A brief encounter.

Gosh we had Owls so close to FS last night that I really wished I had a night vision camera. I would so loved to open the side hatch just to see if I could catch a glimpse, but the noise would have had them gone in an instant. Instead, the sound was turned down on the TV, and we listened for a good 5 minutes. I'm sure they were Tawny owls as the male 'hoo hoo' was heard followed by the female 'kewick.' Barn owls I believe make a screeching sound. I wonder if I can persuade Ian to buy me a night vision camera for Christmas?

Lady muck, that was me this morning. Breakfast in bed, peanut butter toast washed down with a cup of tea. Ian, having got up early, did the honours of getting FS ready for the off. I lay in bed with the sound of FS's engine and the gurgling of water whooshing past the hull and thought how very lucky I was to have this way of lifestyle.  I did get up eventually, made Ian another cuppa, did some house boatwork jobs before joining him on the stern deck and just in time to see this pumpkin graveyard!

 

It was ever such slow-going today. This time of year, the leaves fall constantly, carpeting the water and  fouling the prop. Trying to get through some bridge holes, well, I think a snail could go faster. We reached Huddelsford and had a short wait whilst a boat was trying to moor. Not the easiest and thought at the time, not an ideal place either, but he was waiting for one boat to set off so he could claim their space. We were waved on, for that boat to leave we had to come through the bridge, it would have been impossible for them to get past had we waited.

Huddelsford junction

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That sunken boat was still there too.

  I really don't understand folk that put power on passing moored craft when they should be slowing down. A bridge was coming up, we travelled slowly toward it because of the offside moorings, when the shape of a bow was seen steaming toward the bridge. We had all but put the nose in when Ian decided reverse would be the better plan, and a good decision too. We had not been seen, and the bow wave created by that boat was proof of how fast he was approaching. 

 

As soon as he got passed, on went the power, and what of those moored boats? Clattering was heard as ropes were stretched and boats tried to escape, this chap was lucky that noone came out to say anything, I most definitely would have shouted some choice words which no doubt would have fallen on deaf ears, Some boaters don't care one little bit!

Nearly at Fradley, a boat was seen coming. A boat was moored which we had just crept past, and as the two boats met suddenly realised it was Brian and Diane, Nb Harnser. Gosh the briefest of conversations was had, Brian to say there was debris being pushed along at our bow, and us to thank him for pointing it out, and that was it, Diane was steering, and again we said hello, but I'm not sure if we had been recognised. We did see them in May 2022,  and again it was only the briefest of conversation, if they are anything like us, forgetting faces these days is the norm.

Amazed to see as we got into Fradley that a space was to be had near to the water point. Usually it's wall to wall boats, I suppose this time of year the vast majority of boats will be nicely tucked up in marinas, giving us hardy cruisers plenty of moorings to choose from.  We could have continued through the pedestrian swing bridge and turned right toward the lock in the hope that a mooring was available in the long pound below, but this was the perfect place for me to give FS a wash and for Ian to replace the nav light. Several weeks ago he rubbed down where the rust was coming through the paintwork and two days ago, given it a coat of paint. The colour doesn't quite match our original paintwork, that was mid-Brunswick green but over time the paint has changed colour and trying to match it now is impossible,  I don't think it looks too bad, although Ian, ever the perfectionist, said different!

And wildlife