Tow path disgrace

Another wonderful morning to wake up to, a lovely day for cruising, but for us its tinged with sadness as we know that once moored tomorrow afternoon, our fenders will be hanging from the boat for a long long time. Still we have part of today and the rest of tomorrow before we no longer need to run the engine for at least a year.

We said goodbye to Jan & Dai at a reasonable time this morning ( didn't creep past them at 6 am see Jandi's post.) and started our slow trip to Sandiacre.

Jandi gently cushioned on a carpet of weed.( Shame about my focus but I was trying to steer and take the picture at the same time. Doesn't always work though as I headed straight for the bank!!!)

 The Azolla weed started to thin out as we headed further up the canal, and in places we could see crystal clear water with loads of fish swimming by, maybe the Weevils have started to chomp their way through after all. Below Long Eaton lock was the only fisherman we saw today. He managed to find a spot of open water but he still wasn't happy. As he said, there was no ' colour' to the water. It was much to clear, and if he could see the fish then the fish could see him!  He felt he just couldn't win!!

It's been all of 4 months since we came this way and I dont remember the tree growth being as bad as this.

There was no way of avoiding these branches as towpath side was too shallow to allow us to move over, so all I could do was hang on to our mugs, camera and other movable objects before they got swept over board. I wonder if anything will have been done about cutting them back by the time we come this way again next August! Emerging relatively unscathed, I happen to see a cruiser type boat on the offside. My immediate thought was it had something to do with the camo boat and then I thought, maybe it belonged to someone from the factory. As I came past it was obvious that he had no licence and then, when the boat swung out behind me, I realised my first assumption was correct. Even the guys sitting outside the factory drinking their tea said it was from one of the camo boats friends.

Then in the distance, I spied what looked like, a mound of rubbish. Sure enough, as I got closer, you could see where a boat had been moored and some of its belongings left on the ground. Could this be where the blue cruiser had come from? Or, as this was also where we saw the camo boat  moored 4 months ago, could the pile belong to him? After all, he does has a habit of disposing of all his stuff along the towpath ( see post )

So far there hasn't been any sign of that boat but we have only got as far as Sandiacre lock. They may well be further up the canal towards Ilkeston. Tomorrow we will find out!!!

So, our roof furniture has been removed all bar one plank and pole ( just in case!) and we had thought of  taking both top boxes off as well. Instead we have completely emptied them of ropes, fenders, workmate and the like, and will use them for storing our wood in the winter.

Who's hiding in the bushes?

If you could come just a bit closer.............

Azolla weed present in the Derby Arm.

Hanging around waiting for the rain.

The sunrise this morning was stunning. No pictures, mores the pity, as I was still in my PJ's and I didn't fancy scaring any early walkers by parading about in my night attire. If the weather forecasters are correct then we know what is in store for us. A very wet and windy day! Took Jade out for her early morning walk and walked to the next bridge to see how far the weed had spread. Looks like its everywhere so I imagine we will have a very unpleasant journey to Sandiacre tomorrow.

Coots finding it difficult to swim against the stuff.

 Thursday Ian has another appointment to see the consultant and hopefully he will be told when the chemo is due to start. We find it much easier to catch the bus to Nottingham from Sandiacre. It's a good opportunity to clear the boat of most of its roof furniture while we are moored back at our bungalow. No point in taking spare planks, poles, mops, broom, rakes, fenders etc if we are just sitting on a mooring for a year. Also there is less chance for the local youths to get their hands on anything.

We have just had a surprise visit. Jan and Dai ( Nb Jandi ) have just come up the lock. We knew they were due to use the Kingfishers dry dock and because we have decided to let the rain pass, we just happened to still be here.  They also did the sensible thing. Travel down river before the rain starts.

C&RT's new sense of humour

The Erewash has gone green!!

Last year a carpet of green greeted us as we entered the Erewash. Today we are once again having to battle the dreaded Azolla Weed. There is an interesting article  on the BBC news which you may be of interest on how the environment agency are trying to eradicate it. W have also heard on the grapevine that 2000 weevils had been introduced further up this canal and as these weevils are the only thing that has any effect on the Azolla, we live in hope that they will soon be chomping their way through the plant otherwise the stuff will soon be in every waterway in the UK. ( It has already shown its appearance at Sawley and that's upstream from us!!! It only needs a few plants to have stuck to the hull or fenders for the plant to start spreading.)  

The approach to Trent Lock

Unfortunately several dogs have already fallen in thinking it was grass.

Mooring for the facilities on the River Trent at Sawley.

Cygnets at play and a meeting with John Bayliss BEM

A mooring tip. Don't moor by the Malt Shovel in Shardlow on a Sunday night because very, very early on Monday morning the beer delivery arrives. Crashing, banging and rolling of the barrels not only woke us up but sent a quivering Jade scurrying to the bedroom. Having had our sleep cut short,  there was no point in staying in bed so we decided to have a fried breakfast and then head off toward Sawley. Passing John Cooks where we had the party, we found boats trying to move out. The flood gate is just yards from the arm and trying to get 70ft working boat out was not easy.

