Settled.

We left Norton Junction on Thursday negotiating the Watford Locks with the help of Al who talked me through the process.

Del leading the way.

As we approached the Crick tunnel 2 boats were coming out which was handy or so we thought. As we got further into the tunnel the visibility disappeared and it was like travelling in a real pea-souper the two boats had filled the tunnel with wood smoke from their chimneys and it made the journey decidedly slow. Luckily for us we never met anything but it was Del’s mis fortune to meet the two boats mid tunnel so he got the full force of the smoke.

Light at the end of the tunnel……….

We managed to moor up opposite Crick marina and although it said these were designated winter moorings there were only two boats on the whole stretch.

Thursday evening Del Al and us went to The Red Lion for a very nice meal. Friday saw Paul and I travelling on various busses to Daventry to get the final few bits for “the project” pictures will be here tomorrow (I hope).

We made the decision to go into a marina for this winter and that is the reason we are here along with the fact we have to do all the tiling in the bathroom and that isn't the easiest of jobs to do on the tow path, plus there are a few other things that have been on the back burner. So it was over to Crick to get all the paper work sorted before we went in, we also wanted to see where we were actually to be which turned out to be 2 boats width away from John and Ang nb Ellen so we popped to see them for half an hour before we returned to the boat. It wasn't long before there was a face at the window.

I think Masie was looking for her mate Crystal who was fast asleep and oblivious to anything.

So…Sunday morning it was into the marina there was a slight breeze but luckily it didn't hamper the manoeuvring, as we use the back of the boat as our main entry (because it is easier with the dogs) Paul had to reverse onto the pontoon, luckily John saw us and came out to give a hand. Once we were settled I realised just how close Ellen was.

As we are now on hook up Paul fitted a galvonic isolator just to be on the safe side.

So everyone as we wont be travelling so much this blog will be quiet for lengthy periods.  I expect we will venture out if the weather stays good and the jobs allow so I will write as and when.

Norton jct.

We had just finished on the water point yesterday morning when Del and Al can through so we timed that just right. The journey up the locks worked a dream as they were all in our favour so Al and I took it in turns to open the gates of the next lock so the boys could just go straight in.

Bottom lock

Here come the boys!!!

My locking partner.

The men were like 2 old women on the back of the boats if you could have heard the pair of them going on and on and on still it was a laugh. We didn't meet anything in the tunnel which suited me just fine as I am not a tunnel lover. Once through the tunnel we saw Reg and Sandra on nb Moonshadow so a quick chat as we went past.

How quiet is that….

At the junction we found a nice mooring spot which will do us for a couple of days.

Phew…

Well,    the project is nearly finished as I say, nearly so no pictures as yet. There have been a lot of sleepless nights and a lot of swearing and the odd “ I wish I had never started this” but it will be okay in the end. I have never known Paul to start something and it not turn out how he planned, okay there may be a few minor tweaks but it all turns out okay. He was so preoccupied with this job that poor old Eric never got Skyped this weekend. Sorry about that Eric he will get in touch during the week.

I have been to Daventry a few times on the bus wanted to make sure that we were all stocked up for our journey into the unknown.

Les and Jac passed by on Saturday so about half an hour was spent catching up with them both. Must say the weather has been grim all this fog and drizzle. Here on these church moorings as we call them it has been pretty full most evenings with plenty of boats going by in both directions. Tomorrow we are meeting up with Del and Al for the journey up through the locks and the tunnel, I don't mind the locks but I hate tunnels we will let Del go in front then we can pootle along behind. Wont be long now and the winter stoppages will be upon us.  This year has certainly whizzed by.

Braunston.

We made the short hop to Braunston from Onley Monday morning finding a mooring opposite the church in front of nb William.

Paul has spent the past few days rushing hither and thither buying……all that stuff….. The boat now resembles a builders yard.

Tuesday afternoon just after we had been topped up with coal and diesel by Mark on Callister there was a shout of “I recognise that backside” and it was Del and Al , Paul was on the roof stacking the coal at the time,  as we had been in touch with Ann and Keith and arranged to meet up in Rugby Wednesday Del and Al said they would join us too.

So Wednesday saw us all in Wetherspoons being quite rowdy, it was lovely to meet up with every one again and I think it wont be the only time we get together for a meal as it would appear that we are all going to be in roughly the same vicinity over the winter. Thank you guys for a lovely few hours. When we got off the bus in Braunston who should be waiting at the bus stop but Les nb Valerie so more catching up was done.

Paul has been busy “thinking” and planning this project of his it has certainly kept him in quiet mode which isn't a bad thing.

We have arranged to travel with Del and Al next week as we are both going up the locks and through the tunnel and being together will make the locks easier, will be nice to be that side again it has been a few years.

Onley.

