Shiralee at Willington #14

Wednesday 15th March

Had a really great visit with John and Colin and Sue Yesterday and Monday, when we paid a visit to John in the Nursing Home.

According to Sue, John was much more lucid than of late, he’s just not happy there. He did have a friend there in the early days, about three years ago, but he sadly died, and now he has nobody to hold a sensible conversation with. When I asked him to tell me truly how he was doing, he almost broke down. This is a very sad situation for a, previously, very active man, to find himself in and I find it hard to believe he’s actually still suffering it after all this time.

There but for the grace, etc.

We were fortunate with the weather too, it was fine all the way there on Monday and, although it started out the same yesterday morning, it soon clouded over and cooled down. Pooch was very pleased to see us when we picked her up at the kennels. I’m a bit miffed though at the two day charge when we were only a few hours late in collecting her. We are already booked in again for the family do, but for next time we’ll find another kennels.

Wednesday 23rd March

Had a great afternoon with Alan and Chris Oxley, who took us to a place called ‘Taybarn’s’, which, as Alan suggested, is an up market ‘Macdonald’s’. Although I have to say, the quality of food was of a much higher standard.

This is a self-service licensed restaurant, with just one set price. For the over 60’s it is £4.15p for all you can eat. Soft drinks from the machine are free but, over the counter beer and mixers are charged at normal rate. Except that, in comparison with normal pub prices, the Stella was cheaper by 30p per pint. What a great deal and, being next door to a Premier Inn, the food quality has to be good. I can’t remember when I last enjoyed a pub lunch as much as this one.

The place was pretty busy when we arrived at about midday, or a little after but, even though there were quite a few families there, the noise level was not unacceptable. Sheila amazed me by eating a salad, followed by another plate of cooked food, followed by a pudding. I pretty much amazed myself by gobbling down a good plateful of chicken, chips, gammon and roast spuds, followed by a goodly portion of apple tart and custard. Wow! Did my blood sugar level know about that!!

Anyway, a thoroughly good afternoon out, enhanced by the most excellent company. Must do it again next time our visiting times coincide, but perhaps a little later, when the crowd has thinned out.

Today we are planning to take Shiralee on a shake-down cruise to check everything is running smoothly, with special attention on the gear box. Linden adjusted the linkages when he carried out the service, but I feel he’s tightened them up a little too much.

As you all know, our mooring time is up at the end of this month, so it will soon be time for you to get the maps out again. Hopefully the weather will be fine when we do leave, if not we’ll simply moor up in Willington until it improves.

Saturday 26th March

Today we are off to Harlow and staying with Alan, ready for the family bash tomorrow. First we are calling in on my colleague from my school bus days, that’s Les and her family, then we’re off to the town centre for a bit of shopping.

Now, I must tell you about our ‘shake-down’ cruise on Wednesday. We set out at about nine o/clock, intending to head for Stenson Lock, which is about a mile and a half away, where we would turn around and head back. After all, we only wanted to ensure the gearbox was OK.

Just past the marina and immediately before the lock, is a winding hole, well, it’s supposed to be a winding hole but, because it was so badly silted up below the towpath, we were unable to turn around.

We now had to go through the lock and head for the next possible turning point at Swarkestone Lock, another three miles away. This was turning into a rather long day, even longer than we would normally attempt on any given day whilst cruising.

On arrival at Swarkestone and just opposite the BW office, is a sign telling boaters, that they must not use the entrance to the moorings as a turning point. According to our book, there is a winding hole by this lock but, as we found out, there isn’t.

So, be dammed if I’m taking Shiralee through another lock, which would have made a full day of it, I girded my loins and used the entrance to the moorings. Fortunately nobody gave us any grief and so we headed back to the marina.

Now, on the way down to Swarkestone, we encountered a BW dredging team going the other way. Guess what? Yes, we found them again on the way back, only this time they were straddling the canal and we had to hover in place whilst they finished their bit of work, after which we carried on to Stenson.

We went through this lock on our way here from Pilling’s Lock Marina but, at that time, we were with Brian and Marian, so we went through the lock together. However, we had forgotten just how strong the incoming water was at this one and, when Sheila opened the first paddle, the water came gushing in with such force, that the boat swung across the lock to the other side. This is not good and can be most embarrassing when there are loads of people watching, as they were at this time, it being a nice, sunny day.

Eventually we passed through the lock and, with no further mishaps, arrived back at our moorings at two pm. What should have taken us a couple of hours had taken five. Phew!!

We now have just six days before we will be obliged to leave here and set out on our cruise and two of those days will be spent in Harlow. With my brother Alan accompanying us back to the marina and staying until Tuesday, it is unlikely that I will be able to find the time for further entries to this blog. So, I will sign off now and post this, our final blog at Mercia Marina.

We’ve had a great time here and made many friends, not least of all our friendly, neighbourhood engineer, Linden. We know you read this Linden and would like to thanks you for all your hard work and help.

We very much doubt we will find another marina quite like this one, so we have put in a reservation for the same mooring spot for the winter to come.

That’s all folks! Will keep in touch whilst cruising, both by text and blog.

Kind regards and best wishes.

Dave, Sheila and the pooch!!