and hope another boat didn't turn up. Not a difficult decision...we stayed. Two o-clock and we set off to go in, but another boat had beaten us to it! One of the residential moorers wanting a pump out. So we waited again. By the time they had finished and it was finally our turn, we had been waiting for 90 minutes. Then setting off another boat coming toward us signalled he wanted to go into the marina. Nop, we were not going to give way. They would have to wait instead.

On the point by the sign was a dead fox. Had it drowned and was pulled out? A mystery never to be solved.

Diesel price here was 84.5 ltr and the pump was stopped at 100 ltrs. More could have gone in and if Ian had been doing the fill, it would have been completely full. Never mind, there are plenty of other places to fill on the way to Milton Keynes. Whether they will be as reasonably priced is yet to be seen.

I didn't fancy going much further, even though the wind had dropped. Ian suggested continuing to Fazeley Junction, do the right turn onto the Coventry Canal and moor by the aqueduct. This seemed like a good plan and for once Ian was at the helm to do the turn. Wow, look at that, another boat on the move but heading in our direction.

In a way this made us all the more determined to stop. The Glascote locks was about a mile further along but if we had continued, would have had to follow a boat up. Ian's idea of stopping by the aqueduct seemed much more appealing. That would do for the night.

and wildlife