We have been moored here at Onley for the past few days and cant believe how quiet it is at the moment there is us and a boat that has no one on it, cant remember a time when this popular mooring has been so empty. Don't get me wrong there is plenty of boat traffic but it just passes by perhaps its us who knows!!!!!!

Night before last Paul was reclining on the dinette ( and no I wasn't feeding him grapes) on the computer, I was watching the TV, I remarked to Paul that there was a strange smell emitting from his slippers and it was a really whiffy smell, with that the carbon monoxide alarm went off (it is situated behind my chair). Once Paul had reset the alarm and removed his feet from the proximity of it, all was quiet again. We have come to the conclusion that it must be time to replace the slippers but no doubt they will go up the same route as “the comfort cardi”.

While here I did a quick nip to Tesco in Daventry and it was quick I can tell you, out on the 9.40 bus and back on the same bus going to Rugby all of 20 minutes in Tesco. I have shot myself in the foot though as Pauls comment was “why don't you always shop that quickly”? Well, I did stick to my list and only needed the basics, no alcohol or chocolate just bread and milk bit boring really.

Paul has been on the phone a lot, he has another project in mind and he is being really secretive about it. I have no idea what it is and that is probably a good thing. All I do know is that when we get to Braunston we have to go here and there to pick bits up. It would appear that his tax rebate is now to be spent on…. stuff…. he has also been on the internet gleaning information on what…. I hate to think, probably best for me to stay in the dark. No doubt it will be some technical gismo so watch this space as I expect there will be photos. Do you get the impression that he is bored and has too much time on his hands!

Nicely refreshed….

I have been away, had a nice weekend with Jess and family in Kent, left Paul at the golf course where for the majority of the time ours was the only boat there which I find very strange as it is normally a very popular spot.

We left this morning stopping for water, going up the locks was fun, at least both sides are open now. At the bottom lock as Paul was leaving the water point I went up to set the lock, there was a hire boat in the other lock and they had been there for quite a while, I noticed that there was water still coming from the bottom paddles, so checked as they appeared to be down but they weren't all the way down so the pound was rapidly emptying so sorted that little problem out then a volunteer locky came on duty and helped them. I walked up to next lock catching up with the hire boat who was attempting to land his crew so I whistled them and opened the gates, of course they then had the problem of the crew getting off from inside the lock (at this point I will say the couple were our age) once ashore the lady then started to open the bottom paddles Paul shouted and explained the top ones needed opening. The lady said they had had no instruction at all on locking in fact no instruction at all you could see she was getting really stressed out buy the whole business so shame on you Ashby boats for not giving enough instruction. Again the locky appeared and he talked them through the top lock we by this time had made a hasty exit.

We did pass this wide beam which we found strange as you don't normally see them this far down.

They must have winded by bridge 74 there didn't appear to be any one on board.

Approaching bridge 79 was this sign,

Then this one,

On the bridge was this,

on the other side,

So, some of  the repairs are being done by volunteers and a good job they were doing to.

Coming up to bridge 80 again repairs were taking place, there was a boat waiting and tug Herbert with Andy at the helm came through he shouted that there was a boat behind him. The boat that was waiting went under the bridge and a chap in a high viz jacket and hard hat was waving at us so we carried on, that was a big mistake as a hire boat was squeezing past the boat in front of us so it was into reverse to let the hire boat through. I jumped off ran up to make sure there was nothing coming which there was so I asked the people to wait for us to come through, as he approached the bridge Paul was spitting feathers and shouted to the guys on the bridge “why did you wave me through” silence was the reply. So the moral of this tale is as you approach either bridge 79 or 80 on the North Oxford be aware the canal has a bit of a width restriction by both of them and make sure nothing is coming in the opposite direction.

So we are settled again, we have heard from Betty and Graham who are  hoping to be part of a flotilla travelling on the Manchester Ship canal to divert past the breach at Preston Brook. They don't know how long they have to wait before C&RT arrange this  and it is going to cost them over a £100 for the privilege.

Found a wide bit!!!!!!

Well we moved on Monday having a quiet cruise in the sunshine

Lovely morning sun.

How peaceful is that.

Newbold tunnel.

Of course we couldn't pass through Rugby without stopping to get shopping and visiting Homebase. I managed a quick trip to Next and I also went in T K Max how anyone finds any clothes in that store amazes me. I went up stairs and managed to find myself a nice cast iron skillet have been looking for one for ages, this one is just the right size to accommodate two nice steaks…………

Once the shopping was done we moved again and we are now moored up on a nice wide bit of canal where hopefully we wont receive any more battle scars.

Had a text from our friends Betty and Graham and they are caught the wrong side of the canal breach on the Trent and Mersey so it looks like we wont be having our usual get together with them for Christmas not that we know where we are going to be, if our discussions are anything to go by it will be the other side of the Braunston tunnel haven't been that way for ages.