Shiralee Cruise 2011 #33

Friday 14th October.

This, as you all know, will be the last entry for 2011, unless of course something astonishing occurs before next April, when I’ll write an entry or two.

Meanwhile, some facts and figures about this trip.

We have just 23 miles to go to Willington, which will bring our total this year to 530. During the 28 weeks and 3 days that we’ve been out we would have passed through 456 locks and actually cruised for about 210 hours. We would also have stopped overnight at 137 different locations.

Goodness knows how much water we have used, or how much diesel we have bought, all that info will be in Wifey’s diary. Where water is concerned we are nowhere near the consumption of the average British household. As for diesel, well, that could take some calculation, but it’s quite a lot. However, up until the end of August we had used 674 litres (147 gallons) at a total cost of £687.04p.

Compared to road travelling vehicles, this is cheap but, despite all efforts by the EU, farm vehicles and the domestic use of red diesel in boats is still subsidised. We now have to pay full price for propulsion, and this has been the case since soon after we bought the boat, but for heating and charging of batteries we still benefit from the reduction.

These facts, along with any more that come to mind, I’ll enter when I know.

Sunday 16th October.

Yesterday we made our way down from Handsacre to Fradley Junction and will stay here until tomorrow morning. If yesterday is anything to go by we’ll be sitting outside The Swan at lunchtime, enjoying even more sunshine. Boating traffic is now thinning out but, as it is the weekend and the sun is out, the weekenders are still with us. October is very much like April where boating is concerned. During the week there’s not much going on but, come the weekend and you can’t move for them, much less find a mooring spot. And finding a mooring spot is all in the timing, which we are getting rather good at.

Just beside this stretch of moorings, which lies between two locks, there’s a BW wildlife reserve, with a lake and pathways running around it. To my mind, and even though it is designated as an area for various species of birds and insects, the lake is far too quiet. Now, I’m not a kiddie person, in fact I find most of them to be quite obnoxious, but I really do believe that this lake would benefit from a few youngsters in canoes and kayaks. I’m not talking masses of the little monsters, perhaps a small club or two with special permission from BW and overseen by responsible adults. Of course, it will never happen. Just a thought.

Monday 17th October.

Yesterday my hopes of sitting outside The Swan at Fradley Junction and enjoying a pint or three of Murphy’s, were dashed by the cool breeze and heavy clouds. Of course, after those pints the clouds dissipated and the sun came out!!

We made it through four locks and two miles to Alrewas this morning before the high winds developed, but this is another of those places that, despite having visited before on several occasions, I still didn’t recall the layout of until we had arrived. We moored up just as soon as we were able after passing through the last lock and then, because this spot was somewhat narrowed down by overhanging trees, moved on a little further and then, having walked into the village for a few bits and pieces, we returned via the towpath further up and, seeing that it was completely empty of boats, moved along for the second and final time.

By this time of course, my nearest and dearest had had enough but, since I had no just cause to move again, here we will stay until the morrow, at which time, weather permitting, we’ll move on to Branston, where I’m hoping we’ll partake of a pub lunch, the last one on this cruise and signifying the 50th pub this year. Yep, we’ve visited 49 pubs in the past seven months. Now, that is some pub crawl.

Tuesday 18th October.

Yesterday we really felt the change in the weather, very high winds and some really heavy rain, and we’re approaching a short stretch of the River Trent at the first lock we come to. Still, I doubt it was enough to put the river into spate. Going down the lock, if I remember correctly, we have about 100 yards of canal, after which the river crosses at a ‘T’ from left to right. We then ride the river for a short while and it leaves us again to continue down the canal.

Thankfully the wind has died down and it has stopped raining, so we should be able to complete the five miles and four locks to Branston this morning. Wednesday Branston to Willington then, after paying a visit to the doctor, into the marina on Thursday morning. Job done!

Of course, should the weather turn foul again, we’ll have to stay here another day.

15.30 the same day…

Phew! That wind! Strong doesn’t even begin to describe it. But, lucky old us, we left Alrewas early, about 7.45, and completed the five miles and four locks to Branston Water Park moorings in 2½ hours, long before the wind really got up.

