Summer Cruise2-Day 50 &51

 

Day 50, Tuesday 22nd August was a bit damp but brightened later. Steve picked 12 oz of blackberries and Viv made two pots of jam. Day 51, Wednesday was move off day. Awoke to find lots of diesel around the boat- obviously been a spillage – it was everywhere and it stank. Glad we were going. No other boats seemed to be moving, so we went thru the first two locks ourselves, Steve losing his FitBit in the first locks, oops! We filled up with water opposite the Blue Lias pub – still no sign of any other boats, as we wanted to share the next 11 locks! After the next lock, a boat appeared and we went on to share the Stockton flight of locks. Got to Wigrams Turn and made a left for Braunston. Moored up at a good spot, between bridges 102 and 103 (did this last time), fairly rural and quiet although within the hour, two more boats had joined us. We’ll stay here for a bit.

Another nicely named boat
Our final mooring spot after 5 hours of chugging
Very rural & quiet spot

We did do 13 locks today, sailed thru diesel, lost a FitBit, got in a glum mood, then the sun came out! We had a few afternoon bevvies (Viv’s Winter Warmers!), had a snooze, fixed the tape around the weed hatch cos, at full ahead or astern it was spraying water everywhere – inside the engine space! So rubber draught excluder to the rescue. Come six o’clock, we went for a saunter, over bridge 103, beside some odd crops (flax? Sea lavender? Borage? And Sunflowers . . .), across two ploughed fields, luckily not muddy and then into the wee village of Flecknoe – not one that has much(any?) passing traffic but it does have the Old Olive Tree and they had several beers on, including the Champion beer of 2017 – Church End’s Goats Milk! Yippee, one of our favourites. They also did bar snacks-I had a pork,pie and Viv had a salmon and watercress tart! Nice. Back on the boat, after witnessing some spectacular evening scenes and lo, after all this time, we get a TV signal!

Identified as Scorpion Weed or Phacelia Tannacetifolia, used to attract bees or hover flies
Sunflowers
The Old Olive Tree, brilliant, must come back!
Sunset across the fields
Back on the boat – it’s been a long day!