Trying to get through the flood gate.

 Also waiting to depart  on their boat Nb Thornbury was Chris & John Bayliss. You may have read in towpath talk about his British Empire medal.  He does no end of work for ECP&DA turning up for the work parties nearly every week.

 John Baylis BEM: John Baylis has led campaigning work for IWA for over 30 years, and has been instrumental in all the major waterway development and restoration projects in the East Midlands since the early 1970s.  He was the driving force behind the restoration of Frankton Locks on the Montgomery Canal -  negotiating, leading work parties, devising engineering solutions, inspiring volunteer support and making sure the funds were there; and he was part of the team that restored the upper end of the Erewash Canal and has continued with the maintenance of the Great Northern Basin at Langley Mill ever since.  He led IWA's Navigation Committee for over 10 years, was a deputy chairman of IWA, chairman of  IWA's East Midlands Region and a director of Waterway Recovery Group for 30 years (many of those years as its deputy chairman).  He was awarded the Association's most prestigious award, The Cyril Styring Trophy, at the 2011 AGM.

Knowing they were due to to go up the Erewash, we waited for them at Derwent lock and sure enough 10 minutes later they arrived. We trundled down the river together but as we were going to stay at Sawley for another day, they carried on towards Sheetstores where the boat was going in for a repaint.
We moored almost at the same place as last Thursday and when these Sygnets turned up I just had to grab the opportunity to get some photos.

Mum joins in

Miniture steam train party.

What a great end to our cruising for the next year. The Milfield steam train party was just amazing  Fun, fun and more fun. It was lovely watching adults reverting to their childhood again and to do it with miniature steam trains was a sight to behold. The party started early afternoon with people arriving throughout the day. Disposable BBQ's appeared and the place was not only covered in steam from the engines but smoke from around 15 or more BBQ's. 13 boats were in attendance and quite how John Cook managed to fit them in and around his home must have been challenging but he managed somehow. 

We managed to tuck ourselves into the undergrowth.

Dennis looking after Jade

Today Christine arrived with young Josh. As we had told Josh about the trains he particularly wanted to have a ride. John had ok'd it for Joshua to have a ride on the tram, but as John was busy trying to move the boats, he showed Ian how it operated and Christine, Josh and myself clambered on board  The whistle blew and we were away. I don't know who enjoyed it more, Josh or Ian!!

,

 I reckon its every boys ( and mans ) dream to have a railway in the garden, although I do know of one boater who has a model railway running around the gunwales!!
Rain is forecast for tomorrow so we will hightail it back to Sawley and stay for a few days. I just hope the Trent doesn't come up again and scupper our chance to get onto the Erewash. We will have to make a run for it if it does.

NHS stuffed up again!

Ian hasn't even started his chemo yet and the NHS are trying to kill him off! So here is the picture. Tuesday he had his pic line fitted. Wednesday he had some real problems with the cannula pulling and it beginning to feel sore. Thursday he goes to see the Consultant, who took one look at the cannula site and said it was infected!!! In his next breath he told Ian his chemo would have to be delayed because they were worried about blood poisoning. I ask you, how can they have caused an infection in 2 days??? Apparently his whole arm was covered in this antiseptic stuff before they gave him a local anesthetic but obviously  something wasn't right. Now he has to take 11 antibiotic tablets a day and until the consultant gives him the okay, chemo wont be starting for another 10 days!! We are going to delay our trip to Langley Mill once again.

Olympics put on the back burner for a change.

Last nights sunset

Another quiet day for me as Ian has left to get the bus into Nottingham.It was a good opportunity to get the rod out again. The first time since the Olympics had started. Fishing here is amazing and I couldn't let this chance go by, so the Olympics, for once, took second place.

Milky dawn

I did take a stroll along the river, more for Jades sake then mine, and sunning themselves on an upturned tree was my most hated birds, the Cormorant.

Although we have moored at Sawley more times then I can remember, I have never walked as far as the weir. So taking photos from 'the wrong side' gave me a whole new perspective.

Amazing! Not a single car or lorry on the M1!

Went back to fishing once I returned but had one eye on the float and one eye on the telly. It was the equestrian dressage I particular wanted to see but that didnt start until later this afternoon, sooooo as Jade was realy suffering in this heat I took her to the slipway for a swim. She seemed so grateful and froliced about for ages. I made sure she didnt venture out into the channel. Last thing I want to happen is for Jade to go under a boat!!

Once she had finally had enough and cooled me off with her shaking, ( thanks Jade)  I had a look in Sawley Marina. The water was as clear as a bell and I spied a predator lurking in the shallows.

Jade was still wet through by the time we walked back and usually she lays on the grassy towpath to dry off but it's all concrete here and because the ants have colonised nearly every inch of it ( she got bitten on her paws yesterday ), I made her lay in the well deck.

I have just watched the dressage. Gold and bronze to GB, and Gold in the women's boxing. We are now reached over 50 medals in the medal table. Go team GB.