As usual after arriving at a new spot, we sat around for awhile drinking tea and nattering, after which we strolled into town for the paper and the promised pub lunch. We dined at The Blacksmiths Arms on our way through here in April, so we knew we were in for a decent meal. I plumped for the Italian Spicy Meat Ball with Pasta, whilst Wifey went for the Liver and Onion with Mash and Gravy. I’m pleased to say that there was enough there to satisfy and that neither of us required a pudding. However, behind the bar under a domed cover were slices of Carrot Cake, which I simply could not resist, so the guvnor had a couple of slices wrapped in foil for us to take away.

This pub, along with the Newbold Arms, is one of the cleanest pubs we have come across during this years cruise and, with meals at around a fiver is highly recommended by both of us. In fact we were so pleased with the service that we have decided to make a point of coming again whilst moored at Mercia Marina this winter. Last winter we weren’t too sure about the wisdom of taking the boat out, what with me recuperating from my op. But this year will be a different story as we are determined to take every opportunity to spend time on the canal.

Hopefully the wind will have died down again by morning, at which time we’ll cruise the seven miles and two locks to Willington, where we will call in to the surgery for renewed prescriptions and to make appointments. After that and assuming the weather is still OK, we’ll go on to the marina.

Thursday morning, all being well, I will endeavour to post this, the last blog for this year. One of our first jobs once we are securely tied up and all shopping is done, will be to go through our photos and put names to them. We will then sort them out and copy the best ones – in our amateur opinions – into a separate folder for onward copying to CD or DVD. Any member of our delightful families should place their order by email as soon as possible, after which we will be happy to hand out copies when we all meet in March or, if you are agog with excitement and can’t wait, we’ll be pleased to post them on. Your choice.

Thursday 20th October.

That’s all Folks, the last blog of 2011.

But first, our final cruise yesterday, from Branston to Willington and on to Mercia Marina. Oh boy, what a morning!

There were quite a few boats moored at Branston, several of which were heading our way and so, not wishing to have to compete with them at the only two locks along the seven mile home stretch, we left at 7.45 am.

Up until we had almost reached the outskirts of Willingon the day was fin, with just a light, following breeze, just the job for cruising, especially on our final day out. But – there’s always a but isn’t there? – with about half a mile to go the clouds started really building up and we passed through a couple of light showers.

We stopped at Willington at about 10.45 and paid a visit to the surgery to put in a prescription and make an appointment, then we popped into the Co-op for a few bits and pieces.

We arrived back at the boat at about 11.15 and prepared to move on to Mercia and, just as we cast off our mooring ropes and pushed off, the rain started. Within five minutes or so the heavens opened up and, by the time we arrived at the diesel pump in the marina, the wind was gusting and we were soaked. And we still had to fill the tank up.

But first we had to telephone the office and ask someone to come and unlock the pump. It’s still raining quite heavily at this point.

So, along comes Rob, the boss man. He must have Irish blood because the rain stopped just for him and, amazingly, the wind dropped too.

Naturally enough, in order for us to have further difficulties, if not with the rain then at least with the wind, another delay occurred, this time in the shape of the local hire boat company whose engineer needed to top one of their boats up with fuel.

With the diesel filler line being too short to reach our filler cap and in order to delay us even further, we then had to move the boat forward a few feet. That done we finally filled up with diesel at a final cost of £108.

At this point the wind decided to throw a tantrum, just to make life interesting over the final couple of hundred yards to our moorings. This involved winkling the sharp end between a boat and the pontoon which, in gusting wind, inevitably results in a ‘slight’ bump against the other boat. Thankfully the owner of said boat doesn’t live on his so, what the eyes don’t see, the heart can; grieve over.

Finally we tied up and attached our mains cable, by which time the wind had dropped, the sky had cleared and the sun had come out.

And that dear reader was our last cruising day of 2011.

During our winter break, which should last until the middle of March, I’m hoping to rearrange to pages of the blog to appear a little brighter and more interesting. With a little luck I’ll be in a position to post a few photos on our extended cruise in 2012.

Until then we three on Shiralee wish you all the best of health and whatever else you wish for yourself and yours.

Cheers me dears!

Dave, Sheila and Rusty.